Tuesday: New Allegiance
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 7th of October 2025
Read Joshua 2:12-21 and Exodus 12:13,22-23. How do the texts in Exodus help you understand the agreement between the spies and Rahab?
Rahab’s deal is very clear: life for life and kindness for kindness. The word cḥesed (Joshua 2:12), “loving-kindness,” has a richness of meaning that is difficult to express in one word in other languages. It refers primarily to covenantal loyalty, but it also carries the notion of faithfulness, mercy, benevolence, and kindness.
Image © Standard Publishing from GoodSalt.com
The words of Rahab also are reminiscent of Deuteronomy 7:12, where Yahweh Himself swore to keep His cḥesed toward Israel. “ ‘Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy [cḥesed] which He swore to your fathers’ ” (Deuteronomy 7:12, NKJV).
Interestingly enough, the same chapter (Deuteronomy 7:1-26) prescribes the ban (cḥerem) on the Canaanites. Here is Rahab, a Canaanite who is under the ban, and yet she claims, by her emerging faith, the promises that were given to the Israelites. As a result, she is saved.
The first image that inevitably comes to mind related to the conversation of the spies with Rahab is the Passover at the Exodus. There, in order for the Israelites to be protected, they had to stay inside their homes and mark the doorposts and lintels of their houses with the blood of the sacrificial lamb.
“ ‘ “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt” ’ ” (Exodus 12:13, NKJV; see also Exodus 12:22-23).
“By obedience the people were to give evidence of their faith. So all who hope to be saved by the merits of the blood of Christ should realize that they themselves have something to do in securing their salvation. While it is Christ only that can redeem us from the penalty of transgression, we are to turn from sin to obedience. Man is to be saved by faith, not by works; yet his faith must be shown by his works.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 279.
In that case, the blood was a sign that saved them from the destroying angel of God. As God spared the lives of the Israelites during the last plague in Egypt, the Israelites were to save Rahab and her family when destruction reached Jericho.
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What powerful gospel message can we find in these two stories? What gospel lessons can we take from them? |
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When you read the story of Rahab, you find that she was much more than a prostitute. She was an accommodation manager, a textile processor, and was well-versed in current events (even without the aid of social media). It could be said that her response to the spies was grounded in self-preservation, but it remains that it was an act of kindness that was still worthy of comment in New Testament times> James notes that:
And given our predisposition to salvation by grace, that verse grates with us a bit. James is making the point that the sort of grace and faith that saves also produces actions, even at the risk of losing one’s own life or freedom. It is a reminder that for all our theological discussion and reinterpretation, the real Gospel is about getting out there among the people and taking risks. What risks are we taking today to share kindness to others?
Many focus on the mass destruction of the pagan nations by the Israelites and question God’s justice, yet they overlook what Rahab’s story reveals about His mercy. Every person in Jericho had the same opportunity Rahab did—to turn to the God of Israel and be saved. It was no coincidence that the spies encountered Rahab; it was a divine appointment, showing that God was already at work seeking hearts willing to believe. Rahab’s past as a prostitute was no barrier to His grace—what mattered was her choice to claim Him as her God. Her story reminds us that salvation has always been open to anyone—no matter their past—who turns to the Lord in faith and obedience.
Observe! Rahab's negotiations included her father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all that they had, clearly indicating the prominence, respect, and influence she had within her family (Joshua 2:12-13). This influence is also seen in Cornelius and his family (Acts 10:1-3). Notably, both Rahab and Cornelius were outsiders whose faith in God was liberating, and they honored and valued God's grace. Despite being outsiders, God blessed them with grace.
The reason for this blessing might be that Rahab had a deep need for God, pleaded to be rescued, and yearned to stay alive. She wanted nothing else but a little of God's grace. The scarlet rope that marked her home was an act of faith and obedience, symbolizing the broader connection to blood, atonement, and redemption through Jesus Christ's blood. Rahab had to take the initiative to bring her entire family to her home and tie the scarlet cord from her window.
This faith seems more eager and urgent in the "stranger" who reveres God's grace, might, and eminence. In contrast, we "insiders" might take God's presence for granted and wait for grace to come to us. The Apostle Paul states that "God chose the despised things of the world to nullify what is considered 'entitled'" (1 Corinthians 1:26-28).
People Like Rahab Are Watching
When the spies entered Jericho, they found a woman named Rahab who already knew about the God of Israel. She said, “We have heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea for you… and as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted” (Joshua 2:10–11).
Rahab had never seen the Israelites before, but she had heard of their God — through the stories of what His people had done. The reputation of God’s people had reached her city long before they arrived. Their actions had testified louder than their words.
In the same way, people today are hearing about us — about those who claim to follow Christ. They are watching to see if our lives reflect the faith we profess. Our conduct, our words, our choices — all speak about the God we serve.
That is why we must guard our characters carefully. Our character is a living light that points others to Jesus. When we live in honesty, purity, and love, we shine in the darkness of this world.
Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Rahab believed because she heard of a people who walked with God. May others believe because they see the same light in us.
Hillary, very very true
Thanks Hillary,
I liked that way,
"The reputation of God’s people had reached her city long before they arrived."
Let our God be known before we arrive.
Joshua 2:9–11
and she said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that your terror has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts melted, and no one had any courage left, because of you. For the LORD your God is God in heaven above, and in earth below.
