What can we learn from the spies' obedience in Joshua 2:22? The moment in view “ ‘So they departed and went into the hills and stayed there for three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers kept searching all along the road but did not find them.’ ” (Joshua 2:22) What immediate obedience looked like • The spies “departed” without delay—no debate, no alternative plan. • They followed Rahab’s directions exactly—into the hill country, not down the main road. • They waited the full three days—as long as it took for the danger to pass. • Their obedience preserved both their lives and the success of Israel’s larger mission. Timeless lessons from their obedience • Prompt obedience aligns us with God’s timing. – Compare Genesis 6:22; Exodus 40:16. When God’s servants obey at once, His purposes advance unhindered. • Obedience often requires patience. – Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him.” Three days in hiding was as much obedience as the initial flight. • God uses ordinary means—hills, hiding, time—to fulfill extraordinary promises. – 1 Corinthians 1:27–29 underscores how He delights in simple methods that confound the strong. • Protection rests on heeding God-given counsel. – Proverbs 11:14 “Victory is won through many counselors.” Rahab served as God’s unexpected adviser. • Faith expresses itself through obedient action. – James 2:17,25 links Rahab’s faith and the spies’ obedience together: faith that acts is living faith. Supporting scripture snapshots • Joshua 1:7–8—prosperity and success promised to those who “do not turn from it to the right or to the left.” • John 14:15—“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” • Hebrews 10:36—“You need to persevere so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Living it out today • Act on God’s instructions promptly—whether revealed in Scripture or impressed by His Spirit through clear biblical principles. • Hold position until He releases you; obedience is as much about staying put as moving forward. • Trust that the seemingly mundane (waiting, hiding, hills) can be God’s chosen instruments for breakthrough. • Seek and value godly counsel, even when it comes from unexpected sources. • Measure love for God by willingness to obey, confident that His Word proves reliable and accurate in every detail. |
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