By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with those who were disobedient,because she had given friendly welcome to the spies. ( Hebrews 11 v 30 - 31 )The nation of Israel had forty years previously escaped from Egypt, now they were going to possess the promised land.That meant taking it by force, the first obstacle was the great city of Jericho.Israel had sent out spies to view the land,and Rahab had hidden them.Why had she done this? she had become a believer in Israels God ( Joshua 2 v 11 )She was a prostitute ,but as Philip Hughes writes,'this ,however, is a description of Rahab as she was before she came to faith and identified herself with the people of God- as Matthew continued to be known as the tax collector,( Mt .10:3 )..Some people think that Christianity is only for good ,moral people,they are wrong,it is for sinners. It was our Saviour who rebuked the religious people of his day, with these words: ''Truly , I say to you, the Tax collectors and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you''.( Mt 21 v 31 ) John Newton wrote that wonderful hymn,that starts with these words,'Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me', he wasn't exaggerating ,Here are the words on his gravestone,''John Newton, Clerk/Once an infidel and libertine/A servant of slaves in Africa was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ/ Preserved Restored, Pardoned and appointed to preach the faith he had long laboured to destroy''
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