Vision Quest – Free From Your Mistakes: Rahab

*Some call it a quiet time. We call it a Vision Quest. This is a simple Bible study to help you along your journey of discovering God’s purpose for your life.

Rahab didn’t let her past mistakes and circumstances define her. She chose to believe in the all-powerful God she had heard about, and it changed her life.

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

Joshua 2:1-7

Rahab was known for being a prostitute, the lowest of professions that a woman could have.

• Why do you think God would choose someone like Rahab out of all the people in the city? What does this teach us about God?
• Do you feel like you have a reputation that defines you?
• What do you actually want to be known for?

8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea[a] for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.[b] 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”

Joshua 2:8-13

• Rahab was different from the rest of the people in her city. What about her made her stand apart?
• Even though life may have seemed dim, she saw the amazing things God did for his people and believed. What do you have a hard time believing?
• We should seek to imitate Rahab’s faith. What could you do to develop faith like Rahab’s? One way is to focus your prayers on remembering the ways God has been there for you.

14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”

15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house.

Joshua 2:14-18

Rahab’s refusal to stay stuck in her negative circumstances and past mistakes resulted in saving her life and her entire family while the rest of the city was destroyed.

• What does this teach us about God?
• What does this teach you about yourself? Are you quick to quit when things are hard or do you persevere?

 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

Hebrews 11:31

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

James 2:25

The scripture said Rahab was right with God by her action to protect the messengers. What do you think it means to be right with God?

What good act could you do today for your friends or family that would be pleasing to God?