What does your past whisper to you? Do you ever have any of those nagging thoughts?

 Thoughts of,

• Shame - “If they only knew the truth about me?”
• Regret – “Oh, if only I hadn’t, or had done …”
• Condemnation – “I’ll never be good enough.”
• Discouragement – “It’s not even worth trying anymore.”

These whispers could be from choices you made years ago, or yesterday. And if you are like many women whose past haunts them then you need to meet Rahab, for Rahab was a Canaanite women, and a prostitute, who ends up in Jesus’ family tree! (Matthew 1:5)

 

Rahab’s story begins in the Book of Joshua, chapter 2. After wandering for 40 years, Israel is now ready to take the land of Canaan, and the first city in their sights is Jericho. Joshua sends two spies into Jericho who went into the house of Rahab.

The fact that Rahab was a prostitute made it easy for these men to enter her home without bringing attention to them, but they were noticed, and when Jericho’s king demanded Rahab turn over the spies, she bravely hid them in piles of flax on her roof, telling the king’s men they’d already fled.

That night, as the two spies were safely hidden on her roof, Rahab makes a bold claim and request before the men head back to their camp,

“I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰ We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. ¹¹ When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

¹² “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign ¹³ that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” (Joshua 2:9-13)

The spies promise to protect Rahab and gave her a scarlet cord to hang from her window, promising all inside her home would be kept safe.

Rahab kept the scarlet cord hanging from the window of her home, and on the seventh day, when the army advanced once more and marched seven times around Jericho’s walls. The Israelites then let out a tremendous shout and the entire wall surrounding Jericho imploded. The city, its buildings, and its inhabitants were destroyed — except Rahab and her family.

“So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, and brothers—everyone connected with her. They got the whole family out and gave them a place outside the camp of Israel.” (Joshua 6:23)

 

But God didn’t leave Rahab outside the camp!

• A man named Salmon, (I like to think he was one of the two spies, but we can’t know for sure) married Rahab and together they had
• Boaz, who married Ruth the Moabite (we’ll be studying her story next week) and together they had,
• Obed who fathered,
• Jesse, who fathered,
• David, (Matthew 1:5)
• Which means God added Rahab, a Gentile and prostitute of Jesus’ family tree.

There are at least three truths I have found in Rehab’s story:  

1.    God loves people with a past.

 

We don’t know what drove Rahab into a life of prostitution. Perhaps she had experienced deep brokenness or childhood trauma. Her past may have been one of pain, rejection or abuse that left her feeling trapped by shame.

The truth is however, we’ve all fallen short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23), and the good news is that no matter what our past holds, it is the reason Jesus came to earth. Therefore, none of our pasts are ever good enough to earn God’s salvation, or bad enough to keep us from His gift of eternal life!

2.    God uses people with a past. 

_God used Rahab, in spite of her past, to conquer the Promised Land, _God used Rahab to not only save the spies, but her family as well.

_God used Rahab to shape her son’s character so that he would one day go on to rescue a young Moabite widow and her mother in law.

The Truth is we all have a past, and our enemy will use it to try to keep us from fulfilling God’s destiny for us! What has he been whispering in your ear that may be keeping you from allowing God use you?

We all have a past, but it is what we do with that past that will make all the difference in your life and others.

3.    God redefines people’s past. (I think this is my favorite) 

When Scripture refers to Rahab, she is almost always referred to as,   “Rahab the harlot” except in Matthew’s genealogy. Matthew calls her “Rahab, mother of Boaz”.

Rahab went from:

·         A fallen woman to chosen,

·         An enemy of God’s people to one of the royal family

·         A prostitute to a bride and mother

If Rahab could leave us with one message, I think it would be; If we are in Christ Jesus we too are a new creation!

 Let us take those whispers Satan so craftily tries to use to discourage us and let’s find the truths in God Word to shoot them down! I’ve shared a few to get you started and I hope you’ll keep adding to the list!

 Shame: There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… (Romans 8:1)

Sin: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:19)

Hopelessness: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

Bondage: Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:34-36)

Fear: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear… (1 John 4:18)

Rejection: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

Blessings,

 

sue