Rahab and the Spies - The Book of Joshua

In this Bible Story, Joshua’s spies infiltrate the city of Jericho and are saved by a prostitute named Rahab. She informed the spies of Israel that all of Jericho was terrified of Israel, and that they all knew the Lord would give Israel the land. This story is inspired by Joshua 1:1-3:6. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is Joshua 1:9 from the King James Version.

Episode 51: Joshua, the newly appointed leader of Israel, struggles with doubt wondering if he has what it takes to measure up to Moses and to lead the people well. God hears this and shows up to Joshua three times to encourage him that He will be with him. After this, Joshua sends two spies to scope out the city of Jericho. While there, they meet a woman of the city named Rahab who hides them and helps them escape in exchange for her life. For she and her people knew that God had given Israel the land.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. Have I not commanded THEE be strong
and of good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed,
For the Lord, thy God is with THEE. Whithersoever thou
goest Joshua one night, Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for

(00:21):
reminding me to be strong and courageous. These words will
serve as my life's reminder as I moved through the
life of Joshua. As I face my first test and
conquer my new territory, I will do so knowing that
the God of this universe is behind me, beside me,

(00:42):
and in front of me. Even though the mountain in
front of me may seem as fortified and large as Jericho,
I know that you have a plan, God, to cause
the mountain to crumble before me. All I need to
do is stand steadfast and reliant upon you, and my

(01:02):
victory is inevitable. I decree and declare that you are
setting up rahabs in my life to help shield and
protect me from the enemy. Praise you, Lord, for you
have gone before me to speak on my behalf even
before I entered the room. Therefore, the ground is ripe

(01:24):
for the seeds of promise. Then I know that my
harvest time has come. I will let out a hallelujah
because your word never fails. My future is secured, my
family is protected, and my promise has been made sure

(01:44):
in your unfailing love. In Jesus's name, Amen, Listening to
these daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God. Continue hearing
from the Lord by listening to today's Bible in a
Year brought to you by Bible in a Year dot com.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
Rahab and the Spies. In our last story, we learned
about the passing of Moses. His past with anger had
kept him from leading the new generation into the Promised Land.
Before Moses's departure, God appointed Joshua to lead in his place.
Near the camp on the mountain, Moses overlooked the land

(02:36):
flowing with milk and honey and breathed his last knowing
that the sheep of Israel were safe under the care
of a new shepherd. In this story, we learn about
God's steadfast reminder to Joshua to be brave and courageous,
and how bravery comes in all shapes and sizes. Rahab,

(02:57):
a prostitute woman from Jericho, shows the courage of God
in a different way as inspired by the Book of Joshua.

Speaker 3 (03:08):
Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
in a Year. In our previous episode, we heard how
God showed kindness to Moses in his final days on earth.
Though his anger had kept him out of the promised land,
God allowed Moses to see that place. God was giving
his people a view of the fulfilled promise. Moses reminded

(03:28):
the people of all God's laws and that if they
obeyed him, they would be blessed. Before he died, Moses
commissioned Joshua, the man that God himself had chosen to
lead Israel into their new home. Today, we'll hear how
God reminds Joshua to be brave and trust that He
would work through Joshua and be with him, just as

(03:49):
he was with Moses. We'll also see how courage leads
a prostitute named Rahab to help God's people as they
come in to take Jericho. Let's listen now to to
day's reading.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
The sun had set on the era of Moses. His leadership, humility,
and devotion to God would be heralded for thousands of generations.
Now a new era had come, and it was time
for God to lead his people out of the wilderness
and into the land flowing with milk and honey. God

(04:24):
came to Joshua as he once did to Moses. In
the silence, God spoke softly, saying, Moses is dead. Now arise, Joshua,
go over the Jordan River into the land I have
given you and my people. Joshua smiled and laid it
at the words he was hearing, Yet a subtle doubt

(04:45):
nested in the back of his mind. He could not
shake a feeling of insecurity. Am I truly able to
lead these people like Moses did? He thought to himself. God,
knowing Joshua's heart, continued to speak, saying, no one shall
be able to stand against you, just as I was
with Moses. So I will be with you. I will

