Rahab the Justified

                  The following text is derived primarily from Joshua 6.

                  In Joshua 6 we see the spies' promise to Rahab finally fulfilled, though not in any way the spies thought.  See the spies thought they would be the ones to spare Rahab, when it turns out God would be the one who would save her.  

                  See, God not only wanted glory in his perfect judgment of Jericho through the Israel's conquest.  Not only did he want to showcase his power  through tearing down the walls himself, he wanted to demonstrate his mercifulness in saving Rahab and her family.  See, Rahab's house was built into the wall.  So that when the walls came down her house would surely be destroyed.

                  But God didn't destroy her section of the wall, while all the world around her was literally crashing down, Rahab and her family alone were safe.  Rahab thought that the that the red thread hanging down from her window would be her salvation, when God proved to her and all the Israelites that it was her faith that saved her. 

                  However that wasn’t the best part…

                  See Rahab thought that escaping God's wrath was the real reward for her faith.  It wasn't.  Rahab was truly blessed through her adoption into the family of God.

                  Here was the Harlot Rahab, her name before was literally condemning against her.  However she finds a new identity in Israel, Rahab, wife of Salmon. (Matthew 1:5)  She is justified through her faith, and she shook of her old nature and old name and found a she was a new person in a new nation…

                  Here was Rahab of Jericho, before she was associated with great city whose walls proclaimed its strength an greatness.  However her name also testified of her and her city's unrighteousness before God and condemned her to God's judgment.  But through her faith, Rahab the Israelite is born; and in her new citizenship she is proclaimed as chosen of God.  She gains favor in the sight of God and saw she was not alone in her faithfulness…

                  Here was Rahab the sinner, she was powerless to save herself.  She thought that escaping physical death was her greatest blessing.  But she soon discovered her greater blessing is being reborn into the family of God.  She now has new life, and a stake in the inheritance of life after death.   

                  Rahab is the picture of what happens when a sinner is justified through faith and is adopted into the family of God.  Her witness has stood for thousands upon thousands of years proclaiming God as a God powerful in his mercy.   A testimony every believer carries with them as a child of God.  We have received countless blessings from God through Jesus' sacrifice.  So everyday it stands that we should be thankful for his gifts of mercy and grace to us.

                  And ultimately her greatest blessing is her title that is only reavelaed thousands of years later…

                  Rahab, the many, many greats grandmother of Jesus Christ.