The Two Spies

Risky Business

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

The mission was risky, maybe even deadly. The commander of the Israelite army, Joshua, had asked the two men to enter the nearly impregnable city of Jericho. Some would’ve called it a suicide mission.

Perhaps Joshua encouraged the men by repeating what God had told him, “I will give you every place where you set your foot. … No one will be able to stand up against you. … I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:3, 5).

Still, apprehension must have beat loudly in their hearts as they crept through the darkness and scaled the city wall. 800-Joshua-02-Rahab-SpiesLater, when they lay under the flax sheaves on Rahab’s roof, did they doubt God’s promise? Did they wonder if they’d ever see their families again?

But God was faithful. He protected them. Because of Rahab’s bravery, the two spies’ lives were spared. Her faith in the God of Israel strengthened their confidence too (Joshua 2:8-11). In return, they vowed to treat her “kindly and faithfully” when the Lord gave Israel the land (v. 14).

God then used the spies’ experience to encourage Joshua and the army. When the two men returned to the Israelites’ camp in Shittim, they told their commander, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us” (2:24). Think of the impact their testimony had on the Israelites as they prepared for the battles that lay ahead.

Consider also the eternal significance of the two unnamed spies’ task. The Jericho victory led to the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham—a land for the nation of Israel (Joshua 21:43-45). The rescue of Rahab and her family led to the fulfillment of God’s promise to the whole world—she was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, even though she was not Jewish (Matthew 1:1-5).

We have no idea what will result from the completion of the tasks God has assigned us. Our role in God’s eternal plan may be large, or it may be small. But it’s always uniquely significant. Will we step out in faith as the two spies did? (350)

DIG DEEPER:

Read Joshua 23:1-11. The Israelites didn’t just need courage to fight military battles. Why did Joshua tell them to be courageous in this passage? (Note: some versions use “strong” rather than “courageous” in verse 6.)

Read 1 Samuel 14:1-23. Jonathan, son of King Saul, also undertook a dangerous mission. How did his actions encourage others? What gave him the courage he needed?

Do you consider your life insignificant? Read Romans 1:5-6, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, and 1 Peter 2:9-11. What do these passages tell us about the significance of our calling as God’s ambassadors?

For another perspective on the events recorded in Joshua 2, read the devotion titled Rahab.

Denise K. Loock

This devotion is part of a series, Unnamed Heroes.

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