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Series 5:
Lesson 71: |
JOSHUA, JUDGES & RUTH
RAHAB AND THE SPIES |
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Passage to Study: Joshua 2:1-24.
Read with the class: Joshua 2:1-21.
Memorization Text: Younger children - Acts 17:30, "God ...now commandeth ....
to repent".
Older children - Psalm 16:11.
OBJECTIVES: To show:
1. How a woman was saved from the destruction that was going to fall upon the inhabitants
of her city.
2. How the grace of God brought blessing to a person who in turn wanted to see others
blessed.
3. That knowledge of the power of God, demonstrated years earlier, is used by the Holy
Spirit to prepare Rahab's heart to believe.
4. The steps by which faith expressed in words, is manifested in an act which is pleasing
to God.
5. That true faith is based on the communication of the truth through the servants of God.
SCENE No. 1. VISUAL AIDS: Country near the Jordan. Figures of Joshua, two spies and
a group of Israelites.
DEVELOPMENT:
- The people watch while Joshua talks with the spies.
- He sends them across the Jordan River to view conditions on the other side.
- The city of Jericho is of special interest since it is located where it can guard the
roads of access to Canaan.
- It is thought that Jericho was located seven or eight kilometers from the edge of the
river Jordan.
Sug. Ask the students if they have an idea how the spies crossed the river, since later on
a miracle is needed for the Israelites to do so.
- They find Jericho to be a city well protected by its thick walls.
- They get into the city without a problem, and find lodging in Rahab's house.
- This house is built as part of the wall of the city of Jericho.
Cmt. It has been suggested by some authors that Rahab was a businesswoman, besides
offering lodging and other services of ill repute.
- Rahab seems to have understood that these are Israelite spies but did not hesitate in
receiving them.
- As well as others of the inhabitants of this city, she has heard about the arrival of
the Israelites on the other side of Jordan, and of how God, with great power, had taken
them out of Egypt 40 years earlier.
Cns. Perhaps Rahab realizes that the arrival of the spies at her door gives her
opportunity to be saved from imminent destruction.
Cmt. God's power, shown 40 years earlier, is regarded as being the same as ever, not
at all diminished. Rahab is now a believer in Jehovah, God in heaven and in earth.
(vs. 9-11)
Cns. The Holy Spirit does His work in the heart of sinners, bringing them to think about
certain happenings in which God has made Himself evident.
Obs. If the teacher knows of some political, criminal or historic event that has made an
impression on some student, encourage that person to tell it in order to show how God may
have been speaking.
SCENE No. 2. VISUAL AIDS: Roof top of a house with figures of Rahab, the spies and
bundles of flax stalks.
DEVELOPMENT:
- The two Israelites expect to pass the night in Rahab's house, but soon the king's
messengers arrive to talk to Rahab.
- The soldiers bring an order from the king commanding Rahab to give up the two spies who
had come to her house.
- She manages to hide them under stalks of flax and tells the messengers that the spies
have gone.
Cns. The lie that Rahab told the messengers of the king was not really necessary.
She did not yet understand that God cares for those who are carrying out His will.
Cmt. James 2:25, Rahab was justified by her works which showed the presence of her
faith, NOT by her words.
- Rahab's faith is demonstrated as soon as the messengers leave. She goes up to the roof
to talk with the Israelites.
- She tells the spies she knows the Lord has given them the land and that terror of them
has fallen upon all the inhabitants of the city.
- She thus gives them the information they need.
- Rahab mentions some of the great deeds she has heard about, including that of 40 years
earlier when God dried up the waters of the Red Sea for them.
Cns. This historical event of 40 years earlier still had a message for others and even
today teaches a valuable lesson to us, thousands of years later.
- It was a notable historical happening, well known, remembered and talked about.
- The news about the two kings of the Amorites was from only a year or so before the visit
of the spies to Rahab. See additional note at the end of the lesson.
- Unlike others of her city, Rahab recognizes that the God of Israel is God in heaven
above, and in earth beneath.
- Rahab shows concern for saving her own life and that of her relatives.
- The spies assure her that that she can be saved from coming destruction and tell her
what she must do.
- The spies speak with authority from heaven, binding God and His people to fulfill the
promise they make.
