April 20th, 2017
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Looking Ahead and Looking Up

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Generous Giving God, today, with Your help, I want to spread light and not shadows, grace and not pain, love and not apathy.

Read Joshua 2:17–24

[17] Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us [18] unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. [19] If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. [20] But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” [21] “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.” So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. [22] When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. [23] Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. [24] They said to Joshua, “The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.”

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“Think of it: Rahab, a prostitute, had several qualities worth emulating. A street-smart openness to truth, the courage to make a tough decision, she was willing to join a new family, she was loyal to her own family, and she had a lasting loyalty to the Lord” (John Huffman).

Think Further

The movie Groundhog Day has someone living the same day over and over with slight changes each time. Similarly, the entrance of the Israelites into Canaan can seem

like a rerun of the Exodus, but with differences! But although much is familiar, it’s not the same.
We will see some of the differences in the days to come.
Today’s reading has an obvious parallel with the Exodus. On the night of the Passover, the
Israelites put the blood of an animal on their doorposts to identify themselves so that they
wouldn’t be judged alongside the Egyptians (Exod. 12:12,13). When destruction came they were
spared. Similarly, here in Jericho, Rahab is told to put a cord in her window so that her family
would be protected (18). Think of the significance: a scarlet cord, a reminder to the Israelites of
the Passover! It was a wise instruction. The spies want to be true to their word but they realize
that war is messy. Things can easily go wrong in the midst of chaos (19,20). What are the things
that identify us and our families as those who have received God’s grace and salvation?
Rahab fulfilled her part of the bargain (21), and her advice about where to hide and when to
return (16) proved correct. Centuries later her faith was honored by the New Testament writers
(Heb. 11:31: Jas. 2:25)—she even became part of the lineage of Jesus (Matt. 1:5). She was a
good contact for them! As for the spies, they were able to give Joshua the news that he
wanted—and needed (24). Unlike most of the spies who brought news back to Moses (Num. 13),
they saw an opportunity. What mattered to them was that God had prepared the way—victory
was sure (24).

The movie Groundhog Day has someone living the same day over and over with slight changes each time. Similarly, the entrance of the Israelites into Canaan can seem like a rerun of the Exodus, but with differences! But although much is familiar, it’s not the same. We will see some of the differences in the days to come. Today’s reading has an obvious parallel with the Exodus. On the night of the Passover, the Israelites put the blood of an animal on their doorposts to identify themselves so that they wouldn’t be judged alongside the Egyptians (Exod. 12:12,13). When destruction came they were
spared. Similarly, here in Jericho, Rahab is told to put a cord in her window so that her family would be protected (18). Think of the significance: a scarlet cord, a reminder to the Israelites of the Passover! It was a wise instruction. The spies want to be true to their word but they realize that war is messy. Things can easily go wrong in the midst of chaos (19,20). What are the things that identify us and our families as those who have received God’s grace and salvation? Rahab fulfilled her part of the bargain (21), and her advice about where to hide and when to return (16) proved correct. Centuries later her faith was honored by the New Testament writers (Heb. 11:31: Jas. 2:25)—she even became part of the lineage of Jesus (Matt. 1:5). She was a good contact for them! As for the spies, they were able to give Joshua the news that he wanted—and needed (24). Unlike most of the spies who brought news back to Moses (Num. 13), they saw an opportunity. What mattered to them was that God had prepared the way—victory was sure (24). 

Apply

Think of people who have shown faithfulness to you, perhaps at great cost and in difficult circumstances. Why not send them a card today to thank them?

Closing prayer

Heavenly Father, I am amazed how You can use ordinary and unlikely people. May the life lessons learned from Rahab become actualized in my life.

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