Jump Start # 3339

Joshua 2:11 “When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in Heaven above and on earth beneath.”

Our verse comes from the lips of Rahab. She and the people of Jericho had heard what Israel had done to other cities. Jericho was next in line. The text tells us that their “hearts melted,” and their courage was gone. Three times in Joshua, the expression, “hearts melted is found.”

We don’t use that form of speech. We like melted cheese on our pizzas. We watch youngsters trying to deal with ice cream that is melting on a hot summer day. If you leave a candle in your car in the summer, it may melt. But melted hearts is something we don’t talk about much. In the N.T., the expression is “lose heart.”

Let’s think about melted hearts. What causes a heart to melt? And, when we talk that way, we are not referring to the organ in our chest, but the faith in our soul. The Joshua passages that list melted hearts helps us to understand the meaning. In our passage today, it means having no courage. In Joshua 5:11 we are told that there was no spirit in them any longer.

First, hearts melt when the trouble seems greater than we are. That’s the way Jericho felt. Nation after nation was being defeated by Israel’s God including the greatest nation at that time, Egypt. If the Egyptian army was wiped out, what hope did these small city kingdoms have? Bad news. Tough times. Problems without solutions. A divorce in the family. Bills a mile high and little money. Losing a job. Being evicted. Facing a lawsuit. Facing a prison sentence. Out of hope. Out of luck. Out of options.

For the young prodigal, it was being so hungry that we wanted to eat what he was feeding the pigs. That made him come to his senses. His heart must have melted. How low he sunk. The magical children’s stories always end with everyone living happily ever after. But life isn’t a fairy tale.

Second, faithlessness leads quickly to melted hearts. The people of Jericho didn’t know Jehovah. They weren’t followers of the Lord. And, when trouble comes, their make believe and made up gods become useless and worthless. It is the same in our times with the cotton candy theology of happiness. It fills church buildings on a Sunday but it doesn’t fill hearts with true faith in the Lord. When the winds of adversity blow in, that shallow faith doesn’t hold up. Just like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand. The wind and the rain came and that house didn’t make it.

Our passage today is drawn from the one person of Jericho who believed, Rahab. She is named among the heroes of Hebrews 11 as one who had faith. “By faith, Rahab did not perish,” we are told.

Over and over, we try to find ways to keep troubles and trials at bay. We look for that smooth, simply and carefree life that will not push us or trouble us. But such cannot be found. The world is broken. Bad news, hardships, troubles are a part of this life. Rather than looking for the way around troubles, we ought to be fortifying our faith so we can endure the troubles. Strengthen the heart so it will not melt. Faith in God brings courage, confidence and assurance. One never stands alone who has God on his side.

Third, our hearts also melt when we try to take on the troubles of others. We cannot fix everyone. In fact, we cannot fix anyone, other than ourselves. We can teach. We can encourage. We can influence. But many stand in a mud puddle and refuse to get out. Our hearts hurt when we see such things. We want to jump in and pull folks out, but they really do not want to get out. As hard as it is to believe, some like sin. Some enjoy the lifestyle that they are in. Some want to remain as they are. They do not see, or want to see, that things could be so much better. For the moment, they believe they are in happiness, even though misery and more problems are just on the horizon. For the people of God, our hearts melt to see that. This is magnified when what we see are our family members living this way. Some have gone through so many marriages that it’s hard to keep up with the names. Some have embraced homosexuality and are having the time of their lives. Some are alcoholics without realizing it. Some are abusive. We see this and we worry about the little ones in these homes. We want to rescue them and keep them from seeing so much wrong. But we can’t. Our hearts just melt thinking about our loved ones living so far away from the Lord.

The context of our passage reminds us that Rahab’s heart didn’t melt. She believed. Unlike the other citizens of Jericho, she held on to hope. Her faith was in the Lord. And, that difference, made all the difference. She took a chance. She hid the spies. She sent the posse on a wild goose chase, as she protected the spies. If caught, her life would have ended. But God was with her as He was with the spies.

There is enough bad news each day to melt hearts. Troublesome times indeed are here. They are filling men’s hearts with fear. Yet, our hearts do not melt. Our God is upon the throne. Our God will be victorious. Faith in the Lord is what keeps hearts strong.

Roger

Jump Start # 2034

Joshua 2:11 “And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is the God in Heaven above and on earth beneath.”

Our verse today are the words of Rahab. We can’t say her name without putting the tag on her. It’s not just Rahab, but it’s, Rahab the harlot. Five times in the Scriptures that tag tags her. Israel was on the edge of entering the promise land. Joshua sent two spies to check out Jericho. Forty years before, Joshua had been one of twelve spies that Moses sent.

