Sister, have you ever dug into the *real* Rahab? The woman beyond the prostitute label?

Typically, there are three main story points associated with Rahab: she was a prostitute who hide Joshua's spies; she's an example of how God can transform anyone with a past (having been a prostitute); and how she was grafted into the lineage of Jesus (and how amazing that is being she was once a prostitute).

But Rahab was so much more than a prostitute! She was a very bold, courageous, and empowered woman who (a) recognized God's power and sovereignty *and* (b) took incredible action.

Join me for a fresh look at Rahab, her choices, and the specific elements behind those choices that you need to include in your own journey.

Show Notes:

• Intro

  • Welcome, friend, to what is going to be a very interesting episode. I hadn’t actually planned on doing an episode on Rahab. I had wanted to start doing some episodes on the women from the Bible - as that seems like a natural thing to do. But I hadn’t gotten to flushing out the idea any more than that.

  • Then last week, I started reading through the book of Joshua during my nightly Bible routine…and when I read Chapter 2 - which is where the story of Rahab and the Bible resides - I was like, “Oh my goodness! There is so much female empowerment going on with this woman!” Yes, she was fearing the Lord (whom she wasn’t even intimate with or really knew). But it was more than that. I had read the story before, of course, but for some reason, this time, other things stood out to me. 

  • And so the idea of doing an episode on Rahab came to be. Because as you know - if you’re a regular listener of the podcast - when I learn something profound and new, I have to share it with you as soon as I can get the episode created. I just feel like, in general with His daughters, God is revealing a lot of truth that hasn’t been discussed (at least not frequently); or that’s been ignored; or that’s been lost or buried under other things. So today, let’s take a fresh look at Rahab. 

  • So the story of Rahab is in Joshua Chapter 2. And then we learn in Matthew Chapter 1 that Rahab goes on to marry a man named Salmon and together they had a son named Boaz. And Boaz, as we know, goes on to marry Ruth. And then many generations later, Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, is born.

But before all this, there’s Joshua Chapter 2 - which is where we’re going to focus. And it says:

2 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out from Shittim two men as spies: “Go. Look over the land. Check out Jericho.” They left and arrived at the house of a harlot named Rahab and stayed there.

2 The king of Jericho was told, “We’ve just learned that men arrived tonight to spy out the land. They’re from the People of Israel.”

3 The king of Jericho sent word to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you to stay the night in your house. They’re spies; they’ve come to spy out the whole country.”

4-7 The woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, two men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they’d come from. At dark, when the gate was about to be shut, the men left. But I have no idea where they went. Hurry up! Chase them—you can still catch them!” (She had actually taken them up on the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax that were spread out for her on the roof.) So the men gave chase down the Jordan road toward the fords. As soon as they were gone, the gate was shut.

8-11 Before the spies were down for the night, the woman came up to them on the roof and said, “I know that God has given you the land. We’re all afraid. Everyone in the country feels hopeless. We heard how God dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put under a holy curse and destroyed. We heard it and our hearts sank. We all had the wind knocked out of us. And all because of you, you and God, your God, God of the heavens above and God of the earth below.

12-13 “Now promise me by God. I showed you mercy; now show my family mercy. And give me some tangible proof, a guarantee of life for my father and mother, my brothers and sisters—everyone connected with my family. Save our souls from death!”

14 “Our lives for yours!” said the men. “But don’t tell anyone our business. When God turns this land over to us, we’ll do right by you in loyal mercy.”

15-16 She lowered them down out a window with a rope because her house was on the city wall to the outside. She told them, “Run for the hills so your pursuers won’t find you. Hide out for three days and give your pursuers time to return. Then get on your way.”

17-20 The men told her, “In order to keep this oath you made us swear, here is what you must do: Hang this red rope out the window through which you let us down and gather your entire family with you in your house—father, mother, brothers, and sisters. Anyone who goes out the doors of your house into the street and is killed, it’s his own fault—we aren’t responsible. But for everyone within the house we take full responsibility. If anyone lays a hand on one of them, it’s our fault. But if you tell anyone of our business here, the oath you made us swear is canceled—we’re no longer responsible.”

21 She said, “If that’s what you say, that’s the way it is,” and sent them off. They left and she hung the red rope out the window.

22 They headed for the hills and stayed there for three days until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers had looked high and low but found nothing.

23-24 The men headed back. They came down out of the hills, crossed the river, and returned to Joshua son of Nun and reported all their experiences. They told Joshua, “Yes! God has given the whole country to us. Everybody there is in a state of panic because of us.”

• Okay. So after I read this again recently, and noticed the things that I’m going to share with you, I started wondering why I hadn’t noticed them before. Because this isn’t the first time I’ve read or been reminded of the story of Rahab and the spies. So what was different about this time?

• Well, one answer might be because this is the first time I’ve read Rahab since God called me to start a podcast - and a business - that focuses on empowering Christian women in Christ. So I was reading this story in a new light; with a different perspective or lens.

