I Know

O. T. #443  "I Know"
January 20, 2015
Joshua 2-Part 3
And as soon as we had heard these things, our harts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.  Joshua 2:11

LET IT GLOW


I know. When do you say those two words? I usually say them whenever I am agreeing with what someone just told me. Or when I let another person know that I know how they feel. I know.
Rahab, the star in this chapter, tells the two Israelite spies what she knows:

• the LORD has given this land to you (she was talking abut Canaan and Jericho);
• a great fear of you has fallen on us;
• all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you (Canaanites);

Why were the Canaanites fearful of the Israelites?
They heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea when Israel came out of Egypt; what they did to the two kings of the Amorites, completely destroying them.

Why did the hearts of the Canaanites melt and their courage fail? It was because the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. (verse 11c)

We not scrutinize this confession for repentance or for personal acceptance of Jehovah, for they are both implicit in her statement. Rahab the pagan believed God, and He counted it unto her for righteousness.  (Falwell)

LET IT GROW

Hebrews 11:31 says this about her, By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Her lying past had not been condoned by God; it was simply forgiven by Him, as has our past. As one of the three women mentioned by name in the genealogy of Christ, Rahab takes her rightful place as one who had faith in God and was treated as if she were righteous. (Falwell)

She wasn't saved by works, but by her faith. Rahab knew who God was, who she was, and she trusted God for her very life. (Guzik)

The reports she had probably heard from the men who came to her establishment, along with the few facts she knew herself, led her to believer that the One who had done all these marvelous wonders on behalf of His people was the true God in heaven above and on earth beneath (Deut. 2:25) God, in He grace, reaches out to those with sordid pasts and no history with Him. (David Jeremiah)

If we have asked Jesus to for give us of our sins, then He for gave those sins in our past. Are we aware of that? If so. do we live like it?
Are we, too, trusting in the God of heaven and earth with our very life and soul?

Life Application Study Bible teaches us:

• We must not gauge a person's interest in God by his or her background, lifestyle, or appearance. We should let nothing get in the way of our telling people the Good News.
• Rahab recognized something that many of the Israelites did not-the God of heaven is not an ordinary god! He is all-powerful. The people of Jericho were afraid because they had heard the news of God's extraordinary power in defeating the armies across the Jordan River. Today we can worship this same powerful miracle working God.

LET IT GO

Let the past be under the blood of Jesus.

Trust in the all-powerful God of Rahab, Joshua, and Caleb.

Praise and worship the God of heaven and earth.

Thank You Lord for Your grace shown to me.