Rahab’s Daughters
Who are Rahab’s daughters?
Who’s Rahab? Rahab was a prostitute in ancient history. She’d heard about the exploits that the God of the Israelites had done locally and the whole city where she lived was on high alert. They were terribly afraid. Rumors of the army invading were all around.
Joshua was the general of the army at the time. He sent a couple of young guys to see what was in the city. Huge walls surrounded the city, so big that people lived in the walls. They could walk up on the roof to defend the city. The gates of the city were open during the daytime.
The young men entered and found Rahab’s house. It was near the gate and part of the surrounding wall of the city. So, she got tons of traffic. In those days a harlot might have a big enough place to provide other services, like bathing and meals. She might have had a tavern. It sounds that way from the description of what went on in the book of Joshua.
She escaped death.
Rahab was mentioned in the Bible in a bunch of places. She believed God, when others only believed in God. The young men were there when someone from the king’s office came looking for them. Rahab hid them under some branches on the roof. “Ya, they were here,” she said, “but I didn’t know who they were. They went out the gate. You should run after them and catch them.”
The men on the roof were grateful and made a deal with Rahab to make sure her family would be safe when they came to take over. To seal the deal, they agreed that a scarlet sash would be draped across the window. Then, she helped them climb down the wall with a rope to escape. They went up the mountain and waited for the king’s men to return to the city. Then, the young men went and told Joshua everything.
Rahab saved her whole family. Then, because of her faith and trust, she became a wife of one of the soldiers. She had a son named Boaz. Boaz married Ruth and they have a whole book in the Bible. The point is that Rahab was an outsider and because she believed God, she got to be in the lineage of the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords, our savior, Jesus Christ.
Now, Jesus made a deal with His Father that He could solve the problem of human failure, aka sin. In that deal, Jesus paid for all the sin we could ever do and then, overcame all sin and death by His supernatural power. As Creator of the universe, He could do that.
Sons and Daughters
When we believe God, now we can be adopted into His family. We become joint heirs with Jesus. Therefore, we are also in the lineage of Jesus and Rahab. I love Rahab.
We have all done things we regret. Some things are more egregious than others. Some were more our decision than others. Some people decide to prostitute themselves, but others were hoodwinked. We don’t know if Rahab was intentional or compelled or even forced. It doesn’t even matter. Once she believed God, she got free from all the terrible culture around her.
Her decision saved her family too. She now has the awesome testimony and she is held up in the Hall of Faith as an example to us all.
Prohibition of Prostitution
In our law, we prohibit prostitution because it is so harmful. Violence is pervasive. The culture is utilitarian. True love doesn’t exist in sexual exploitation. Using people for pleasure, regardless of their desires can never be good. When you add the disease and physical harm, as well as the psychological impact, it is a terrible state to be in.
The cool thing is that just like Rahab, we can decide to believe God and find actual love. Love that is patient, kind, it doesn’t seek it’s own way, it isn’t proud or boastful or so full of anger and anxiety that it makes people lash out and hurt others. Real love provides, and soothes. Real Love opens the way to heaven. It’s peaceful. Real love changes lives.
I truly hope that my state will change some laws. Just like we have drug court and people can get into a diversion program to stop using dangerous substances, we can help people get out of the life of prostitution too. It will take work, but a few simple changes can be enormously empowering.
How to become Rahab’s Daughters
I know men are also prostituted. There were 2500 ads for sex on CL the other day. Many were men on men ads. But, stay with me here for the sake of illustration.
If prostitution court had an option to change the course of the lives of people to help them know true love and all the myriad of benefits that has; things like improved health, better standard of living, more peace and joy are available to people who know they are loved, wouldn’t you support that? After they get stable, vacate charges and allow them to keep getting better and better and wealthier and wiser.
The world would be a better place. It’s not pie in the sky. That’s how I got out. A big dose of love. I went to nursing school and worked hard and raised five kids. Life is freak’n hard. It’s hard no matter what!
It’s so much better with love. We are told to love our neighbor as ourself.
Love protects.