RAHAB ... GRACE

Hey ... get a load of this !
Perhaps the greatest example of GRACE ever demonstrated, but rarely recognised as such .... tucked away within scripture.

Most would know the story of RAHAB the harlot who lived in Jericho recorded in Joshua chapters 2 & 6 Joshua had succeeded Moses, and was to take possession of the promised land, Jordan was to be crossed, and Jericho was the first city to be conquered. Two spies were sent out into Jericho, and stayed with Rahab whose house was on the town wall. She had heard how God had preserved the children of Israel from the hand of the Egyptians through the Red Sea and in fighting the Amorites, so she hid then from her King, In return the spies promisd safety for her and her household
So the men said to her: "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home. So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear." Then she said, "According to your words, so be it." And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window. Joshus 2 : 17-21
This scarlet thread speaks by its colour of safety through sacrifice, and is generally acknowledged to look forward to Jesus blood sacrifice on Calvary 1,500 years later

So, Jordan was crossed, Jericho was marched around for 7 days, trumpets were blown, the walls of the city were flattened, but Rahab and her family were saved Joshua 6.

Why is this such an example of GRACE ?
Because Rahab later became a PROGENITOR of JESUS CHRIST himself
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. Matthew 1:5 NIV Also Nahshon was the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, 1 Chronicles 2:11 NIV

So RAHAB is an amazing example of GRACE ...a GENTILE ...and a PROSTITUTE at that ... but who saw Gods works, and believed in him THROUGH FAITH ALONE
and sufficient for her to risk her life and save the spies
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient Hebrews 11 : 31

And later ...this is the main point ...JESUS was her descendent,
JESUS Himself WAS NOT ASHAMED to call a GENTILE PROSTITUTE his Great Great Great etc GRANDMOTHER seemingly in total disrespect for the the seventh commandment. Rahab didn't qualify on any of these counts, yet God overlooked them and incorporated her because of HER FAITH alone

Such is the absolute prime example of G R A C E within scripture, that the very SON OF GOD could devise such a thing, and allow it to happen, even bring it to pass !

What A M A Z I N G GRACE shown to a foreign gentile prostitute

And what the Pharisees of Jesus day would have known about, (and where undoubtedly Matthew got his genealogy information from) and would have added to Jesus 'crimes' as John 8:41 the Pharisees ... 'we are not born of fornication'

But that's not all ...

Then there's RUTH ... another Gentile woman ... a Moabite … 130 years after Rahab. Who followed Naomi her mother in law after her husband died
Who uttered those famous words … But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me." Ruth 1: 16,17
RUTH ...another PROGENITOR of JESUS CHRIST himself

Seems like Jesus wasn't fussy about his Grandparents race or origins, or professions, or most anything else ... except their F A I T H and HIS GRACE !

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH alone, demonstrated most clearly

And then there's the faith 'Father' of us all ...FATHER ABRAHAM
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
"Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.

400 YEARS BEFORE THE 10 COMMANDMENTS AND THE LAW WERE GIVEN

JUSTIFICATION BY F A I T H ALONE just like Abraham

Oh the wonder of AMAZING GRACE

But I must tell you about a man who has a website advocating keeping the 10 Commandments and mingling them with GRACE.
Who has quoted to me as evidence for his continual mingling of LAW and GRACE
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Revelation 22: 14 KJV
But alas, this dear man has not read the footnote to that passage ...
Footnote: Revelation 22:14 NU-Text reads wash their robes.
And on looking at other translations … the Living Bible, the RSV, translate this likewise. The Amplified Bible says Blessed (happy and to be envied) are those who cleanse their garments, that they may have the authority and right to [approach] the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the city. Rev 22:14 AMP
And this ... 'washing their robes', 'cleansing their garments' of course refers to the efficacy of Jesus blood and Calvary, and ...GRACE yet again.
So much for a careless reading of scripture, and a desperate searching of the New Testament to substantiate Legalism and to offset Paul's writings in Romans and Galatians.

Yet again ...the wonder of AMAZING GRACE
So rich so FREE !

Thank you RAHAB and RUTH ... HEROINES OF FAITH ... and GRACE