Rahab & The Spies

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: Your own eyes have seen everything the Lord your God has done to these two Amorite kings. Your Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms you are about to enter. Do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God fights for you. Now tell me, do you believe it? 00:00:24 Speaker 3: So much longer until we take the promised land? Are we ready? 00:00:28 Speaker 4: Am I? 00:00:29 Speaker 3: Ready? Are they ready to take up the land they've been promised? Will any of us ever truly be ready? 00:00:34 Speaker 1: Joshua could not deny the lingering doubts lurking in the corners of his heart and in the pit of his stomach. He carefully selected one of them and quietly confessed it to his friend. 00:00:47 Speaker 4: Ha ha ha ha. No, the here's definitely pressure. Ha ha. A mountain's worth of pressure is on your shoulders, my friend. I I don't envy you, But such was the way of Abraham when he ventured from his father's mom Such was the weight of Jacob when he wrestled with his deathlon To be chosen is to choose. So let me let me ask you, Joshua. God chose you, Moses chose you. But what will you. 00:01:29 Speaker 3: Choose Joshua, my appointed leader. Moses, my servant, is dead. Now you and all the people will prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving you. Look up, Joshua, see the land before you across the river. 00:01:56 Speaker 1: Joshua obeyed the Lord, tear still brings as he blinked them away to see the land before him. The rising sun cascaded over the plains, revealing the lush vegetation and distant palm trees. 00:02:11 Speaker 3: I have given you every place where the soul of your foot will trend, just as I promised Moses. No one will stand against you. As long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you, nor abandon you. 00:02:33 Speaker 5: For all of you, for all Israel. 00:02:36 Speaker 3: Really honor the promise you've made before our God. 00:02:40 Speaker 4: We love him for bad, remain faithful. 00:02:44 Speaker 5: To him always. 00:02:45 Speaker 1: The crowd shouted in the affirmative. 00:02:48 Speaker 5: And you are ready, for our God is with us. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. I tell you again, the Lord, our God. 00:02:58 Speaker 4: Is with us. 00:03:02 Speaker 3: Strong dress. 00:03:18 Speaker 6: In a city of trembling walls, it was a woman with a trembling heart who believed Shelloh my friends from here in the holy land of Israel, i'm l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Two spies, one mission. A city so thick with fear that you can almost hear the tremble in the walls of Jericho. But amidst that fear, there's a woman, an unlikely hero, who sees something that no one else sees. She sells herself in order to make a living. She lives on the fringes of society, a woman whose life is marked by compromise, Bible, and the weight of her choices. Yet somehow she becomes a part of the most pivotal moment in Israel's history. Why would two Israelite spies trust her? And why would she risk her life to protect men that she has never met from a people that she does not know. This is the incredible story of rob where desperation and faith will collide and a single act of courage will change the course of history forever. 00:04:38 Speaker 1: Fear sees the city of Jericho like hands closing around her neck. Everywhere she went rayhab heard worried whispers and rebellious rumors. The city would fall to the Israelites. She was sure of it. It was just a matter of when and how long it would take for Israel to starve them out. Behind the city walls of Jericho, Rahab had heard the curious stories of their god, how he performed miracles and granted them victories against impossible odds, the god who offered hope to the hopeless and rescued his people, a god of mercy and kindness. None of Jericho's gods could compare, not from what she had seen in her hard and often tragic life. They had abandoned her long ago, and she had grown disillusioned by the greed and corruption of her city, yearning to break free from this forsaken life for something more, for hope. Rayhab did not intend to die with Jericho. She was a survivor and always had been, And so she decided. She decided, standing there in the building she owned evidence of the hard one living she had scratched out in this wretched city, a prison of her own making, that she would commit herself to this God of hope, this God of Israel. Knowing time was short, and without giving herself a chance to second guess, she boldly sent up a prayer to Israel's God, a simple prayer of hope. Clothes still slightly damp and chilled to the bone, Salmon resisted the urge to let his teeth chatter as he squinted at Jericho's imposing gaits in the bright morning sun. Beside him stood Caleb, General Joshua's legendary second in command, radiating a cool confidence. At eighty Caleb's hair and beard were streaked with gray, but he remained powerfully built muscles honed by a lifetime of discipline. Salmon, though a seasoned warrior, himself, felt dwarfed standing next to the formidable man. Caleb adjusted his traveling cloak around his neck and cast a discerning eye at the trickle of travelers appearing on the road ahead. 