Rahab’s words gave the spies a knowledge of the state of mind of the people of Jericho and of all of Canaan’s people. Of course this was encouraging information for Joshua (v 24).And they said to Joshua,
“The LORD has definitely delivered the whole land into our hands, for all the inhabitants of the country are fainting because of us”.
Joshua 2:24
The spiritual alliance between Rahab (Canaanite) and the two spies (Israelites) is a vivid demonstration of God’s encompassing grace, which never casts away anyone who aligns with His will. Rahab spiritually repositioned herself with the will of God the moment she realized that Jericho would not resist the power of God. This was a strategic move spiritually. It is high time we also realized that the devil is a defeated foe and make a strategic spiritual shift like Rahab. She saw the inevitable and built an alliance with the winning side. She was spiritually wise under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Salvation is a spiritual strategic choice under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Before it is too late, we should form a strategic alliance with King Jesus.
Just as Rahab formed a strategic, faith-based alliance with the spies before Jericho’s destruction, we must form a strategic spiritual alliance with King Jesus before it is too late
“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.”(Isaiah 55:6)
Just imagine you were one of the two men who were sent by Joshua to spy Jericho. Imagine how the inhabitants of Jericho look at you with open suspicion and nobody accepts your company.
And just when you were about to say let's go back , a harlot named Rahab came up and welcomed you to her house , offered you accommodation and food, and you spent the night there. Would you report back to Joshua that you slept in a harlots house in Jericho ?
Let us imagine that you woke up the following day and people saw you brushing your teeth ìn the veranda area , would you have felt comfortable.
Since you know the character of people who visit such places and the foul words which they use when they address a woman doing Rahabs trade , what do you think anyone who saw you there would have thought about your reason for sleeping there?
How would you expect members of the church to think about your story, do you think they will trust you again? Would they believe that you spent the night there purely because of security reasons and that you had no other relations with Rahab?
If you were one of the honest and God fearing spies sent by Joshua on that day , would you have accepted Rahabs offer of accommodation , knowing very well that she was a harlot ? Would you have rejected it and suggested to look for a different place to sleep or go back to the camp ?
If you were travelling on an evangelistic mission and you happened to be at a place whereby the only place to sleep is in a smally smelly room behind a noisy night club, what would you do? Knowing that the people of Jericho were generally wicked because they did not know or fear God, would you have declined to go to Jericho?
Having learnt that Rahab protected the two spies from the hostile Jericho hooligans, and knowing that she is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus, how would you explain her trade and her Character?
Rahab was a woman living at the edge in every sense. Her house, built into the wall of Jericho (Joshua 2:15), symbolized her position on the margins not fully within the safety of the city nor entirely outside it. She existed on the edge of society, looked down upon because of her profession, and tolerated only because others could profit from her shame. Her daily life was steeped in secrecy, sin, and survival. She saw humanity at its worst men who used her, officials who took bribes, neighbors who shunned her. Though she moved among people, she lived alone in a world of compromise and corruption on the edge of the city, the edge of decency, and the edge of despair.
Yet it was from this very edge that faith began to stir. When Rahab heard of the Lord’s power, her heart turned from fear to belief, and from belief to action. She hid the Israelite spies, aligning herself not with Jericho but with Israel’s God. In that moment, she stepped across another edge from death to life, from shame to salvation. The woman once living on the city’s fringe became part of God’s redemptive story, proving that even those at the outermost edge of hope are never beyond the reach of His grace (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25).
There is a school of thought that suggests that Rahab was a woman of some influence in Jerico, rather than soneone who was despised. We need to remember that when the city authorities came looking for the spies, they took her word that the spies had left and went looking for them. If she was a despised person they would have ransacked the home anyhow in spite of what she said. And, further, even with her background, she married well into the Hebrew society and was accepted. I don't present this idea as "the truth" but we do need to be careful that we do not project our moderm perceptions back onto an ancient culture. Harlotry in ancient civilisations was much more complex than "sex for cash".
I tend to agree with Maurice. If Jericho was so wicked as to be doomed for destruction, it's unlikely they would shun prostitutes. Sex was a large part of their idolatry, after all. Regardless, God didn't save Rahab because she was shunned or highly regarded - He responded to her faith.
What amazes me is that Rahab seems to sense that God will be willing to save her despite where she's from. She understood something about His character.
I too am of the thought that Rahab must have been an influential and even respected woman profession notwithstanding. How was it she was able to convince her entire extended family that they would be safe under her roof, if she was little thought of and despised? Did they share her same beliefs, did they have her faith? There was something about her that must have been very convincing and authoritative.
The central gospel truth in both stories is that God saves those who trust in His promise and come under the sign of the blood. The Passover lamb pointed forward to Christ, the Lamb of God, whose blood saves us from eternal death. The scarlet cord in Rahab’s window symbolically points to that same saving blood. Despite being a Canaanite and a sinner, Rahab’s faith brought her into God’s covenant family, just as the gospel welcomes all who believe in Christ, regardless of their past.
Chesed.
Chesed takes away the pitting of salvation against works. I just opened a can of worms. But if you understand the word chesed. You can't pit salvation against works.
Kindness for Kindnesses. Love for love expressed in your actions is Chesed. There is something we can do for our salvation that is not work. It is love for love kindness for kindness. That is part of what Christianity is all about giving to God the help given to others out of love. In return God gives back loving kindness in the form of salvation even though we don't deserve it.