"CONNECTIONS"
Answers to questions:
Rahab, the harlot, lied; didn’t she?
The short answer is yes, Rahab outright lied; but the other question that arises here is; is lying ever justified? Rahab not only lied; she also transgressed another of God’s laws, she disobeyed authority. The king had “sent unto” Rahab inquiring about the spies and she denied knowing where they were thereby, risking her own life. There are two explanations that can be posed in this case:
1. Rahab was not a child of God until after this experience. When the spies came she remembered, probably some forty years earlier, the events of Israel entering the land.
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Joshua 2:8-11
2. Believers should certainly obey the authorities and those who have rule over them. Lying is one of the ways we subvert authority. A Christian should be the most law-abiding citizen in the land. But when the laws of a state conflict with God’s revealed will, then the Christian has no choice but to obey the command of God. The attitude of the believer is to obey the Word of God rather than the word of man.
But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Acts 4:19-20
Back to Questions