An Unlikely Hero

GETTING STARTED

When you hear the word “hero,” what jumps into your mind? Is it Superman? Spiderman? Maybe you think of some not-of-this-world talent like flying, or super-strength. In the Bible there are heroes, and almost all have a common theme. It’s not super-strength or flying. It’s that they are all normal people who are used by God and able to do great things. In today’s story, we see God use someone we might not take a second look at, and she becomes an integral part of the faith story in the Bible. 

  • What makes you able, or unable, to be used by God?

READ THE WORD: JOSHUA 2:1-11  (ESV)

2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. 2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.

8 Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. What was Rahab’s lie (vss. 4-6)?
  2. What did Rahab say to the men on the roof (vss. 8-11)?
  3. What does verse 9 tell us about Rahab and her view of God?
  4. Who do you know in your life, at work, in your neighborhood, or maybe at school, that you view as an unlikely character for God to use?

RESPOND TO GOD

We might be appalled by the fact that Rahab was a prostitute, or that she was willing to lie. Or, we might be impressed with her hide-and-seek skills. But what’s most surprising is that Rahab is the unlikely heroine of a story who declares, “He is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath,” which is proof of her faith and God’s grace. It is not a perfect faith, but her faith is commendable nonetheless. Are there people in your life whom you’ve pegged as unlikely to believe? Or perhaps, maybe you’re the unlikely hero or heroine, and you need to declare your faith?

  • Pray for the unlikely people in your life—at work, at school, or in your family, that they would come to faith.