Rahab, the Prostitute. Her title is not one anyone dreams of having, but this was probably a vocation that was decided for her, not one she chose. However, this is how she has been introduced in Joshua 2 for generations. Josephus, a Jewish historian, adds that she ran an inn in Jericho, a city in the land of Canaan. We don’t know how old she was when the Hebrew spies crossed her threshold, but she probably lived under the fear of the Israelite’s God for most, if not all, of her life, like many throughout the city of Jericho. Who was Rahab in the Bible, and what can we learn from her story?
Rahab in Jericho
Jericho was an active town and received visitors, many of whom would find their way to Rahab’s inn along the city’s fortified wall. For forty years, visitors would have carried news from Egypt. The most famous stories would have been from the time when Egypt’s water turned into blood, the land was invaded by frogs, lice, flies, and locusts, unexplained diseases, hail from the sky, darkness for several days, and the final blow of death to all the firstborn throughout the land until Pharoah let the Israelites leave. Travelers throughout the years would have brought news of the traveling nation headed toward Jericho, conquering the neighboring nations as they made their way to claim their inheritance in the land of Canaan!
So, how did a Canaanite prostitute become the great-grandmother of the second most known king in history, King David, and then named in the lineage of Israel’s Messiah, King Jesus, in Matthew 1:5? Hebrews 11:31 provides clarity:
- “By faith, the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe,
when she had received the spies with peace.”
Joshua had sent two men to spy in the land of Canaan, specifically the walled city of Jericho. These men came to Rahab’s inn, and when the king’s men came looking for the spies, she hid them and expressed her faith by saying to them, in Joshua 2:9:
- “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.”
She was making peace with the men and their God by offering them safety. She believed that the Israelites would be victorious because of their God, and she sought to find a way to preserve herself and her family. To identify her house from outside the wall, the men instructed her to bind the scarlet cord in her window so they could see it when they returned to conquer Jericho. Rahab showed faith and obedience by displaying the scarlet cord from her window.
The men found Rahab and her family after the walls fell and led them to safety. God was faithful and preserved them. They lived outside the Israelite camp, receiving continued protection and care.
What is the Significance of the Scarlet Cord?
Rahab and her people were the enemies of God, yet He preserved her through the scarlet cord that not only hung out her window but the one He wove through her entire life. You see, if Rahab looked back over her life, she would be able to see how God made Himself known to her through all the reports from visitors about Him and His people. These reports would have caused her to know a little more about Isreal’s God; she would have thought about Him and what He had done, for example:
- He has power over creation,
- He is protective and fights for His people, and
- He provides for His people.
She had to consider Him and ponder in her heart how He was different from the gods worshiped in her culture. The false gods of the Canaanites sought the destruction of her soul through sin, which brought her shame and humiliation, but the One True God of Isreal came to Jericho, brought the spies to her establishment, and offered her hope. He showed her His goodness by turning her shame into honor as He wove her story into the lineage of Christ. His blood represents the scarlet cord that ran through her life and brought true salvation.
Rahab had a choice. She could report the spies and suffer defeat along with the rest of Jericho, or she could align herself with God’s people. The scarlet cord was there regardless of what she chose, but she had to decide which choice to make and show faith, which she did with a literal scarlet cord for all to see. And God showed Himself faithful to His people and her by preserving her and her family.
Takeaway
Just like the scarlet cord that ran through Rahab’s life, God the Father has purposefully woven the Scarlet Cord of Preservation through our lives so that we can become part of His family.
Looking back, we can see where God was working, the hope He gave, the provision He made to meet our needs, and the protection He provided for our safety. Reflecting on God’s faithfulness, we can confidently look to our future and share the good news of salvation with others. Learn more about God’s forgiveness and Rahab’s faith by listening to The Well podcast!