Not by Sight! But By Faith!

Not by Sight! But By Faith!

Joshua 2

Joshua chose 2  men as spies and sent them saying: "Go across the river and find out as much as you can about the whole region, especially about the town of Jericho." The spies went to Jericho, where they decided to spend the night at the house of a prostitute named Rahab. But someone found out about them and told the king of Jericho. So the king sent soldiers to Rahab's house to arrest the spies. Meanwhile, Rahab had hidden them under some piles of fry flax in her roof. The soldiers came and asked her, "Let us have the men who are staying at your house. They are spies." She answered, "Some men did come to my house, but I didn't know where they had come from. They left about sunset, if you hurry, maybe you can catch them." Then the soldiers headed toward the Jordan River to look for the spies. Rahab went back up to her roof and told the spies: I know that the LORD has given Israel this land. Everyone shakes with fear because of you. We heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea so you could leave Egypt. We know that the LORD your God rules heaven and earth, and we've lost our courage and our will to fight. Please promise me in the LORD's name that you will be as kind to my whole family as I have been to you.

The spies answered, "if you keep quiet about what we're doing, we promise to be kind to you when the LORD gives us this land. We pray that the LORD will kill us if we don't keep our promise!" Rahab's house was built into the town wall, and one of the windows in her house faced outside the wall. She gave the spies a rope, showed them the window, and said, "Use this rope to let yourselves down to the ground outside the wall. Then hide in the hills. The men who are looking for you won't be able to find you there. They'll give up and come back after a few days, and you can be on your way." The spies said: You made us promise to let you and your family live. We will keep our promise. You must tie this red rope on your window when we attack, and everyone in your family must be here with you. We'll take the blame if anyone who stays in this house gets hurt. But anyone who leaves your house will be killed, and it won't be our fault. "I'll do exactly what you said," Rahab promised. Then she sent them on their way and tied the red rope to the window. The spies reported to Joshua and told him everything that had happened. "We're sure the LORD has given us the whole country," they said. "The people there shake with fear every time they think of us."

Lesson to be Learnt:

            Rahab had just heard about God’s works for the people of Israel, yet she believed God. So she hid the spies. This is called faith. Not by sight but by faith we believe in God.

The Lord honors such faith. She was not an Israelite whom the Lord saved from Egypt. Since she believed she was saved. The same way dear brother, dear sister, you might also be living in a life which has war and no peace like Rahab. You might not be a believer in Christ. But just by hearing this message, when you turn towards Jesus with faith to save you from your sin that makes you peace less. The Lord will honor your faith and save you. For the name of Jesus means “He saves us from our sins” . So Wherever you are say a little prayer asking God to save you from your sin and give you a peaceful life.

John 20:29

(MKJV)  Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen Me you have believed. Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed.

(Tamil OV)  அதற்கு இயேசு: தோமாவே, நீ என்னைக் கண்டதினாலே விசுவாசித்தாய், காணாதிருந்தும் விசுவாசிக்கிறவர்கள் பாக்கியவான்கள் என்றார்.

(Telugu)  యేసు - నీవు నన్ను చూచి నమ్మితివి, చూడక నమ్మినవారు ధన్యులని అతనితో చెప్పెను.

(Kan) ಯೇಸು ಅವನಿಗೆ--ತೋಮನೇ, ನೀನು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ನಂಬಿದ್ದೀ; ನೋಡದೆ ನಂಬಿದವರು ಧನ್ಯರು ಅಂದನು.

(Hindi) यीशु ने उस से कहा, तू ने तो मुझे देखकर विश्वास किया है, धन्य हैं वे जिन्‍होंने बिना देखे विश्वास किया।।

(Mal) യേശു അവനോടുനീ എന്നെ കണ്ടതുകൊണ്ടു വിശ്വസിച്ചു; കാണാതെ വിശ്വസിച്ചവര്‍ ഭാഗ്യവാന്മാര്‍ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു.