Swear to Me by the Lord

And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.”…So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out. Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you… 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. Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” (Joshua 2:2-3,7-9,11-13)

When the spies Israel had sent were found out, Jericho’s fear produced two different responses: one sought destruction; the other sought mercy.

The king and men who pursued the spies were afraid by what they heard and they sought to take matters into their own hands, seeking to destroy the spies.

Yet Rahab also had a fear by what she heard but instead she sought the mercy of the LORD. And her faith was seen by God and responded to kindly. Also, not only were her and her family spared, but they became sojourners in Israel after the destruction of Jericho (Joshua 6:25).

Even further in the mercy of God displayed, was that Rahab became a part of the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5), through her son was Boaz, who redeemed Ruth, the Moabite who also sojourned in Israel. It all started with the faith of a woman in a bad situation, who plead for God’s mercy.

What a powerful reminder: when fear rises, don’t fight against God… go to Him humbly.