Joshua 2
Main Highlights
This chapter recounts the mission of two Israelite spies sent by Joshua to reconnoiter Jericho, focusing on their encounter with Rahab. A prostitute living in Jericho, Rahab hides the spies from the king's men, confessing her belief in the Lord's power and requesting protection for her family during the impending conquest. Her act of faith secures a covenant with the spies, symbolized by a scarlet cord, ensuring her household's salvation.
Key Verses
"And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there."— Joshua 2:1
"Before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.”"— Joshua 2:8-9
"Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house and give me a trustworthy sign, and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.”"— Joshua 2:12-13
"And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window."— Joshua 2:21
Scholar Insight
"Rahab, though an idolatrous and wicked woman, was nevertheless brought into the fold of the elect. Her faith was not a work of human merit, but a gift of divine grace, illustrating God's sovereign power to call whom He will, even from the midst of ungodliness, to accomplish His purposes and reveal His mercy." - John Calvin, Commentaries on Joshua
Questions
What do we learn about God?
We learn that God is sovereign over all nations and events, fulfilling His promises despite the odds and using unexpected individuals for His redemptive plan. Rahab's confession, "for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath," (Joshua 2:11) testifies to His ultimate authority and power.
How is Christ Connected?
Joshua 2 implicitly foreshadows Jesus through Rahab's story of redemption and inclusion. Her faith, leading to salvation for her household and her eventual inclusion in Jesus' lineage, highlights Christ's mission to save all people, even outcasts, as seen in Joshua 2:12-13 where she seeks deliverance.
What Theology concept is taught?
The chapter powerfully illustrates the theological concept of justification by faith, as Rahab, an outsider and prostitute, is declared righteous by God through her actions of faith. This is evident in Joshua 2:9, where she declares her belief in the Lord's power, trusting in His ability to deliver the land to Israel.
Do we see Law or Grace?
Joshua 2 vividly contrasts God's impending judgment upon Jericho, reflective of His law against wickedness, with the profound grace extended to Rahab and her family. Despite being an outsider subject to destruction, her plea for mercy and the spies' covenant with her (Joshua 2:12-14) demonstrate a divine act of unmerited favor and salvation.
Personal Application
People should respond by exercising faith in God's power and promises, even when circumstances seem dire, much like Rahab did when she declared, "I know that the Lord has given you the land" (Joshua 2:9). This chapter encourages us to seek God's mercy and align ourselves with His redemptive plan, regardless of our past.
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