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Rahab's lie

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by go2church, Jan 8, 2004.

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  1. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    What are your thoughts on the lie Rahab told to save that saved herself and her family? Started preaching through Josuha this year and it is now time to deal with chapter 2! Once I get my outline typed I will post so that my thoughts will be known.
     
    #1 go2church, Jan 8, 2004
  2. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    You bring up a very good point, which I believe was discussed here not too long ago. It would seem to beg the question: Is there a greater and lesser evil? Rahab lived among a bunch of pagans that God had marked for destruction and those spies were messengers of God. Rahab took God's side here and so was saved, just as all of us are saved when we take His side and come to His Son in faith and repentence. Rahab had a greater obligation to God here, just as the midwives did in Exodus. No one is required to cooperate with those who are corrupt or criminal.
     
    #2 Watchman, Jan 9, 2004
  3. DHK

    DHK <b>Moderator</b>

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    Is it not interesting that in the Old Testament there are four women that made their way into the genealogy of Christ—three of whom were Gentile by origin, and all of whom came into the nation of Israel by some dubious means.
    Rahab the harlot, probably the most outstanding of the group, simply by her profession, hid the spies, and then lied about it. But she believed in the God whom she had heard about. She had little knowledge about this God up to this point, but she believed, and was eager to learn more.

    Tamar, Judah’s daughter in law, is also mentioned as being in the ancestry of Christ. Judah’s sons were wicked and did not obey God as they should have. Tamar was left bereaved of a husband. She was promised Shela, but when the time came, Shela was given to another. Tamar then played the harlot, deceived Judah himself who went in unto her, and through Judah became pregnant. Through this deceptive and incestual relationship two sons were born: Pharez and Zarah. Through the line of Pharez did the Saviour come. But Tamar herself was a Canaanite who had willingly converted into the family of Judah, and had been willing to forsake her religion, and trust the God of Judah.

    Ruth was a Moabite. Some may look at the dubious way in which she obtained her husband, lying at his feet, alone, during the night, while he was in a semi-drunken state. Does that speak well for her morality? Yet she was steadfastly loyal to Naomi, and her God, and her people, going with her, and not forsaking her. She also is in the lineage of Christ.

    The fourth woman mentioned in the line of Christ is “the wife of Uriah” or Bathsheba. The one that had an adulterous affair with David. Should we put the entire blame on David, or did Bathsheba consent willingly, and was she more than a bit indiscreet when bathing herself? Yet God used her in a mighty way to give birth to the wisest man that would ever live, and to be the wife of one of the greatest kings that Israel ever had.

    I think the point is that God forgives sinners, even to the uttermost. His mercy is great. He is longsuffering toward us and not willing that any should perish. It is never right to lie, such as Rahab did; but she was a new believer with a terrible background. Great saints, such as David—a man after God’s own heart, have committed far worse sins than that. We are too quick to condemn, and too unmerciful in forgiving.
    The Bible tells things as they are. It does not hide the faults of man—even great men like King David. The sins of all of these individuals simply show us that they were real people in real time in history that needed a Saviour just like you and I. No one is excepted. We all are sinners. Praise God, we can be a sinner saved by grace.
    DHK
     
    #3 DHK, Jan 9, 2004
  4. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    Nice thoughts. In one of the commentaries I read the idea was brought out that Rahab believed the message she had heard about God and that He was going to continue doing great things for the Israelites. So because of this new found faith it would have been sin for to "side" with the king of Jericho and not help the spies. I thought that was an interesting take. In my message I plan to speak to the legacy that Rahab left and also bring out the human element of "What wouldn't you do to protect yourself and your family from what you believed to be certian destruction?"
     
    #4 go2church, Jan 9, 2004
  5. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    To DHK:
    I take exception with your comments about Ruth. (But I am not taking exception with you, personally) ;)

    Also, there are five women in Matthew's genealogy.

    (1) Tamar was backed into a corner. She made the wrong decision as to her escape from being tossed aside. Fortunately, both she and Judah repented and lived together as they should, as father and daughter-in-law.

    (2.) Rahab's great faith in God is accounted for in Hebrews and James. Yes, she lied to protect God's people. Does the end justify the means? No. Does God sometimes use people and their flawed personalities to His own ends? Yes.

    (3.) Ruth did not do anything dubious in her asking Boaz to "redeem" her. That was a typical action of the day. Her lying at his feet during the celebration was her way of saying, "I am homeless and helpless and you are my closest kinsman and are thereby responsible for me. Please help me." People took care of their families in those days. He could have set her up in a home of her own, but he loved her (he had definitely already noticed her)and he married her.

    He even said that he found himself unworthy of her. He was a true gentlemen reacting in a mannerly and manly way to the family request rightfully made by Ruth.

    If their is anything "dubious" about Ruth, it is her heritage. God had said in the book of Numbers for His people not to intermarry with the Moabites. He said that it would be considered "whoredom" if they did (for so many generations, I can't remember).

    Ruth, being married into the Jewish nation, is an example of God's mercy and forgiveness.

    (4.) I think that David takes the entire blame for treating Bathsheba like a harlot. He was on top of his home (palace?), looking "down". He could see everything. He wasn't supposed to be there.

    It was the time of wars and fighting and kings should have been with their soldiers in combat. He was home, instead, wandering around with nothing to do.

    She wasn't bathing in his presence. She wasn't even on top of a roof. He must have seen in her window.

    He sent for her, knowing who she was. What else could she do but obey. I'm sure that you didn't tell the king, "no."

    When he was finished with her, he sent her home, used like a wet rag. She only returned to him when she found out she was pregnant.

    I don't believe that he raped her. I believe she gave in to him. But it surely wasn't any of her presumed seductions that led to the tragedy.

    (5.) Mary, the mother of Jesus is the fifth women mentioned in Matthew's genealogy.

    She did nothing dubious. But don't you think some people treated her as if she had?

    Peace-

    YSIC
    Scarlett O. [​IMG]
    &lt;&gt;&lt;
     
    #5 Scarlett O., Jan 12, 2004
  6. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
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    Rahab did believe in God when no one else in Jericho would.

    She told the spies that everyone in the town was locked away and hiding from God because of what they had been told about the battles between the Israelites and other nations.

    She didn't hide from God. And she professed faith in God.

    How fitting that she is in the roll call of the faithful in Hebrews 11. And when James needs two examples of great faith, he used Abraham and Rahab.

    She became Ruth's new mother-in-law by marring Salmon and giving birth to Boaz. She also became King David's great-great-grandmother.

    God can use ANYBODY, be they prostitute or morally innocent.

    Just look at other people with flaws that He used:
    </font>
    • Jonah and his bad attitude (that never got any better).</font>
    • Saul and his crazed and zealous and murderous attitude and actions towards Christians.</font>
    • James and John who were ill-tempered and quick to gloat.</font>
    Rahab is just one of many flawed and imperfect people to whom God offered a chance for change and who became faithful enough to have their stories told in the Bible.

    Peace-
    YSIC
    Scarlett O. [​IMG]
    &lt;&gt;&lt;
     
    #6 Scarlett O., Jan 12, 2004
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