Big Idea - Why does Joshua send spies into Jericho? Is it to gain strategic military intelligence about weaknesses in the city wall or to know how to overcome their defenses? If that is what he is looking for, the spies fail to provide that information. However, if he is seeking confirmation that God has already given the land to them and that God will grant them success every step of the way, not based on military strategy but on God's promise, then they were very successful. So, this passage is really about faith. Can Joshua and the people of Israel really trust God to keep His promise to them? The answer is a resounding yes, but it comes from the most unlikely of places. Joshua can trust God because a pagan prostitute named Rahab can trust God! How does Rahab teach Joshua and us a lesson on faith?

Faith is the certainty that God will do what He said. We see this faith demonstrated remarkably in Rahab. First, we see Rahab’s confession of faith. God has given you the land. It is a done deal! She is certain of the outcome and has no doubt. Second, we see the basis of her conviction. She believes that God is giving the land to Israel based on what He has already done. Only a God who has dominion over all of heaven and earth could do such things; therefore, she is confident He will do what He says. Thirdly, we see the logical conclusion she draws from this certainty, namely that she must switch her allegiance. She changes her loyalty from her country and people to the God of Israel and His cause. The result of all this is that God saves her, and she becomes one of God’s children (not to mention an ancestor of David and therefore Jesus). Her faith is such an extraordinary example; she is mentioned as one of the heroes of the faith in the book of Hebrews and also receives special mention by James. God wants Joshua, all Israel, and us to have this same kind of faith. One who is so confident in the promises of God that it changes our loyalty to God alone. A faith that also changes the way we live!

But even more important than the example of Rahab’s faith is the truth about God’s faithfulness. Rahab is held up as an example not because she was a righteous person, but because of her faith in God, who is faithful! The spies promised to deal kindly and faithfully with her, that is, with grace and truth. They could make such an offer, not simply because they were grateful, but because it is the very heart and nature of God! This is the heart and mind of God toward all who trust in Him alone. And this truth is best understood in the context of covenant relationships, where telling the truth is more about keeping a promise than reporting the facts. God is a God of truth, which ultimately means He is faithful to His promises and true to His people.