Our final thought experiment this week is no thought experiment at all – it is the true story of Rahab, from the Book of Joshua. After God had promised the Israelites the land of Jericho, Joshua sent spies to check it out:
“And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. 2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.”
Proverbs 12:22 says that “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord”; but Hebrews 11:31 also says, “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”
Was Rahab right to lie in order to protect the spies? And what would you have done if the king had asked you to bring them out?
Now, for the Friday Funnies:
Two little boys were at sitting together during a wedding ceremony.
As the couple said “I do”, one of the little boys leaned over to the other and asked, “I wonder how many wives can a man have?”
The second little boy looked at his friend like he was a fool and said, “He can have 16 wives.”
“How do you know that?” The first little boy asked.
“Weren’t you listening? The priest just said it. Four better, four worse, four richer, and four poorer.”
Have a wonderful day.
