Rahab-1

                RAHAB

In the cyclopedia of the King James version, two descriptions of Rahab are given, one meaning "broad" and the other meaning "pride or arrogance." It may be said that at one time or another, both descriptions fit this heroine. Rahab's life offers to us a two-part woman, with the last description being the first and the first description being the last and the best.

Rahab is listed as "an harlot" in Joshua 2:1, and the complete story is shown in the following 23 verses that tell of the various events that caused this Heroine to be listed among the names of the faithful (Hebrew 11:31), a woman of faith with works (James 2:25). All of this because of God's divine will.

A "harlot" in modern language, is a prostitute, one that sells her body for money or favors, and is considered the 'oldest profession' in the world, citing Eve as the first, because she sold her eternal life seeking knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:1-5). It is encumbent upon all of us to consider our own prices for the things we want in life, rather than what we need. Whatever, it is also said that everyone has a price where they lose their dignity and succumb to the evils of the world.

Once again, it is encumbent upon all of us to consider or perhaps, reconsider, our prices. Prostitution is found in many places, by males and females; in various ways: by secular leaders as well as ministers; by children as well as adults. Like Santa Claus, "He's everywhere!"
The word "Rahab", (sometimes rendered Rachab) on the other hand, means pride or arrogance, and pride goeth before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

By being a prostitute, Rahab's pride was false pride. Her life had no meaning except to make money and take care of her family. Probably, by having more money than honest people, it made her arrogant and prideful in her demeanor, causing her to disrespect others. She was a prostitute, and therefore, she probably had to wear red clothes, to be identified with the outcast of the city, also caused to live on the wall of Jericho with others of not-so-good-standings.

Even today, the outcasts ring our cities in some areas, and before the advent of freeways and bypasses, in travelling, you had to pass through the "low life" areas of cities and towns, before coming to the heart of the city where the "upstanding" folks lived. Approaching armies would be hard-pressed, because of having to fight or kill the "outcasts" to reach the heart of the city, before the good folks could raise an alarm and counter-attack.

Such people make up the list of heroes and heroines in the Bible, when it is time for a leader to 'step up' and face the calamities before them. Such was Moses, in a pitiful state in the desert; such was Joshua, when Moses dies; such was Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah, such was Rahab!

Not only was Rahab a prostitute, she, like others in Caanan, was a woman of color, a descendant of Caanan, son of Ham, son of Noah (Genesis 10:1-6). Historians, theologians and other writers have used the curse of Ham (Genesis 9:27) as the basis for keeping people of color in servitude. Personally, I believe that whoever curses a people in one sense, God will bless them in another. Whatever color the people of Caanan were, the Children of Israel loved them and married them.

When Joshua sent the two spies over to spy out Caanan, they were directed to Rahab's house (Joshua 2:1) by the divine will of God, who already had touched the heart of Rahab and showed her the victory of the Israelites (Joshua 2:9-13) over the people of Jericho. Rahab asked nothing for herself except, her father's house and all that dwelled therein (Joshua 2:12-13), with herself last in verse 13, inclusive in the "our."

As the spies were taking their leave from Rahab's house, she exacted a promise from them (Joshua 2:13) and received an answer that stands out in the Court of Heroines of Jericho, even today (Joshua 2:14). She was saved, along with her family, and all other inhabitants were destroyed (Joshua 6:17). After the fall of Jericho, the Bible tells us in Matthew 1:5 that Rahab married Salmon and had a son by name of Boaz, who begat Obed of Ruth, a True Kinsman.