I was reading the story of Rahab to my daughter last night and was struck by it in a way that I have not been previously. Everyone knows the story but just to recap - Joshua sends two spies into the promised land to scope it out and specifically tells them report on Jericho. The two spies enter Jericho and meet Rahab - the king of Jericho finds out that they are there and Rahab covers for them, saying she saw them leave the city. She then hides them on her roof. She professes an amazing statement of faith to these two spies saying,
"I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard these reports, our hearts melted and no courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below." (Joshua 2:9-10)
She then makes the two spies promise that the LORD God will spare her and her family and they make that promise to her. They tell her to tie a scarlet cord (rope) and set it outside of her window, then to gather her entire family in her house and then the LORD will spare them. They leave, she does as instructed and her and her entire family are spared, despite the utter destruction of the rest of Jericho (Joshua 6:22-23).
