Lessons from the Story of Rahab in the Bible
There are many likable characters in the Bible, but the personality of Rahab stands out for many reasons. Don’t you think it is a good idea to explore her personality? Join us to read through the interesting story about this figure and list out relevant lessons to benefit from.
Who is Rahab in the Bible?
Rahab is an important character in the Bible. She was a Jew and harlot residing in Jericho who was instrumental to the safety of the spies that Joshua had sent on a secret mission to Jericho.
The story of Rahab, the prostitute whom God uses to as an angel of guidance over the children of Isreal is told in Joshua chapter 2. It’s all about how she provided the necessary lodging and information they needed to overthrow the city.
It all begins with Joshua sending out spies to Jericho to check if they can go against the land in battle and win. It, however, happened that their arrival caught the attention of the king, who immediately ordered their arrest.
Meanwhile, Rahab, who had hosted the two spies from Israel, already knew the dangers ahead. She then decided to hide them on her roof so that when the knights came looking for them, they could not find them.
A further reading about the story of Rahab in the Bible also informs us of how she secretly let the spies out of the city to avoid an encounter with the king’s guard prowling about. We also saw how she asked the spies to spare her and her family when they returned to overthrow the city.
Was her request granted? You will find the answer in Joshua chapter 2. However, the highlight of this Bible story about Rahab is the kind gesture and heroic act of the Jewish woman. That said, let’s reel out some lessons from the interesting story.
See: Obedience is Better than Sacrifice Bible Story, Meaning, Lessons
What Lessons Does Rahab Story Teach in the Bible?
Apparently, the story of Rahab teaches many lessons. These include the moral acts of hospitality, kindness, and the fact that God does not look down on anyone. To understand these themes better, let’s explain them below.
1. Hospitality
If there is one thing that stands out for us in the story of Rahab, it is the likable act of hospitality and genuine kindness she showed to the spies from Israel. Though we understand that she was aware of the conquest stories of the Israelites, the fact that she entertained strangers and even protected them from the king of Jericho is a big lesson.
Similarly, like Abraham and Sarah accommodated Angels unawares in Genesis, a single act of kindness can also change your circumstances for the better.
2. Anyone Can Be Used by God
Another important lesson drawn from the Rahab story in the Bible is that we should not underestimate anyone. Of course, no one would ever think that a prostitute like Rahab could be instrumental to God’s project.
In fact, did you know that the ancestry of Jesus was later traced to Rahab? The significance of the heroic act is that sometimes, those who, by our own standards, merit the grace of God are not even considered worthy by God.
So yes, the story of Rahab teaches that anyone can be useful in God’s hand to meet a specific purpose.
3. Kindness Attracts Rich Rewards
Additionally, the encounter between Rahab and the spies also teaches that every deed of kindness attracts a rich reward.
For instance, the single act of hospitality of the harlot to the spies did not only save her life, but also that of her family and friends when the Israelites came to overthrow the city.
So for us, these Rahab characteristics of kindness and genuine act of care are to be emulated so that we can also attract good benefits for ourselves and our household.
See our previous publication on Lessons from the Story of Nicodemus in the Bible
Frequently Asked Questions on Rahab Bible Study
What is Rahab Known for in the Bible?
Rahab is a very interesting and likable character in the Bible. She is a Jewish woman and prostitute known for lodging spies from Israel and providing them with the necessary information to overthrow the city of Jericho.
We also acknowledged her for her heroic act by keeping the spies from the prowling soldiers of the king.
What Did Rahab Do to Receive God’s Grace?
The life of Rahab attracted God’s grace and mercy, definitely because of her kind gesture to the spies that Joshua sent to spy on the land of Jericho. According to the story in the Bible, she hid them and helped them escape from being apprehended by the rulers.
Conclusion
We just explored the story of Rahab in the Bible and extracted some lessons from her character. For one, we learned about how she obtained grace by her single act of kindness and favour to the spies from Israel.
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