Jos 2:15-16 | KingComments | STEP | When Rahab has expressed her wish, she needs words of salvation. Those words are spoken by the spies. She doesn’t have to perish along with the people of Jericho. The means is offered to her. If she really wants to benefit from it, then it is necessary that she believes the testimony of both spies and does what they have said. Rahab believes the testimony of the men. She also has the faith that her testimony will be accepted by her family. When she tells her family that there is salvation in her house, her family believes her. They come to her house and are saved ( ). Because they believe her words, they are saved. How are we known; do they believe our testimony? Long ago, two men, angels, also gave testimony of the judgment that would come upon Sodom to a man who lived there: Lot. They warned him of that judgment and asked him who else he had in his house. When it came down to it, his sons-in-law would not come along. They did not believe the testimony of Lot ( ). The testimony of Lot is in stark contrast to that of Rahab. This is because Lot is a believer, but does not live according to that at all, while Rahab has radically broken with her old life and puts herself on the side of God and the side of God’s people. In the two spies who bear witness to salvation, we can see a picture of the two Witnesses God has given us in our time: the Word and the Spirit. God’s Word gives us the certainty of judgment and salvation. Rahab has believed what the spies, the witnesses, have said. That is how she was saved. Thus the faith in what God has said gives the certainty of salvation. The second Witness is the Holy Spirit. The Word and the Spirit bear witness to a Man in heaven. This speaks of an accomplished work. The Lord Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to testify of Him: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose [it] to you” ( ). If the enemy wants to attack us, we may look on Him. Rahab shows two works of faith, both mentioned in the New Testament. The first work of faith is that she had “welcomed the spies in peace” ( ). The second work of faith is that she “sent them out by another way” ( ). In Hebrews 11:31 there is talk of her faith . In James 2:25 there is talk of her works in welcoming the messengers, who she sends out by another way. Both testimonies complement each other. Faith without works is dead ( ). Rahab proves her faith through her actions. She lets the spies go in relying on their promise. James speaks of “messengers”, although they are spies. But for Rahab they are men who have come to her with a message from God. They speak words of salvation she needs. She is convinced of the coming judgment, but does not yet know how she can escape it. They told her. The spies entered through the door, but to leave, Rahab sends them outside through another way, the window. She lets them go, but in the confidence that they will come back. Rahab stays behind with a happy and hopeful heart. She no longer lives by the door, but by the window: she is looking forward to salvation. The window of Rahab is not directed to Jericho, but outward, to the people of God. The name of Rahab appears in two remarkable lists of names in the New Testament. First in Matthew 1, in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus ( ). She is one of the four women mentioned in that genealogy. The second list of names is that of the witnesses of faith in Hebrews 11. In that list, only two women are mentioned: Sarah and she ( ). In this way she is connected in a special way with the wife of Abraham. Her mention in James 2 links her to Abraham whose work of faith is quoted in the preceding verses ( ). Both Abraham and she are quoted by James to show how the present but invisible faith becomes visible through one’s works. Saying you believe is not enough. The confession of faith is only justified if there are works that come from your faith and therefore provide proof that there is real faith present ( ). By the way, the acts of faith of either Rahab or Abraham are not directly acts that are admired by the world. In the eyes of the world, Rahab is a land traitor and Abraham a child murderer. That is why it is not the world that determines what works of faith are, but God. As soon as the spies have left, she hangs the cord out of the window ( ). She does not wait, as the spies have told her, until the people of God enter the land ( ). She immediately bears witness to her faith. The cord means her salvation. In this way she is in contact with the people of God. Her house is on the wall, on the outside. There she lets the spies leave her house. The scarlet cord symbolizes the work of the Lord Jesus. Scarlet is a red dye obtained from a specific type of worm. This is in connection with a statement prophetically referring to the Lord Jesus on the cross: “But I am a worm and not a man” ( ). Scarlet speaks not only of the suffering of the Lord Jesus, but also of His kingdom. Kings go dressed in scarlet. He obtains His kingship through suffering. It is remarkable that the Gospel that presents the Lord Jesus as King, the Gospel according to Matthew, as the only one of the four Gospels speaks of “a scarlet robe” that is mockingly put on Him ( ). The red color speaks of the blood. Not only the words of the spies, but also the foundation of the shed blood gives the certainty of salvation. Rahab and her family hide, as it were, behind the blood (cf. ).

