One of the unlikely heroes of the bible is Rahab. Her story is found in the book of Joshua and she is a key element in the story of the Battle of Jericho. In Joshua Chapter 2, we see Joshua send two spies to look over the land of Jericho and they stayed at the house of Rahab, a prostitute. When the king of Jericho found out that the spies were staying at Rahab’s house he asked her to release the to her. Rahab hid the spies on her roof and sent the men that the king sent away saying they had already left for the banks of Jericho.

From the account in Joshua 2, we know that Rahab decided to help the Israelites knowing that their God was the real God of heaven and Earth. In Joshua 2: 9-11 Rahab says this to the Israelite spies, “I know that the Lord has given you this land 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.  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. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” Rahab then goes on to help the men escape out of the window of her house which was in the walls of Jericho in exchange for her life and the lives of her family.

Later on in the Story, we find out that when Joshua spares the life of Rahab and her family in Joshua 6:25 “But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho and she lives among the Israelites to this day.” Rahab went on live as an Israelite and later become the mother of Boaz and even ended up being mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ himself”. The story of Rahab is a reminder to all that redemption is available to anyone who put their trust in the God of the Israelites. The one and only true God.

Rahab was probably considered an outcast in society. She was probably living in sin as a prostitute. Her family was probably condemned by all of society for her being a prostitute but when God gave her an opportunity to change her life and trust in him she did so by saving the Israelite spies and trusting that Their God was the real God. She was rewarded with her life and the life of her family being spared and she went on to live the rest of her life as an Israelite, being one of God’s chosen people. She went from being condemned and living in sin to becoming a hero for the Israelites and being accepted as one of their own. The story of Rahab is a reminder for all Christians that our past does not matter to our God. Only our choice to choose him as our God matters.

Hebrews 11:31 says ” By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient” Paul here clearly says that Rahab was saved by her faith by trusting in the God of the Israelites. Whatever happened in her life until that moment did not matter. Her past life, her sin, and her life as a prostitute did not matter to God. All that mattered was that Rahab trusted in God and as a result, Rahab and her family did not perish. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The word “Whosoever” in this verse means anyone and everyone. It could be Rahab, It could be you. It is anyone who puts their trust in Jesus Christ. The God of the Israelites is still alive today. He is the only real God and He is here to save us and redeem us from our past life of sin just like he did for Rahab the prostitute.

Attribution: Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons