THE
HEART OF A PROSTITUTE - REHAB
“By
faith the harlot Rehab perished not with them that believed not when she had
received the spies with peace” – Hebrews 11:31 (KJV)
It takes humility and wisdom to draw
lessons from a person or something most average people of ordinary intelligence
will despise. However, we stand to benefit greatly when we draw lessons from
things we are naturally inclined to spurn. A wise leader for instance needs to
draw inspirations from the personal leadership qualities of an ant despite its tinny
and small size. Rehab, a one-time heathen prostitute,
demonstrated some exemplary attitudes which are worthy of emulation. She forsook
her evil career, and became a woman of great faith. Rehab eventually earned an
enviable presence in both the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and the
memorials of people of great faith in the book of Hebrews.
Rehab stepped into positive limelight
after she brilliantly planned and executed the protection and escape of the two
Jewish spies sent to Jericho by Joshua, the then commander-in-chief of Israel’s
army. Rehab’s wise scheme was motivated by her understanding of the sovereignty
of God. “And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the
land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of
the land (Jericho) of the land faint because of you” – Joshua 2:9. This means
that Rehab had a great respect for both God and His people although she was
then an unbeliever. She thus sought to protect God’s people against the wish of
the leaders of the city, Jericho, she lived.
Another remarkable trait of Rehab is her
heart for her entire family. Despite the possibility of she been ostracised and
despised by her family members due to her harlotry; she sought for their
salvation. She made the following requests in Joshua 2:12-13: “Now therefore, I
pray you swear unto me by the LORD, since I have showed you kindness, that you
ye will also show kindness unto my father’s house...And that ye will save alive
my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they
have, and deliver our lives from death”.
Rehab in effect sought for the salvation of her entire family from the
impending judgment of God against Jericho. Similarly, we need to seek for the
salvation of our unbelieving family members and spare them of the eternal
damnation that will eternally plague all persons who reject salvation through
Jesus Christ.
Rehab looked at the bigger picture and
ignored all the unpleasant treatments she might have received from her family
members. To her, the salvation of her family members were paramount to their
significance differences between her and them, and hurts they might have traded
against each other. Consequently, while the city of Jericho and its inhabitants
were destroyed; Rehab and her family members were saved and protected by God
through the Israelites. They subsequently became part of the people of Israel.
This godly association might have led to Rehab’s decision to forsake her evil
ways.
Rehab’s name has been inscribed in two most
significant passages in the Bible namely Matthew 1 and Hebrews 11. Whiles the
latter mentions Rehab alongside people of great faith such as David, Abraham,
Gideon, Moses and Sampson; the former inks her name in the genealogy of Jesus
Christ. But why should a woman with such a backward background be allowed to
have anything to do with the genealogy of the only sinless Saviour of the world?
I believe God did so because Rehab had a great heart. She did not only revere
and believe God after hearing of His great works through the Israelites (Joshua
2:10-11), but also sought for the salvation of her entire family. Rehab thus had
a great heart after God’s heart – salvation of souls. Rehab both preserved the
lives of God’s people and also sought for the salvation of those in her family
who did not know God. She by her conduct aligned herself with the primary
purpose of Jesus on earth – to save people from theirs sins and God’s impending
wrath. Perhaps you may not have a sordid past as Rehab but do you have her
heart? God is more interested in the state of your heart than your chequered
and nasty past. Rehab surrendered her heart totally to God for His use. God
thus changed her destiny and made her name great. Give your heart totally to
God!
Richard
Obeng Mensah, author of Daily Wisdom
Blog:
www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com
Email:
richardobengmensah@gmail.com
