The God of Mercy

The God of Mercy
Joshua 2:1-24; 6:22-25

“However, Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”

Throughout the history of God’s redemptive program, God uses the most unlikely people to accomplish his eternal purpose. The people used by God are often not characterized by their righteousness but by their failures. Abraham put his wife in a position where she would be forced to commit adultery to protect himself. This he did not once but twice. Moses committed murder. David commits adultery and murder, while Solomon compromises his morality in favor of political alliances. God did not use great men of faith who never failed; instead, he used flawed individuals. What marked them as men of God was not their lack of failure but their response of repentance when confronted with their loss.
In the story of Rahab, we discover another unlikely person being used by God. Rahab likely had turned her home into a modern Airbnb. From her home, she likely ran an inn and/or tavern. Thus, it was a logical place for the spies to obtain information. Furthermore, Rahab also was a prostitute. However, the text carefully avoids suggesting that the men when to her for that reason.  
When the men arrive at her home, she quickly surmises their purpose and mission. Instead of turning them in, she demonstrates her sympathy for them by hiding the spies to that the king’s agents would not find them. She sends the King’s soldiers on a wild-goose chase while providing the spies assistance in fleeing from the city before they are discovered. Because of her bravery and kindness, she is promised protection and deliverance from the coming destruction if she just hangs out her window a scarlet cloth (which is reminiscent of the blood of the Lamb that was put upon the doorpost of the Jews in the Passover event). As a result of her action,  Rahab was delivered as God demonstrated his mercy and grace towards her.  
However, her motivation for protecting the spies was more than just fear of the invading armies or seeing a chance to gain favor with them. It was an act of faith. In her actions, she affirmed that she was rejecting the gods of the Canaanites. Instead, she was embracing the worship of the God of Israel (See Hebrews 11:31; James 2:15). The most unlikely person, a woman who was a prostitute, became the first gentile convert to the Jewish faith in the land of Canaan.  
But the story does not end, for we find that when she settled among the people, she would marry an Israelite named Salmon and eventually give birth to a son whom they named Boaz. Following his father’s footsteps, Boaz would marry a gentile named Ruth. She would provide berth to a son named Jesse, and then Jesse would have a son named David, who would become the greatest king of Israel. Thus, the most shocking surprise was that God would take a prostitute and establish the lineage of the Messianic King, Christ himself, through her. Because of God’s grace, it never matters where we have been; it only matters where we are going. God’s mercy can not only overcome our sin but can use us to accomplish his eternal purpose, no matter how sordid our past. A simple act of faith set in motion the most incredible redemptive story in history. No matter your past, God can use you to achieve his eternal purpose. That is the wonder of God’s grace.