Did you know that Jesus family tree actually includes a Gentile prostitute? Find out more in this episode of Five Minutes of Truth.
Family is a funny thing. These are the people we care about the most, but who can also drive us completely insane at times. But one of the most interesting aspects about family is how those who existed well into our past might have an impact on us today. For example, when I was a kid it was quite common to hear a person brag about the fact that one of their ancestors had come to America on the Mayflower.
You have others who will likewise not hesitate to mention from the moment you meet them that they have a famous relative somewhere in their genealogy. I’ve always found that a bit interesting because there should be no reason why having a famous relative from years back would reflect on my own character. It might be an interesting tidbit, but not really something to glom on to for my sake. However, people love talking about their famous relational connections…until they reach their infamous relational connections.
Just as people often co-opt the glory of a famous predecessor, likewise they often try their best to distance themselves from an ancestor that has a less than honorable story. In fact, there are a few members of Hitler’s extended family who still live in the United States. Not only do they not mention this familial connection, the males actually made a pact together to never have children so that the line would end with them. Such is the way we feel about having “unsavory” family members in our past. But Jesus didn’t feel that way.
states: “Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse”. Seems like an innocuous listing of names in Jesus’ family tree and one that, if we are not careful, will cause us to miss something of the utmost importance. One of the names mentioned in that passage is Rahab. And who was Rahab? A Gentile prostitute whom God saved and used to accomplish His will and save His people.
There aren’t too many of us who would cherish, much less advertise that we had a prominent prostitute in our family tree. In fact, it is probably the last thing we would want to share with people. Yet for the last 2,000 years (and counting) every single time Jesus’ lineage is read and discussed, Rahab’s name is read and her story is discussed. And what is that story? Well, listen carefully. Because it is our story too.
Rahab’s story is told in the Old Testament book of Joshua. After the Exodus and after the Hebrews had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, God was finally going to allow His people to enter the Promised Land so called because God had promised that area to His people in a covenant He made with Abraham. There was just one problem. People already lived there.
Before they crossed over the Jordan into Canaan, Joshua, who had succeeded Moses as leader, sent two spies into the first town they would come to…Jericho. A sound military leader, Joshua wanted to know what, if any, the weak points of their defenses were. Not long after the spies made it into the city, the King of Jericho was made aware of their presence. So he dispatched his soldiers to locate and capture or kill the intruders.
Wanting to find a place where it would seem normal for two men to wander into, the spies sought shelter in the home of a “harlot” named Rahab. Though the king’s men eventually made their way to Rahab’s, she did not turn them over to the soldiers but instead hid them on her roof, though she knew they were enemies of her people. Probably wondering why s
