Letter to the Hebrews Volume 144

 Overcoming Faith Part 2

Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. KJV

In the very last study/commentary, we were reminded of the overcoming faith of the entire Hebrew army when they went out to fight against the people/army of Jericho (who had built huge walls to protect themselves from all enimies). The walls were built so thick and so high that it would have been certain devastation, death, and defeat for the army of Israel to try and climb over them with every soldier, for they would have been sitting ducks for the Jericho army to pluck off one at a time until all were killed. Therefore, as we learned the Lord God had a more suitable method of getting the Hebrew army into the city to defeat and destroy the people of Jericho. In this next verse of Scripture here in the Book of Hebrews, the writer recounts for us one woman within that city who had heard about the exploits of the Hebrew people against others, as it is written here, "And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." (Joshua 2:9-11) (KJV). This one woman in the city of Jericho (who showed overcoming faith by risking her own life going against the orders of her then king of Jericho) was named Rahab and she was a harlot or in our more common language today she was a prostitute, as it is written here for us by the writer of Hebrews describing her overcoming faith with these words, "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." (Hebrews 11:31) (KJV). Many of the other people would have surely turned the two Hebrew spies into the king of Jericho, but God the Father/Elohim/Jesus Christ/Adonai knew exactly where the two Hebrew young men should go in order to be safe and that was to the house of a prostitute named Rahab. God knew her inner woman, that is, He knew that she had begun to believe that the God of the Hebrew people was in fact the One True God just as she declared in Joshua 2:11. Therefore, God knowing all things knew exactly how to guide these two young Hebrews right to her front door. God also knew that they would be safe under her roof as it is proven by the faith she exhibited when she hid them from the king of Jericho by deceiving him into thinking the two men had already gone out of the city, as it is written here, "And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither by night of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate." (Joshua 2:2-7) (KJV).

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of Hebrews 11:31, "She resided in Jericho; Joshua 2:1. When Joshua crossed the Jordan, he sent two men as spies to her house, and she saved them by concealment from the enemies that would have destroyed their lives. For this act of hospitality and kindness, they assured her of safety when the city should be destroyed, and directed her to give an indication of her place of abode to the invading Israelites, that her house might be spared; Joshua 2:18-19. In the destruction of the city, she was accordingly preserved; Joshua 6. The Apostle seems to have selected this case as illustrating the nature of faith, partly because it occurred at Jericho, of which he had just made mention, and partly to show that strong faith had been exercised not only by the patriarchs, and by those who were confessed to be great and good, but by those in humble life, and whose earlier conduct had been far from the ways of virtue. 'Calvin.' Much perplexity has been felt in reference to this case, and many attempts have been made to remove the difficulty. The main difficulty has been that a woman of this character should be enumerated among those who were eminent for piety, and many expositors have endeavored to show that the word rendered 'harlot' does not necessarily denote a woman of abandoned character, but may be used to denote a hostess. This definition is given by Schleusner, who says that the word may mean one who prepares and sells food and who receives strangers to entertain them. Others have supposed that the word means 'an idolatress,' because those devoted to idolatry were frequently of abandoned character. But there are no clear instances in which the Greek word, and the corresponding Hebrew word - זונה zownah - is used in this sense. The usual and the fair meaning of the word is what is given in our translation, and there is no good reason why that signification should not be retained here. It is not implied by the use of the word here, however, that Rahab was an harlot at the time to which the Apostle refers; but the meaning is, that this had been her character, so that it was proper to designate her by this appellation." Here also is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 11:31, "She received the spies in peace, the men that Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho, Joshua 2:6-7. She not only bade them welcome, but she concealed them from their enemies who sought to cut them off, and she made a noble confession of her faith, Joshua 2:9-11. She engaged them to covenant with her to show favour to her and hers, when God should show kindness to them, and that they would give her a sign, which they did, a line of scarlet, which she was to hang forth out of the window; she sent them away with prudent and friendly advice. Learn here, (1.) True faith will show itself in good works, especially towards the people of God. (2.) Faith will venture all hazards in the cause of God and His people; a true believer will sooner expose his own person than God's interest and people. (3.) A true believer is desirous, not only to be in covenant with God, but in communion with the people of God, and is willing to cast in his lot with them, and to fare as they fare."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…