00:07:10 Speaker 4: Now, remember, Solomon, try not to speak unless you can help it. We don't want to draw attention in any way. These Canaanites will pick our accents out in a moment, and I trust you remember but humor an old man who has been waiting over four decades for this moment, tell me our cover story once more before we enter the gate. 00:07:34 Speaker 5: Yes, Major Caleu, we are father and son, Jeffener and Hanoon, and we are cloth merchants looking to expand our trade into the Jordan Valley. 00:07:46 Speaker 4: Good good, thank you. Now, I just pray we don't need to use it, but it's best to be prepared. You're going to do well. Son. My handslected you for this mission when Joshua asked me to go. You're a sharp lad and a proven loyal warrior. Oh that's let's break in here. There's no one around. 00:08:08 Speaker 1: Salmon followed as Caleb darted out from their hiding place along the road and joined the stream of early travelers entering the city gate. Guards with sharp eyes and long spears monitored the floe, their gazes sweeping the crowd. Salomon kept his head down, but he caught a glimpse of one guard's eyes narrowing on them. Leaning to whisper to his comrade, Salmon's pulse quickened. He nudged Caleb, who immediately hurried his steps. Understanding the silent suggestion. They maneuvered around a cart loaded with woven baskets, using it as cover to break the line of sight. Salmon wrisked a glance back and saw the guards pushing through the crowd toward them. Salmon's sharp eyes found a narrow alley between two buildings across the busy thoroughfare. They crossed swiftly, weaving through foot traffic, and ducked into the shadow alley. Salmon glanced back just in time to see one guard pause to interrogate a man with similar features and dress, while the other guard's eyes still scanned the crowd with a determined frown. Salmon and Caleb slipped through the crowds to the other side, emerging into a tight, crowded street. 00:09:24 Speaker 4: I was too close for my whacking. 00:09:27 Speaker 5: Wounebar and Cupard across the river must have reached the city. The guards are clearing. 00:09:32 Speaker 1: On edge, Jericho's tiered walls loomed tall and impenetrable, with watch towers ruling out any chance of ambush. Salmon and Caleb spent the day inspecting the stone work and avoiding guards, tensions simmering as every glance from passers by kept them on edge. Salmon preferred the chaos of battle to this nerve racking espionage, yet with Caleb at his side, he felt steadier. As the sun dipped, an unspoken worries set in. Where would they sleep? Then an idea sparked in Salmon's mind. 00:10:11 Speaker 5: You're not going to like this, but I've an idea for our lodging this evening. 00:10:16 Speaker 4: What do you have in mind? 00:10:20 Speaker 5: Well, we can't stay at an inn, and we can't very well sleep out on the streets without arousing suspicion. 00:10:26 Speaker 1: Salmon pointed to the building ahead on the edge of town. It was built into the outer city wall. Though nondescript among the other buildings, something about it drew Salmon's attention, like a subtle ringing in his ears. Kleeb's expression shifted as the scent of perfume and soft feminine laughter floated through the open doorway, confirming the nature of the establishment. The sign by the plane door read simply Rayhab's House. Kleb raised an eyebrower Salmon, there was no mistaking what kind of woman Rahab was or the business she ran. 00:11:07 Speaker 4: Ah, you're going to give an old man a heart attack. Let's proceed afraid of the Lord. Our eyes don't lead us into anything foolish. 00:11:20 Speaker 5: They're certainly not strangers to hosting migrants like us and anyone else lodging there is bound to be distracted. 00:11:29 Speaker 1: Caleb nodded, reluctantly, and the two men sheepishly crossed the threshold, keeping their eyes downcast to avoid seeing whatever indecency lurked in the darkened corners of the house. Her commanding presence then emerged from the beads and clouds of fragrant incense. 00:11:47 Speaker 7: Gentlemen, be welcomed to my home. 00:11:50 Speaker 5: I am Rape. 00:11:51 Speaker 1: Salmon lifted his eyes from the floor and found himself eye to eye with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was tall, with vibrant, dark eyes, framed by striking brows, and rich brown hair that cascaded unbound down to her waist, accentuating her hourglass figure. She cocked her head to the side and arched a brow at him. Those dark eyes seemed to penetrate his very soul, rendering him utterly speechless. In his trance, Salmon had forgotten his mission, his name, and where he was. My lady, I I mercifully, Caleb addressed her, keeping his voice down so as not to be overheard by the other occupants. 