A Gentile Declaration- Rahab (Joshua 2)
News of Israel’s powerful God went ahead of them into the Promised Land of Canaan. Stories of what God did to the Egyptians and Amorite kings struck fear in the hearts of surrounding nations. When Israel’s leader, Joshua, sent spies into Jericho, they met Rahab, a woman whose response to these same stories was one of faith. She shared what she had heard about Israel’s God and acknowledged, “The Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.” (Joshua 2:11) Rahab risked her life to protect the spies in return for the chance to be saved from Jericho’s destruction and grafted into God’s people. She was an unlikely candidate – a woman, a prostitute, a non-Jewish foreigner – but the promise to Abraham was passed on through her, making Rahab the first Gentile in the genealogy of Jesus. God was already blessing the nations!
Family Activity
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Activity Time: 15 minutes
Materials: blocks, a small ball, small people figures (action figures, game pieces, dolls, etc.)
Work together to make a house with blocks. Add small people figures. Take turns rolling the ball to knock down the house and people. Discuss how real buildings are condemned or marked for destruction if they are unsafe. God had already condemned the cities in Canaan and planned to destroy them because of the wickedness of the people who lived there. This included Jericho. God used Israel to destroy Jericho, but showed mercy to one woman in the city who put her faith in him – Rahab. Construct another block building and add people. Remove one of the people figures and put it in a safe place. Then roll the ball to knock down the blocks.
Bible:
Read Deuteronomy 20:16-18, Joshua 2; 6:22-25, and John 5:24 with your family.
Discuss:
1. How did God rescue and provide for Rahab and her family?
2. Like the people of Jericho, each of us began life with a sinful heart. We were condemned by God and headed for destruction. How did God rescue and provide for us?
Pray:
Thank God for his mercy and grace towards all who put their faith in Jesus.
