Joshua 2 tells the story of two spies who traveled to Jericho to scout out the land for the first battle the Israelites faced upon entering the land of Canaan. Try to imagine with me what it might have been like for these two men.
Jericho was a walled city, and the only way to enter the city was through the gate during daytime hours. No doubt, the pulse rate of these men increased dramatically as they approached the city. If they were caught, they would certainly die a painful death, and the mission would be compromised.
We don’t know how they entered the city or what they did until they came to an inn run by Rahab, who was also a prostitute.
Rahab’s inn was built into the wall of the city. We can envision a first-floor room with a single door that opens toward the city center. The second floor has a single window with wooden shutters. The roof is the top part of the wall and holds flax that has been harvested.
The mission was planned to be a secret scouting exercise, but the city-state’s king learned of it and believed that the Hebrew spies were lodging at Rahab’s inn.
Can you picture the fear that arose in the spies as they heard the king’s soldiers questioning Rahab about whether they were in her residence?
Rahab is clever and persuasive. She gives the soldiers a portion of the truth but deceptively leads them astray. She says the men were there, but left the city before the gates closed for the night. The spies probably breathed a sigh of relief as they heard her send Jericho’s search party in the wrong direction.
Reflections
The story continues and I will write more about it tomorrow.
It is a helpful practice to place ourselves in the scenes of the Bible to better connect with God in study and prayer. What I’ve written above is a sample of how I tried to immerse myself in Joshua 2 after reading the passage in the Bible.
The exercise is not complete when we have imagined the scene. The next step is to ask God to help us apply the story to our lives. Here are some thoughts.
(1) I am frequently consumed with interest in my personal comfort and security. Not only would I not want to live in an inn situated within the walls of an ancient city, but I would also not want hostile soldiers looking for me.
Question: Am I willing to forego personal interests in pleasure, comfort, or security in favor of following God’s purpose in my life?
(2) The only way the spies succeeded in their mission was through the power of God. The only way I will be successful in fulfilling God’s purpose for my life is for God’s Spirit to make it possible.
Question: Have I asked for God’s help? Do I consistently ask for God’s help and depend on His guidance in the process?
(3) Following the examination of the Bible passage and a small amount of introspection, I made a commitment to say “yes” to God.
Yes, I will seek to fulfill God’s purpose for my life more than my personal convenience, comfort, pleasure, etc.
Yes, I will depend on the direction and power of the Holy Spirit to see this to fulfillment.
Challenge
This is how I have approached Joshua 2 today. My challenge to you is to discover what God wants to say to you in this passage today.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discuss this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 