When we were packing for Japan, I debated on which devotion books to bring, if any at all. I was not sure if I would be able to find any in English in Japan, so I decided on 3 books. One I began before we left and thought I should bring it to finish it, one is a just a leisurely read, and one is a devotion book I have skimmed through, but have not started yet.
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| I have had this book for a while and in Lynchburg, I attended a ladies Bible study with my Sunday class each week where we did one by the same author called "Becoming a Woman of Excellence." |
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| This is my leisurely read that I have used more as a research book in the past. I have never read it all the way through. |
The English missionaries ladies get together once a month after church for a lunch and Bible study. The first study was at Marcia's house and she gave us these cute little notebooks to write down prayer requests and notes from the studies.
This past Sunday I hosted and prepared the meal and Bible study. I choose to share about Rahab because she was the most recent lady that I had read about in my book. Rahab means 'broad.' She is mentioned in four books of the Bible. Joshua 2:1-24; 6:17-25, Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31, and James 2:25.
I found it interesting that the 'Every woman in the Bible' book gives the following information:
"The two spies found refuge in the house of Rahab, whom the text calls a 'harlot,' or a prostitute. Two kinds of prostitution are mentioned in the Old Testament. Archaeological discoveries have made it clear that commercial prostitution was common in drinking establishments and inns. Some have even argued that in identifying Rahab as a harlot, the author of the biblical text is simply saying that she was an innkeeper. The professions were so closely linked that to call one an innkeeper suggested that sex was one of the services ordinarily provided.
Whether Rahab was a prostitute when the spies entered Jericho is, however, quite irrelevant to the story. The frequent reference to her as a harlot reminds us that God offers His salvation to sinners, not simply to those who society classifies as 'good.' " (page 79)
Joshua 2:2-6 NIV states, "The King of Jericho was told, 'Look! Some of the Isrealites have come here tonight to spy out the land.' So the King of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: 'Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.'
But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, 'Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.' (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)"
Rahab had a choice, she decided to protect the spies through a lie and being deceitful. She said that she did not know where the spies went after the city gate was closed, but she did know, she hid them in her roof. She said that the King's men should go quickly and catch up with the spies knowing that they would not catch the spies because they were in her roof.
*Question: Does this give us an example of a time when it is good to lie and be deceitful? Growing up we are taught to lie is wrong. However, we have an example of a woman who lied, deceived the King, and was ultimately protected for it.
The conclusion that we came to during this Bible study, is that it was acceptable to lie if one is protecting innocent lives. We used the example of people hiding Jews in their homes during the Holocaust.
*Would you have hidden innocent people in your home and deceived the soldiers? What is your conclusion?
After the fall of Jericho, Rahab went on to marry an Israelite and is one of only 4 women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:5 NIV states, "Salmon, the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed the father of Jesse."
It is not our past that defines us. We should be defined by the choices we make and our actions. It was Rahab's choice to protect the 2 spies for which she is remembered. It is not her past that defined her.
The author of this book closes each section with how that woman is an example for us today.
"Rahab: An example for today-
-Rahab demonstrated that we don't have to be perfect for God to use us in significant ways. We do need to deal with Him in faith and with integrity. If we do, He will, as He did for Rahab, melt away the impurities of our character and mold us into the kind of women and men He would have us be.
-God is free to use who He will. We pass judgement on what we see, but we can only see the outward appearance. God also passes judgement on what He sees. But He sees inside and out, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
-Rahab reminds believers not to be judgmental. All have sinned, and but for God's grace, all would be doomed. God extends grace to others." (page 81)
-Stephanie
This past Sunday I hosted and prepared the meal and Bible study. I choose to share about Rahab because she was the most recent lady that I had read about in my book. Rahab means 'broad.' She is mentioned in four books of the Bible. Joshua 2:1-24; 6:17-25, Matthew 1:5, Hebrews 11:31, and James 2:25.
I found it interesting that the 'Every woman in the Bible' book gives the following information:
"The two spies found refuge in the house of Rahab, whom the text calls a 'harlot,' or a prostitute. Two kinds of prostitution are mentioned in the Old Testament. Archaeological discoveries have made it clear that commercial prostitution was common in drinking establishments and inns. Some have even argued that in identifying Rahab as a harlot, the author of the biblical text is simply saying that she was an innkeeper. The professions were so closely linked that to call one an innkeeper suggested that sex was one of the services ordinarily provided.
Whether Rahab was a prostitute when the spies entered Jericho is, however, quite irrelevant to the story. The frequent reference to her as a harlot reminds us that God offers His salvation to sinners, not simply to those who society classifies as 'good.' " (page 79)
Joshua 2:2-6 NIV states, "The King of Jericho was told, 'Look! Some of the Isrealites have come here tonight to spy out the land.' So the King of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: 'Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.'
But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, 'Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.' (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)"
Rahab had a choice, she decided to protect the spies through a lie and being deceitful. She said that she did not know where the spies went after the city gate was closed, but she did know, she hid them in her roof. She said that the King's men should go quickly and catch up with the spies knowing that they would not catch the spies because they were in her roof.
*Question: Does this give us an example of a time when it is good to lie and be deceitful? Growing up we are taught to lie is wrong. However, we have an example of a woman who lied, deceived the King, and was ultimately protected for it.
The conclusion that we came to during this Bible study, is that it was acceptable to lie if one is protecting innocent lives. We used the example of people hiding Jews in their homes during the Holocaust.
*Would you have hidden innocent people in your home and deceived the soldiers? What is your conclusion?
After the fall of Jericho, Rahab went on to marry an Israelite and is one of only 4 women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:5 NIV states, "Salmon, the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed the father of Jesse."
It is not our past that defines us. We should be defined by the choices we make and our actions. It was Rahab's choice to protect the 2 spies for which she is remembered. It is not her past that defined her.
The author of this book closes each section with how that woman is an example for us today.
"Rahab: An example for today-
-Rahab demonstrated that we don't have to be perfect for God to use us in significant ways. We do need to deal with Him in faith and with integrity. If we do, He will, as He did for Rahab, melt away the impurities of our character and mold us into the kind of women and men He would have us be.
-God is free to use who He will. We pass judgement on what we see, but we can only see the outward appearance. God also passes judgement on what He sees. But He sees inside and out, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
-Rahab reminds believers not to be judgmental. All have sinned, and but for God's grace, all would be doomed. God extends grace to others." (page 81)
-Stephanie
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