What does Rahab's story teach about God's plan for all nations? God’s Mercy on Rahab—Joshua 6:25 “Joshua 6:25: ‘But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all that she owned, because she had hidden the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho; and she lives among the Israelites to this day.’” Key observations • Rahab is a Canaanite, an outsider to Israel. • She is not only rescued; she is brought inside—“lives among the Israelites to this day.” • The verse looks beyond Jericho’s fall, highlighting God’s long-range plan for her and her descendants. God’s Global Vision in the Old Testament • Genesis 12:3—God tells Abram, “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Rahab’s inclusion proves those words were already in motion. • Exodus 12:38—A “mixed multitude” leaves Egypt; salvation was never meant to stay ethnic-exclusive. • Isaiah 56:7—God promises, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Rahab’s Faith Echoes Abraham’s • Hebrews 11:31: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” • Like Abraham, she believed God’s word before seeing any evidence (Joshua 2:8-11). • Faith, not bloodline, is the entry point into God’s family. From Jericho to Bethlehem to the Cross 1. Rahab marries Salmon (Matthew 1:5). 2. Their son Boaz marries Ruth, another foreigner. 3. Jesse, David, and ultimately Messiah come from this line. • Matthew 1:1-6 traces the genealogy and names Rahab. • The Savior of all nations carries Gentile blood, underscoring God’s universal rescue plan. New-Covenant Confirmation • Acts 10—Peter witnesses Cornelius, a Gentile, receive the Spirit. Rahab foreshadowed that moment. • Ephesians 2:13-19—“You who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Rahab’s story is an Old-Testament picture of this truth. Practical Implications • No one is outside God’s reach—Canaanite, prostitute, enemy city dweller. • God grafts outsiders into His people; we mirror Him when we welcome all repentant believers. • Missions and evangelism flow naturally from Rahab’s example; God’s heart beats for every tribe and tongue. |
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