Rahab: A Model of Faith and Openness to God

 Lessons of Faith from Joshua - Sabbath School Lesson 2 -  Friday Further Thought

 A Model of Faith and Openness to God

Scripture Reading: Joshua 2; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25

Rahab’s story begins in Joshua 2, in the city of Jericho — a place destined for destruction. She was a Canaanite and a prostitute, an unlikely candidate for God’s purposes. Yet when two Israelite spies arrived at her home, Rahab chose to align herself with the God of Israel rather than the idols of her own people. She confessed, “I know that the Lord has given you this land… for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below” (Joshua 2:9, 11).

Her faith was not based on personal experience but on what she had heard of God’s mighty acts — the parting of the Red Sea, the defeat of Sihon and Og. Like Abraham, Rahab believed God’s word and acted upon it (compare Genesis 15:6). Her faith led to decisive action — hiding the spies and trusting in God’s mercy.

The Old Testament often reminds us that God welcomes those who turn to Him with sincere hearts, regardless of their past. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God declared, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23). Similarly, Isaiah 55:7 calls, “Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them.” Rahab’s life became a living example of these truths — a woman once far from God, now brought near by faith.

Rahab’s story challenges us to recognize and appreciate the openness of people to God, even when their lifestyles or beliefs may be far from the biblical ideal. Faith sometimes begins in unexpected hearts. The seed of belief may be small and mixed with imperfection, but God values a heart that turns toward Him in trust. As 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

At the same time, Rahab’s story teaches us to distinguish between appreciating faith and condoning sin. God did not approve of Rahab’s prostitution — but He redeemed her through her faith. When she turned to Him, her past was not ignored but forgiven. Her name was later included in the genealogy of Jesus Himself (Matthew 1:5), showing that God’s grace can transform any life for His glory.

Jesus affirmed this truth in His own ministry. He said, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you” (Matthew 21:31). Those who humbly believe and respond to God’s call, even from broken places, can experience His salvation. Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10), and Rahab’s story stands as a timeless testimony to that mission.

Reflection

Faith is not about perfection but direction — a heart turning toward God in trust. When we meet people whose lives are still messy but whose hearts are reaching toward truth, we should respond with grace and encouragement. God can begin a powerful work of transformation in anyone who, like Rahab, dares to believe.

Prayer

Lord God,
Thank You for the story of Rahab — a reminder that Your grace reaches beyond boundaries and reputations. Help us to see people as You see them: not by their past, but by the potential of their faith. Teach us to welcome those who are open to You, even if their lives are still being reshaped by Your truth. Strengthen our own faith, that we may trust You boldly and act courageously, as Rahab did.
In the name of Jesus, our Redeemer and Savior, Amen.

Surprising Grace: Justice and Mercy in Gibeon

 Lessons of Faith from Joshua - Sabbath School Lesson 2 -  Thursday Commentary

Justice and Grace in Gibeon

Scripture: Joshua 9:21–27

When the deceit of the Gibeonites was exposed, Joshua faced a difficult challenge. The Israelites had been tricked into making a covenant with a people they were supposed to destroy. The natural reaction might have been anger and retribution—but Joshua chose another way. He upheld the oath made before the Lord, sparing the Gibeonites’ lives, but assigned them to be “woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord.”

This decision was a powerful blend of justice and grace. Justice was served because the Gibeonites’ deception had consequences—they were reduced to servitude and would live under Israel’s authority. Yet grace was shown in that their lives were spared. Joshua refused to violate the sacred promise made in God’s name, demonstrating integrity and mercy even toward deceivers. This was no small act; it revealed that God values covenant faithfulness above vengeance.

In God’s economy, grace and justice are never enemies. Justice gives sin its due, but grace opens the door for repentance and restoration. Remarkably, the Gibeonites later became faithful servants within Israel (Nehemiah 3:7; 7:25), showing that mercy can lead even those far from God into His service. Joshua’s leadership mirrored the heart of God Himself—righteous and merciful, fair and forgiving.

This truth echoes in Ezekiel 18:23, where the Lord declares, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” God’s ultimate desire is not destruction but redemption. Like Joshua, He disciplines justly but extends grace so that sinners may live and serve in His presence.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for showing us that justice and grace are not opposites but partners in Your redemptive work. Help us to deal with others as Joshua did—with integrity, fairness, and mercy. Teach us to honor our promises, even when it costs us, and to see in others the potential for transformation through Your grace. May we always remember that You take no delight in judgment, but rejoice when hearts turn back to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Conflicting Values: When Promises and Purposes Collide

 Lessons of Faith from Joshua - Sabbath School Lesson 2 -  Wednesday Commentary

When Promises and Purposes Collide

Joshua 9:1–20

When word spread of Israel’s victories, the kings of Canaan united to fight—but the Gibeonites chose a different path. Like Rahab, they had heard of the Lord’s mighty acts and feared Him. Both Rahab and the Gibeonites sought deliverance from Israel’s God, but their approaches differed. Rahab came in truth and faith, risking her life openly; the Gibeonites came in deceit, pretending to be from a distant land. Yet, both acknowledged the power of the true God—and both found mercy.

