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1) 5-11-08…AM…SBC 2)
“Spying Around”
Joshua 2
Introduction:
Ø Like Bruce said last week, the reason we anticipate a literal kingdom in the future (Rev 20-21) is because of the literal kingdom established and anticipated in the past with Israel
1) Kingdom of God[1]
A- The Kingdom of God is the grand-central theme of the entire Bible
1- the OT and NT Testaments are like two acts of a single drama
a- Act 1 (OT) point to its conclusion in Act 2 (NT – Revelation) and without Act 2 the play is incomplete
b- *But, *Act 2 (NT) must be read in light of Act 1 (OT) or else the meaning of Act 2 (NT) will be missed
c- *To understand the meaning of the Kingdom in Eschatology we must understand the meaning of the Kingdom in OT History*
* *
B- God Kingdom rule has a dual aspect
1- God’s Universal Rule *Psalm 29:10*
* *
“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever” (ESV)
a- this rule of God has always existed and has never been abrogated or interrupted
b- man’s duty in this Kingdom is to acknowledge its reality and bow to its sovereignty
c- we are not to pray for the coming of this rule of God
2- God’s Mediatorial Rule (ruling through a mediator)
a- this rule of God is done by a divinely chosen representative who speaks and acts for God and who represents the people before God
Ø *In Joshua, God was directly ruling over His people through His divinely chosen representative*
*-----------------------------------------------*
Matthew 6 “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.”
(Revelation 20-21)
Ø the disciples are to be praying for the holiness of God’s name, for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done – on earth as it is being done in heaven
· although God’s Kingdom was ruling universally over all there was a profound difference of its rule in heaven and on earth
· *the difference between the two is seen in the existence of sin upon the earth*
· the Mediatorial Kingdom must finally “come” to rid the earth of the rebellion of sin
· When sin is finally removed and Revelation 20 is accomplished then God’s Kingdom will be on earth as it is in heaven
· *When sin has been removed and the God’s Kingdom has come to earth, then the Mediatorial aspect of the Kingdom will disappear being merged with the Universal Kingdom of God*
*------------------------------------------------*
* *
2) Bottom Level Narrative *Joshua 2*
- builds to the top level narrative
- like subplots build to the main plot
*Illustration: *C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia
· top level = the battle for control of Narnia ~/* The conquest of the Promised Land*
· middle and bottom levels = the war in England, Edmond’s rebellion, Peter’s battle with Mougrim, etc. ~/ *Rahab’s confession of faith in God*
Transition: What we want to take away from the story of Rahab is that
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*Proposition: *A proper observance of an awesome God must lead to a proper fear of God.
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Transition: We see first of all…
*1) The Directions (that were given) v1a*
* *
* *
A- Despite Joshua’s intent that this be secret, the very next verse states that their presence was known immediately to the king of Jericho.[2]
1- After taking Jericho, Joshua could then cut straight across and divide the land from north and south.[3]
2- The tropical climate and vegetation of the Jordan Valley earned Jericho the title ‘city of palm trees’ (Deut.
34:3).[4]
3- It was the most important city in the Jordan valley (Num.
22:1; 34:15), and the strongest fortress in all the land of Canaan.
It was the key to Western Israel.
[5]
B- Rahab the Prostitute *v1b*
Ø *Remember* - Narrative accounts don’t answer all our questions regarding a given story
* *
- they are limited in their focus giving us part of the overall picture of what God is doing in history
1- How the spies chose the house of a prostitute named Rahab is not revealed.[6]
a- Providentially they were led there
*b- **A sinful woman was there whom God in His grace purposed to spare from the coming judgment.*[7]*
*
* 2- vav consecutive used throughout this passage*
a- gives us the sequence of events going on
b- some speculate that the wording at the end of *v1 *refer to the spies going to Rahab for sexual relations
· what complicates this is that specific Hebrew word can refer to sexual relations
· this is why the context is so important for us
· without context you can make the Bible say whatever you want it to say – hermeneutics
c- we find in this context a reference to the house that they went to
d- *one is on thin ice contextually to say that they went to the house for an illicit relationship*
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Ø The Hebrew word translated “harlot” can also mean “one who keeps an inn.” *If all we had was the Old Testament text, we could absolve Rahab of immorality and call her the “proprietress of an inn.”*
But there is no escape, for in James 2:25 and Hebrews 11:31, the writers use the Greek word that definitely means “a prostitute.”[8]
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e- Rahab’s house was likely a way station, inn, tavern, or a combination of these.[9]
f- This type of location would have provided a good cover for the spies sent by Joshua[10]
g- Their purpose was not impure; rather, the spies sought a place where they would not be conspicuous.
Resorting to such a house would be a good cover, from where they might learn something of Jericho.[11]
h- Also, a house on the city wall (v.
15) would allow a quick getaway.
[12]
Conclusion: The spies were following out Joshua’s instructions and we are given that in a logical sequence of events
· in this narrative we are introduced to Rahab, the prostitute who would prove to be a beautiful picture of God’s redeeming grace
Transition: Next we see…
2) The Deception *v2-7*
* *
A- Joshua’s secret mission was not a secret for very long *v2-3*
B- Rahab lies in order to protect the spies *v4-7*
1- there is not question that Rahab lied
2- the real question is, did the end justify the means?
· did saving these spies exonerate Rahab of her untruth?
3- Proverbs 6:19 does not pardon Rahab for lying
· she should not have lied before a holy God
· *if we believe in an unchangeable God then He could not have overlooked her lying*
· it was a sin no matter which way you slice it
· *we must believe that God could have and would have protected those spies*
* *
*Application: *
- When faced with allegiance between God and country as Rahab was we must always choose the higher authority
- *Are we to live by the principles of “Situational Ethics”*
· can absolutes be applied differently to different situation
· can help euthanize the elderly because they are of no worth
· has the image of God been removed from them
· can we abort babies because of they handicaps they might possess
· can we lie on our taxes to receive a better tax break
· *if God is a God of absolutes then none of these options are really options*
* *
Ø In *James 2:25 *is not justifying her works but in the context of his argument he is telling us that her actions proved her faith
Ø She was justified on the basis of her faith in God – *Hebrews 11:31*
Ø *The commendation of Rahb’s words in James 2:25 is not an approval of her actions but an demonstration of her fear of God*
Ø Let’s not forget that the actions of her deceptive words were not out of the scope of God’s forgiveness
Transition: Following the directions to the spies and Rahab’s deception we see in *v8-11*
* *
* *
3) The Declaration *v8-11*
* *
- In these verse we find the heart of this particular bottom level narrative – Rahab’s confession
A- Rahab’s dialogue with the spies disclosed the fear of the Canaanites *v11a*
1- the people of Jericho had already heard about the events of the Exodus and the defeating of the Canaanite kings (Deut 2-3)
B- Rahab’s dialogue with the spies disclosed her faith in God *11b*
1- “for the LORD your God”
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