00:12:39 Speaker 4: Thank you, Lady Rehab for welcoming us. We would like a meal and a place to stay. That will be all. 00:12:48 Speaker 7: We're just passing through, Oh lady Rayhab, well, I could get used to that, you too are so polite. Please enter. I have wine, I have soft sheets, and if you change your mind, I have company to share booth with. 00:13:03 Speaker 4: Follow me. 00:13:04 Speaker 1: Rahab winked at the still stunned Salmon, who had been trying not to openly stare at her alluring lips. As she spoke. Rahab appeared about ten years older than him. A sprinkling of freckles beneath her bright eyes lent a youthful charm. She turned and walked away with a sway that Salmon found particularly distracting. 00:13:25 Speaker 4: M get a hold of yourself, sir. 00:13:29 Speaker 1: Cheeks turning pink, Salmon stumbled forward as Rahab led them down the hall. Caleb recited their cover story and fake names as they walked, allowing Salmon to regain his composure. Though she was playing the role of gracious host, and her welcoming smile never faded, Salmon noted her sharp awareness. Nothing escaped her calculating, intelligent gaze. The men sat cautiously as Rahab left to arrange their meal. Salmon took a moment to survey the room, noting Caleb was already doing the same. A broad shouldered man sipped wine by the door, serving girl on his knee and his hand wandering into the folds of her skirt. Despite his distraction, his garb bemarked him as a military man. Salmon tried to look away before the man's eyes met his, but it was too late. Recognition sparked in the stranger's gaze. Salmon felt Caleb stiffen beside him. He saw it too. The man, now alert, threw the serving girl off his lap. Salmon's heart raced and he reached for the hidden blade inside his cloak, but the man, who was across the room from Salmon, with nearly three dozen patrons between them, instead smirked and called over another burly figure. They whispered urgently before they both slipped out the door. Caleb's eyes met Salmon's again, and it was clear they had been identified and would soon be reported as spies. Before Salmon could lament their predicament to Caleb, they were interrupted as the beautiful Rahab boldly approached the Israelite men at their table. 00:15:12 Speaker 5: Listen to me carefully. 00:15:14 Speaker 7: I know who you are, and you are in danger if you remain down here or if you try to escape the city. Through any of the gates, you will be caught by the guards. 00:15:24 Speaker 1: Salmon and Caleb gaped at her, but she plowed on undeterred. 00:15:28 Speaker 7: Your people are marked by incredible faith, So I ask you now, do you trust me enough to come with me so I can hide you. 00:15:36 Speaker 1: The two men were too stunned to speak at first, but then Caleb found his voice at last, and his eyes narrowed. 00:15:44 Speaker 4: How do we know you will not give us up? And that this isn't the ploy to delay us here while your men send for the guards. 00:15:51 Speaker 1: Before she could answer them, one of her serving girls interrupted. She seemed nervous. 00:15:57 Speaker 5: Pardon me. 00:15:58 Speaker 6: I don't mean to interrupt, but I've been instructed to fetch you. 00:16:01 Speaker 7: Rahab. 00:16:03 Speaker 6: There's a representative of the King's guard here to see you. 00:16:06 Speaker 1: Raehab looked meaningfully at the two men. 00:16:09 Speaker 5: You need to decide right now. 00:16:11 Speaker 7: I mean to honor my word. 00:16:13 Speaker 1: Salmon looked to Caleb to take his lead. After a moment, he nodded reluctantly. Raehab sprang into action and gestured for them to follow. Salmon's heart hammered, and he was in awe of this dazzlingly bold woman who maintained a calm composed exterior. He couldn't tell if the sensation surging through his body was fear or exhilaration, perhaps both. She led them to the roof. The hallways and stairs mercifully empty. Muffled voices and laughter seeped from behind closed doors. No one gave a second thought to a hearl at escorting two strangers upstairs. On the far side of the roof, stalks of flax lay drying, ready to be spun into linen. It appeared to be another source of income. Salmon was again impressed by Rayhab's resourcefulness and tenacity. 00:17:07 Speaker 4: It was clear that. 00:17:07 Speaker 1: She didn't intend to be a dealer of pleasure forever. She was building wealth as a way out. The building's height and position seemed enough to shield them from prying eyes, but Rayhab appeared to be one who didn't take chances. She motioned for the men to hide behind the flax stay. 00:17:25 Speaker 7: I will come back when it's safe. 00:17:27 Speaker 1: As she turned to leave, Caleb grabbed her shoulder. 00:17:30 Speaker 4: I don't understand the kindness you're showing us, but but thank you, Rayhab, God bless you and have courage. 