Do you know who gets more press in the Jericho story than anyone? Remember Rahab the prostitute from Joshua 2?

The spies promised to protect her:

“Now promise me by GOD. I showed you mercy; now show my family mercy. And give me some tangible proof, a guarantee of life for my father and mother, my brothers and sisters—everyone connected with my family. Save our souls from death!” “Our lives for yours!” said the men. “But don’t tell anyone our business. When GOD turns this land over to us, we’ll do right by you in loyal mercy.” She lowered them down out a window with a rope because her house was on the city wall to the outside. (Joshua 2.12 – 15, MSG)

And the “tangible proof” turned out to be the rope (a red rope, it says in verse 17). Rahab was to gather her family into her house and hang the red rope outside. Safety in the house with the red rope. Death outside the house. It makes for a nice picture of salvation through the blood of Jesus.

But it’s not just a metaphor. It happened:

Joshua ordered the two men who had spied out the land, “Enter the house of the harlot and rescue the woman and everyone connected with her, just as you promised her.” 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. But they burned down the city and everything in it, except for the gold and silver and the bronze and iron vessels—all that they put in the treasury of GOD’s house. But Joshua let Rahab the harlot live—Rahab and her father’s household and everyone connected to her. She is still alive and well in Israel because she hid the agents whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. (Joshua 6.22 – 25, MSG)

“She is still alive and well in Israel…”

“Rahab the harlot” – isn’t it interesting that the Bible doesn’t gloss over her or her former profession? Rather than ignore her, she is highlighted in the New Testament three times, of which I had remembered only two.

• She’s in the genealogy of Jesus

Salmon had Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Boaz had Obed (Ruth was the mother), Obed had Jesse, Jesse had David, and David became king. (Matthew 1.5, 6, MSG)

• She’s cited in the Faith Hall of Fame chapter:

By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. (Hebrews 11.31, ESV)

• And, like Abraham, she’s held up as an example of faith AND works:

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? (James 2.24 – 25, ESV)

I couldn’t have told you that Rahab was in James 2. I’ve read it hundreds of times without focusing on her. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a sermon on James 2 that mentioned her. God delights in having all kinds of people in his great Story even if “we good Christian people” would rather ignore some of them.