“By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed” (Hebrews 11:31 HCSB).
As we close our look at Rahab’s place in the Hebrews 11 “Faith Hall Of Fame,” one question remains: “Why has Rahab received this honor in view of her character?”
The immediate answer to that question involves the agreement Rahab made with the members of the Israelite reconnaissance team. In return for hiding them from Jericho’s police force, Rahab secured their promise to protect her household when the people of Israel conquered the city. The spies agreed to those terms on two conditions…
- Rahab had to place a scarlet cord in her window.
- Everyone remained within her home during the invasion (see Joshua 2:12-24).
Rahab fulfilled those terms and thus entered this portion of Scripture on the basis of her faith, not on her former life as a prostitute.
Another question regarding Rahab is this: “How could God commend Rahab when she lied to protect the spies who entered Jericho?” To address that question, we should first consider the fact that Rahab was a not an Israelite. She had heard of Israel’s God and was aware of His power and ability, but she did not know Him.
Although we can say that Rahab’s conscience should have told her it was wrong to lie, it is also true that she did not have access to that prohibition in the Mosaic Law. Rahab also did not have access to the other standards of right and wrong that God established for the people of Israel.
We should also recognize that Rahab may have faced an insurmountable problem. You see, it may not have been possible to hide the spies and tell the truth to Jericho’s police force at the same time.
In addition, it’s important to note that Rahab risked her life in choosing to hide the Israelite spies. If Rahab was found to be harboring those men as criminal fugitives, she undoubtedly would have paid with her life. These things do not excuse Rahab for lying (which was wrong) but it did save the Israelite spies from death (which represented a greater wrong).
So, even though Rahab lied to protect the spies, the act of giving them up to Jericho’s authorities would have promoted something worse. We find other examples of lying to prevent a greater wrong in Exodus 1:15-21 and Jeremiah 38:24-27. Again, this does not excuse lying (which is wrong), but it is also clear that the Bible allows for the consideration of extenuating circumstances if they exist.
Finally, we should remember that the Bible does not say that Rahab was honored for lying. On the contrary, Rahab demonstrated her faith in the one true God. She believed God was going to give Jericho to the people of Israel and acted on that belief by hiding the spies. So Rahab wasn’t praised for lying, but she was honored for her faith.