Joshua and the leaders, however, made a critical mistake. They “did not inquire of the Lord” (Joshua 9:14). In doing so, they entered a covenant that God had not intended. When the deception was discovered, Joshua was caught between two moral imperatives: keeping his oath before God or carrying out the command to destroy the Canaanite nations. In honoring his word, Joshua demonstrated integrity, even though the situation was complicated and painful.

The Gibeonites’ deception was not an act of rebellion against God but a desperate effort to find refuge in Him. Though their method was flawed, their faith—like Rahab’s—was recognized. God can work through human imperfection to bring about mercy and redemption. Still, this story reminds us of the cost of failing to seek God’s counsel. Even good intentions can lead us into moral tension when we rely on human reasoning rather than divine direction.

At the heart of this passage lies the struggle between two seemingly conflicting biblical values: truth and faithfulness. Joshua’s integrity in keeping his word mirrors God’s own steadfastness, yet it also reveals how human decisions can complicate divine purposes. In such moments, we are reminded that wisdom begins in humility and dependence on God’s guidance.

Scripture for Reflection:

• Proverbs 3:5–6 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

• Psalm 25:4–5 — “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior.”

• James 1:5 — “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, teach us to seek Your counsel before we act. When choices seem tangled between right and right, give us wisdom to discern Your perfect will. Help us walk in both truth and faithfulness, reflecting Your character even when our understanding is limited. Thank You for Your mercy, which turns our mistakes into lessons of grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

New Allegiance: Marked by the Scarlet Sign

 Lessons of Faith from Joshua - Sabbath School Lesson 2 -  Tuesday Commentary

Marked by the Scarlet Sign

Scripture: Joshua 2:12–21; Exodus 12:13, 22–23

When the spies agreed with Rahab, they gave her a sign—a scarlet cord to hang from her window. That cord would mark her house as a place of safety, just as the blood on the doorposts marked the homes of the Israelites during the first Passover. In both stories, death and destruction were coming, but deliverance was granted to those covered by the sign of blood.

The Exodus texts remind us that salvation is not based on personal worth, but on God’s promise. The Israelites were not spared because of their righteousness, but because of the blood of the lamb. Likewise, Rahab and her family were not spared because of her past, but because she trusted in God’s word and displayed the scarlet cord. Both the lamb’s blood in Egypt and Rahab’s cord in Jericho point us to the greater blood of Christ, who saves us from eternal destruction.

The gospel message here is powerful: deliverance is found not in our deeds, but in the sign of faith placed in God’s provision. The scarlet thread runs through Scripture, ultimately fulfilled in the cross of Jesus Christ. Just as Rahab’s house and Israel’s households were passed over in judgment, so all who trust in Christ are covered and secure.

Gospel Lessons:

1. God’s salvation is marked by faith and obedience to His word.

2. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace—Rahab the prostitute became part of Christ’s lineage.

3. Our safety lies not in ourselves, but in the blood of the Lamb who was slain.

4. God’s promises are sure: when He says destruction will “pass over,” it surely will.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the scarlet thread of redemption that runs from the Passover in Egypt to Rahab’s window in Jericho, and finally to the cross of Jesus Christ. Help me to trust not in myself, but in the blood of the Lamb who saves me. May my life be marked by faith and obedience, and may I always point others to the safety found in Christ alone. In His name I pray, Amen.

Value in Unexpected Places: Rahab's Righteousness

  Lessons of Faith from Joshua - Sabbath School Lesson 2 -  Monday Commentary

Rahab’s Righteous Deception

In Joshua 2:2–11, Rahab the harlot chose to hide the Israelite spies and mislead the king of Jericho’s men. To some, this may seem like sin. But Scripture itself tells us how God viewed her choice: “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31). James echoes this: “Was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?” (James 2:25). Her deception was not sinful—it was an act of faith, aligning herself with God’s people and God’s purposes, even when it meant defying her own nation.

Rahab was not the first to make such a choice. The midwives in Exodus refused Pharaoh’s orders and lied about why they would not kill the Hebrew infants. Scripture says God blessed them for it (Exodus 1:17–21). Joseph also disguised his identity from his brothers and tested them through a series of deceptions (Genesis 42–44), not to harm them but to bring them to repentance and reconciliation. These stories show us that deception, when used to protect life and advance God’s will, is not condemned but commended.

History is full of Christians who have done the same. Believers smuggled Bibles into closed nations under false pretenses. Families in Nazi-occupied Europe hid Jewish people, often deceiving authorities to save lives. Missionaries in hostile lands have disguised themselves or their work to spread the gospel. Were these acts sinful—or were they acts of courageous faith? Like Rahab, their allegiance was to God’s kingdom above earthly rulers.

When we look at the Ten Commandments, there is no version that condemns lying in general. The command is specific: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). What God forbids is malicious deception—false testimony that harms others. Rahab’s lie was not this. Her deception was righteous because it was rooted in faith, courage, and protection of God’s people.

Prayer:
Lord, help us to see with Your eyes. Too often we are quick to label others as sinful without understanding their faith, their motives, or the greater work You may be doing through them. Teach us to discern rightly, to recognize courage when it wears an unexpected face, and to honor those who act in faith even when their path looks unconventional. Give us grace not to judge hastily, but to trust that You see the heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.