Rahab: Waiting for redemption (Her story is found in Joshua 2-6)
I’d like to take a moment to talk about something that a lot of people might not consider when reading Rahab’s story. Rahab was left waiting. I don’t know how long but some scholars said it could have been up to two weeks. Rahab and her family had to sit in her house and wait for that moment. They had been promised deliverance. They didn’t know what it was going to look like or how it was going to happen, they just had to wait obediently.
Salvation was coming and I’m going to give you a few spoilers if you have not read her story. Rahab and her family were spared. Rahab was be brought into the family of Israel. She would eventually marry an Israeli man and become the great-great grandmother of King David. She would be mentioned in Matthew chapter one as an ancestress in the lineage of Jesus. She is one of only two women mentioned in Hebrews 11’s “Hall of Faith”.
But before all of that happened, Rahab was left waiting. Rahab and her family sat in her apartment and waited for their day of deliverance. She had the promise, but she had to wait for the fulfillment. That had to be hard. Waiting isn’t easy. It couldn’t have been easy for them, but their lives depended on their obedience to the spies’ instructions. I’m sure some of the people had questions when they noticed them all staying there.
Sometimes people won’t understand what God is asking of you, keep being obedient anyways. Sometimes the waiting gets hard, wait on Him anyways. I can’t help but wonder if Rahab and her family had to keep reminding themselves of the words of the spies. I wonder how many times they had to remind themselves why they were staying and waiting. I wonder how often they had to remember the promise made to them.
When you find yourself in the waiting season, remind yourself what He has said. When you’re waiting on God to move, keep reminding yourself of His promises. Get in His Word and cling to His promises. Trust Him, cling to His promises, and wait on His timing. He knows what He is doing and His timing has a purpose.
Rahab likely never saw her great-great grandson become king and she never dreamed she would be in the lineage of the Messiah. She had no idea what God would do through her life as a result of her placing her faith in Him. Psalm 103:17-18 says, “But the loving kindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them.”
Rahab’s decision to place her faith in the God of Israel blessed her family for generations to come. God is still the same God. He is still faithful. You have no idea what a difference your life is making in His kingdom. This is why your faith is so important. You have the opportunity to make an eternal difference if you will determine to faithfully obey Him and wait on Him to direct your steps.
If you are in a waiting season, my friend, I encourage you to hold on to Him and keep trusting that He is at work. You have no idea how important it may be for you to wait on Him. Your choices matter more than you know. Hold on to Him. Remind yourself what His Word says. And wait on His timing. He knows what He is doing.
