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The Ole Gal Ain’t What

She Use To Be

Text:  Joshua 2:1, 9, 11-14

Joshua 2:1, 9, 11-14

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.  

9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. 

12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:

13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.  [1]

Introduction:

             This is one of the stories of the Bible that tells us of a transformation in a person’s life. I read another story of an older man who was very rough, uncultured and not as clean as some should think he should be. Walking past a shop in the city one day he noticed a beautiful vase in the window and fell in love with its beauty. He began to save his money and eventually purchased the lovely vase and carried it home, placing it on his mantle. It sat there kind of in judgment of all the other surroundings of the room. He thought, “I need to clean this room up to make it worthy of this wonderful vase.” So he started with the dingy curtains that hung beside it, then there was that old chair beside the curtains, it had to be recovered. Next the wallpaper needed replacing and some new paint on the trim around the room. Gradually the whole room was transformed – ALL BECAUSE OF THAT ONE LOVELY VASE.

            Beloved is not the type of transformation that takes place when we place Jesus on the mantle of our heart? Our whole life is changed.

            The Israelites were faced with the question of how they were going to defeat the city of Jericho. It was the main force standing between them and conquering the rest of the country. If they could take Jericho – that would split the country right in half and their job of defeating the north and south could be realized. So, Joshua sent in spies to gage the mood of the people and see if they were ready for battle. When the spies entered Jericho, they went to the home of a harlot – Rahab. Why her house. Well men going into a harlots house would not attract to much attention would they? But they were surprised!

The woman they found was not quite what they thought she would be. If fact they found out THE OLE GAL AIN’T WHAT SHE USED TO BE, or at least on her road to changing.

I.                  Rahab, the Call Girl.

A.                 Her Spiritual Condition.

** Not much here – because she did not have one –

• She was a harlot 
• Lost without God
• Living a wicked lifestyle
• Depraved of moral goodness

Illus -    She is a picture of every person LOST in sin this morning. You may say – “But, Preacher, I’m not a harlot – I’m a good moral person.” But my question to you is have you ever trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and repented of your sins? It is a Bible truth found in –

Romans 3:23

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [2]

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [3]

Galatians 3:22

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. [4]

*** If you are here this morning and outside Christ today then your only hope is found here –

Ephesians 1:1-3

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  [5 

B.                 Her Spiritual Condemnation.

** Something more that what she knew was going on –

• She was living in a condemned city
• God had already determined that Jericho was going to be destroyed.

** I am sure that the people felt safe and comfortable behind the great walls of this wonderful city; walls so thick that they could race three chariots side by side and they were over 40 feet high.

            God had already pronounced the sentence on this city and all who lived within its walls would be condemned. They may not have felt the danger about to come upon them, but they were doomed never-theless 

Illus – So the lost man today feels no judgment coming / sees no destruction / thinks of no danger coming to him or his.

John 3:18

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [6]

                                                                                                            AGAIN…

John 3:36

36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. [7]

*** So sad the lost condition of man - separated from the presence of God.

C.                 God’s Spiritual Compassion.

  Look at verse 10 –

Joshua 2:10

10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. [8]

** Rahab tells the spies that they have heard what God had done in the land of Egypt and of the Kings defeated on their way toward Jericho.

** It had been 40 years since they had left Egypt; God had spared the city of Jericho for that long. And I am sure that HE had given them call after call to repent and receive HIM. Rahab knew God had given her that time to come to faith in HIM.

• How many years has God given you?
• How many times has HE knocked at your hearts door?
• How many times has HE called you to REPENT / come to faith / TRUST HIM?
• How many times has God moved on your heart to seek HIS forgiveness?

Romans 2:4

4 “…not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” [9]

I.      Rahab, The Call Girl.

II.     Rahab, The Converted Girl.

A.                 She had Heard the Word.

• Rahab had heard of the God of Israel.
• She had been told of HIS judgment upon others who rejected HIM

** Beloved that message is still alive and well today in this world. It is the only message that will make the vilest sinner a new creation in Christ Jesus.

** We are moving into the season of the year that this message is broadcast more than at any other time of the year and reaches the ears of more than any other time of the year.

*** Where God loved this world so much that HE sent HIS only BEGOTTEN son into this world to die for sinners on the Cross of Calvary.