(05:09):
never leave you. Be strong and courageous, and you will
lead the people into victory. Keep my commands close to
your heart, and do not be afraid, for I am
with you. Three times God repeated these words to Joshua,
encouraging him to be strong and courageous. Joshua closed his

(05:29):
eyes and took a deep breath. He rolled his shoulders
back and assumed a large posture. Then he arose to
go lead his people. Prepare yourselves, Joshua shouted to his men.
He marched through camp to all the officers of Israel, saying,
pass through camp and command people to pack their belongings,

(05:53):
for in three days we will pass through the Jordan
and take the land that is ours. So Joshua and
all his men helped the families of Israel prepare for
their final adventure. A galvanizing spirit of unity was among
the people, and Joshua had the trust and admiration of Israel. However,

(06:14):
Joshua was not naive to the dangers that awaited Israel.
He remembered the vastness of the Canaanite armies and their strength.
They were not like God's people. These cultures could be
brutal and sadistic, taking women and children as prostitutes and slaves.
He must be careful, and God must be with him.

(06:38):
The first land they had to conquer was Jericho, a
city with great walls and fortification. So Joshua sent two
spies to scope out the land and its inhabitants, as
Joshua once did with the eleven others. These spies remained hidden
within the city and measured its level of strength. The

(06:58):
two spies wept the land for threats and weaknesses. They
remained anonymous and hidden, finding lodging in the house of
a prostitute named Rahab. There they hid in between shifts
of going out and spying. Soon word of the two
spies came to the King of Jericho. Suspicious and angry,

(07:19):
the king sent men to Rahab's house to find the spies,
for he had been told they were lodging there. Knox
could be heard from the front of Rahab's house. The
spies and Rahab looked at one another, panicked the king
had found them. The spies drew their swords and prepared
for a fight, but Rahab took both of them and

(07:41):
hid them safely. Raab straightened her clothes, put on a
sensuous smile, and slowly approached the door. Guards were at
her door. Rajab, about to greet them as customers, was
interrupted by one of the guards, saying, bring out the
men who have been staying here, for they are Israelites.

(08:01):
Rahab feigned surprise and concern. With her profession, she had
become quite good at faking expressions. She let the men
come inside and said, ah, yes, two men were here,
but I had no idea where they were from. When
the gates of the city were about to be closed,
they left quickly. You must go find them before they

(08:21):
kill us. Rahab played the part of a woman in distress,
needing the big, strong men to save her, all the
while making sure nobody looked up towards the flax of
the roof where she had hid the spies. The men
wasted no time and pursued the men past the gates
and towards the Jordan River with great vigor. The men

(08:43):
rode in pursuit of the spies that weren't even there.
Rahab shut the door and breathed a sigh of relief.
She climbed up to the roof where she had hidden
the spies. They would stay there for the night before
leaving early in the morning. Rahab crouched down to where
they were. Our eyes were filled with tears, but there
was a look of resolve on her face. I know

(09:06):
the Lord has given this land to you, Raab said.
Everybody here is afraid of you. We have all heard
how God saved you from the Egyptians and the Amorites.
If your God would part the red seas for you.
There is no telling what he might do to us.
As soon as we heard you were coming, our hearts melted.

(09:26):
Please spare me and my family when you come. Since
I have helped you, please help my mother, father and siblings.
The two spies smiled. They had no idea how afraid
the people were of them. It was a good report,
and they were excited to bring it back to Joshua.
They took special note of Rahab and said to her,

(09:47):
of course our lives are in your debt. If you
tell nobody of us, we will be faithful to you. Then,
while it was still dark, Rahab lowered the men down
by a rope through her window, for her home home
was a part of the city wall. The two men
thanked Rahab and said, when we come to the land,
tie this scarlet cord to your window, and anyone who

(10:09):
passes through will not harm you. And so Rahab did it.
The scarlet rope was tied around her window as a
symbol of mercy, just as the scarlet blood was painted
on the doorsteps of the Israelites years ago. God would
do more than just spare Rahab and her family.

