Joshua 2:7-16

⁷So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

⁸Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof ⁹and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰We 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 Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. ¹¹When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

¹²“Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign ¹³that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”

¹⁴“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”

¹⁵So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. ¹⁶She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

Introduction

Previously, Joshua sent two spies to Jericho. The spies went to the house of Rahab. The king of Jericho learned about it, and sent men to search for the spies. Rahab told them that the spies have left at dusk before the gate was closed. Actually Rahab hid the spies under the stalk of flax on the roof of her house.

Joshua’s strategy of sending two spies to Jericho was a similar strategy that Moses employed when he sent 12 spies to Canaan. Joshua was one of the spies that Moses sent. Sending spies is a brilliant strategy. Joshua was smart and tactical leader.

The 2 spies that Joshua sent to Jericho hid under the stalks of flax on the roof of the house of Rahab. That strategy maybe very dangerous and simple but it was effective. It kept the spies safe in their mission. It only proves that whenever God gives us something to do, He will surely give us strategy or effective method on how to do it. God keeps the obedient safe until the mission is completed.

⁷So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

The men who were sent by the king of Jericho to search for the spies found nothing. But how did Rahab gain confidence that the spies would spare or save her and her family? How did Rahab get her knowledge about the Lord’s plan for the Israelites?

1. Knowledge

⁸Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof ⁹and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰We 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 Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. ¹¹When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

When God does something, He wants others to know about it. The miracles and wonders God did to the Israelites and to their enemies have easily spread throughout the region. Rahab heard about it. The people of Jericho heard it, and they were all scared.

Lord promised to give the land Canaan to the Israelites. When Rahab told the 2 Israelite spies that they were so afraid of the accomplishments or the exploits of the Israelites against their enemies, it was a confirmation of the Lord’s promise.

Godly task is tremendously great. Believers called by God may have hesitations. But God would not leave us doubting. He would give confirmations.

Gideon

Gideon hesitated when an angel of the Lord told him to lead the Israelites against their enemies. Gideon answered that his clan was weakest among their tribe. He admitted that he was not the greatest in his family.  But the angel saw a mighty warrior in him.

Gideon had his share of skepticism and reluctance. When Gideon and his 300 soldiers were about to attack their enemies, God gave him another confirmation.

It narrated in Judges 7:9-15,  ⁹During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. ¹⁰If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah ¹¹and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. ¹²The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

¹³Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”

¹⁴His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

¹⁵When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 

The Midianites, Amalekites and all other eastern people were as thick as locust but they were scared. God injected the virus of fear in their hearts, and they were defeated by Gideon and his 300 men. With God on our side, victory is assured.

It only takes obedience for us to realize that God has already prepared everything before He commands us to do something. God knows if we are hesitant. That’s normal!

In Romans 8:31, ³¹If God is for us, who can be against us?

The spies that Joshua sent to Jericho might have been ecstatic to know that the people of Jericho were melting in fear or scared. Rahab begged them to be kind to her, and to spare the lives of her family. Rahab hoped that the Israelites will be victorious.

2. Kindness

¹²“Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign ¹³that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”

Kindness to her family was Rahab’s request. She did not even think of her own safety. She might have feared that if someone discovers that she helped the Israelite spies, the king of Jericho will punish her. Nevertheless, she saw the deliverance of the Lord.

 ¹⁴“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.” ¹⁵So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. ¹⁶She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

The 2 spies assured Rahab that they will be kind to her and her family when the Lord’s promise has materialized. Rahab had trusted and advised the spies. When Rahab advised the spies what they need to do, it displayed her trust on the spies. She told them to hide on the hills. She also advised them to hide for 3 days before going back to Joshua.

The same number of days to prepare that Joshua has ordered. In Joshua 1:10-11, ¹⁰So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: ¹¹“Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

Did Joshua order the spies to be back after 3 days? Did the spies tell Rahab that they need to be back to Joshua within 3 days? How did Rahab come to suggest that the spies should hide for 3 days? Did the spies bring food for themselves for 3 days? Did Rahab supply the spies with food for 3 days?

See! The work of the Lord is very coordinated but only a few get involved, why?

Faction

Have you heard of the Gehazi syndrome? Gehazi syndrome infects a person and not realize when enough is enough. It originated from the time when Elisha told Naaman to deep himself into the Jordan River.  Naaman was cured. He was grateful and wanted to give gifts to Elisha but Elisha did not want to accept anything from Naaman.

Gehazi, Elisha’s servant run after Naaman, and asked him for a talent of silver (about 34kgs) and two sets of clothing, which Naaman willingly gave. Gehazi might want to have a little bit more but what he did was not hidden from Elisha. Elisha declared that the leprosy of Naaman will cling to him and to his descendant forever.

Why was Gehazi punished? Naaman was wealthy anyway. Gehazi lied to Naaman when he told him that it was Elisha who sent him to ask for a talent of silver and clothing.

This Gehazi syndrome, of not knowing when enough is enough, is infectious. In Hebrews 13:5, ⁵Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

To whom did God give the promise, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you?” What does it imply when God said that He will never leave us nor forsake us if we keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what we have?

Being content with what we have exhibits no worry about our needs. Contentment is the fullness of life that Christ has promised us. It is an initial experience of the eternal contentment we will experience in heaven forever. Peace from God is experienced.

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