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Joshua, Rahab and Jericho

Rahab, the two spies and the scarlet cord.
Contributed by Jack Foster
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When Joshua took over from Moses as leader of God’s people, God spoke to him saying, ‘I will be with you so no man will be able to stand against you. Be strong and brave. You will lead all the Israelites into the land that I promised to give you. So be strong and brave.’ – Slide 1
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God also said, ‘In three days you will cross the Jordan river. The promised land is just on the other side.’ <br/>Ahead lay the city of Jericho with its well defended city walls. – Slide 2
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Joshua picked two men to secretly cross the Jordan river and spy out the city of Jericho. The two spies need a place to hide, because somehow the king of Jericho heard that they were checking out Jericho. The spies came to the house of a woman named Rahab. Her house was built right into the wall that surrounded the city. <br/>Rahab was a woman who had a bad reputation. She did a lot of bad things, but now she was trying to turn her life around. – Slide 3
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The men searching for the spies went to Rahab’s house. Rahab hid the spies under some hay on the roof of her house before opening the door. <br/>Rahab said the men had been there but she didn’t know they were spies. ‘They left and went toward the hill country,’ she told them. The King’s men rushed off to search the nearby hills. – Slide 4
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Rahab hung a rope out of the window so that the two spies could escape. <br/>‘I know that God has promised you this land. The people in Jericho have all heard about how you crossed the Red Sea on dry ground and how you defeated armies that were larger than you.’ Rahab told them. ‘I am hoping that by helping you now, you will spare me later when God gives you this city.’ – Slide 5
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They assured Rahab that she and her family would not be harmed if she gathered them all in her house and hung this red rope from her window. – Slide 6
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The spies escaped and the red rope was left hanging hanging from Rahab’s window. The red rope was blood coloured and is now a symbol of being saved. Jesus shed His blood to save us from the punishment of sin. – Slide 7
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Joshua led all the people down to the banks of the Jordan River but it was the flood season. God told Joshua to choose twelve men to carry the Ark of the Covenant (the gold trunk that held the Ten Commandments) to the edge of the river and then walk into it. – Slide 8
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The moment the men touched their feet to the river’s edge, the waters parted! The twelve men with the Ark of the Covenant stood in the middle of the river bed while all the Israelites crossed over on dry ground. – Slide 9
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When all the people were across the river, God spoke to Joshua and told him to choose twelve more men and have them each take a large stone from the middle of the river and bring it to the bank of the river where the people crossed and put them in a pile. – Slide 10
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Joshua explained, ‘These stones will be a memorial so that, in the future, when your kids ask you what those stones mean, you can tell them about this amazing miracle.’ Joshua then went and built his own memorial right in the middle of the Jordan river. <br/>When the men with the Ark of the Covenant crossed the river, the water flowed back again. – Slide 11
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Joshua was leading the people toward Jericho when he was confronted by a man wielding a sword. <br/>‘Are you a friend or an enemy?’ Joshua asked. <br/>‘Neither,’ answered the man. ‘I am the commander of the Lord’s army!’ <br/>At this Joshua fell on his knees to worship. – Slide 12
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The Lord said, ‘I want you to have your entire army march around the city every day for six days. Seven priests blowing horns and other priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant will lead the way. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times. Then the priests with the horns will give one long blast. At this point, have all the people shout! The walls will come down. Any silver and gold you capture is to be put in the Lord’s treasury.’ – Slide 13
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The Israelites approached Jericho and marched around the wall with the Ark. The priests with horns were in the lead. The people were quiet. The sound of the horns was all that could be heard for six days as they marched around the city once a day. <br/>Rahab and her family waited patiently as they were gathered in her home, which was built right into the wall, the red rope hanging from her window. – Slide 14
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Then on the seventh day they marched around the walls seven times. The priests gave a loud long blast from their horns and all the Israelites gave a mighty shout! – Slide 15
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And the wall that surrounded the city came crashing down! All except the section where Rahab and her family lived. – Slide 16
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As the Israelites invaded the city, Joshua told the two spies to go and bring Rahab and her family to safety. – Slide 17
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The two men brought Rahab out and she went to live safely in the Israelite camp. <br/>Rahab could not have imagined that one day one of her descendants would be King David and another in her family line would be Joseph who married Mary the mother of Jesus. – Slide 18
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