Rahab’s bed was stained with the libidos of many men. People’s husbands, boyfriends and finances were her playthings. In Jewish folklore, her names means mythical sea monster, the demonic angel of the sea. And yet still…she became the great grandmother of our Messiah Jesus Christ. How?
No doubt, Missy was a bad bi**h. Yet she was the one who helped the Israelite spies when they went to scout Jericho. In hiding them up there, lying to the soldiers, giving them intel about how freaked out everyone was about their imminent attack and sneaking them out of the city, the prostitute became the most instrumental part of their journey.
In return for her help, when Joshua and his squad attacked, they spared her and her family, just like she made them promise. The Israelite spies turned out to be the most beneficial and strategic visitors in her career. She gave birth to Boaz, who rocked Ruth’s world and gave birth to David’s grandparents. By this, she secured her spot in Jesus’ lineage. But even this wasn’t her greatest achievement.
From ‘Bad B**ch To Faith Patriach? How?
Centuries later in the book of Hebrews, she was mentioned alongside the likes of Moses, Abel, Noah and Abraham. Not even Joshua’s name was mentioned nor the spies, but Rahab is there as one of the patriarchs of faith. “For this reason, God is not ashamed for them to call Him their God, because he has prepared a City for them.”
So let’s backtrack small and do some quick maphs. Check this,
- She (and her family) were the only ones spared in Jericho.
- She got to become David and Jesus’ direct relative.
- She made it to the faith hall of fame. The King of Glory Himself was proud to be called her God and prepared a place for her.
Why? Why? Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?
I realized it wasn’t WHAT she did, it was WHY she did it. In Joshua 2, she told the spies some interesting things, key of which is “I know that the Lord has given you this land…The Lord your God is God in heaven above and here on earth.” She did what she did in reverence of God! She demonstrated faith in Him, His plan and by so-doing became a shareholder in the promise He made.
Hebrews 11:39 says “What a record all of these have won by their faith! Yet they did not receive what God had promised!”. This brings me to my next question “what is this promise kraaaa?
The Promise
You have no idea the extent I’ve gone to understand this promise! I’ll summarize weeks of praying, researching and listening to some great teachings here;
The promise is: God’s resolve to bring all of humanity into union with himself through Jesus. Why? So we’ll reign in life and obtain eternal life.
It’s only by Christ that heaven is possible and Christ didn’t come until waaaaayyy after their death (Rahab & co.) hence ‘…yet they did not receive what God had promised, because he had a better plan for us…’.
So right now, today as I write to you, our faith isn’t and shouldn’t be for something we’re hoping for. It should be for what we believe has happened. Chronologically, the fulfilment of their faith was in their future but it’s in our past! And if we believe that He died, conquered the grave, rose and is seated on God’s right hand side, we become automatic recipients of grace and beneficiaries of His promise. Our names appear in the 2025 version of the ‘Who is Who faith list.’
The power of His resurrection is so potent that it made Rahab’s monster name and virginity -I mean the lack of it- irrelevant. So minua, stop wasting time on the petty stuff and relentlessly seek to understand your identity in Him. Understand the full implication of His death, burial and resurrection for you. Everything else becomes irrelevant. Everything.
Learn from this ashawo.
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