Cns. Those who preach the gospel (including Sunday School teachers) also have the right to
assure the hearer that he/she will save his/her soul upon obeying the message that they
give and putting their faith in Christ.
SCENE No. 3. VISUAL AIDS: The wall of a city with figures of Rahab in the window and
two men sliding down a red rope.
DEVELOPMENT:
- The location of Rahab's house offers a way of escape, and the two spies reach freedom
through the window.
- By letting the spies escape, Rahab disregards her former king and gives her loyalty to
One who offers her liberty (salvation) from certain death, soon to occur.
- Rahab must tie the red cord in her window, the same one by which the spies have escaped.
- The window with the red cord in it shows everyone that inside is a woman who believes
and has committed herself to the God of the people she is about to join.
- Rahab knows there is salvation in the word of the spies for her and others who will
believe, showing their faith by join her to wait.
- Salvation is to be found within the house with the window marked by the colour red.
Cns. The firstborn of the Israelites also escaped death in Egypt by marking with red the
entrance to their houses, showing that the death of a substitute had taken place.
- The spies offer salvation similar to that which the Israelites had known in Egypt.
Apl. Teachers can speak with conviction about how a person can be saved today, for they
have experienced it. /The spies could tell of how they had proved that God is able to keep
those that trust in Him.
- Once the red cord was tied in the window, Rahab's faith would allow her be at ease in
her mind, in contrast to the other inhabitants of the city.
- Her faith in the word of the spies would lead Rahab to speak to her relatives who were
also living in fear of the Israelites.
Cns. Rahab had given evidence of her faith. Possibly the red cord in the window would make
for questions which, no doubt, she would answer.
- The faith that was in the heart of Rahab was shown forth in a visible way, and this is
the main point of James 2:25.
- Many of these would take refuge in her house (Joshua 6:25) and be saved as well.
Cmt. This is the same principle as Acts 16:31, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and
thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
- Safety was extended to all who would personally believe.
Apl. God fulfills His promise to all who place their faith
in His Word.
SCENE No. 4. This APPLICATION shows the steps of Rahab's faith. VISUAL AIDS:
The words written in capital letters should be printed out and a figure
representing each idea added, as follows:
Figures of 1. a preacher, 2. a group of people of different nations, rejoicing because
they are in heaven, 3. a person praying, 4. a family made up of persons of different age
groups.
DEVELOPMENT:
RAHAB:
1. RECEIVED THE SPIES AS MESSENGERS OF THE LIVING GOD.
- They gave her God's word, just as a Sunday School teacher does today.
2. BELIEVED THEIR WORD ABOUT FUTURE EVENTS.
- The message included something about the future, just as every lesson that is taught
ought to do.
3. SHOWED HER FAITH BY BINDING THE RED CORD IN THE WINDOW.
- A Christian prays, one of the ways in which faith is seen.
4. COMMUNICATED HER FAITH, SPEAKING TO HER FAMILY AND
OTHERS.
- Rahab, concerned about the well-being of her loved ones, testified to others, especially
to members of her family.
Note: THE AMORITES: Numbers 21:21-35; Deuteronomy 2:30-37, 3:1-8.
Summary: SIHON AND THE AMORITES - Deut. 21:21-30.
Following the occasion of the serpent lifted up on a pole in the desert, the Israelites
camped at the edge of the territory of the Amorites whose king was Sihon. They asked
permission to pass through their territory on their northward march, which would take them
to an area across from Jericho. Israel gave their word that they would not touch their
vineyards nor use their water. They would go by way of the main road (the royal
highway) straight to their destination, at which point they expected to cross the river
Jordan to Jericho. They did not expect to remain in this part of the country.
Sihon's reply was to call up his army in order to stop them and thus he began a war with
Israel. Israel confronted them and won. The Ammonites, another strong nation,
were also conquered. (Numbers 21:24) A song was composed which continued to be
repeated like a proverb, celebrating this achievement. Israel became established in
the area and lived there.
OG OF BASHAN: Numbers 21:31-35. The Israelites continued to conquer new
territory.
Og king of Bashan together with his people, went out to fight against them. Moses
received encouragement from the Lord, assuring him that what had happened with Sihon would
occur with Og, the last of the giants of Canaan. (Deut. 3:11). This story was known in
Jericho and was the reason for their fear, knowing that Israel was guided by the Lord.
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