March 11, 2018 Bible Study — God Does Not Always Work Through Those We Would Expect

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Joshua 1-4.

    The story of Rahab should be inspirational for us. Rahab was a prostitute, which suggests that she was rather low on the social scale. It may also suggest that she was involved in the religious observations of the people of Jericho. As soon as Rahab learned that the authorities were looking for the Israelite spies, she hid them and concocted a story to send the search elsewhere. Of course, not only did she send those searching for the spies elsewhere, but her story sent them in a direction which would allow the spies to avoid the search when they left the city later that night. As soon as the searchers were well on their way elsewhere she let the spies out of the city by a rope from her window. But not before extracting a promise for the safety of herself and her family. Rahab had heard the stories about the Israelites conquests east of the Jordan, and the miracles which God had performed for them. We should strive to emulate Rahab’s faith: she knew of God’s power and acted to aid those He had blessed with no assurance that it would benefit her in any way. We should also take notice that Rahab was not the sort we ordinarily expect to be receptive to God’s message, but the spies did not approach her to hide them. She chose, completely on her own initiative, to hide them. Sometimes God works through those from whom we would least expect it.