Scripture: Joshua 6 v 20 - 23: "So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel."
Joshua 2 v 3 - 5: "And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:
5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them."
The destruction of Jericho was a great triumph for the Israelites. It was a huge walled fortress. 6 chariots could ride next to each other on top of the high walls showing how wide they were. Joshua wisely sent two spies into the city before he set out his plans.
The spies were staying in the house of Rahab the harlot. She knew they were Israelites, and the power of their God, plus the trail of destruction behind them, frightened her. No doubt Jericho was next. She made a plan to hide them when she discovered the king knew they were in her house.
She told the king that they had been in her house but they had gone out of the gates of the city before they had shut and she didn't know where they went. He sent pursuers to track them while she hid the spies on her roof.
She also helped them escape through a window in the wall, giving them a rope to abseil downwards. Because of this they promised her that when the attack started they would rescue her and her whole family. They must be ready at this window with a red length of flax to confirm it.
She had faith in the God of the Hebrews to believe them and before the battle started, the spies rescued her and her family as they had promised.
God had commanded Joshua to assemble his army and silently march once around city every day for 6 days. They must follow the Ark of the Covenant, as well as the 7 priests blowing their trumpets.
On the 7th day they had to encompass the city 7 times. On the 7th time round they had to make a tremendous noise of shouting and giving praise to God with trumpets blaring. Joshua said The Lord had given them the city.
During that last march the enormous walls, very high and wide, were pushed down flush with the surrounding land. They just disappeared, giving Israel the massive element of surprise to take the now unprepared and unprotected city very quickly. They left nothing alive. Only Rahab and her family survived.
This reversal of fortunes even caused Rahab to make it into the lineage of Jesus Christ! Boaz who married Ruth, was the son of Salmon and Rahab. Boaz was the great grandfather of David, king of Israel, making Rahab his great grandmother.
So no matter your origins, or whatever sin burdens you, you can still be of vital importance to the Kingdom of God. It was not happenstance that caused the spies to lodge in Rahab's house, it was ordained by the Lord that she be rescued because He saw her faith.
Our God is no respecter of persons! It does not matter who or what you were before you were saved by faith in Jesus Christ, it only matters what you become after that. He needed Rahab to protect the spies and help them escape. What you do for others will be done for you.
He has a task or tasks for each one of us. Right now my main task is to keep writing this blog no matter what obstacles the enemy has in mind, and get it out there. My other task is to keep interceding for things that matter to the Lord. There is no shortage of these so my life is busy. Are you busy with a task the Lord wants you to do?
In our relationship with Jesus, and with the Father, it is up to us to be very sure we are in the perfect will of God. In my Bible studies in these over 2500 blogs, I endeavour to show how the Word applies to us today. It has not changed over all the millennia since it was written.
Be not deceived, the Devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking those he can devour. He already has the world at His mercy, so he seeks out the Church, to cause Christians to backslide so he can use them to mock the Lord.
He has infiltrated the church bringing heresy and false teachings to cause the apostasy, the falling away, which is well advanced. Paul wrote to the Church of the Thessalonians that at the time of the end apostasy would be rife. No wonder Jesus said, When I return will I find faith on Earth.
So many claim to be Jesus. He said they would in the last days. Jim Jones and his almost 900 cyanide suicides, thought he was the Messiah. William Branham was killed in a car accident in 1963. His followers camped out around his grave for three days and nights because he had prophesied that he would rise from the dead after three days and live forever. He did not live again. Branham said when he was alive that all his healings, miracles and preaching were at the bidding of an angel. Not the Lord.
Branham's teachings had a huge influence on the Charismatic church, out of which many false doctrines emerged. These have caused division, backsliding, and many churches to sadly have their candlestick removed, or at the very least the candles have been blown out.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are rarely seen and the elders of the churches control who, if, what, is acceptable in those gifts. How terribly sad to see so many churches functioning below par. We truly need a reversal of fortune in the universal Body of Christ.
Matthew 7 v 13 - 20: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
Narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it.
I pray for you all that you find it and hold on to it till Jesus comes. He loves you and so do I.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, the night is coming when no man can work. Here in South Africa we have struggled because of lack of light. Father let the light of Jesus shine in this darkness, let the power of the Holy Spirit bring forth miracles, let the mighty Blood of the Lamb cleanse this nation of sin. Let this be spread over the whole world to fill up Your Kingdom with those You love. In Jesus' name. Amen.