The two spies found Rahab. Her house was on the wall. She kept them and cared for them. The king heard about it and sent people to capture the spies. Rahab deceived them and sent the spies safely on their way back to Joshua and Israel.

Rahab is a puzzle for many of us. She was a pagan gentile. Worse, she was a prostitute. Yet, three times her name appears in the N.T.

The first time, in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1). Yes, Jesus had a former gentile prostitute in His family tree. But don’t we all have horse thieves, black sheep and other sinners? Don’t we all have a past and a history? There was a guy named Shouse who ran with the Dillinger gang for a while. He died in prison. A relative? Probably.

The second time, we find Rahab is in Hebrews 11. THE HEBREWS 11! She is there. There are only two women in Hebrews 11. Sarah, Abraham’s wife and Rahab. Not only is she listed in Hebrews 11, but the expression found multiple times, “By faith,” is attached to her name. Rahab did things by faith. Those listed in Hebrews 11 “gained approval” of God.

The third time Rahab is named in the N.T. is in James 2. There she is right with Abraham. The James text says, “In the same way, was not Rahab…” In what way? In the same way as Abraham. She and Abraham are God’s proof of justified by faith. She gained approval. She was justified.

Now, some thoughts.

First, it seems that Rahab’s faith was not based upon the spies. It wasn’t what the spies told her. She had already heard about Israel and what God had done. The Egyptians drowned. The Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, were completely wiped out. Rahab was already a believer before the spies showed up. She knew why they are there. She knew that God was giving Israel all the land. She knew that there was no hope for Jericho. She doesn’t try to save her city. She protects the spies and puts her allegiance with God. Her heart was with Israel.

Now, what was the basis of her faith? She believed reports. She heard stories. She took them to heart. Rahab, did what the apostles could not do. When the two men on the road of Emmaus came and told the disciples about Jesus, they didn’t believe. When the women, who were the first to the tomb, went and reported to the apostles, they didn’t believe. Rahab believed. There is no indication of any prophets passing through the area. There is no thought of any miracles being done in Jericho before this. She heard and she believed. She tops ole’ Thomas who claimed that he’d only believe if he saw the nail prints of the resurrected Jesus.

We live in times of doubt. Even with Biblical evidence, so many will not believe. Had they lived in ancient Jericho, they would have died along with the rest of the city. Where’s the proof? It’s right before our eyes.

Second, it seems in many ways that the purpose of the spies was not so much to bring back a battle plan for Joshua, as it is to bring salvation to Rahab. God’s fingers seem to run all through this story. How did they happen to find Rahab, who was a believer? Anyone else, and the spies could have been turned in and executed. Chance? Coincidence? Hand of God? She saves the spies and in turn a covenant is made to save the life of Rahab. Hang a scarlet cord out the window—so similar to Israel putting red blood above the door way in Egypt and so similar to the red stained cross of Christ.

Rahab is saved. She marries a Jewish man. Down the line comes David, the great king of Israel. Down the line, even more, comes Jesus, the Savior of the world. There is more ink given to Rahab than these spies. An entire chapter is devoted to her story.

Third, people change. Even harlots can become believers and be useful in the kingdom of God. That’s a lesson for us. We know her as Rahab the harlot. That’s what the Scriptures call her. Maybe it would be better to know her as Rahab the believer. God gives us second chances. God doesn’t hold us to our past. We must learn from that. Bad people can become good. People with terrible backgrounds can preach and serve as elders, if we let them.

Fourth, What impresses God is faith. That always has and always will be. Your plaques on the wall doesn’t move God. The years you’ve put in at the job doesn’t impress God. How pristine your yard looks in the summer, doesn’t do much for God. Your grades. Your 401. Where you went to school. The square footage of your house. All are impressive to us. Not to God. You want to move God’s needle, it’s faith. It’s going out of your way, like Rahab did and getting involved. It’s taking a risk, as Rahab did. It’s knowing what God will do, as Rahab did. Faith that surrounds confidence, assurance and hope. Her faith led to action. Her faith changed the outcome of this story.

Rahab believed. God always comes for believers.

Finally, maybe the reason Rahab is found in the N.T. surrounded by heroes of the O.T. and coupled with Abraham and in the lineage of Jesus, is to remind each of us that we are welcome by God. Rahab didn’t have the Ten Commandments. She didn’t have Moses. She didn’t the tabernacle. But she had a heart that believed. Many of us do not come from sterling backgrounds. Our parents may not have been Christians. We may have come from a broken home. We may, like many in the N.T. be outcasts. Leprous hands. Tax collectors. Samaritans. Caught in adultery. Yet, none shunned by Christ. We all have a bit of Rahab running through us. Broken in our own ways, God doesn’t cast us aside. God can use us.

Spies were sent. They found a believer. The spies were saved. The believer was saved. Rahab’s story is a mirror to ours.

Roger