Rahab's 180 Degree Turn

Rahab’s 180 degree turn

I have been reading a book titled “Twelve Extraordinary Women” by John MacArthur. I initially stumbled across it while going through some resources belonging to YC. As usual, tales of women mentioned in the Bible always capture my attention. I love reading about how God used women who didn’t have much, who were considered ‘pagan’ or who were deemed as outcasts of the society to carry out his plan of redemption. More than that, I really admire the response of these women to their God; their strength, their faith and their submission.

Interestingly, out of the many women mentioned in this book, I felt that I could really identify with Rahab. Rahab was a harlot living in Jericho at the time when Joshua was going to lead the Israelites to take over the Promise Land. The people of Jericho had heard of how mighty and great Yahweh is and they were all fainthearted thinking of what may happen to them. Joshua had sent two spies into Jericho in order to survey the land and Rahab welcomed them into her home. She even hid them from the soldiers who had been sent to arrest the two Israelite spies and misdirected the soldiers to go the wrong way so that the two men could escape safely back to the Israelite camp. She made a promise with the two spies that she and all she had – belongings and family – would be kept safe when Jericho was taken over by the Israelites. They kept their promise and in the end, Rahab and her family lived together with the Israelites.

3 Things I Learnt From Rahab:

She Had a Good Kind of Fear, The Fear of The Lord, Which Made Her Believe in Yahweh.

Somehow, the stories that she had heard about how God had been with the Israelites as they conquered many mighty kings had a great impact on her. It caused her heart to be turned towards this God that she hardly even knew about.

Her Faith Was Active and Fruitful.

Her faith did not lie dormant for long; it was seen in the fruit of her works. Even before she professed her faith in God before the two spies, she acted on it. She put her life on the line by hiding the spies and then sending the soldiers the wrong way.

She Was Redeemed Not Because of Any Good Works That She Did.

She is not an example of the power of human works. She is not a lesson on how to better ourselves. She is a reminder that God by His grace can redeem even the most horrible life. Jericho was an extremely wicked city at that time. Rahab, being a harlot meant that she made a living out of one of the most looked-down-upon trades in one of the most wicked cities. Yet, she was saved by God’s grace through her faith in Yahweh. To add to that, her whole family joined her in this new life that she would begin!

-Jasmine.