Rahab: the challenge for internationals and the rest of us

A while back at OCF we did a study of the story of Rahab. It was actually very interesting, and at the same time, very dificult. I think that of the studies that we have done this semester, it must have been the hardest. There were a couple of things that i thought really came out and made me think though.

1. Loyalty.

I found it interesting that one of the biggest struggles with a number of people seemed to be the issue of Rahab betraying her country. I guess this may stem somewhat from my third-culture-ness, and also from my more western perspective as well. I don't have quite the same patriotism that i see in many of my friends. I will have to say that this is especially true of Chinese, who have a very strong sense of patriotism, but also of most asian countries. It is something that i had never thought much of and so found any difficulty with before, Rahab being willing to betray her country to follow God. Because that is what she did. She decided that God was to be feared and followed above all other things, even her country. She realized that it was to God that demanded her first allegiance, even above her country, even to the point of betraying her country. Yes, and it was this action that resulted in her being called righteous for what she did concerning the two spies. And today, the same truth applies. God comes before any other allegiance, even to the point of betraying that allegiance, if it means following God. I am reminded also of the story of Ruth. Her story is of less obvious betrayal because in it noone is killed by her betrayal. But yet her actions are the same. She decides to forsake her home, her country, her religion, her family, for the sake of Naomi and her God. In the new testament it only gets more difficult as we hear from the lips of Jesus in Matthew 10 where he points ou that he has "come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a mans enemies will be the members of his own household.' Anyone who loves his father or mother more then me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me." ...anyone who loves his wife or husband, boyfriend or girlfriend, dog or cat, more then me is not worthy of Him. I see great patriotism in my asian friends, and i really respect that, i also see a massive sense of family obligation and closeness, and that too i respect. And yet, sometimes it tears my heart. For often it is also this that comes in the way of their following God wholeheartedly. God is God, and man is not. Your mother is not God, your father is not God. Your father and your mother have less right ot your obediance then your creator, then God. Less right to your love, your time, your finances, your respect, your life.
How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. - Mark 10.23

2. Justice.

In the city of Jericho, there were many people. Many old, and many young. A wide spectrum of people, many of whom were terrified of God. Some of whom may have feared God. Some were tiny innocent babes, some were hardened murderers. And yet, at God's command, and with God's help and sanction, the Jews killed "devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed withe the sword every living thing in it - men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys." Joshua 6.21 Wow.
Why? This is a difficult question. And the answers are hard and difficult to accept. I don't know the complete answer, but will put forward some thoughts.

Psalms 24.1 "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

Ecclesiastes 7.20 "there is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins."
Psalms 51.5 "surely i was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."
Luke 13.4 "or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty then all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Luke 12.4,5 "i tell you friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after taht can do no more. But i will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, i tell you, fear Him."

Genesis 9:2 "And for your lifeblood i will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, i will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man."

Matthew 12.36,37 "but i tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquited, and by your words you will be condemned."

We have such a view of death. Such a high view. Why? Is it because we have such a low view of what comes after? Death is a tragic thing. It is a horrific thing, but it is not the end. We should uphold and strive to protect life, because it is a gift of God, not because it is all there is. When God withdraws His gift, that is not judgment. No, that comes after. For there is a day when each man and woman, animal and creature will stand before the Lord and will give an accounting of what they have done. The earth is the Lords and everything in it, to do with as He pleases, but He is a Loving God and cares for all that He has created. God causes the good and the bad in the world and that too we must accept. Gods ways are higher then our ways, His plans loftier then ours, His vision stretches from the begining of time to the end. One view is that what is one mans death when it can save thousand? For by these actions has God's salvation come about, and so many have been saved. But no, that is not it at all. God acts for His glory.

So how do we accept this? First we must accept that God is God, that He does have the right to do with as He wills, what He does is right (and to be able to do this, we must know God, as He is, in all His fullness of glory, majesty, holiness, love, and righteousness). We must also accept that we are held accountable for our actions and also that our actions are not individual, but community based. (just think, the great atrocities that have been perpetrated on this world, they are not just someone doing something wrong, but someone not doing something right, if the right do not stand for what is right, they are condoning what is wrong). And finally that death is not the everything.