‏ Joshua 2:15-16

The Rescue Plan

When Rahab has expressed her wish, she needs words of salvation. Those words are spoken by the spies. She doesn’t have to perish along with the people of Jericho. The means is offered to her. If she really wants to benefit from it, then it is necessary that she believes the testimony of both spies and does what they have said.

Rahab believes the testimony of the men. She also has the faith that her testimony will be accepted by her family. When she tells her family that there is salvation in her house, her family believes her. They come to her house and are saved (Jos 6:22-23). Because they believe her words, they are saved. How are we known; do they believe our testimony?

Long ago, two men, angels, also gave testimony of the judgment that would come upon Sodom to a man who lived there: Lot. They warned him of that judgment and asked him who else he had in his house. When it came down to it, his sons-in-law would not come along. They did not believe the testimony of Lot (Gen 19:14). The testimony of Lot is in stark contrast to that of Rahab. This is because Lot is a believer, but does not live according to that at all, while Rahab has radically broken with her old life and puts herself on the side of God and the side of God’s people.

In the two spies who bear witness to salvation, we can see a picture of the two Witnesses God has given us in our time: the Word and the Spirit. God’s Word gives us the certainty of judgment and salvation. Rahab has believed what the spies, the witnesses, have said. That is how she was saved. Thus the faith in what God has said gives the certainty of salvation.

The second Witness is the Holy Spirit. The Word and the Spirit bear witness to a Man in heaven. This speaks of an accomplished work. The Lord Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to testify of Him: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose [it] to you” (Jn 16:13-14). If the enemy wants to attack us, we may look on Him.

Rahab shows two works of faith, both mentioned in the New Testament. The first work of faith is that she had “welcomed the spies in peace” (Heb 11:31). The second work of faith is that she “sent them out by another way” (Jam 2:25). In Hebrews 11:31 there is talk of her faith. In James 2:25 there is talk of her works in welcoming the messengers, who she sends out by another way. Both testimonies complement each other. Faith without works is dead (Jam 2:17). Rahab proves her faith through her actions.

She lets the spies go in relying on their promise. James speaks of “messengers”, although they are spies. But for Rahab they are men who have come to her with a message from God. They speak words of salvation she needs. She is convinced of the coming judgment, but does not yet know how she can escape it. They told her.

The spies entered through the door, but to leave, Rahab sends them outside through another way, the window. She lets them go, but in the confidence that they will come back. Rahab stays behind with a happy and hopeful heart. She no longer lives by the door, but by the window: she is looking forward to salvation. The window of Rahab is not directed to Jericho, but outward, to the people of God.

The name of Rahab appears in two remarkable lists of names in the New Testament. First in Matthew 1, in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus (Mt 1:5). She is one of the four women mentioned in that genealogy. The second list of names is that of the witnesses of faith in Hebrews 11. In that list, only two women are mentioned: Sarah and she (Heb 11:11 ; 31). In this way she is connected in a special way with the wife of Abraham.

Her mention in James 2 links her to Abraham whose work of faith is quoted in the preceding verses (Jam 2:21-25). Both Abraham and she are quoted by James to show how the present but invisible faith becomes visible through one’s works. Saying you believe is not enough. The confession of faith is only justified if there are works that come from your faith and therefore provide proof that there is real faith present (Jam 2:26).

By the way, the acts of faith of either Rahab or Abraham are not directly acts that are admired by the world. In the eyes of the world, Rahab is a land traitor and Abraham a child murderer. That is why it is not the world that determines what works of faith are, but God.

As soon as the spies have left, she hangs the cord out of the window (Jos 2:21). She does not wait, as the spies have told her, until the people of God enter the land (Jos 2:18). She immediately bears witness to her faith. The cord means her salvation. In this way she is in contact with the people of God. Her house is on the wall, on the outside. There she lets the spies leave her house. The scarlet cord symbolizes the work of the Lord Jesus. Scarlet is a red dye obtained from a specific type of worm. This is in connection with a statement prophetically referring to the Lord Jesus on the cross: “But I am a worm and not a man” (Psa 22:6).

Scarlet speaks not only of the suffering of the Lord Jesus, but also of His kingdom. Kings go dressed in scarlet. He obtains His kingship through suffering. It is remarkable that the Gospel that presents the Lord Jesus as King, the Gospel according to Matthew, as the only one of the four Gospels speaks of “a scarlet robe” that is mockingly put on Him (Mt 27:28).

The red color speaks of the blood. Not only the words of the spies, but also the foundation of the shed blood gives the certainty of salvation. Rahab and her family hide, as it were, behind the blood (cf. Exo 12:7 ; 12-13).