我的第一篇英文讲章The traitor prostitute who praise by the holiest and the highe

The Traitor Prostitute Who Was Praised By The Holiest And The Highest God
By: Esther Wendy 

In the world, the lowest occupation for all women is a prostitute. Since the age of Adam and Eve, no parents were ever proud of their daughter as a prostitute. No one praises a prostitute even in a society that looks down at poverty and loves the rich. So we know prostitute is rejected and not appreciated and not lovely to people who have a moral mind.

But when we read the bible, to our surprise, there was a prostitute that was appreciated and blessed by the holiest and the highest God. Do you want to know what happened?

Israelites were slaves to Egypt for four hundred years. When God's time had come, God called Moses to liberates the Israelites. After Moses was dead, God called Joshua to inherit Moses's career to lead the Israelites into the land flowing with milk and honey and to build their country.  Joshua answered.

After Joshua was called, the first city that the Israelites were going to fight was Jericho.

Jericho was a very big city at that time, so it was very hard for Israelites to take it over. Yes, even we are called by the almighty God, we still must do our part.

Joshua ordered two spies to go into Jericho to watch everything about the city. The two went and entered Jericho and stayed in the house of a prostitute named  Rahab.

 In Jericho, everyone was told: "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy.”  Of course, Rahab was included in this trouble.  What did Rahab do?

Rahab had deceived the government and had taken the two men and hid them.  Rahab chose to be treasonous and help Jericho's enemy.  She worked together with the two spies and help the Israelites overcome her own country. Rahab and her family was saved and protected when all people in the city were killed by Joshua's order.

Why was Rahab so brave to even dare to go against the world and betray her country and become a traitor to it? Let us listen to she said:  "Know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear you has fallen on us so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings east of the Jordan whom you destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family because I have shown kindness to you.  Give me a sure sign that you will spare my mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them”.

 This is a society with so many rumors and lies in the news.  What is the news with real value?  The news about God and His work!

Rahab heard the stories about how the LORD had dried up the water of the Red Sea and how the Lord had wiped out the two kings and anyone in the city Jericho. But only Rahab realized and believed that the LORD has given Jericho to the Israelites. In the same way, why should we resist? The smartest way for us is to obey God.

The bible tells us, "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient."  To our surprise: Prostitute Rahab had even become one of the ancestors of the human Lord Jesus. The genealogy tells us Salmon was the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab; Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth; Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.  Rahab's knowledge and insight about God had saved her and her family.

Maybe treason is one of the worst guilty crimes. Treason means you chose to be the enemy of your country and all your connections.  Perhaps there was another treason in the bible.  A man strongly tried to persuade his people to choose surrender to the enemy.  Everyone hates the traitor and maybe everyone wants to kill them if they could. Listen carefully: this man was great in God's eyes. The one who had no marriage and family, the one who was alone all his life: his name is Jeremiah.

All the people love their country. The country means that you have  family and friends and land. To love your own country is a natural emotion from God to help people feel secure. But as a born again Christian, let us do not forget we have another nation called the Kingdom of God. The  Lord Jesus has said, "My Kingdom is not in the earth". If today God were to order us against our own country to surrender to the enemy, it will be better for his plan for salvation. Are we willing to obey his words? Are we going to choose to be enemies of all the people or we choose to stand with God?  Do we love to be the people's enemy or God's enemy?

Choose your destiny! Are we living in this short life or living eternally?  Are we choosing to have life with glory and honor forever and ever?

The prostitute Rahab and Jeremiah painfully and with all their lives gave us a wise answer: surrender to God and to be God's servant. Their suffering was short but their glory and honor is forever and ever.

The Lord Jesus told us, small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Do we believe it? Blessed the one who believes.

Amen.