Faith and Courage: Rahab’s Role in the Fall of Jericho

In this episode of Bible Bytes, we dig deep into the inspiring story of Rahab from Joshua chapter 2, verses 1 through 21. Host Randy Black explores how Rahab, a woman with a marginalized societal position, displayed extraordinary faith and courage by protecting Israelite spies and acknowledging the sovereignty of the God of Israel. Her actions demonstrate that true faith is active, taking risks and trusting God even in perilous situations. The scarlet cord she hung in her window symbolizes salvation, pointing forward to Christ's redemptive blood. Rahab's story is a powerful reminder that God can use any willing heart to achieve extraordinary purposes, emphasizing the importance of obedience and faith in action.

We reflect on how Rahab's faith was not just intellectual but deeply personal, leading her to intercede for her family and align herself with God's plan. Her story foreshadows Christ's intercession for believers and highlights the transformative power of faith and obedience. Rahab's inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus Christ underscores God's redeeming grace, showing that no past is too sinful for restoration. This episode encourages listeners to embrace a faith that acts boldly and trusts in God's promises, reminding us that our lives, like Rahab's, can be vessels of God's love and grace.

Episode Transcript

Randy Black (00:08):
We gather here today
with open hearts and minds

(00:53):
Welcome to Bible Bites, the podcast where we work to inspire faith
one bite at a time. I'm your host, Randy Black.
The story of Rahab in Joshua chapter two verses one through 21 reveals
the incredible ways God works through unlikely people to accomplish his purposes.
Rahab, a woman whose past and societal position

(01:15):
might have made her seem insignificant,
displayed remarkable faith and courage by protecting the Israelite spies and acknowledging the God of Israel as the sovereign overall.
Her story demonstrates
that true faith is not passive.
It takes risks,
acts boldly, and trust god even in the face of danger.

(01:36):
The scarlet cord she hung in her window became a visible sign of salvation,
pointing forward to Christ's blood that secures redemption for all who believe.
For Christians today,
Rahab's example reminds us that God can use any willing heart to accomplish extraordinary things, that our obedience matters,

(01:56):
and that faith, when acted upon, has the power to transform both our lives and the lives of those around us.
As we do each episode,
let's open up with a word of prayer.
Heavenly father, we thank you for the example of Rahab
whose courage

(02:16):
and faith in you changed the course of her life and her family's destiny.
Help us to trust you boldly in our daily walk
to act courageously
even when fear surrounds us, and to obey your word with confidence.
We are grateful that just as the scarlet cord marked Rahab's household for protection,

(02:38):
the blood of Christ
secures our salvation
and marks us as yours.
Teach us to live with faith that moves into action,
to embrace the redemption that you offer,
and to trust that you can use our lives,
even our past weaknesses, for your extraordinary purpose.
In the name of your son, Jesus, we pray today.

(03:01):
Amen.
The account of Rahab that we see in Joshua chapter two verses one through 21 is is striking
because it shows how god works through
unlikely people to accomplish his divine purposes.
Rahab
was known as a harlot,
a woman whose life choices placed her on the margins

(03:22):
of her society.
Yet,
when the spies entered Jericho,
she acted with great courage by hiding them from the king's men saying, yes. The men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
By this choice,
Rahab risked her own life.
For if she had been discovered,

(03:42):
she would have been executed as a traitor.
Her actions teach us that
faith is often tested in moments
where the cost is high,
and courage is shown when we choose to trust God's purpose over our own safety.
Rahab's courage, however, was was not rooted in blind loyalty to strangers.

(04:04):
It flowed from her recognition
of god's power and sovereignty.
She told the spies,
for we have heard how the lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you came out of Egypt.
When we heard these reports,
our hearts melted,
and no courage remained in anyone

(04:25):
any longer because of you.
For the lord your god,
he is god in heaven
above
and on earth
below.
Her confession here stands in stark contrast to the rest of Jericho
whose fear paralyzed them.
While others trembled,
Rahab believed.

(04:47):
Her faith was not only intellectual,
but personal.
She acknowledged God as the true and living God.
Hebrews chapter 11 verse 31 commends her for this very faith.
By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish along with those who were disobedient
after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

(05:09):
This moment
shows us that faith begins when we recognize who god truly is and align ourselves with his power and plan
even when the world around us resists him.
Rahab's faith
did not stop with confession.
It moved her to intercede for her family.

(05:29):
She begged the spies.
Now then, please swear to me by the lord since I have dealt kindly with you
that you also
will deal kindly with my father's household and give me a pledge of truth.
Her concern
was not just her own survival,
but for the safety of her loved ones.

(05:51):
This foreshadows
Christ's saving work. For just as Rahab sought mercy for her family,
Jesus intercedes for us
since he always lives to make intercession from them for them, Hebrews chapter seven verse 25.
The scarlet cord that Rahab tied in her window became the sign of that covenant.

(06:14):
This image recalls the blood of the Passover lamb in Exodus chapter 12 verse seven,
where God's people marked their doorsteps with blood so that the destroyer
would pass over them.
Just as the scarlet cord marks Rahab's household for salvation,
the blood of Christ marks the believer

(06:34):
for
eternal
deliverance.
Rahab's story also illustrates that
faith must be accompanied by obedience.
After the spies left,
she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
She did not delay or argue. She acted in trust

(06:55):
upon the promise she had received.
James chapter two verse 25 explains this truth clearly.
In the same way was Rahab the prostitute not also justified by works when she received the messengers
and sent them out by another way.
Her obedience

(07:15):
demonstrated that her faith was genuine,
it was alive,
and it was active.
For Christians today, this is a reminder that professing belief is not enough.
We must also obey God's word and demonstrate our trust through action.
Faith that remains idle is incomplete,

(07:35):
but faith that acts
is transformative.
Finally,
Rahab's story does not end in Joshua chapter two. She's mentioned again in Matthew
chapter one verse five as part of the genealogy of Jesus Christ
alongside Salmon,
Boaz, and eventually David.
This means that Rahab, once a Canaanite harlot,

(07:58):
became part of the royal line
leading to the savior of the world.
Her inclusion
shows the depth of god's redeeming grace
that no past is too sinful,
no life too broken
for him to restore
and use it for his glory.

