RAHAB – THE PROSTITUTE

KEY VERSE:“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” Hebrews 11:31 (NIV)

Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho. As a prostitute, she lived on the edge of the society, one stop short of rejection. Her house, built right into the city wall, provided both lodging and favors to travellers. It was a natural place for the Israelite spies – Salmon and Ephraim, sent out by Joshua, the son of Nun to stay, as they would be mistaken for Rahab’s customers.

Stories about the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to the promises land had been circulating for some time, but now it was evident that the Israelites were about to invade Jericho. Living on the wall, Rahab felt especially vulnerable. And while she shares the general mood of fear with the rest of Jericho’s population, she alone turned to the Lord in faith for her salvation. Her faith gave her the courage to hide the spies and lie to the authorities…”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. Then the woman (Rahab) 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.” Joshua 2:3–4.

Rahab knew her position was dangerous; she could have been killed if she was caught harbouring the Israelites. She took the risk however, because she sensed that the Israelites relied on a God worth trusting. And God rewarded Rahab by keeping her and her family safe…”Now before they (the spies) lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.”…”Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you will also show kindness to my father’s house…and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters and all that we have, and deliver our lives from death.”…So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall (of Jericho) fell down flat…And the young men who had been spies (Salmon and Ephraim) went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers and all that she had. So they brought out her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel.” Joshua 2:8–9, 12-13, 6:19, 20&23.

Rahab was a woman of her word. The state had great confidence in her – for the soldiers did not doubt her and could not suspect her of treason when she told them that the spies had left Jericho as she had proven herself loyal to the king so many times in the past. She could have tipped off the king to the whereabouts of the hiding Israelites as in the past when she had made prosperous living gleaning information from strangers so that she could report to the king and receive rewards. Instead she sent Israel’s enemies on a wild goose chase. Why? Because she really believed that God was about to handover her city to the Israelites.

In her book, “Lineage of Grace”, award-winning author, Francine Rivers presents Rahab as having being given out to the king by her father at an early age against her wish. When she left the king’s palace, she became a big time prostitute who serviced visitors who had lots of money to spare, the King, and other power brokers in Jericho. She benefitted immensely from her relationship with the king and had previously facilitated the capture of enemies of the state because of the strategic placement of her house.

But when the chips were down at this point in Jericho’s history, Rahab knew who to trust in. She didn’t put her faith in the king whom she was obviously familiar with; neither did she put her faith in the gods of her ancestors; or in the thickness of the wall in which her house was built in. Rahab put her faith in an unfamiliar God whom she’s only heard of and her faith not only saved her life and that of her family members but also earned her a place alongside four other peculiar women – Tamar, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary in the lineage of Jesus Christ…”Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar…Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth…David the king begot Solomon by her (Bathsheba) who had been the wife of Uriah…And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Matthew 1:3a, 5,6b &16.

ABRAHAM – A FRIEND OF GOD

KEY VERSE:
“Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6 (NIV)

Our first glimpse of Abraham in the bible is in Genesis 12 where God asked him to leave his homeland in Mesopotamia for an unknown place...”Now the Lord said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1. Abraham had a decision to make. His decision was between setting out with his family and belongings for parts unknown or staying right where he was. He had to decide between the security of what he already had and the uncertainty of travelling under God’s direction.

All Abraham had to go was God’s promise to guide and direct him and Abraham set out in faith…”By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tent…for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” James 11:8, 9a&10.

Abraham could hardly have been expected to visualize how much of the future was resting on his decision of whether to go or stay, but his obedience affected the history of the world. His decision to step out in faith and follow God set into motion the development of the nation that God would eventually use as his own when he visited earth himself. When Jesus came to earth, God’s promise was fulfilled; through Abraham, the entire world was blessed…”So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.” Matthew 1:17.

The test of Abraham’s faith reached a crescendo when God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac on one of the mountains in Moriah – fifty miles near Jerusalem…”God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:1b–2. Now, Isaac was a child of promise; a miracle child born to Abraham and Sarah when she was ninety years old and he was a hundred years old.

It is pertinent to note that at this point in time, Ishmael, the son born by Sarah’s maid, Hagar, had been sent away with his mother…”So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy (Ishmael) to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.” Genesis 21:14.

But Abraham’s experience of God over the years had taught him many tough lessons about the importance of obeying God in faith. Even when Isaac asked about the lamb for the sacrifice on their way to the land of Moriah, Abraham answered him in faith…”And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering?” So the two of them went together.” Genesis 22:8. Abraham obeyed God completely and when he was about to slay Isaac, God provided a substitute sacrifice in a ram…”Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.” Genesis 22:13.

It must have been difficult for Abraham to let go of Isaac especially as human sacrifice was a pagan custom and he could have refused on that basis. But sometimes, God asks us to do seemingly silly and impossible things. Abraham’s faith allowed him go beyond the norm in obeying God.

PRE-MARITAL SEX: A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE

"Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband."

The above scriptures captures the mind of God concerning pre-marital sex or fornication and if you go deeper into the Bible, you get to realise that God is not against sex but rather recommends that it should be between two people who are committed to one another in marriage. The Bible asks us not to indulge in pre-marital sex but to protect our bodies as God's temple and to present our bodies to him as a living sacrifice.

Because we live in a fallen world, the intent of God for sex is usually abused and sadly sometimes by us Christians. You find two Christians who are not yet married (they may be engaged) & may not even have plans to marry engaging in pre-marital sex.

The intent of this post however is to address some of the salient issue regarding the way first, our society, and second some ministers have treated this issue in conversations, teachings, sermons, counselling and so on. I have repeatedly heard it insinuated to a large extent that the woman 'loses more' when she allows a man have pre-marital sex with her. Comments like "A man who sleeps with you outside of marriage is not likely to marry you because he won't trust you", "Why buy the cow when the milk is free", "When a man sleeps with you outside of marriage, he has seen all of you & there is nothing to look forward to." readily comes to mind. In as much as these comments are true at different levels, I'll like to add my own perspective as a woman of faith.

Personally, I do not think I will take a man who asks me for sex outside of marriage serious irrespective of his status in the church or the society at large. I will see him as weak, lacking self-control, lacking respect for God and me and ungodly like Esau who sold his birthright for food. Even if I sleep with him, this kind of man cannot command my respect and trust. I cannot trust him with my friends, sisters and even househelps. He certainly will not be a kind of man I'll like to submit to because a man who lacks respect for God who is the father of all, will certainly extend the same courtesy to my parents, pastors and others some day.

Finally, let us ask ourselves: is pre-marital sex really worth all the troubles that accompanies it? My answer is no and by His grace I am making a conscious effort (which is really hard in the world that we live in) to ensure that I am not ensnared by pre-marital sex. When next I want to have sex, I really want to enjoy it to the fullest (without guilt and I speak from experience) and that can only be in the sanctity of marriage according to the plan of God. Whatever your answer is, just know that the Grace of God is always available and if you are neck-deep into pre-marital sex, it is not too late to turn back. From my own experience, it is tough but it can be done.