Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Last week:
• When is the time to wait upon the Lord and when is the time to act?
• A time to unite
• We should always be serving in the spiritual war
• Now:
• Sending out the two spies
• Some say chapter 2 should have happened after 1:10
• Chapter 2 is a complete unit in itself
• Chapter 1 has a sense of urgency
• Overview:
• The Spies (and the lessons to be learnt)
• Rahab (and the lessons to be learnt)

The Spies

Sending of the Spies

• Sending of the spies
• Some might say this was foolish - remember Moses
• Some might question the need for spies - given the promises made by God
• Joshua was doing what any military man would do
• We can learn that the Lord uses means
• We are not to be super spiritual
• God often surprises us
• As God's people, we must go forward

Against the Spies

• There were many things against the spies
• The Jordan river stood against the spies
• The fact they were Israelites was against the spies
• Going to such a person as Rahab could be seen to be against the spies
• The doors of the city were twice shut against the spies
• There were many obstacles against the spies
• The Lord had an ingenious plan for the spies
• The Lord was in everything - even in the things that seemed to stand against them
• Do we see our extremity as God's opportunity

How the Spies treated Rahab

• How the Spies treated Rahab
• They were very fair - they made a vow (v41)
• They were humble men - they listened to her
• They were wise men - they gave the conditions of the oath
• We as Christians should be kind, humble and wise

Rahab

• There was much against Rahab - in terms of her faith and her deliverance
• In Jericho they worshiped other Gods - it was a wicked place
• Rahab had sold her body for money
• She had heard very little about the living God
• Yet she had heard something about God
• The deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and the two kings Og and Sihon
• How did Rahab come to this conviction?
• God was going to judge the whole city and her
• The Holy Spirit was at work
• We need to preach the whole counsel of God - including heaven, hell and sin
• What did Rahab do?
• She told a lie to protect the men - this does not condone lying (Scripture is clear on this)
• God rewards her faith - Heb 11:31, James 2:25
• The blood of Christ cleansed her sin (including her lie)
• The blood of Christ cleanses us
• When we look at a situation - we must try and see clearly, what was the intent?
• Josh 6:25 - Rahab and all her family were saved
• Lessons to learn:
• Her faith started in a simple way
• None are beyond God's reach - Examples

Closing

• v19 - We need to be under the blood of Christ
• Have you come under the blood of Christ?
• Have you come under Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?
• Have you yielded your life to Him?