• I also think, though, that it was because I was reading it without influence. What do I mean by that? Well, I feel like the attribute that is most often associated with Rahab is the fact that she was a prostitute. Now, granted, we can see God using Rahab as an example of accepting someone, and transforming them, despite their past. However, isn’t that true of basically every Jew or Christian in the Bible? Because we’re all sinners - and becauses God is God and He shows Himself to the world by doing through us what we can’t do ourselves.

• Feel free to disagree with me…but I also think Rahab is still, thousands of years later, having that stigma attached to her as a “fallen woman” - that is somehow always worse for a woman to have than a man. Sin is sin, don’t get me wrong. But somehow, especially when it comes to sexual sin, culture takes that one sin and makes it her identity. A reason to lower her worth and value. In a way that it doesn’t with men.

• Even when we talk about Rahab being grafted into the lineage of Jesus, a lot of times it comes with this message of how amazing that is given she was a prostitute. 

• Again, sin is sin. I’m not excusing her sin. But I will say, how amazing is it that anyone from Abraham onward was included in the lineage of Jesus? No one has a spotless record. We’re all sinners, right?

• I mean, look at Abraham as an example. In Genesis 12, right after God makes a large promise to Abraham, we read that later on (when they went to Egypt due to the famine) Abraham told Sarah to lie about being his wife - which led to her being taken into Pharaoh's household. That led to Abraham being given gifts of cattle, camels, donkeys, and servants. She’s stuck in Pharaoh’s house while Abraham is living it up in the land of gifts. And the only reason Sarah ended up back with Abraham was because God struck sickness into Pharaoh's household.

• Like, this isn’t a guy that I would look at from a worldly viewpoint - at this point in time - and be like, “Yes, totally a candidate for the father or nations and the lineage of Jesus.” 

• But we know he’s more than that, right? There’s more to Abraham. The difference between Abraham and Rahab, though, is that the totality of who Rahab is, or what she has to offer the narrivative, all stems from her being a prostitute. Whereas Abraham gave away his wife - but everything about him isn’t shown through that lens.

• And I think because my perspective had changed, when I read Joshua recently, I didn’t have that lens of “prostitute” coloring everything that I was seeing about Rahab. I was simply looking at her as woman to woman. Not women to harlot and all that comes with that.

• I also think, too, that sometimes the focus is on God providing for the spies. Which is legit and important. But you know who else is important? The woman God used in that situation…the woman who is a whole woman.

• So let’s look at Rahab more clearly, first and foremost. Let’s try to see her for more than just a prostitute. And also, let’s uncover what she has to teach us about being an empowered Christian woman.

• #1: Rahab faced the situation head on.

  • This is one of the first things I noticed about this story. It’s clear from the Scripture that Rahab was aware of the situation. She notes specific events - such as the parting of the Red Sea - where God did a mighty thing. She understands how powerful God is - and what that meant for Jericho and her family. She knows destruction is coming. That her way of life, as she’s known it, is coming to an end soon. 

  • Now, Rahab actually had two choices in how she could have reacted to this. One, she could have chosen to have a victim or defeatist mindset. She could have just accepted what was going to happen. (Which sounds horrible, but how many times do we do this? Though the situation may not be life-threatening. Especially those of us coming out of abusive or toxic relationships.)

  • Or, she could have tried to flee. I don’t know if that would have worked. I’m not a Bible scholar or historian. It would have depended on how much money her family had; where they could go and how far away it was; if they had transportation; if they could safely get there. There’s a lot of variables. But those variables or realities might not have been won out if she decided to live in fear, or panic, or believe that she could make it on her own - or the family’s own - without God. Something we can do, too, in our daily lives. We run instead of standing our ground and leaning into God and trusting Him.

  • A lot of blogs and teachings like to point to how Rahab feared the Lord - and that’s why she stays and does what she does. But I also think it’s important to remember that fearing the Lord, or having faith, doesn’t always mean that we choose to be bold or face something head on. Yes, God can give us faith. But we can also choose to lean into it or turn and run.

  • Rahab faces this situation head on. There’s nothing in the verses here that hints to her even taking the time to think about it. By God’s providence, these spies end up in her home. And she immediately hides them - which is a very bold and courageous thing to do.

  • Sometimes, I think we read stories from the Bible too quickly. We forget to take our time and let things sink in - and really put ourselves in the reality of what’s being shared. 

  • Because think about this for a second. This is part of the movie where the powerful guys show up to a woman’s doorstep…and she knows that if they discover that she is hiding these guys, she’s in serious trouble. And quite possibly her family as well. And that’s when things get violent, and dark, and not so great. That’s when you can kiss your comfortable, moderately safe life good-bye.

  • But that’s what Rahab does. She immediately acts - and she lies to the faces of the king’s men. (And, yes, lying is a sin. Yes, Rahab isn’t perfect. Yes, she doesn’t know the Lord deeply yet.) But I can’t help admiring her courage here. It takes a lot of courage to tell the king’s own men a bald-faced lie - to their face. While you’re hiding spies on your rooftop. Rahab may be a prostitute, but this is not a woman who just looks pretty. She’s got more going on underneath. 