00:17:42 Speaker 1: Rahab's face softened. She was touched by both the blessing and the sincerity of his word. She hurried down to meet the king's representative, surely planning whatever story her clever mind could concoct. Salmon prayed she would be true to her word, and he prayed that the king's men. 00:18:01 Speaker 3: Would believe it. 00:18:04 Speaker 1: Several hours later, Rayhab returned and Salmon was profoundly relieved that she had done what she had promised. He was once again captivated by her beauty, only enhanced by the moon's soft glow on the roof. 00:18:19 Speaker 5: They're gone. 00:18:20 Speaker 7: I sent them away, chasing a lie. They will not look for you here. 00:18:24 Speaker 1: Salmon and Kayleb breathed a sigh of relief, and Kyleb asked what they had both been thinking in those long tens hours she had been gone. 00:18:34 Speaker 5: Why did you help us? 00:18:36 Speaker 7: Let's just say I'm a fan of yours of me. 00:18:40 Speaker 5: Why we barely know each other. 00:18:42 Speaker 4: She's talking about our people, son, get a grip. 00:18:47 Speaker 7: I heard of the miracles of your God, the parting of the Red Sea, the victories in Moab against impossible odds. Many here dismiss these stories as exaggerations. But I know the truth. I believe your God is God of heaven above and earth below. I believe you will take this city and claim the land. 00:19:08 Speaker 4: How can we thank you? Raham? 00:19:11 Speaker 7: I ask only one thing. Swear by your God to show kindness to my family. Promise me a sign that my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them will be spared and saved from death when you march against us. 00:19:25 Speaker 1: Salmon was astonished. This proclamation of faith only amplified her beauty and boldness. 00:19:32 Speaker 5: We will give our lives for yours. Just please don't report our mission. If you keep your promise, we will in turn promise to show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land. 00:19:45 Speaker 3: Thank you. 00:19:46 Speaker 7: I cannot truly express what your kindness would mean to my family and me. 00:19:50 Speaker 5: Now follow me. 00:19:51 Speaker 7: I will show you a way out of the city. 00:19:53 Speaker 1: Breathless at the way she beamed at him, Salmon returned her smile, and, though the light was dim, he could have sworn he saw her blush in response. Under the cover of darkness, the trio descended the ladder and Rahab escorted them into her private chamber. She produced a rope hidden in the folds of her skirt and revealed a window that peered out above the mighty outer wall of the city. As Salmon helped her secure the end of the rope. Inside the room, she quickly warned them. 00:20:25 Speaker 7: From here, go to the hill country so the men pursuing you won't find you. Hide there for three days until they return. Afterward, go on your way. 00:20:34 Speaker 1: Caleb hesitated, his attention drawn by a pile of fabric and raw material in the room with them. 00:20:41 Speaker 4: Hang a scarlet cord in this window so we can keep our oath to protect your family when we enter the land. Bring all your family into your house. Anyone who leaves will be responsible for their own death. If anyone inside is armed, we are at fault. But if you reveal our mission the oathor's. 00:21:01 Speaker 7: Void, let it be as you say. 00:21:04 Speaker 1: Salmon, feeling caught up in the evenings, Adrenaline boldly closed the distance between himself and Raehab and took her hand. She blinked in surprise as he pressed his lips to the back of her hand and inclined his head, bowing respectfully before her. 00:21:23 Speaker 5: Your faith sets you apart, Graham. Because of your faith, you will be saved and have hope for the future. Our pads will cross again, I assured. 00:21:33 Speaker 1: Salmon nodded, swiftly turned and descended the rope. He and Caleb darted to the hills under the cover of night. As they ran, Caleb's hand found Salmon's back. 00:21:45 Speaker 4: Way to redeem yourself with that last line, nice recovery. 00:22:00 Speaker 6: What a wild, beautiful, strange story. It's hard to believe that a woman like Rahab, an outcast a prostitute, could become such a central figure in the future of Israel. But there she is, hiding spies on her roof, lying to her own people, and bartering for her life. In Hebrew, there's a word that's used to describe a Jewish person who is secular, meaning not particularly attached to God's word or observant of a traditional Jewish lifestyle. That word in Hebrew is riilo ni. It comes from the word hull, which literally translates as mundane. But the word hull also can mean a grain of sand. So a person who doesn't see God's hand in the world views events in life as individual things, like a single grain of sand. They miss the big pick. Sure, Rabb holds a very special place in Jewish tradition because Rab saw the big picture. Although she wasn't in Israelite. Raab was able to see both God's presence in the world and the Chosen People's right to the Promised Land, and she acted to ensure that Israel would have this holy land that God had promised to his people. The Jewish sages make the very interesting point about Rahab. In verse eleven, Raab declares to the two spies, quote