Family of Origin: Rahab & and the Spies
Joshua 2:1-7
1Then 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. 2The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3So 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.” 4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6(But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.
- God chose Joshua to take the Israelites into the land promised to them. (Numbers 27)
- Where do we see this in the New Testament?
- In Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus: Matthew 1.
- Hebrews 11:31: By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
- James 2:25: In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
- What are our family resemblances to Rahab?
- Are we willing to believe that God would accept us in our sinfulness?
- Are we willing to risk that God will care for us?
- Are we willing to take risks to help others?
- What is God calling us to do/be based on this member of our Family of Origin?
Today's Preacher
Debbie Reese is Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC