The Men Went Out - Joshua 2:5

In the book of Joshua, the author or Joshua wrote, “Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in here to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to you, which are entered into your house: for they be come to search out all the country. And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, there came men unto me, but I did not know where they were”, and in chapter two and verse five of the book of Joshua, the writer or Joshua shared Rahab told the king’s men, “the men went out” where we read,

And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: where the men went I do not know: pursue after them quickly; for you shall overtake them.

The verse reads, “And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out:” Joshua began with the words, “and it came to pass” which means “and it happened and occurred” “about the time of shutting of the gate” or “around the moment for the closing of the door or port to the city”, “when it was dark” which means “at the time and moment it was obscure and toward night”, “that the men went out” or “that the male human beings left and departed”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Rahab” told the king’s officers the “two men” departed through the portals of the city as it was getting to be nighttime. 

 

The verse goes on to say, “where the men went I do not know: pursue after them quickly; for you shall overtake them.” Joshua continued with the words, “where the men went” or “to what location or place the men exited and departed” “I do not know” which means “I, Rahab, am unaware and without knowledge”: “pursue after them quickly” or “follow, chase and run after them, the two men, in a swift and hurried fashion”; “for you shall overtake them” which means “because, since and on account that you, the royal ruler’s men, will reach and take hold of them, the two men”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Rahab” also told the “king’s men” that she was unaware of the “two men’s” destination, and she encouraged them to chase after them in a hurried fashion because they would reach and take hold of them. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Joshua or the writer how “Rahab” continued to mislead the men dispatched to her by the royal ruler. Although “Rahab” continued to deceive the king’s men, she was being used by God to preserve these men. God has a plan, and He is going to work it out. It is interesting to consider that “Rahab” was not a Hebrew and would have been considered to be a pagan Gentile. God wants everyone to be saved,  Jew and Gentile (See Romans 1:16; 2:10), and whosoever believes and trusts in His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit to be guided into the truth and be used like these “two men and Rahab” in His Kingdom to fulfill His purposes and will. 

Next time the writer or Joshua says, “she had brought them up to the roof of the house”, 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".