How the Son of God suffered many things at the hands of sinful man and was lay in the Tomb and there three days later came out and proclaimed ETERNAL LIFE WAS AVAILABLE FOR ALL WHO WOULD BELIEVE.

** Basically it is the message you hear today about SAME

• God
• Love
• Saviour
• Cross
• Gift of salvation

B.                 She Heeded the Word.

** What good is hearing the message if one does not heed the message heard? We base the believe that Rahab had believed on God from verse 9.

Joshua 2:9

9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.  [10]

** Note she used the word “LORD” – meaning Jehovah, God’s covenant name. Then again in verse 11.

Joshua 2:11

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.  [11]

** She recognized HIM as the “God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.”

NEXT verse – 12:

Joshua 2:12

12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: [12]

** Here Rahab is expressing her faith in God and calling upon HIM to witness a pact she is making with the spies about her family.

** I find the most convincing evidences in Hebrews 11, where she is listed in the Hall of the Faithful, verse 31.

Hebrews 11:31

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.  [13]

*** Here is a good example of hearing the message and acting upon it.

Romans 10:17

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [14]

• The message is HEARD
• The message is BELIEVED
• Salvation is GIVEN

** I challenge each of you to look within your heart right now and determine what it is that you are trusting to get you into heaven. If it is anything else besides Jesus Christ, then you are LOST in your sin.

I.                   Rahab, The Call Girl.

II.                Rahab, The Converted Girl.

III.             Rahab, The Completed Girl.

** When Rahab trusted God with her life – it was changed forever. What God did for her was a miracle of love and grace and will do the same for any who shall call upon HIS name in faith believing.

A.                 The Proof of Her Completion 

                                                              i.      She labored for the LORD.

** It is very likely that Rahab’s life had been changed before the spies got to her house. She had hidden them under some flax that was drying on the roof. Flax was used for making linen.

** But the chapter starts off with these men coming into a “harlot’s house, named Rahab”. Well how many in the city do you think would have said if asked about her – “Oh, yea, you’re talking about Rahab, the Christian who lives at the corner of the wall.” No most likely, as some today still do – “Oh, yea, I know that harlot, Rahab.” Even James used her in his writings, proving her salvation by her works.

James 2:25

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? [15]

** Again, it was not her works that produced her faith – it was her faith that produced her works.

Romans 11:6

6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. [16]

** Does not Jesus command of us good works after our salvation?

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  [17]

                                                            ii.      She loved the LOST.

** Rahab’s first thought was on her family. Those of her father’s household. She believed that God would take care of them as well as her. Her heart was moved to reach out by faith to help them.

B.                 The Payoff of Her Completion.

** Because of her faith in the God of Israel, she obtained some precious possessions. God had taken a former harlot and made her a Child of the King and blessed her life with riches untold.

                                                              i.      She found a new Freedom.

• Because of her faith – she was spared the destruction of the city.
• Her father’s entire house was spared as well.

** When the shout of the Children of Israel went up and the walls came down – not all the walls fell, one section stayed in tact – for God had promised it so. Marked by the scarlet rope that hung from a window in Rahab’s house (vs. 18).

** It was the blood on the door post that spared the first born of Israel and Egypt when the death angel passed over. Beloved, it is the BLOOD OF Jesus CHRIST that makes the difference for us today.

** What freedoms we enjoy in the LORD Jesus Christ after our salvation experience.

** Become a new creation / creature in the LORD this morning – trust HIM and repent of your sins.

                                                            ii.      She found new Fame.

** Isn’t God wonderful – HE is the only ONE who can take someone from the house of SHAME and place them into the HALL OF FAME of the faithful!

** But God did better than that – HE placed her as one of the ancestor of the LORD Jesus. In fact the former harlot was King David’s Great-Great grandmother. She also was the mother-in-law of Ruth. God had lifted this sinner from the depths of despair to the heights of heaven.

Conclusion:

            What God did for Rahab, HE can do for any who will call upon HIM and in Faith trust what Jesus did on the Hill of Calvary.

** You will not be an ancestor in the line of Christ – but you will be in the family.

*** Help it be said of you today:

The Ole Gal is not what she used to be / the ole Guy is not what he used to be.

 Sermon from John Hill Jr.
 

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