• #2: Rahab saved her entire family - not just herself.

  • Now, we can react to this with, “Of course she saved her family! What kind of woman do you think she is?” Well, let me just say this. When you are facing a life-and-death situation - like knowing the God of these spies is going to annihilate the city you live in - there’s no guarantee that you’re going to act in a non-self-serving way.

  • I mean, we recently came through a time of the pandemic when we were all probably, at one time or another, resisting buying out all the toilet paper on the shelf - even if we had to make multiple trips due to the limits. Uncertain and scary times can cause even good people to act differently. Or at least find it much harder to not act differently.

  • Granted, Rahab was a woman in a time where you needed a man (or men) around for protection. Especially, I imagine, as a prostitute. Verses 12-3 mention her father and brothers. So that could have played into her decision to include her family. Alongside the love she had for her family. I’m not saying she didn’t love them.

  • But there’s a lot to be said for someone who loves you AND is willing to make big, bold, and courageous decisions in order to save your life. How many times in the Bible do we read about people, including those chosen by God, who run from a difficult calling? Or challenge? 

  • Rahab didn’t do that. She didn’t choose to find a rich client to take her away from Jericho. Or to join the next caravan. Or to bargain for her own life instead of that of herself and her entire family. She doesn’t not include her whole family in the request because she’s already decided in her mind that she’d be asking quote/unquote “too much.”

• #3: She wasn’t afraid to do what the men did not.

  • Again, in verses 12-13 Rahab mentions her father and brothers. Brothers as in multiple; more than one. I’ve read varying comments on whether her family either owned or was involved in the establishment Rahab lived in. (I don’t even know if that’s something we can tell from the Scriptures.) But whether they did or not, there’s a good chance they realized what was happening outside their walls. And within. 

  • There’s no mention here of Rahab’s dad or brothers making a deal with the spies. Or even talking with the spies. Rahab, a woman, is the one who took immediate, bold action and straight-up asked the spies for her and her family to be spared.

  • She understood who God was and what He could do - at least enough to respect and fear Him. And knowing that destruction was coming, she acted with boldness and courage. Despite the risks. Despite the fear. And without worrying about what the men around her would think.

  • Listen, as women, sometimes we tend to hold ourselves back because we’re worried about what the men in our lives will think, feel, or react with. This can be for a variety of reasons…and some of those reasons point back to things we were taught from the culture at large as kids. Ideas like we can’t out shine a man; or make him less than; etc.

  • I’m not saying we shouldn’t be considerate or disrespect certain men in our lives. (Notice that I said certain - not all.) However, as women, our calling is not to make every man in our sphere feel amazing. Or to make ourselves less than God created us to be so they can feel bigger. If a man feels less than in general, that’s his issue to work out with the Lord.

  • As a woman, you are a co-ruler on this earth with man. (If you haven’t listened to episodes 11 and 12, I highly encourage you to do so. As I dive deeper into this.) So if you are placed - or if you are facing - a situation like the one Rahab faced, and you can take bold action to do God’s will - do it.

  • If Rahab hadn’t taken the actions that she did…she and her entire family would be dead. Mother, father, brothers, and I would guess probably some children. All dead. 

  • Yes, Rahab feared the Lord (though she didn’t know Him well yet). And yes, God may have given her faith. But again, as I mentioned a little bit ago, we still have to act. Because we can choose not to take action. 

  • We can choose to let things keep us from acting - like fears, or mindsets, or beliefs, or ploys by the Enemy. 

  • Listen, I don’t say this to discourage you. I’m also not saying that these things are bigger than God. They’re not. But part of growing into - and being - an empowered woman is awareness. The more aware you are, and the more you recognize, the more you are empowered. Because you can bring it to Jesus. You can put on the full armor of God. You can ask others for prayer. You can work on overcoming old mindsets once you recognize them. All the things.

  • And if you believe that you have to limit yourself…that you can’t do everything that God is calling you to do or face the challenges before you…because you’d be the only woman. And/or that would affect the men around you…there’s a mindset shift that needs to happen. There are some lies and embedded mindsets that need to go.

  • Because if God is calling you to grow in empowerment in Him…and if He has a specific calling on your life…that’s what you’re supposed to be doing. What other people think, or how they react, whether male or female, is not your responsibility. 

  • And if anything, you walking in that calling, and walking in His empowerment, might show God to them. Might help them see who He is. Might help bring about the change you’ve been praying for for them. 

  • Or, in the case of Rahab, it might save their lives - if not their souls as well.

  • Be bold. Be courageous. Follow where God leads. Continue in your journey of growing closer to Him and becoming more empowered.

• Be like Rahab. Don’t let labels or assumptions or expectations of culture keep you from doing what needs done. If God is calling you to something, He’s calling you - who happens to be a woman. Not someone else.