A Notorious Outsider

 

The five women in Matthew’s genealogy: Rahab
A Series on Advent
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Joshua 2; Matthew 1:1-17 

[In Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah, there are five women mentioned. All of them were in some sense outsiders. In this Advent series we will be looking at these five women to gain a better understanding of “the word who became flesh and made his dwelling among us”.]

  

What notorious act comes to your mind when you read these names? Bill Cosby… Lance Armstrong… O.J. Simpson… Tonya Harding… Anthony Weiner… Harvey Weinstein… Martha Stewart… Richard Nixon?

 

How would you feel if every time someone spoke your name, or wrote it down, the first thing that came to mind was the worst thing that you ever did? That’s exactly what it was like for Rahab the prostitute. She was a notorious outsider.

 

The nation of Israel, led by the newly appointed leader Joshua, was poised to cross the Jordan River and finally enter the Promised Land. But before doing so, Joshua sent two spies to check out the land, and especially the city of Jericho.

 

Jericho was a well-fortified city with high walls. Built into one of those walls was the home of Rahab the prostitute. Her home was strategically located for travelers who needed a place to stay and were looking for sexual companionship.

 

When the two spies entered the city, the appeal of Rahab’s inn may have been to go where people wouldn’t notice them. After all, it wouldn’t be unusual for men to stop there. Unfortunately for them, they were noticed.

 

As a result, the king sent messengers to Rahab, ordering her to turn over the spies. She confirmed that they had been there but had left when the city gate was about to close. In reality, she had hidden them on her roof.

 

Before helping the spies to escape she told them that all of Jericho had heard about the Lord saving Israel from Egypt and, “our hearts melted in fear”. 

Then she made this confession: “For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below”.

 

But for the respectable Jews, Rahab would always be a notorious outsider. She was a Canaanite, a prostitute and a woman. However, because of her faith in the God of Israel and her good works, she was eventually given great honor.

 

³¹ By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.                                                                               Hebrews 11         ESV

 

²⁴ So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. ²⁵ Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.                         James 2         NLT

 

In God’s eyes, we are all notorious outsiders. There are things that you and I have done that we’d prefer to not publicize, let alone be synonymous with our name. But the good news is that like Rahab, there is still hope; there is forgiveness.

 

In Matthew’s genealogy, Rahab is mentioned as the mother of Boaz and a descendant of Jesus… not as a notorious outsider.

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

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