Jos. 2: I Spy

Joshua 2:11 "When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below."

One of the first cities Israel set its sights on was Jericho. Joshua sent two spies to go check it out. And these spies go and stay at the house of a prostitute. Did they choose this house of ill repute? Maybe it was the only place to stay...maybe it was more like a hotel. At any rate, the concern for their reputations was dwarfed by their need to see what the city was like. I also find it very interesting that the king of Jericho sent a message to Rahab, the prostitute, telling her to be on the lookout for spies that are in the area. Why would the king send a message directly to her? Was she singled out? Maybe all the hotel owners got this message, I don't know. Maybe she was the most well known...hostess.

I also don't know why she helped the spies. She misdirected the king's messengers, while hiding the spies under some flax on the roof. That night, she goes up to the roof to tell the spies about how the entire city is in fear of Israel...as God promised Israel would happen. Israel's military exploits and miracles had preceded them. Rahab figures she can make a deal with these spies that when (not if) they destroy the city, Israel will leave her and her family alive...provided she places a scarlet cord in the window as a sign of an oath. The spies are then let down through a window with a rope. They went to Joshua after a few days when everything settled to tell him the news. It made Joshua happy to know that the people were "melting in fear" because of them.

And this scarlet cord...we have seen that before...Around the wrist of the twin who busted out first but was born second in Genesis 38, woven into the tabernacle curtains in Exodus 26, and used in the process of cleansing...whether from infectious skin diseases or mildew in the home in Leviticus 14. The latter probably the most related to the sign of the oath Rahab and the spies made.