Sermon Tone Analysis

Joshua 2:1-24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 1999

Grace The Heart Of The Gospel.

/What makes Christianity different from all the other religions of the world?

/Years ago that very question was discussed at a conference.

Some of the participants argued that Christianity is unique in teaching that God became man.

But someone objected, saying that other religions teach similar doctrines.

/What about the resurrection?

/No, it was argued, other faith's believe that the dead rise again.

The discussion grew heated.

C.S.Lewis, a strong defender of Christianity, came in late, sat down, and asked, " /What's the rumpus about?/ " When he learned that it was a debate about the uniqueness of Christianity, he immediately commented, " Oh that's easy.

It's grace.

"  How right he was!

The very heart of the gospel is the supreme truth that God accepts us with no conditions whatever when we put our trust in the atoning sacrifice of His incarnate Son.

Introduction

 

/Do you ever think that some people are beyond God's grace?/

Wicked people who have gone too far and could never be saved!

Well that's not true.

In fact that's a lie of the Devil.

Nobody is beyond God's grace.

God is in the business of saving the most unlikely people.

He loves all mankind and desires to save them.

If you look at Christ's ministry on earth you discover he saved some of the most unlikely people.

His followers comprised of tax collectors like Matthew and Zacchaeus, fisherman such as Peter and Andrew, James and John, society women like Joanna and Susanna who provided food for the Lord 's needs.

Mary Magdalene had questionable moral character and so did the woman caught in adultery of John chapter 8. Paul said /Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of who I am chief./

People like Rahab are not beyond God's grace.

/But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

/

 

*Joshua 2:1* says this: /And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho.

And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.//

/

 

Joshua Sends Out Two Spies

 

In the conquest of Canaan Israel was immediately faced with the fortified city of Jericho.

It was strategically placed and guarded the pass leading westward into the mountainous region.

Joshua sent two spies into the land to gather information for the forthcoming military advance into Canaan.

Their primary concern was the city of Jericho.

But God had another mission for them, that they knew nothing of!

I.

Rahab's Wickedness

 

The spies came to Jericho and sought to carry out their mission undetected.

No doubt this was why they sought lodging with a harlot.

Rahab often had men stay under her roof at night.

Certainly her wicked lifestyle fitted in well with the idolatry of the city.

The Bible does not approve of Rahab's occupation, although it does commend her faith.

You and I might think that such a person could never be interested in the things of God.

But we will observe how wrong that type of thinking is!

You and I need God's grace just as much as she, /for all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory.

/I believe that God providentially arranged for the spies to stay with her.

It was a divine appointment.

The Spies Are Discovered

 

*Joshua 2:2-3 *says: /And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country."

So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country."

/

 

II.

Rahab's Works

 

The spies had been discovered./

What would Rahab do? /The king knew that the spies had come to her house.

He also knew their intention.

It was at this point that Rahab demonstrated her desire to serve the Lord.

Whether she knew the mission of the spies before this we cannot tell.

But one thing is certain, she now acted on their behalf.

She changed allegiance from the Canaanite God's to the Lord, and from her people to God's people, Israel.

* *

a. Firstly she gave them /Protection/

* *

*Joshua 2:4-6* says: /Then the woman took the two men and hid them.

So she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

"And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out.

Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them."

(But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.)

/

 

Rahab risked her life by hiding the spies in her own house.

She also lied so that they would not be apprehended.

All of this amounted to treason and she would have been put to death if caught.

But that did not deter her from the right course of action.

Although lying is wrong her motives were right.

She had only started on her course of faith and was probably unaware that this was wrong.

Lying is forbidden in the Bible and can be avoided when we ask the Lord to provide a way of escape [1 Cor 10:13].

b.

Secondly she gave them /Assistance /

 

*Joshua 2:8-10, 15-16 says:* /And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 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.

Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way./

Not only did Rahab hide the spies, she also gave them valuable information concerning the morale of the people.

This would be of great use to Joshua.

What Rahab says is in line with the song Moses sung after crossing the Red Sea.

*Exodus 15:14-15 says: */ The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.

Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

/

Rahab also helped them escape by lowering them down from the wall on a scarlet cord.

She told them where to hide from the men searching for them.

This was practical advice since she knew the terrain well.

Rahab's works demonstrated that she had given her allegiance to Israel and Israel's God.

*James 2:25 says this:* /Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?/

*/But why would Rahab act this way?

What was her motivation?/*/

/

 

III.

Rahab's Faith

 

As we look at these next verses we will see that Rahab was motivated by faith.

a.

She Heard Of /God's Mighty Works./

*Joshua 2:8-11 : */And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 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 you came out of Egypt; and what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you 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:  /

 

1.

/She knew that God had given them the land./

This was even before Israel had crossed the Jordan River.