Rahab confessed that the LORD had given Israel the land, that fear of Israel had fallen on Jericho, and that the LORD alone is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath.
She said Jericho's inhabitants fainted and their hearts melted because of Israel, after they heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea and destroyed the two Amorite kings. Les Feldick emphasizes that this 'little bit of faith' was sufficient and God recognized it.
Joshua 2:9-11 — This is Rahab's own confession to the spies, giving the exact words that answer the question.
When the Israelite spies came to Jericho, Rahab told them, "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." She explained that the city had heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea for Israel and what Israel did to the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og. "And as soon as we had heard these things," she said, "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."
Les Feldick points out that Rahab was a prostitute living on the wall of Jericho, yet God's grace placed her in the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1 — one of only four women, all of whom were immoral. He stresses that the point is 'the grace of God,' not license. He also shows that her 'little bit of faith was sufficient' and that God recognized that faith. In his study of Joshua, Les recalls that Rahab rehearsed what Jericho had heard — how God dried up the Red Sea forty years earlier and brought Israel out of Egypt — so that when the Amorite kings heard how the Jordan had been stopped, their hearts melted with fear of God.
Rahab said, "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." She also said, "For the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." This was her direct confession of faith.
Les Feldick teaches that Rahab's 'little bit of faith was sufficient' and that God recognized that faith. He connects it to what the people of Jericho had heard — the Red Sea miracle and Israel's deliverance from Egypt — and notes that such news made hearts melt. Her confession that the LORD is God was enough for God to act in grace.
Les points out that Rahab is one of four women in Matthew 1's genealogy of Christ, and all four were immoral women. He says their presence is not about license but about the grace of God — God saved Rahab and brought her into the Messiah's line.
Rahab's Identity and God's Grace
Les identifies Rahab as a prostitute living on the wall of Jericho and explains that her place in Christ's genealogy demonstrates God's grace, not license.
Sufficient Faith
Les says Rahab's 'little bit of faith' was sufficient and that God recognized it, just before noting her place in the Messiah's genealogy.
What Jericho Had Heard
Les shows that Rahab rehearsed how Jericho had heard about God drying up the Red Sea and delivering Israel from Egypt, so the people's hearts melted with fear.
Who is Melchizedek? Understanding the "Most High God" & His Names
Then as you move into Israel's history, or as she's coming up through history, she's just recently come out of Egypt under Moses, many years after this now. And the first thing God promises Israel, that if they will be obedient, He will be their healing. Now, you'll find that then as Jehovah Rapha, R-A-P-H-A, who would be their healer, predominantly, of course, in the area of the physical.
The Boundaries of the Promised Land: What Does the Bible Say?
And again, we'll just skim the first six verses, because all we're trying to establish is that God has promised a nation of people coming out of Abraham who would be congregated within a geographical area, a land that will be promised to them. Joshua, chapter 1, and he goes on in verse 2 that Moses is now dead. "...Therefore go over this Jordan," they're coming in from the east, "...
The Hidden Meaning of "Pitch" in Noah's Ark | Genesis 6 Bible Study
Cain, disobedient, destitute of faith, said, I'll take something else. But see, all the way through Scripture we have these examples, and chapter 11 covers most of them, we have these examples of God telling someone something, and that person believes it, and God counts that believing for that man's righteousness. Now this flies in the face of a lot of people's thinking, I know it does.
The True Meaning of Israel as a "Peculiar People"
You haven't given me any guarantees other than His Word, and we've got to give Abram credit. He was a man of faith. But even a man of faith still says what? Show me some proof, see? All right, "...whereby shall I know that I'll inherit it." Well, we haven't got time to go into all of this. Got one minute left, and we come down through these verses that I call the signing of Israel's deed.
What Happens When Christians Stand Before Jesus? 1 Corinthians 3 Explained
He was a believer when he left Ur of the Chaldees, years and years previous to this. But now God's promising him a territory of land. All right, now look at it. Verse 8, well read verse 7. And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of the Ur of the Chaldees. In other words, I'm the one who saved you. I'm the one who declared you a righteous man.
Joshua 2:9: 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.
Rahab's first-person confession that Israel's conquest was God's doing.
Joshua 2:10: 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.
The foundation of Jericho's fear: the LORD's miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt and defeat of the Amorite kings.
Joshua 2:11: 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.
Rahab's central confession that the LORD is the true God of heaven and earth.
Yes. Les Feldick describes her as a prostitute living on the wall of Jericho in Joshua 2:1. He then uses her inclusion in Christ's genealogy to show that God's grace, not human morality, is what saves.
Yes. She confessed that the LORD had given Israel the land and that the LORD your God is God in heaven above and in earth beneath. Les says this little bit of faith was sufficient.
Les teaches that God recognized Rahab's 'little bit of faith.' Her confession of who God was — the God who dried up the Red Sea and gave Israel the land — was enough for God to include her in His purposes.
Watch the Teaching: Rahab's Shocking Faith — How a Harlot Ended Up in Jesus' Genealogy