Speaker 1 (10:26):
Little did she know.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
That the scarlet thread would represent far more than mercy
from Israel. Later on, she would marry a handsome prince
from Judah, and through her lineage, a thousand generations across
the entire world would be shown the mercy and blessings
of God. The men departed and ventured into the hills
and hid there for three days. The soldiers of Jericho

(10:50):
scoured the outskirts of the land, barely missing the spies.
A few close calls later, the men were able to return, hungry, dehide,
and more happy than they had ever been. The spies
ran back to their camp. Joshua was helping a family
pack their things when he heard shouts from the distance.

(11:11):
He looked towards the horizon and saw two figures waving
in the distance. Their silhouettes jumped up and down. Joshua
squinted and could finally see that it was his spies returning.
All the people looked as the two men ran back.
Then Joshua heard the words they had been shouting. The
Lord has given us this land, and they shall melt

(11:34):
away because of us.

Speaker 3 (11:38):
We begin today's story with a new leader, Joshua, feeling
the weight of his position. Moses had led God's people
for many years with strength and humility, and Joshua knew
that he had some big sandals to fill. Not only that,
but after forty years of wandering in the desert, God
was telling Joshua it was now time to cross the

(11:59):
Jordan and actually enter the promised land. So God spoke
to Joshua three times, echoing the words Moses had charged
Joshua with, be strong, be courageous. God reassured Joshua that
he would go with him, just as he had been
with Moses before him. But this was much much more

(12:19):
than a pep talk. These were marching orders. Listen to
what God says when he repeats the charge the third
time in Joshua won nine. Have I not commanded you
be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do
not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with
you wherever you go. I can't help but think of

(12:40):
the words that Jesus gave to his disciples before he
ascended into heaven. He was giving them the task of
taking the message of the good News to the world.
And just as God told Joshua that he would be
with him wherever he went, Christ promised his spirit to
go with us within us always that he would always
be with us. Joshua believed God would do exactly what

(13:02):
he said he would do, and this time, unlike the
generation before him, the people did as well. They were
confident that God would deliver the land into their hands.
It was time to cross the Jordan. But note that
Joshua since spies at advance, just as Moses had done
forty years before. You see, confidence does not mean carelessness.

(13:22):
The threat of other nations was real, and Joshua needed
to know what was ahead for the people. So two
spies entered the first city that they would have to take,
the city of Jericho, and is here that we meet Rayhab,
a prostitute. She gave safe lodging to the spies because
she had heard the incredible things that God had done

(13:43):
since they had been rescued out of Egypt. God's great
name had gone before these men, and she by faith
opened the door for them. The king sent soldiers to
capture the spies, and he had heard that they were
staying with Rayhab, so she lied to protect the men.
She sent the soldiers in search of the men, who

(14:04):
she said had gone to the city gates. You see,
like the midwives in Egypt who lied to Pharaoh's guards
to protect Hebrew babies. Rahab feared God more than men
and put her own life on the line to protect
those who were sent by God. Rehab then lowered the
men through her window to safety so they could return
to give Joshua the good news God has indeed given

(14:27):
us the land. Rehab's faith and faithfulness would be rewarded.
Before leaving, the men told her to tie a scarlet
rope to her windows so that when they returned to
take the city, her life would be spared. That red
cord represents a scarlet thread of redemption, the story of
Jesus that runs throughout the Bible, and that by his

(14:48):
blood we are redeemed. Rahab herself would become an ancestor
to the Savior who would come and bring the whole
world to himself. Dear God, thank you that you brought
rescue and grace and peace to all of us through
your son Jesus. Thank you God that just as Joshua
and the people could trust you to make good on

(15:11):
your promises, we also know that we can be faithful
and true and strong and courageous in Jesus' name. Amen,
thank you for listening to Today's Bible in a Year podcast.
I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download thepray dot
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(15:32):
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(15:54):
you