(08:18):
This should be a source of encouragement to every single believer.
If God could redeem Rahab
and graft her into his eternal plan,
he can do the same with us when we put our faith
fully in him.
We have some key takeaways
from our scripture today.

(08:39):
Our first is that God uses unexpected people.
Rahab was an unlikely candidate to be a part of God's plan, a Canaanite,
a woman,
and a harlot.
Yet she became a vital figure in Israel's victory and was honored in the genealogy of Christ.
This reminds us that God's grace is greater than our past and that he delights in using the least likely individuals

(09:04):
to accomplish his purpose.
Our next takeaway is that faith requires courageous action.
Rahab's faith
led her to act boldly by hiding the spies and protecting them from the king's men.
Her courage reminds us that faith often involves risk, and believers today are called to stand boldly for god when it is uncomfortable

(09:28):
or costly.
Our next takeaway is that true faith confesses god's sovereignty.
Rahab openly declared, the lord your God, he is God in heaven above and on earth below.
Confession and acknowledgment
of God's authority
are vital expressions
of genuine faith.

(09:51):
The next takeaway is that faith and obedience go
hand in hand.
By tying the scarlet cord as instructed,
Rahab demonstrated
that her faith was active and was obedient.
James tab chapter two verse 26 reminds us that faith without works is dead, and obedience

(10:12):
validates our trust in god.
Our next takeaway is the scarlet cord points to Christ's salvation.
The scarlet cord marked Rahab's household for deliverance
and prefigures the blood of Christ, which secures salvation
for all who believe. We see that in first Peter chapter one verses eighteen and nineteen.

(10:35):
Just as Rahab's household was spared,
we
are saved by Christ's sacrificial blood.
And our last takeaway is that God's redemption
is complete and transformative.
Rahab's inclusion in Israel and the lineage of Christ demonstrates God's power to redeem and restore.
Our past does not limit God's purpose.

(10:57):
Faith in Christ
transforms
our lives
ultimately for his glory.
Ultimately, Rahab's life exemplifies
how
faith
and obedience
work together to bring about transformation.
James chapter two verse 25 explains,

(11:18):
in the same way was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
Her story reminds us that faith is living,
active,
and courageous.
As we follow Christ today,
we are called to a faith that trusts God fully,

(11:40):
acts boldly,
and obeys consistently.
Rahab's example encourages us to embrace a faith that God can use to accomplish extraordinary things,
not only in our own lives,
but in the lives of those around us.
Her story also encourages reflection on God's redeeming power.

(12:02):
Rahab's past did not prevent her from becoming grafted into God's covenant people,
and ultimately included in the lineage of Jesus.
This demonstrates that no life is beyond God's restoration.
For believers,
this truth reminds us that God can take our failures,

(12:23):
weaknesses,
and mistakes
and transform them into part of his greater plan.
Just as Rahab became an instrument of his purposes,
we too can be vessels of God's love and grace when we respond
in faith.
Furthermore, the scarlet cord serves as a visual reminder of salvation

(12:47):
and of God's covenant.
Rahab's obedience in marking her household foreshadows the blood of Christ, which secures the eternal deliverance for all who believe.
Reflection upon this symbol helps us to see the connection between faith, obedience,
and divine protection.
God calls us to act on his promises, trusting

(13:09):
that he will fulfill them.
Finally,
Rahab's example challenges us to consider how our daily choices
reflect our faith.
Every act of obedience,
every step of courage,
and every confession of God's sovereignty becomes a witness of his power and his grace.

(13:35):
By stepping out in faith,
trusting god's promises,
and embracing his guidance,
we participate in the unfolding of his extraordinary plan
just as Rahab did in Jericho.
Before we preview
our next episode,
let's close out with a word of prayer.

(13:58):
Heavenly father, we thank you for the story of Rahab whose
faith, courage, and obedience remind us that you can use anyone to accomplish your purposes.
Help us to trust you boldly in our daily walk, to act courageously
even when fear surrounds us, and to obey your word with confidence.
We are grateful that just as the scarlet cord marked Rahab's household for protection,

(14:22):
the blood of Christ
secures our salvation
and marks us as yours.
Teach us to live with faith that moves into action,
to embrace
the redemption you offer,
and to trust that you can use our lives,
even our past and weaknesses,
for your extraordinary purposes.

(14:43):
Strengthen our hearts, Lord, so that our faith may be living,
active, and courageous,
impacting not only our own paths,
but the lives of those around us as well.
We pray this in the in the in the mighty and saving name of your son, Jesus.
Amen.
In our next episode, we're gonna explore further the surprising story

(15:05):
behind Rahab, a woman whose courage and faith changed the course of history.
We're gonna take a look at Joshua chapter six verses 22 through 25,
where Rahab's bold action saves her family during the fall of Jericho.
And then Matthew chapter one verse five one more time, which highlights her important place in the lineage of Jesus.

(15:27):
Tune in to see how faith and bravery
intersect
in unexpected ways.
So join us on that episode of Bible Bites, the podcast where we work to inspire faith
one bite at a time. Bible
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(15:48):
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