Author: Arkeshia Brown

The next woman we will discuss is Rahab. Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute living in the city of Jericho who became a pivotal figure in Israel’s history. Though her background placed her outside the covenant community of Israel, her faith in the God of Israel set her apart. When Joshua sent two spies to scout the land, Rahab courageously hid them, protected their lives, and aligned herself with the purposes of God (Joshua 2). Because of her obedience and faith, she and her family were spared when Jericho fell, and she was ultimately grafted into the people of God.

Rahab’s story powerfully demonstrates that faith, not heritage or past failure, is what God honors. The author of Hebrews highlights Rahab as a hero of faith, stating, “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31). Her actions revealed a deep conviction that the God of Israel was the one true God, despite her pagan upbringing and profession.

Herbert Lockyer notes that Rahab’s name carries meanings such as “insolence,” “fierceness,” or “broad,” “spaciousness.” Though she was often remembered by the title “Rahab the harlot,” Lockyer reminds us that God’s grace is not limited by labels. Although she carried the name Rahab, ‘the harlot,’ God still can transform and redeem. Lockyer further observes the immense risk Rahab took, stating, “By her act Rahab was actually betraying her own country, and for such treason certain death would have been hers had she been found out.” Yet her fear of the Lord outweighed her fear of man.

Old Testament scholar Donald Grey Barnhouse emphasizes Rahab’s faith over her actions alone, writing, “Rahab believed God, and her faith was the root from which her works grew.” Her obedience was not an attempt to earn salvation, but rather the outward expression of an inward belief.

Similarly, James Montgomery Boice explains, “Rahab’s faith was genuine because it involved risk, commitment, and action. She cast her lot with God’s people because she believed the Lord was the true God.” Rahab chose allegiance to God over loyalty to her city, her culture, and her past identity.

New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce highlights the remarkable nature of her inclusion in Scripture, noting, “Rahab stands as a perpetual reminder that faith can spring up in the most unlikely soil.” Her testimony affirms that no one is beyond the reach of God’s saving grace.

Rahab later married Salmon, of the tribe of Judah, and became the mother of Boaz, placing her directly in the lineage of King David and ultimately Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5). Her life reveals a stunning reversal—from an outcast to a covenant bearer, from a harlot to a matriarch in the Messianic line.

Rahab’s story teaches us that God does not define us by our past, our profession, or our failures. Instead, He responds to faith, obedience, and a heart willing to trust Him. Through Rahab, we see how the love of God can truly transform and redeem even those the world has written off.