Save My Family - Joshua 2:13

In the book of Joshua, we learned how Rahab the harlot hid two men who were spies from Israel, and she told them, “as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have showed you kindness, that you will also show kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token”, and in chapter two and verse thirteen of the book of Joshua, the writer or Joshua shared how the woman said to the two men, “save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters” where we read,

And that you 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.

The verse reads, “And that you will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters,…” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and that you will save alive” which means “and that you, the two men and the people of Israel, will preserve and allow to continue living” “my father” or “my, Rahab’s, immediate male progenitor and ancestor”, “and my mother” which means “and my, Rahab’s, immediate female progenitor and ancestor”, “and my brethren” or “and my, Rahab’s, male siblings”, “and my sisters” which means “and my, Rahab’s, female siblings”. Joshua or the writer shared how Rahab wanted the two men of Israel to promise to preserve her “father, mother, brothers and sisters”. 

 

The verse continues, “… and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” Joshua added the words, “and all that they have” or “and each, the whole and everything that they, Rahab’s family, owns and possesses”, “and deliver our lives” which means “and rescue and save our, Rahab and her family’s, active living and breathing” “from death” or “separate and apart from the non-breathing, dying and inanimate”. Joshua or the writer shared how Rahab wanted the two men to save all the possessions of her family as well. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover how Rahab not only desired to save herself from the conquering power of the people of Israel, but she wanted her family and their belongings to be saved as well. This is a great example of our eternal salvation. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when He raised Him from the dead after three days, He made the way through faith and trust in Him as “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit who will teach us not only to value our own salvation, but also give us a desire to have all those within our families to be saved. (See John 16:13; Acts 1:8 and 16:31)

Next time the writer or Joshua shares how, “the men answered her, Our life for yours, if you utter not this our business”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".