The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 348

had not been blessed with po.rental instrnctions and home influences inclinin,,. her hen.rt to faith in the true o.nd holy God; but the reverse. She was the dauahtcr uf heathen parents, instructed in a loathsome and degrading idolatry, and belonged to ,~ people whose "abominations and iniquities had become full, so that the land spned ouc its inhabitants, and tho Lord could deal with them only in sheer destruction." Yet she believed sincerely and strongly in the living and true God. 2. Rahab was a lcnown harlot. Whether she was such at the time she received the spies we know not, probably she was not; but if not then, she had been formerly, and was still known br the disgraceful title of "Rahab the harlot." But, as Bishop Hervey remarks, "it is very possible that to a woman of her country and religion such a calling may bavr; implied a far less deviation from the standard of morality than it does with us; ancl, moreover, with a purer faith she seems to have entered upon a pure life." 1 \Ve should not have expected true religious faith in such a woman, much less conspicuous faith; but such faith she exemplified. Learn that the outwardly moral and respectable mav be further from the kingdom of God than the openly disreputable. "A woman which was in the city, a sinner," was accepted by the blessed Saviour much more than the prosperous, respectable Pharisee, Simon (Luke vii. 36-50). Jesus said unto" the chief priests and the elders of the people, ... Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you," etc. (Matt. xxi. 23, 31, 32). II. FAITH CLEARLY EVINCED. Rahab manifested the reality of her faith: 1. In receiving the spies. She would not have shown courteous hospitality to any of the Israelites, who were dreaded and detested by her countrymen, but for her faith. "By faith Rabab received the spies with peace." 2. In concealing and delivering the imperilled spies at her own risk. (Josh. ii. 2-7, 15, 16, 22.) Grave objection bas been raised to the conduct of Rabab in telling a lie in order to conceal and protect the spies. We have no wish to apologize for falsehoo<l; but the objection is not a reusonable one. "Strict truth," says Bishop Hervey, "either in Jew or heathen, was a virtue so utterly unknown before the promulgation of the gospel, that, as far as Rahab is concerned, the discussion" of her conduct iu deceiving the King of J ericbo's messengers with a fabe tale is quite superfluous. The objection also overlooks a very precious trntb as to the relatious and dealings of God with man. "God demands not of the feeble at the beginning the great works of consummate faith; he beholds even in the imperfect act the faith which prompts it, if faith is actually operating in its performance." St. Ja mes inquires," Was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?" (Jas. ii. 25). 3. In entering into a solemn contract with the spies and carrying out the terms of that contract. Thn compact she agreed to was a thing of life or death to her; and she kept her part uf the compact, and exhibited even to the end steady confidence in the fidelity of the t,1·u spies to their engagement. Her actions proved the reality and strength of her faith. III. FAI'l'H RICHLY REWARDED. 1. In the preservation of herself and her kindred when her fellow-citizens were destroyed. (Josh. vi. 22, 23, 25.) "By faith Rahab thll harlot perished not with them that were disobedient." Her fellow-citizens had heanl. the reports of what God bad done for Israel, and of the remarkable victories which tba Israelites had achieved, but they believed not in the God of Israel. "They believed not that Israel's God was the true God, and that Israel was the peculiar people of God, though they had evidence sufficient of it." Or, as Alford expresses it, "The inbabitanfa of Jericho were disobedient to the will of God manifested by the signs and wonders which he had wro11ght for Israel; as is implied by Hahab's speech (Josh. ii. 9-12)." An<! they perished. But Rahab and her family were saved. 2. In the honourable d_istin_ctivn to which she attained. She is exhibited in this Epistle as an example of distmgu1shecl faith and by St. James (ii. 25) as an example of conduct consistent with her faith. And: far higher than these commendations, as the wife of Salmon and the mother of Boaz she been.me an ancestress of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our subject is full of encouragement for sinners to turn to God b_y faith in Jesus Christ. "Let the wicked forsake bi~ way, and the unri)d.1teow; man blS thoughts; aud let him return unto the Lord," etc. (Isa. lv. 6, 7).-W. J. Ver. 38,-The excellent of the earth. "Of whom the worlci :..as not worthy." The 1 Dr, Smith's 'Dible Diction11ry,' art. "Rtllll\ti.''  340 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [CH. XI. 1-40,