And as soon as we heard it, our hearts
melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord
your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. (Joshua
2:11; ESV)
The other day someone
asked me about how people in the days of ancient Israel were made right with
God. Actually the question was more along the lines of how people in the Old
Testament were saved, but I am translating. Part of the challenge in answering
a question like this is due to the categories in which many adherents of the
New Covenant (or New Testament) think. It seems that many Christians view the
human condition in very strict spiritual terms. A person according to this way
of looking at life is categorized as being either on a road to heaven or a road
to hell. Believing in the Messiah therefore is some sort of mechanism whereby
we are placed on the heavenly road.
Thinking this way makes
a story like the one we find in this weeks' Haftarah (the supplementary
synagogue reading for this coming Sabbath day) difficult to understand. Here we
have two Israeli scouts checking out the land prior to the conquest under
Moses' successor Joshua. They end up in the house of a prostitute named Rahab.
What they were doing there of all of places, we do not know, but as it turned
out, there was something very special about this particular lady apart from
anything else.
It seems that she and
her people were aware of the people of Israel and the things that happened to
them the past 40 years, from the parting of the Red Sea to their military
victories in the wilderness. Somehow she knew that the God of Israel had given
his people the very land in which she was living. Somehow she knew that the God
of Israel was not a localized private deity of a bunch of nomads, but rather
that "He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath." She
knew that the God of Israel was not just a god, but the God.
This understanding
caused her to relate to the scouts in a particular way and preserved their
lives at risk of her own. As a result when Israel invaded she and her household
were saved and lived among Israel from then on (see Joshua 6:25). In fact, we
read in Yeshua's genealogy that she became a mother in the line of King David
and Yeshua himself (see Matthew 1:5).
Was Rahab saved? Oh yes!
But this salvation is more than finding oneself on the heavenly road. Her trust
in the God of Israel completely transformed her life. She who was born into a
nation destined for destruction, living a life contrary to the ways of God, was
now integrated into the plans and purposes of God. More than getting on a road
to heaven, she was now on the road from heaven, no longer living in the
darkness of sin, but in the light of God's truth. As for her eternal destiny,
she could be confident that her life was safely in the care of the one to whom
she had given herself.
This then begs the
question, do we really need to believe in Yeshua to be saved, to be in right
relationship with God? Isn't it enough to think correctly about God and his
nature to be accepted by him? Isn't this what happened with Rahab? Not really.
Rahab was confronted with the plans and purposes of God in her day. It wasn't
just that she just had good theology in her mind; it was that she responded in
faith to the situation that God put before her. For her it was the Israeli
scouts at the brink of the conquest of the land of Canaan. Since the coming of
Yeshua, the same God calls everyone everywhere to repent and follow the
Messiah. We cannot pretend that we live in another time in another place. These
are the days of the Messiah and it is to him we must give our lives or else we
will find ourselves on the wrong side like Rahab's people.
One of the things we
learn from the Rahab story is that getting on the right road is not about acquiring
a mental state of religious affection. To truly follow God we must embrace his
plans and purposes. Knowing the true God led Rahab to make a difficult and
risky decision that had enormous positive implications for her, her household,
and human history. Those who know the reality of the God of Israel through
faith in the Messiah should expect nothing less.
1 comment:
Hi, Alan!
Once again, HaShem has given you insight into His Covenants that most of us miss in just daily reading!
The Right Road gives me more information regarding how to witness to my Jewish family. I actually forgot that Rahab was part of the bloodline of Jeshua. As to the two Covenants that make up the Bible there are so many clues that the Lord gives us concerning His plans and purposes we forget to study and dig for them as if we look for precious gold and jewels. When we look into these Covenants with an open mind and allowing Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit) to enlighten us, then, and only then, can we really see and understand our Lord's purpose for our lives.
I am amazed when I gain a new insight and understanding of pieces of scripture! I feel, as long as we keep our sense of awe and wonder concerning the things of G-d our lives can be a living testimony to all around us.
I look forward to the day when I see Jeshua face to face and enter in to lively discussions about every subject I have ever wondered about.
Thanks, again, Alan for your openness to the things of the Lord, and for your willingness to share your insights!
Blessings!
Mel
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