The Curious Case of the Faithful Prostitute

 In Which Are Set Forth Certain Hitherto Unremarked Observations Concerning the Faithfulness of Rahab, Together with Reflections Upon the Lineage of Jesus, the Son of God, Who Is Called the Messiah

My devotion (Explore by The Good Book Company which I highly recommend) is currently doing a study on some of the figures in the lineage of Jesus. This is, of course, for Advent. Yesterday, I did a study of Boaz and today I looked at Boaz’s mother, Rahab. Two things came to light as I studied this which I wanted to share with you in the event that either, like me, this is overlooked, forgotten or you never knew it. 

Firstly: Rahab was Boaz’s mother. On a functional level, I knew this. Maybe at some point I even had a “huh” moment as I considered that. But it never really struck me exactly who Boaz happened to be. He is the son of Salmon and Boaz (Matthew 1:5). Now, it is possible that he is the grandson and this has been condensed in the lineage of Matthew, but either way, it says a lot about the refugee and non-Israelite we know of as Rahab the prostitute. Emphasis here, on her profession over her name for in Joshua 2 and 6, where she plays a key role, she is “the prostitute” 4 times. 

So, here is what we know. On the surface, Rahab appears to be shrewd and has a survivalist instinct. That makes sense. Even though it is the oldest profession, I imagine being a sex worker is one where you’ve always got to have at least one eye on how to get away. So when the advance scouts from Joshua’s army appeared at her home, she saw an opportunity.

Some way or another Rahab learned these two men were spies from Israel and in this moment she reveals wisdom and, perhaps, faith (Joshua 2:9-13). Now, even though my heart isn’t in it, I have always been a bit of a professional cynic and so I’ve always taken Rahab’s comments to be more worldly than faith based. She knew the Israelites were powerful and wanted to be on the right side of history. 

I also never thought much of Joshua 6:26 other than it was cool that when Joshua was written Rahab was still around and that everyone kept their promise. 

But there is more to the story than Rahab’s former life. Rahab met a man and married him. In doing so, she exchanged a life built on transient encounters for one ordered toward permanence. When she left Jericho, she did not simply leave behind familiar streets and walls; she left a lifestyle that required her to be unattached, adaptable, and unrooted.

This reflects a significant change in Rahab’s heart/mind. How she saw the world, herself, and those in it are different. That red chord truly was a lifeline for Rahab, a red road that led to a solid foundation of life. It led to motherhood and the birth of a son named Boaz. 

Boaz grew to be quite a successful man. If he was her son and not a grandson, then Rahab must have had a truly remarkable transformation. When we meet Boaz in the book of Ruth he is a “worthy man” (Ruth 2:1). He was wealthy. A landowner who could afford to hire workers. 

Boaz also demonstrates piety (Ruth 2:4) and a familiarity with the Torah. The practice of gleaning (Deut 24:19-22; Lev 19:9-10), which matters to God, was faithfully carried out by Boaz to the point where he encouraged them to not just follow the Law, but to exceed it (Ruth 2:15-16). Boaz is a man who understands the importance of the kinsman redeemer (Lev 25:25; 48-49) along with making sure the family name continues (Deut 25:5-10). 

So we go from Rahab the Prostitute to Boaz the Prosperous and Faithful. 

This makes me think that perhaps I was wrong about Rahab. Maybe there is more to her than self-preservation but what she said to the spies on the roof was a statement of faith. She feared the Lord and in that, was the beginning of wisdom that served her and her son well in life. Which of course is what it says about her in Hebrews 11:31. 

Because, while I don’t want to undermine Salmon, there is something to say for Rahab’s actions. She believes what she says about the unstoppability of the God of Israel. She’s willing to fully align herself with Israel before a drop of blood has been spilt in the battle of Jericho. She’s willing to leave her home behind to be with Israel. Boaz had to learn what it means to truly live your life with a firm confidence in God from someone. He had to learn how to be an effective business owner (farmer) from someone. Why not Rahab? 

And in Rahab’s unreported life, whatever happened after she met Salmon and made a life in Israel, we are reminded of something else. Something remarkable really. That the God of Israel is so welcoming, and knowing him is so transformational, that anyone can become part of the family of God. 

It is so easy to lose sight of the grace of God. How we all need it. How none of us deserves it. And how life changing God’s grace truly can be. We all have a red chord through Jesus’ blood, a way of escape where we can leave our former life behind–no matter what that life looked like, and start completely over. A new identity. A new sense of self-worth. A new community where we can raise children who are even better than we could hope to be. 

So we go from Rahab to Boaz, and the arc of the story points us beyond them both to the cross. Just as Rahab’s scarlet cord marked her house so that the destroyer would pass over it, so the blood of Jesus marks those who trust in him, not by their works, but by his sacrifice. And because of that blood we can leave our old lives behind, step into a new identity, and raise up future generations not by our strength but by the grace of God.