“By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies” (Hebrews 11:31 ESV).
We continue with Rahab’s account from Joshua chapter two as she explained her rationale for hiding the Israelite spies who had been conducting a reconnaissance mission within her city…
“Before the spies settled down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof and said to them, ‘I know that the Lord has given you this land. Everyone in the country is terrified of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea in front of you when you were leaving Egypt. We have also heard how you killed Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. We were afraid as soon as we heard about it; we have all lost our courage because of you.
The Lord your God is God in heaven above and here on earth. Now swear by him that you will treat my family as kindly as I have treated you, and give me some sign that I can trust you. Promise me that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families! Don’t let us be killed!’
The men said to her, ‘May God take our lives if we don’t do as we say! If you do not tell anyone what we have been doing, we promise you that when the Lord gives us this land, we will treat you well.’
Rahab lived in a house built into the city wall, so she let the men down from the window by a rope. ‘Go into the hill country,’ she said, ‘or the king’s men will find you. Hide there for three days until they come back. After that, you can go on your way.’
The men said to her, ‘We will keep the promise that you have made us give. This is what you must do. When we invade your land, tie this red cord to the window you let us down from. Get your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s family together in your house. If anyone goes out of the house, his death will be his own fault, and we will not be responsible; but if anyone in the house with you is harmed, then we will be responsible. However, if you tell anyone what we have been doing, then we will not have to keep our promise which you have made us give you.”
She agreed and sent them away. When they had gone, she tied the red cord to the window” (Joshua 2:1-21 GW).
Once again, it’s important to note that the residents of Jericho were aware of God’s presence and power, even going back decades earlier to His parting of the Red Sea. But only one of the city’s inhabitants -Rahab- proved willing to act on that knowledge by faith.