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

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

 

“Are You Kidding Me”!?!

 

A Series on Living by Faith
(Use the link below to read the verses.)
Joshua 2:1-24; Hebrews 11:31

[Hebrews 11 is a recounting of the Heroes of the Faith. Even though they never saw what they had been promised, each person is commended for living “by faith”. At the end of these commendations, Hebrews 12 tells us, “Therefore, because you are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… throw off sin; run with perseverance; fix your eyes on Jesus”. In other words, live “by faith”.]

 

Did you have a childhood friend, who when they grew up, really surprised you at what they accomplished? I did.

 

He was a high school class mate who skated through school with high grades, but never seemed to take anything seriously; except sports maybe. In fact, in many ways, he was the class clown.

 

But as an adult, he went to college, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree plus two masters and his PhD. He was a professor at a Christian college and served as the Provost for a number of years. I don’t know what a Provost does, but it’s capitalized and sounds very impressive. He has also written six Christian books to date.

 

I could tell you stories about him from high school that would make you say, “Are you kidding me”?!?

 

You could make the same statement about Rahab. She was a Canaanite woman; which for the Jews meant she had two strikes against her right off the bat. Then there was the matter of being a prostitute. It’s possible that from her traveling clients that she learned about the Jewish God, and the Jews military victories.

 

Whatever the case may be, based on her background, you would never have expected her to be praised for her faith and for her works.

 

³¹ By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.         Hebrews 11 NIV

 

²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?                      James 2 NIV

 

Her crowning achievement though, the one where you would say, “Are you kidding me”; is that she was an ancestor of Jesus. Think about it. The Lord Jesus was a descendant of a Canaanite prostitute.

 

This just goes to show you that our Lord is not restricted by the expectations or prejudgments of others. He can, and often does, take people who are just ordinary, and works in their life to accomplish great things through His love and grace.

 

Therefore, you might ask yourself, “How is the Lord working in your life”? Do others look at you and ask, “Are you kidding me”?