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Whenever I pass by a house or when I look up at the windows that are lit up in our HDB flats, I will often wonder what is happening in those households. Is the home cosy or bare? Are they having a dinner around the table, are they having a conversation, are they sitting in the living room watching a television programme?
Regardless of my imagination, I will never truly know, because I am an outsider and will never get to know what happens inside. In today’s passage, we, too, are introduced to an outsider, through a very interesting turn of events. In the previous chapter, Joshua had received the word, “Be strong and courageous” four times, giving him a strong commission as he takes over the reign. Interestingly, in this chapter, we see Joshua sending two spies secretly to view the land, especially Jericho. He had taken the initiative without divine direction, and had sent ordinary Israelite young men instead of leaders.
These spies went, and when the king was alerted to their presence, they sought safe anonymity with Rahab. Rahab is the only other person who is named in this chapter, drawing our attention to her. Now Rahab is a Canaanite prostitute, hence, the spies’ refuge in her place created an unusual, if not amusing situation. They found themselves at her mercy, where their survival and accomplishment of their mission lie in her hands. This episode with Rahab actually builds anticipation of what might happen next Jericho, and at the same time, her acknowledgement of the Lord giving them the land reminds us, the readers, that God is at work to give Israel the Promised Land.
Who is this Rahab, an “outsider” who had become a central figure in the story of Israel. Why is she considered an “outsider”? Ethnically, she is a Canaanite – she is not part of God’s chosen people, and was a “foreigner to the covenant”. Socially, she was apparently unmarried and childless (verse 13). Worse yet, she was a prostitute, a profession that will leave her with few people who would want to associate with her. She was basically an outsider, a marginalised lady, and this was physically represented by her house set in the city’s outer wall.
However, God used her and Joshua honoured the spies’ oath to her. In Chapter 6, Rahab’s family was saved, and she was allowed to live in Israel. Although Rahab was no longer mentioned in the Old Testament after this incident, in the New Testament, we know that she became the wife of Judahite Salmon and the mother of Boaz (Matthew 1:5), making her a member of the royal line of David and an ancestor of Jesus. Once an outsider, she became an insider.
Indeed as we look at Rahab, we see a reflection of ourselves – we who were outsiders before we came to know God personally. Before we recognised Him as Lord of our lives, we, too, were not called His children, nor do we know what it would “look like” if we were in His house. Some of us may have looked on into churches and wonder what they do there, or feel uncomfortable with being invited to “worship”, “cell groups”, and probably did not know what a “retreat” meant. Before we knew God personally, we were outsiders. But it is entirely by God’s grace and mercy, that we became His children and could enter into His house, and become “insiders”. Additionally, the portrait of Rahab is also a reflection of us who continue to wrestle with our sinful selves. The uncomfortable truth is that our sinful selves still drives us into our outsiders’ way from time to time, when we rebel against God, walk away from Him, and choose to continue in our old ways. But just as God used a Canaanite prostitute and opens the door for her to become part of Israel, He is waiting patiently for us to turn away from our “outsider” ways and to return to Him. He is a merciful and gracious God, who continually waits for us to turn to Him. Will you turn from being an outsider to an insider?
Prayer: Dear God, thank you, that in your mercy and grace, and through Jesus Christ, that we may be called your children. Help us to continually keep our focus and eyes on you! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
