Sunday Morning Bible Study: 2/7/2010

Joshua Ch. 2: Espionage, Prostitute, & Promises

I. Observation
A. Who are the main people in this passage? What do we know/learn about them?
1. Joshua: ________________________________________________________________
2. Rahab: ________________________________________________________________
3. The Spies: ______________________________________________________________
B. When does this passage take place?
~ About a week before the Israelites cross the Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 2:22, 3:2)
C. Where do these events occur? What places are mentioned and what do we know about them?
1. Shittim: a city near the Israelite encampment on the east side of the Jordan from where
Joshua sent the spies into Canaan to scout Jericho.
2. Jericho: about 5 miles west of the Jordan, it was the most important city in the Jordan
valley & the strongest fortress in all the land of Canaan (Easton’s Bible Dictionary)
D. What are the main events of this passage?
1. Joshua sends spies over to scout the land, especially Jericho (2:1)
2. While scouting, the spies seek refuge in the home of Rahab the prostitute (2:1)
3. Rahab hides/protects the spies from the king’s men (2:2-7)
4. Rahab reports on the hearts of the people and makes an oath with the spies (2:8-21)
5. The spies depart, hide in the hills for 3 days, and return to Joshua with report (2:22-24)
E. Observational Questions
1. What does Rahab tell the spies about the people of Jericho and surrounding areas?
________________________________________________________________________
2. What appears to be the basis of this fear? ____________________________________
3. What were the conditions of the agreement between Rahab and the spies?
________________________________________________________________________
4. What did the spies report to Joshua? __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
II. Interpretation
1. What do Rahab’s words to the spies tell us about her? ________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do you think the spies so quickly agreed to the agreement she offered them?
________________________________________________________________________
3. Why do you think Rahab hid the spies? Was it just to save herself and her family or was
there more to it? (Heb 11) ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. What aspects of God’s character do we see here? ________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Is there a connection with Christ in this passage? If so, where/how?
________________________________________________________________________
III. Application
 Faith in God’s providence does not necessarily negate prudent planning. Joshua believed
that God would hand the people of Canaan over to them, including Jericho, but he still exercised
wisdom in sending scouts to collect information in planning their next move.
 God’s activity in the world ultimately points people toward faith in Him. Rahab, had heard
what God had done through the Israelites. Where this news drove most to fear, it pointed Rahab
toward faith: “for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” (v.11)
 Faith and grace go hand in hand. Rahab’s faith is rewarded with God’s grace, administered
through the spies. Rahab was a Canaanite and had already been condemned to destruction by
God’s decree, yet she was spared and went on to become part of the ancestry of Christ (Matt 1:5)
MYA 2.0, a ministry of Metropolitan Baptist Church, OKC, OK (www.mbcokc.org)