AACF Freshmen Girls’ Bible Study, 9th May 2007

(Led by Melissa Goto and Petrina Loh)

Twelve Extraordinary Women

Rahab

Historical Background

• Rahab was an Amorite
• She was not only an Amorite, but a prostitute
• Deuteronomy 18:12 “Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.”
• Deuteronomy 20: 17-18 “Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you. Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God.”
• 1 Kings 21:26 “He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.”

Joshua 2

break into four groups:
verses 1-7
verses 8-14
verses 15-21
verses 22-24

In groups, answer these questions:
What is interesting in this passage?
What’s extraordinary about Rahab or her circumstance?
Think of one topic/question for our bible study to discuss

How has God prepared Rahab to believe the spies?
Fear from hearing the testimonies (verse 11).
She feared God more than she feared her government.
Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”
Fear partially motivated her faith.

Is Rahab’s lie justified?
“I see no need to try and justify Rahab’s lie. Was it necessary for a greater good? Certainly not. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego might have escaped punishment by lying too. And they might have argued convincingly that it was for a “greater good.” But there is no greater good than the truth, and the case of truth can never be served by lying. Shadrach and friends told the truth—in fact they seized the opportunity to glorify God’s name — and God was still able to save them from the furnace. He certainly could have saved Rahab and the spies without a lie.
Still, that isn’t the point of Rahab’s story. There’s no need for clever rationalization to try and justify her lie. Scripture never commends the lie. Rahab isn’t applauded for her ethics. Rahab is a positive example of faith.”
(Twelve Extraordinary Women, 59)

Why a scarlet cord? Significance?

1. Symbol of the Passover
2. Blood of Jesus

Wasn’t significant to Rahab à just a simple way of discreetly marking out her house from the other houses in Jericho.

God made use of her profession for good.

• Good location (Right at the wall, good observation spot).
• Willingly open doors to strangers.
• Most men abused her, but spies did not; Gained her trust.
• Used to lying.
• Hiding place.

Why did God make use of this prostitute? Why Rahab?
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Give examples from Rahab’s story that revealed this.
How about us? Can anyone give specific examples?
Psalms 145:6 “They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.”
Mark 2:17 “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Joshua 6:16-25

• The spies were faithful à deal that Rahab made with them (Joshua 2:17, Joshua 6:22).
• Because of this, she had more faith.
• She and her household lived in Israel (Joshua 6:25). We can see her extraordinary courage. New environment, new people, new government, new religion; she came out of her comfort zone instead of sticking to the status quo because of FAITH; she trusted the spies.
• She married an Israelite: Jesus was in her family line (Matthew 1:5)

How does Rahab’s life apply to our lives?

• She was a sinful person that God is able to use.
• God can make any bad things good.
• Hebrew 11:31 “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”
• James 2:24-26 “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 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? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” Faith motivates action. Not that our works are perfect, but that we have faith. Even when we do “bad works” God uses if for his good.
• 1 John 2:3 “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.”

“FAITH: Faith is the most solid possible conviction or belief based upon divine assurance, not on empirical evidence. A degree or measure of faith is a gift from God to every person. In other words, every person has some ability to believe, and it is only when that ability is exercised by an act of the will that a person can experience the fruits that arise from having faith. Faith is activated in the human heart by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God and the grace of Jesus Christ.”
(Twelve Extraordinary Women Workbook, 34)

“Rahab was not redeemed by any meritorious works she did. She did not earn God’s favor by any good deeds. Remember, even what she did do right — harboring the spies — was morally tainted because of the way she handled it. She lied. But she is not given to us as an example of the power of human works. She is not a lesson in self-improvement. She is a reminder that God by His grace can redeem even the most horrible life. Why is it important that we remember always that “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship” (Ephesians 2:8-10)?”
(Twelve Extraordinary Women Workbook, 37)

Application:
What part of your faith is God calling you to take action in?
What is something really practical you can do this week to live out your faith? Be specific. Something you don’t do on a regular basis, but challenging.

(Break into small groups!)