OUR CHOICES DETERMINE OUR DESTINY

There have always been historical characters/bad actors, who did exactly what they felt like doing and secretly thought to themselves, “Everyone else can be damned.” Those were citizen Achan’s thoughts while ancient Israel was encamped on the borders of the uniquely fortified City of Jericho. When the spies arrived within the fortress, they were informed by Rahab their benefactor, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath.” Joshua 2:9-11.

This young woman was not the daughter of a king, nor did she possess any particular skill, or familial connection that facilitated her prominence or fame. In fact, she was the practitioner of an ancient despised vocation. That only girls who belonged to the lowest echelons of society gravitated towards. However, here we are reading about her exploits in sacred history. Why? She had heard about the awesome, mighty, and wonderful Jehovah, and was worshipping Him. Long before his servants had established any contact with her. She loved and adored Israel’s God, even though she lived among pagans in a heathen country. What a contrast was her character in comparison to Achan’s? He had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea; heard with his own ears the majestic and terrible proclamation of the divine law as he stood enthralled beneath Mount Sinai; seen with his own eyes the Manna miraculously provided daily, by divine power; witnessed the water pouring out of the rock when Moses struck it with his rod.

He was present during the parting of the mighty Jordan when the priests bearing the Ark of The Covenant stepped into the water. But instead of responding to The Lord of the universe with love, obedience, and gratitude. He rejected Him and was now trying to rob Him. He treasured the Babylonish garment and the wedge of gold far more than he loved Christ. A more brazen example of ingratitude and blatant idolatry cannot be found anywhere else in scripture. Some famous historical characters of great notoriety have observed,

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man. Mark Twain

It has been said that the sin of ingratitude is more serious than the sin of revenge. With revenge, we return evil for evil, but with ingratitude, we return evil for good.

W. Eugene Hansen

The damsel’s words were instructive: “I know that the Lord has given you the land.” How did she gain such knowledge? Her remarkable insight was based on faith. All the citizens of Jericho had heard what she had heard. But all the intelligence which they had previously received was of no benefit to them. They merely shrugged it off. While she embraced and personalized it. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen… By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe when she had received the spies with peace.” Hebrews 11:1, 30-31 (NKJV). According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, Jericho was approximately 430,000 square feet in size. With a wall that was approximately 12 feet in height, having a population of about 3000 people. The thickness of the wall was 30 feet wide at the base. For all practical and military purposes not only was Jericho an impregnable fortress. It would have been impossible to find any stranger in a city of that magnitude within such a short time period. Yet, the spies that Joshua sent ended up directly in Rahab’s house. If this development was not the result of ‘supernatural activity,’ then I don’t know the meaning of that term.

Her powerful faith in Israel’s God immediately translated her into becoming a citizen of Christ’s kingdom and she leveraged that status. The woman petitioned, “Now, therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” Joshua 2:12-13. (NKJV). All of her actions proceeded from her love and fealty to Israel’s God. Accordingly, any promise that his servants made to her, would only be ratified if they were done in the name of Israel’s invisible, omnipotent king. Whom she loved and revered. The strangers exchanged tokens of their agreement. The spies left and returned to Israel’s camp. The rest is history. Consequent to his own choice Achan doomed not only himself but also his family and his animals.

As a result of her choice, Rahab saved not only herself but the lives and property of every member of her family. Finally, but by no means least, because of her decision, she has also been included in the pantheon of the Messiah’s illustrious ancestors. “Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.” Matthew 1:4-6. (NKJV). Our choices determine our destiny.