WOMEN OF FAITH AND WORKS.
Two particular women fascinates me in the Bible, Rahab and Ruth. Both of these women are foreigners, not from the daughters of Israel.
What amazes me in Rahab is that how she talk to two spies sent by Israelites to spy the city of Jericho.
Joshua 2.8-11
8."Now, before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,
9.and said to the men, "I know that the Lord has given you the land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitance of the land have melted away before you.
10.We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. (8-10. KSB)
11.As soon as we heard it our hearts melted and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The Lord your GOD is indeed GOD in Heaven and on Earth below."
Verse 9. She actually know that the Lord gave to Israelites the land of Canaan! How she knows that? The town of Jericho was quite a distance from Egypt and the Read Sea.
Destruction of Egyptian army happened about 40 years ago, and defeat of two kings of Bashan and Gilead was very recent event, so she certainly now about it. But she know and remember of the crossing of the Red Sea by Israelites, event which happen most likely before she even was born. So Rahab being a smart woman summarized all these events and figure it out that the land of Canaan surely will be possessed by unstoppable Israelites.
OK, but how she knows about GOD of Israel? Israelites themselves practically knew nothing about their own GOD at this time. How she knew that defeat of Egyptians and two kings of Bashan and Gilead was done not by Israelites alone but by their GOD, and this is actually their GOD Who giving the land of Canaan to them?
In verse 10 she mentioned that the Lord of Israel dried up the waters of the Red Sea in order for Israelites to cross the water. She also know that Israelites came from Egypt. Surely that such great deeds of GOD did not passed unnoticed. If we add to it also when Moses and Aaron performed their miracles before the pharaoh, the news of their miracles perhaps also spread very quickly around entire Middle East, and Rahab probably also heard about and those great deeds of Moses and Aaron.
Knowing all of these Rahab came to a conclusion that such great deeds could be done only by GOD, and not by any god, but by the GOD Who favors Israelites.
And she said that the GOD of Israel indeed the GOD in heaven and on Earth. She seems was a very wise woman with good understanding of times and events, and no wonder that by her wisdom and by her ACTION she spared not only her own life and her own family, but also became one of the patriarchs in the genealogy of Christ!
Ruth the Moabite also was very wise woman, and had heart of gold, compassioned, dedicated, loyal, and honest. Ruth had very rare set qualities which is very hard to find among human beings. She stayed with Naomi and did not leave her. Naomi most likely was not a young woman, she had two adult sons but they both died childless. Widows at that time suffered more than any body else, and mostly depended on handouts, donations, and charitable people, otherwise they would starve to death.
But with Ruth near by she had a good chance of survival. Ruth was young and healthy and she could provided for both of them. Ruth immediately went to work when they both return to Israel and supported herself and Naomi.
It is hard to find even today, among most close people and relatives, such care that Ruth provided for her mother-in-law. Indeed, GOOD DEEDS of Ruth toward Naomi did not pass unnoticed by people and by GOD Himself. For her care and dedication to a fellow human being she also was greatly rewarded by GOD, and she also came into genealogy of Jesus Christ as one of the patriarchs of Israel.
Two particular women fascinates me in the Bible, Rahab and Ruth. Both of these women are foreigners, not from the daughters of Israel.
What amazes me in Rahab is that how she talk to two spies sent by Israelites to spy the city of Jericho.
Joshua 2.8-11
8."Now, before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,
9.and said to the men, "I know that the Lord has given you the land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitance of the land have melted away before you.
10.We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. (8-10. KSB)
11.As soon as we heard it our hearts melted and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The Lord your GOD is indeed GOD in Heaven and on Earth below."
Verse 9. She actually know that the Lord gave to Israelites the land of Canaan! How she knows that? The town of Jericho was quite a distance from Egypt and the Read Sea.
Destruction of Egyptian army happened about 40 years ago, and defeat of two kings of Bashan and Gilead was very recent event, so she certainly now about it. But she know and remember of the crossing of the Red Sea by Israelites, event which happen most likely before she even was born. So Rahab being a smart woman summarized all these events and figure it out that the land of Canaan surely will be possessed by unstoppable Israelites.
OK, but how she knows about GOD of Israel? Israelites themselves practically knew nothing about their own GOD at this time. How she knew that defeat of Egyptians and two kings of Bashan and Gilead was done not by Israelites alone but by their GOD, and this is actually their GOD Who giving the land of Canaan to them?
In verse 10 she mentioned that the Lord of Israel dried up the waters of the Red Sea in order for Israelites to cross the water. She also know that Israelites came from Egypt. Surely that such great deeds of GOD did not passed unnoticed. If we add to it also when Moses and Aaron performed their miracles before the pharaoh, the news of their miracles perhaps also spread very quickly around entire Middle East, and Rahab probably also heard about and those great deeds of Moses and Aaron.
Knowing all of these Rahab came to a conclusion that such great deeds could be done only by GOD, and not by any god, but by the GOD Who favors Israelites.
And she said that the GOD of Israel indeed the GOD in heaven and on Earth. She seems was a very wise woman with good understanding of times and events, and no wonder that by her wisdom and by her ACTION she spared not only her own life and her own family, but also became one of the patriarchs in the genealogy of Christ!
Ruth the Moabite also was very wise woman, and had heart of gold, compassioned, dedicated, loyal, and honest. Ruth had very rare set qualities which is very hard to find among human beings. She stayed with Naomi and did not leave her. Naomi most likely was not a young woman, she had two adult sons but they both died childless. Widows at that time suffered more than any body else, and mostly depended on handouts, donations, and charitable people, otherwise they would starve to death.
But with Ruth near by she had a good chance of survival. Ruth was young and healthy and she could provided for both of them. Ruth immediately went to work when they both return to Israel and supported herself and Naomi.
It is hard to find even today, among most close people and relatives, such care that Ruth provided for her mother-in-law. Indeed, GOOD DEEDS of Ruth toward Naomi did not pass unnoticed by people and by GOD Himself. For her care and dedication to a fellow human being she also was greatly rewarded by GOD, and she also came into genealogy of Jesus Christ as one of the patriarchs of Israel.
