But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.
Joshua 6:25
Rahab was a sinner and a Gentile… yet she was welcomed into the people of God. This foreshadows Jesus’ ministry in significant ways. In Luke 5:32 Jesus says, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” And much later in 1 Timothy 1:15, the Apostle Paul says “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...”
Too often we fall into the trap of thinking that God’s love, mercy and forgiveness are only for "good" people. People who have it all together. Church people. But Rahab’s story reminds us that God loves sinners too. And He sent His Son Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, to live and die, not to save the righteous but sinners!
That’s the scandal of the gospel and the scandal of Christmas. That the Almighty, Eternal, Holy God would love people like Rahab... and you and me. That He would send His son to die for people like us. People who don’t deserve His love, who aren’t worthy of His love, and have no claim to it.
As a Gentile, Rahab had no claim on the promises God had made to Abraham, and yet she was adopted into Israel. She became part of the people of God. And we find this theme of bringing the Gentiles into the people of God in the Christmas story as well. When Mary and Joseph bring baby Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord, Scripture tells us that Simeon took Jesus in his arms and said He would be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles...” (Luke 2:32)
Jesus came not only to save sinners, but to save sinners from both Israel and the Gentiles. And to make them one body, one people. This was Jesus’ mission, made clear even when He was a baby at the temple. And we find that hidden purpose of God hinted at, way back in the life of Rahab.
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