A New “OnFire Cafe” Book Club series The Study of Scripture. Come Study with us in a two episode duology. We will look at Episode 01 Rahab the Harlot and Episode 02 the Walls of Jericho. This is the First Episode Post in our Duology…
Introducing The Conquest of the Promised Land with the Help of Rahab the Harlot
The Israelites
After the exodus out of Egypt the Israelites were divided into the twelve tribes. The families descended from Jacob, his sons and grandsons. There is a caveat to the list however, as the list contains thirteen tribes. This caveat is the result of the fact that Levi did not receive tribal territory like the others.
- Judah – the tribe of Kings
- Reuben
- Simeon
- Levi – the tribe of Priesthood
- Zebulun
- Issachar
- Dan
- Gad
- Asher
- Naphtali
- Ephraim
- Benjamin
- Manasseh
Ultimately, it is twelve Patriarchs and twelve territories that dictate the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Moment in Time
Following the death of Moses, Joshua was tasked with leading the Israelites across the Jordan river to the promised land. When they settled on the East side of the Jordan river he spoke to the tribes. He told them to make provisions ready for a journey. Advising them that in three days they would cross the Jordan River. And take possession of the land that God had promised to them.
Addressing the tribes, Joshua spoke to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh. They had already been given the land where they were. Instructions to them; Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in this land. But your warriors and mighty men of valor will cross the Jordan in battle formation. Leading at the head of your brothers and you will assist them.
And remain until the Lord has given your brothers rest as he has given you. Remain until they also possess the land. When they have possession of this promised land from the Lord, only then shall you return to your land. Only then you will enjoy it.
Answering Joshua with agreement. They vowed obedience to go where sent and do as directed by the commands.
They vowed obedience with any violation under penalty of death.
Joshua 2:1-24
We Meet Rahab the Harlot
Spies at Jericho Saved by Rahab the Harlot
1 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.
2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:
5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
The Pact with Rahab the Harlot
8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
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 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.
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.
15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.
17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.
19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
The Return, Thanks to Rahab the Harlot
22 And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:
24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.
Crossing the Jordan
Joshua led the Israelites out of Shittim and camped for three days at the shore of the Jordan River. They went through the camp giving instructions; When you see the ark of the covenant carried by the Levitical priests leave your post and follow it. They will show you which way to take but keep a distance of two thousand cubits away from the ark. Sanctify yourselves, for God will work wonders among you.
Joshua then advised the priests; Take up the ark of the covenant and cross ahead of the people.
God speaks to Joshua
God told Joshua that he would begin to make him great in the eyes of all of Israel. So the people would know that God was with him.
God gave Joshua instructions for the priests carrying the ark of the covenant; They were to enter the Jordan itself carrying the ark and halt, they should stop in the Jordan.
Then Joshua called the people to him to hear all that he understood from God. He told them to know that the living God was with them. And there is no doubt that he would expel the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites before them. He told them to look, the ark of the covenant was about to move into the Jordan before them. They should choose twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. When the priests step into the Jordan carrying the ark the water will be cut off. That flow of water will stop as a single mass.
Crossing the Jordan on Dry Ground
As foretold they left the tents crossing the Jordan. The ark carried before the priests as they stepped into the River Jordan. The upper waters halted becoming a single mass over a great distance. Engulfing the area at Adam, a town near Zarethan. Waters flowing down to the Sea of Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely separated.
The priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood firm on dry ground in mid-Jordan. And they continued with the people crossing on dry ground. Continuing until the whole nation had completed it’s crossing of the Jordan.
The significance of the Crossing of the River Jordan is explained by Joshua before they do it. He told them this is how they would know the living God was with them. God would lead them to expel those who were in the land promised to them. A demonstration of the power of the one and only God before them all…
