GETTING STARTED
I love stories with heroes from unexpected places. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, hobbits save Middle Earth; in Harry Potter books, a little orphan defeats evil; and in the movie, “Rudy,” a short, scraggly football fanatic becomes one of Notre Dame’s greatest stars. The Bible also tells such stories.
In the book of Joshua, one unsuspecting hero was a prostitute named Rahab who risked her life because she believed in the one, true God. To protect Joshua’s spies, she hid them in her home and lied to the authorities. God used Rahab to bring about the miraculous defeat of Jericho and, in return, Joshua spared her, and her family’s, lives.
- Who have been some unexpected heroes in your life and why?
READ THE WORD: JOSHUA 6:15-27 (ESV)
15 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 17 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21 Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.
22 But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel.24 And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
DIGGING DEEPER
(Today’s questions focus on verses 6:22-27. Verses 6:14-21 were covered previously.)
- What is the significance of Joshua’s soldiers saving all of Rahab’s relatives (vss. 22-24)?
- Why do you think Rahab and her family were placed outside of the Israelite camp?
- Reading over the passage from yesterday (vss. 14-21), why was it important for the Israelites to keep certain items for the Lord’s treasury?
- What does it mean to you that God can use a woman like Rahab to fulfill his plan? Consider how he can use you as well.
RESPOND TO GOD
It shouldn’t surprise us as Christians that we connect with characters like these. After all, our Redeemer was merely a carpenter from the small town of Nazareth (and he was also a descendent of Rahab). Amazingly, God chose Rahab, a non-Israelite woman and a prostitute, as a key player to complete his plan. Throughout the Bible, God deliberately selected people from humble beginnings to achieve great things for his redemptive purposes. It’s important to note that he didn’t use these people simply to warm our hearts. God used them to show how anything is possible when we trust, obey, and lean on him.
- Thank God for choosing small characters to be key players.
- Ask him how you can take part in his greater plan.
