If you recall from last week, we talked about Sodom, especially the part where GOD spared Lot, his daughters, and his wife from the destruction of the city. As you’ll recall, Lot’s wife tragically turned back; consequently, she was caught in the city’s destruction.
You may recall that we talked about Prophetic Patterns throughout the Old Testament. In the West, we tend to think of prophecy solely as predication/fulfillment or perhaps only as something taught in scriptures, but there’s more to prophecy, and that’s what we attempted to show last week as we discussed Genesis 18 and 19.
This week, we’re continuing that thought as we look at another Prophetic Pattern that emerges from Joshua Chapters 2 and 6.
Let’s get some backstory before we get too far into this.
Moses had led Israel from Egypt into the Wilderness. GOD instructed them to begin their conquest of the Promised Land of Canaan. You may recall that Moses sent twelve spies to spy out the land. When they returned, they had very positive things to say about the land; however, all but two of them feared the land’s inhabitants and delivered a report to the people, discouraging them. Because of their lack of faith, GOD said they would not enter the promised land, and that generation perished in the wilderness.
When it was time to enter the land again, Moses couldn’t join his people, so leadership passed to Joshua. As the new leader of Israel, Joshua’s first assignment was to enter the promised land, and Jericho was the first city to be conquered.
Like Moses, Joshua decided to send spies into the land, but unlike Moses, he sent only two. The spies entered the land and ended up in the house of a woman named Rahab. During this time, the King and men of the city came searching for the men, but Rahab betrayed her own people to keep the spies safe. But why?
Joshua 2:9 (paraphrased) says that Rahab believed the LORD had given the land to Israel. She tells them that every inhabitant of the land feared them.
Consider this: When twelve spies went into the land, they came back terrified of its inhabitants. When two spies enter the land, they’re told that the inhabitants are terrified of them.
Verse 11: Rahab says, “…for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”
Verse 12: (paraphrased) She pleads with the spies to deal kindly with her father’s house. What she meant was, please deal kindly with my family.
We need to pay particular attention to Verses 18 and 19. Since I’m paraphrasing, I’d suggest you read it for yourself.
The men told her to hand them a scarlet cord from the same window, which she lowered them down from. Then, they said that when the conquest began, if anyone left her house, the spies could not guarantee their safety.
Much happens between Chapters 2 and 6, so I suggest you read it yourself. Our primary interest is in Chapter 6:22-23;25.
v22 “But the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.”
v23 “So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel.
v25 “But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers who Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
I’d like to point out a few parallels between Genesis 19 and Joshua 6.
– Both Sodom and Jericho are devoted to destruction.
– Both Sodom and Jericho had women who were central parts of the story
– Both Sodom and Jericho have two messengers (angels and spies)
– GOD is present at both Sodom and Jericho
– Both stories have people spared from the destruction
– Lot was spared because of Abraham’s (who was known for faith) intercession. Whereas Rahab’s family was saved because of her faith. To best illustrate this, consider Hebrews 11:30-31.
v31 By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
v31 By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
– Lot’s wife disobeyed the two messengers’ instructions and perished, WHEREAS Rahab obeyed the two spies’ instructions and was saved.
So, what’s the Prophetic Pattern in this story?
Well, there are a few things I want us to consider.
Hebrews 11:31 “By faith Rahab…did not perish with those who were disobedient.”
Question: Why is God’s wrath coming against the earth one day?
Col. 3:5 (paraphrased) lists a bunch of sins, and in verse 6, it says, because of these (all those sins) the wrath of God is coming (on the sons of disobedience) v6, and some of you use to practice those same things in the former way you lived.
Why did God’s wrath happen to Sodom? Wickedness.
Why did God’s wrath happen to Jericho? Wickedness.
Why is God’s wrath coming to the earth? Wickedness.
Next, I want us to consider that both Lot and Rahab were warned about the coming destruction.
Consider this: 1 Thess. 5:3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. v4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
The next point I’d like to make is that neither Lot nor Rahab suffered God’s wrath.
Consider this: 1 Thess. 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Consider this: Rev. 6:16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! v17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
I’ll leave you with this point.
If righteous Lot (2 Peter 2:7-10) and Rahab the prostitute (Hebrews 11:31) were spared from God’s wrath which fell upon the two wicked cities where they dwelled, and you and I are the righteous of GOD through Jesus Christ (2 Co. 5:21), do you think we’ll be left here to experience what is called the Wrath of GOD?
I’ll release the video for this week’s Blog next Friday, May 17, 2024. You can watch Last Friday’s teaching below.