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

 

 

 

Bad Things

A Series on Women in the Bible
 (Use the link below to read the verses.)
Genesis 2:23; 3:20

[God worked in and through the lives of countless women in the Bible. These women played significant, if not critical roles in the Lord’s plan of Redemption. In this series, we will look at the faithfulness of some of these God fearing women.]

  

People are often defined by the “bad things” that they do.

 

In the fall, over 106,000 screaming fans cram into Ohio Stadium to worship the Ohio State football team. From 1978-81, Art Schlichter was the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes.

 

He was an All American, three time Heisman trophy candidate, and was the fourth pick in the 1982 NFL draft. He knew what it was like to have everything going his way; to enjoy the celebrity of being a football god; to be at the top of the world.

 

And yet, his life came crashing down. He had a gambling addiction that cost him his NFL career, and landed him in prison for over a decade. Despite all the good that he did while at Ohio State, some might define him only by the bad things he did.

 

The same thing could easily be said about Eve. She was living at the top of the world; in harmony with the Lord God, with nature and with Adam. She couldn’t have asked for a better life.

 

And yet, she threw it all away. She left the Garden of Eden in shame. She is only mentioned two other times in the Bible; both in reference to her being deceived, and in deceiving Adam. Eve could easily be defined by the “bad things” that she did.

 

But, she is also the same person who Adam said this about.

 

²³ “At last, here is one of my own kind—Bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. ‘Woman’ is her name because she was taken out of man.”    GNT

 

She was named Eve because the name sounds like a Hebrew term which means “to give life”. Think about it. A man can create by designing and building something, but he can’t give life. Adam couldn’t give life. Only Eve could. That’s a phenomenal gift; to give life.

 

²⁰ Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.               NIV

 

Therefore, the next time you find yourself judging someone by defining them according to the bad things they have done; think about Eve. And the next time you judge or define yourself by the bad things you have done; think about Eve. Then look for how the Lord God has worked in your life to bring life to others.

 

Copyright 2021 Joseph B Williams

 

 

Famous Last Words

2 Timothy 2:22-26

 

Sometimes people are recognizable by their last words as much as they are by their physical appearance. It may not even be the last thing they ever say, only in a sense it is. See if you can recognize any of these famous “last words”. The correct answers are at the bottom of the page. (Don’t cheat now.)

 

• I am not a crook.
• What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
• Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.

 

At the time that he wrote 2 Timothy, Paul was nearing the end of his life. Like a common criminal, he was chained, in a cold, dark dungeon waiting for his execution.

 

Knowing that his days were numbered, he wanted to make the most of his time. He wanted to impart his most important wisdom to those who were most important to him.

 

Therefore, he wrote this letter to his “son”, Timothy. He wrote with passion, conviction and purpose. Pay close attention to these final words.

 

²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone,

able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵ Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.     NIV

 

Gently instruct, in the hope that God will lead them to the truth; not hammering it down their throat; not making your point so that you are right and they are wrong; but being invitational and unconditional in your friendship while expecting nothing from them, but everything from God.

 

Keep in mind the most famous of last words spoken by our Savior Jesus, “It is finished”.

What he did on the cross for all who will accept him makes it possible for us to know him and spend eternity with him. But it also makes it possible for us to share with others his love and message.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the correct answers:

• Richard Milhous Nixon denies involvement in the 1972 Watergate scandal.
• Paul Newman who starred in the role of a prisoner in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke. Upon speaking this line he was immediately shot.
• Red Saunders the UCLA football coach in 1950. Sorry Packer fans Vince Lombardi didn’t originate this quote.

 

(If God has spoken to you, or touched your heart through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)

 

 

Here are some more famous “last words”. See how many you know.

 

1. I’ll be back
2. Old soldiers never die; they just fade away
3. “You won't have ____ to kick around anymore.”
4. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
5. “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” 
6. Wow! I’m going to heaven.
7. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit

 

 

1. Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator
2. General Douglas McArthur in his farewell address to Congress
3. Richard Nixon in 1962 after losing the race for Governor of California
4. Muhammad Ali before his fight with Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston
5. Albert Einstein
6. Bo Diddley on his deathbed after hearing the song, “Walk Around Heaven”
7. Jesus on the cross as written in Luke 23:46