Amazingly, as we consider the story of Israel’s conquest of Jericho, not all faith was outside the city on that fateful day. The collapse was complete, except for one small section from which a scarlet cord tossed about in the wake of the concussion. It was the cord of faith. Hebrews 11:30, 31 tells us, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she had welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”
During the preceding seven days, all faith’s components had developed and swelled through Rahab’s growing soul. She gave implicit obedience to the explicit directions given to her by God through the spies. She kept all her family in her home, just as she had been told to do. Though some of them very likely questioned her wisdom, she refused to capitulate, but rather insisted that they remain. And her obedience bears testimony to an amazing faith. A faith that likely exceeded and an obedience that matched that of the encircling Israelites.
Day after day, Rahab rose to the trumpeting of the shofars as they announced the approach of God and the Ark, then peered out over her scarlet cord. The Israelites likely silently and knowingly stared back, and she rested her faith in the fact that God really was with them. Hers was a focused faith. Perhaps she recited to her family something of the testimony she had given to the spies: “I know that the Lord has given this land to 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 and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below” [Joshua 2:9-11].
As Joshua was planning the conquest of Jericho, he sent out a reconnaissance team, as Jericho was a walled city situated in an open valley and its inhabitants, the Amorites, were on high alert. The ominous massed presence of Israel at the Jordan had made them suspicious of everyone and everything. They were fully aware of what God had done through Moses and this people in the preceding forty years. So theirs was an extra-perilous mission, and without Rahab and her exceedingly great faith in the Lord, it could easily have failed. “Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. ‘Go, look over the land,’ he said, ‘especially Jericho.’ So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. The king of Jericho was told, ‘Look! Some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.’ So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab, ‘Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.’” [Joshua 2:1-3].
The spies were apparently able to slip into the city unnoticed, disguised as Canaanite-Amorite in both clothing and speech. And once through Jericho’s gates, in a premeditated and studied attempt to ‘get lost’ in the city, they sought hiding in the house of a prostitute named Rahab. Lodging in such a place was characteristic of traveling merchants, and the spies felt their chances of escaping notice were best served there. But the strategy failed in two respects. First, someone saw them enter Jericho and followed them to Rahab’s home. Second, the prostitute immediately discerned their identity. From all outward appearances everything had fallen apart and they were doomed. The king was searching for them. They could not retreat back into the city. And if they jumped from the window, the king’s horsemen would easily run them down on the plain. It looked like their time had come, except for one totally unexpected thing – the faith and good works of a prostitute. So unanticipated, and so extraordinary, was this madame’s courageous faith that she is included in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11, along with the likes of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Joshua. And it is likely most significant that the final person to receive individual commentary in the list of faith’s champions is a woman, a Gentile and a prostitute. Rahab’s faith, a prostitute’s faith, is given to us as an example for all who desire to have true faith – especially those who know they are sinners and who deep down want to be pleasing to God.
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