The battle of Jericho is the highlight of the book of Joshua. It occupies a significant portion of the book because it sets the prevailing theme of faith in the Lord and victory by His miraculous power. In this chapter we encounter Rahab the harlot, a Canaanite woman who hid the Hebrew spies when they escaped the king of Jericho. Rahab and all the inhabitants of Canaan had heard of Israel and the Lord. All were quaking in terror but Rahab. She had such faith that she lied to the king of Jericho to save the spies.
We may fault Rahab because she remained a pagan and a prostitute even after she believed. How could a believer continue to practice such a heinous trade? For one thing she did not know the Law. For another poverty often drove single women and widows into prostitution. In addition, many women and girls some were often enslaved and forced into this lifestyle. Rahab was such a prostitute. She supported her whole family on what she earned. It was impossible for her to renounce her lifestyle, even if she believed it was sinful. Yet based on what she knew of God she believed. Perhaps she saw that Yahweh would deliver her. She had faith in Him and ultimately was delivered from sin.
We must remember then that prostitution is indeed one of the world’s oldest professions but it is also one which robs all those who engage in it of their souls. The Hollywood portrayal of prostitution as glamorous, lucrative and exciting is not true for most of the world’s prostitutes. Rather, young girls are even boys are sold into slavery because of poverty or greed. Prostitution is not glamorous at all but degrading, dangerous and sickening.
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