God may call us as individuals to take a stand for Him, but then He’ll bring some chosen ones alongside to help us. We need to ask for His help to find those who will stand with us – our Rahab.
Yesterday, we began to look in the Book of Joshua at Israel’s preparation for moving across the Jordan river into their inheritance. We too may have a last barrier to pass through on the way into that which God has decreed for us.
Joshua had been thrust into the leadership of the nation by the death of Moses. Some of us today may find ourselves in the same position, but God is able to sustain us in our situations.
The two spies and Rahab had also been thrust together by their individual circumstances. Joshua had sent the spies to ‘look over the land, especially Jericho. So they went and entered the house of Rahab’. Joshua 2:1
The spies probably would not have survived without Rahab’s help. She hid them and protected them from the king’s men who pursued them. Rahab was not the typical Amorite, she had good personal qualities, bold and resourceful as mentioned yesterday. She also took her stand on the Lord’s side in the coming battle.
‘I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts sank and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God IN HEAVEN ABOVE AND ON THE EARTH BELOW. Joshua 2
The spies feared for their lives and warned Rahab twice, Joshua 2:14, (20 even after their oath) not to betray them. Rahab feared for her own survival and that of her family, so she asked the spies to take an oath to her in the Name of the Lord.
14 ‘OUR LIVES FOR YOUR LIVES!’ the men assured her. ‘If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land (Faith speaking, not Fear)’.
The spies eventually crossed back over the Jordan for the last time as aliens in the land. The next time it would be to conquer and take possession of it for the Lord God. It took an entire new generation to be raised up to accomplish God’s will – none of the Old Faithless could enter the land.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes”.
25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21
God bless and keep you today.