It’s interesting when one reads the book of Joshua, chapter two reads like a sidebar. As a chapter, it is unnecessary in telling the story. If you read chapter one then skipped chapter two and picked up with chapter three you wouldn’t miss anything in the progression. So why is chapter two included? What is the purpose of Joshua 2 and the story of Rahab, the prostitute? Was it so we would be grateful for the past? Was it so we could look back with amazement at what God did?

The purpose of Rahab’s story is not to tell us what God did. The purpose of Rahab’s story is to tell us what God does.

This is not a Sunday School story. It’s not a romantic fable. This event is a historic moment in which a real God enlisted the help of a real person to bring real hope and a future to his people.

But that’s not all. The story of Rahab does not end at Joshua 2.

1. She started a new life. Not only did she survive the battle of Jericho, but Rahab also became a member of the Israelite community. She packed up and moved on with the people of God. She started completely over. The Bible informs us that she later married a Jewish boy name Salmon and raised a family of her own. She gained respect in the community.
2. She also established a godly lineage. The first chapter of Matthew chronicles the ancestors of Jesus Christ. Guess who’s on that list? Rahab. Her descendants became the kings of Israel and Judah. The Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, was of a former prostitute’s lineage.
3. She confirmed a legacy of faith. Jewish tradition holds that Rahab was one of the four most beautiful women who ever lived. She’s renowned as a hero of Israel even today. The book of Hebrews lists men and women set apart for their great faith. Look who shows up: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient” (Heb. 11:31 NIV).

How has God used you? In what ways has God tapped you for service? When has God looked past your flaws because he loved you and chose to use you as a part of his unfolding plan? Look closely, and you will see how God has worked giving you a new life and a lingering legacy. God doesn’t want you to forget how he could use a prostitute named Rahab, and he doesn’t want you to forget how he can use you. You have a hope and a future.

May your life in 2018 be filled with extraordinary blessings and unparalleled favor.

Start your days off right in 2018. We often obsess on the life we want as obtaining certain possessions or higher status. But the life we want is much loftier than that. It hinges on undeniable traits, disciplines, and characteristics that define the soul and heart of a person. I write about this life in 21 Days to the Life You’ve Always Imagined. The book contains twenty-one daily readings to help you focus on what matters most for a life that matters. The daily assignments that follow each chapter will help you implement what is lacking in your life to discover and enjoy the life you’ve always imagined. Click here to claim your copy.