the Lord, your God is God in heaven above and on the earth blow end quote. This ages point out that, of course Raab could see God's actions here on earth, his actions on behalf of the Chosen people. But how they ask could Rab possibly see that God was the God of all the heavens? And the sage just say that There's only one answer, and nick Ma answered in one word, faith. Rab had heard the stories of the splitting of the sea and the miracles in the desert, so she could only conclude that God of Israel is the God of universe. She had faith, She had real faith, And isn't that an important lesson for us today? We all see the miracles that have been done for the Chosen People throughout history, especially now that we have returned to Israel and seeing all these miracles. Gives us faith that God is the ruler over all and is actually accessible to every human being. It gives us faith that God hears all of our prayers and he answers them. And here we have rab the simple innkeeper in Jericho, to think for teaching us this beautiful lesson. I want to tell you an old story from Jewish tradition. It's about Rabbi Joshua, who was extremely wise, but not very attractive physically by the world's standards. Now, one day the rabbi met the emperor's daughter and she bluntly asked him how could God play so much wisdom in such an ugly vessel? And instead of directly answering the princess's comments, Rabbi Joshua asked her in what does your father keep his wine? The princess replied in earthenware vessels, And then Rabbi Joshua asked, wouldn't it be more appropriate to store fine wine and more beautiful vessels. The princess agreed and had all her father's fine wine transferred into gold and silver vessels, and not much later, all of the king's fine wine turned sour. When the princess met the Rabbi again, she told him what happened, and Rabbi Joshua explained to the princess the moral of the story. Just as fine wine is best kept in simple, non attractive vessel, sometimes so is wisdom. I share this story because of the spies. Jewish tradition teaches that when the spies and this story went to scout out the land, they disguised themselves as potters, and they called out, here are pots, here are pots. Now when the ten spies sent earlier by Moses brought back a bad report about the land, they were following their own agenda. They were following their own will and not gods. But Joshua scouts were like earthenware pots. Such vessels don't have the value of vessels made of silver, gold or iron. In earthenware pots, only value is the ability to hold something. And that's just like Joshua's men, who placed no value on their own egos. Instead, they saw their life as a calling to be vessels of God, and they, through this intention, succeeded where the other spies have failed. Today I talked a lot about earthen vessels, and today I want to leave you with a special prayer. One of the most powerful prayers that we can pray is to ask God to use us as a vessel. The Jewish Ages teach this beautiful prayer that I want to share with you. This is what we can say. Make his will your will. The Jewish Ages teach this beautiful prayer that I want to share with you. It's an outline for life. Make his will your will, so that he should make your will his will. Nullify your will before his will, so that he should nullify the will of others before your will. Today's story about Rahab is a story about redemption in the most unexpected places. It's a reminder that God's love isn't only for the pure, for the holy, or for the righteous. He meets us where we are, even in the midst of our brokenness. In fact, sometimes it's in that very brokenness that real faith is born. And Raab's faith wasn't just in her head or her heart. She put her faith into action in an act that echoed her faith in a God that she barely knew. So what does this mean for us? 00:28:26 Speaker 2: Well. 00:28:27 Speaker 6: Rab's story challenges us to see beyond appearances, to look at the unlikely people in our lives the one society might dismiss, and to recognize that they too can be an integral part of God's greater plan. I want you to look around and ask yourself, who are the robs in your life? The people that you've written offer, perhaps the parts of yourself that you think God can't possibly use. God doesn't wait for us to have everything together before he calls us. Life was far from perfect, yet God used her to write his story. So today, let's trust that same God, even in our own messy lives. Let's stand at our own walls of Jericho with the courage of Rahab to step into the unknown, to risk everything, and a God that we might not fully yet understand, but who, like Rahab, we know is worth trusting. 00:29:31 Speaker 1: You can listen to The Chosen People with yle Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot Com app today. This Prey dot Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabaga, and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by John Than Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.