Joshua sent two spies to Jericho as the Children of Israel were preparing to cross over the river Jordan and enter to the Promise Land. When they entered into the city of Jericho they went to the house of Rahab which was in the wall that surrounded the city. We know that it was on the top of the wall because she hid the spies under flax that she had drying on the roof of her house. Her house was close to the gate in which travelers went in and out. It was a place of business, according to the Jewish historian Josephus it was an inn. What all took place in the inn we are not told but in the book of Hebrews Rahab is called a prostitute.
People would go there to get information as to what is going on in the city. There would be food, drink and there is the reason that Rahab was known as a prostitute. Now she was not connected to any of the temples, this is obvious in that the king sent messengers to her house looking for her and the men. This was Rahab's means of support for her family. She was concerned about her family and made the spies promise that they would be safe when the Hebrews would attack. Family was very important to her. Maybe, because that is all that she had.
Rahab was not really a part of the community. She lived on the wall, the very edge of the town. As a prositute she was shunned by the women and used by the men. Her social status was equal to that of a sorcerer or demon possessed person. She was exposed to abuse and disease.
She probably had a list of emotional hurts a mile long. Let's just name some of them:
1. Bitterness at what life had dealt her.
2. Feeling unworthy.
3. Feeling unloved.
4. Feeling like trash.
5. Feeling rejected.
6. Anger
7. Unable to trust others people.
8. Feeling used
9. Feeling dirty.
10. Friendless
11. Feeling like everyone is talking about her behind her back.
12. The center of jokes.
13. Not good enough
The list can go on. Each one of the hurts adding to the other, intensifying as the day goes by. As an outcast you can't get much further out of the center of town than the wall surrounding it. How she longed for a second chance at life.
People would go there to get information as to what is going on in the city. There would be food, drink and there is the reason that Rahab was known as a prostitute. Now she was not connected to any of the temples, this is obvious in that the king sent messengers to her house looking for her and the men. This was Rahab's means of support for her family. She was concerned about her family and made the spies promise that they would be safe when the Hebrews would attack. Family was very important to her. Maybe, because that is all that she had.
Rahab was not really a part of the community. She lived on the wall, the very edge of the town. As a prositute she was shunned by the women and used by the men. Her social status was equal to that of a sorcerer or demon possessed person. She was exposed to abuse and disease.
She probably had a list of emotional hurts a mile long. Let's just name some of them:
1. Bitterness at what life had dealt her.
2. Feeling unworthy.
3. Feeling unloved.
4. Feeling like trash.
5. Feeling rejected.
6. Anger
7. Unable to trust others people.
8. Feeling used
9. Feeling dirty.
10. Friendless
11. Feeling like everyone is talking about her behind her back.
12. The center of jokes.
13. Not good enough
The list can go on. Each one of the hurts adding to the other, intensifying as the day goes by. As an outcast you can't get much further out of the center of town than the wall surrounding it. How she longed for a second chance at life.