Joshua - Surely, we have all read and heard the story of Rahab many times. After all these years, my understanding has opened up anew to them. May I share this with you.

In the second chapter of Joshua we read where Joshua "sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly" on Jericho. Well, even in a crowd you cannot hide a child of God. If these men were to "spy," they were surely disguised. And yet Rahab must have seen them from her window and sent a servant to bring them to her house on the wall. After all, she watched daily from that window in order to ply her trade.

Rahab was not the only one who recognized the spies as two men who did not ordinarily come into Jericho.. The king was told two strangers were at Rahab's. He sent men to investigate. She must have been told they were coming because she hid the spies on her roof under stalks of flax. She told the king's men the two men had been there but left and she did not know where they went. She suggested the king's men pursue quickly and they would overtake them. So the men left to follow the spies.

Rahab went to the roof and talked with the spies. Read Joshua 2:9-11. Just hearing about what God had done for these people, she believed, "--- the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." Even the king and people of Jericho believed what God had done for Israel and their hearts "did melt."

There is a difference in how Rahab "believed" and the king and peoples manner of believing. She wanted a new life and knew the inhabitants of Jericho would be destroyed. The king and people believed what had been done for Israel, but thought they would not suffer the same outcome as others had.

Rahab made a request of them since she had saved their lives. She asked that they show "kindness to my father's house." She asked for them to save alive "my father, my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death." She did not ask just for her life, but her whole family. The men answered her, "Our life for yours."

She let them down by a scarlet cord from the window since her house was on the wall and told them to hide in the mountains for 3 days. They agreed to all she asked, saying she should leave the "scarlet thread" in the window so all of the Israelites would know to save this household. And they were saved when Jericho fell.

Now let's think about what happened when Rahab told her family. No one knew when the Israelites would come, so preparations had to be made immediately, At the same time, everything had to be done without the knowledge of the other people of Jericho.

There is no Bible record as to how many people would have to move into Rahab's house or about the preparations. Think of the food and water barrels, the bedding and clothing that had to be brought in. Think of the waiting and remember, they had to live together in harmony, also. This was a small cost to pay for their lives.

Do you not suppose they had to prepare and wait just as we do for the return of our Lord and Savior? II Peter 3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night -"

And so a woman who was a harlot became a believer and came to live with the chosen children of God. Her life so changed that she married an Israelite and is named in the lineage of Jesus Christ. She was the mother of Boaz who married Ruth. She was the great, great Grandmother of David, the king.

People can change. They can come just as they are to God. With the church as their mother and God as their father and a pastor and church family to help them, they can become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Even a harlot can change.

So do not despair. If your life is not what you think would please God, do not put it off to make changes. If you know someone who has a life full of sin, bring them to church. Come now!! Come just as you are!! And think on this: The devil will want you to think, "Oh, I have plenty of time. What's the hurry." You never know when a thief may come into your house. The scripture carriers this same message.

Matthew 25:13 "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."