Another Overlooked Miracle
I love it when God shows me something in His Word that I never noticed before. As I was preparing for my weekly Sunday School lesson, I was struck by a question I never even knew to ask. It’s been right there in front of me for so long, but I never saw it. Are you intrigued? Me too!
“And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”
We’re all familiar with the story of Rahab and the two spies, right? Joshua sent the two spies in to check out the land of Jericho, and Rahab the harlot hid them and protected them from the enemy. In return, when the Israelites destroyed Jericho, Rahab and her family were saved. It’s an awesome story, but come to find out, it’s even more miraculous than I realized.
In chapter three of Joshua, we see how the children of Israel cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land. The waters of the Jordan stop flowing the moment the priests bearing the ark of the covenant step into the water, and all of Israel crosses on dry ground. The account is miraculous in and of itself, but if you notice, verse 15 tells us that the Jordan overflows its banks at the time of harvest, which is when the Israelites were crossing. Here’s a video of the modern-day Jordan overflowing its banks:
[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quDZ298uF4E&w=854&h=480]
After seeing that, I’m blown away by the fact the priests had the courage and fortitude to step into that water. That’s guts! But when they did, the water stopped and dried up immediately so the people walked across on dry ground, just like the generation before them had done with the Red Sea.
But here’s my question: how did the two spies get across the Jordan River in chapter two of Joshua? The Israelite army was camped on the opposite side of the river from Jericho. The spies had to cross over somewhere and somehow. But the Bible doesn’t tell us. It doesn’t even mention it like it’s no big deal, but from where I’m sitting, it’s a huge deal! It’s a miracle! Did the water stop flowing for them as well? Were they able to cross on dry land? Did they have to swim? My mind is bursting with questions, not the least of which is this: Why doesn’t the Bible tell us about it?
If I were God and the author of the Bible, I think I would expound on every miracle. I would spare no words in describing my power and abilities. I would make sure everyone knew exactly what I could do and there was nothing beyond my ability to perform. But God doesn’t do that. In His mind and from His point of view, this miraculous river crossing was nothing more exciting than a typical Monday. Why? Because it was no big deal for Him. It didn’t cost Him time or energy. He willed it, and it happened. Was it impressive? To us, absolutely. To Him, not so much.
But notice what was important to Him. Though chapter two overlooks the great miracle of the two spies crossing the Jordan River and somehow working their way into Jericho unnoticed, it tells us a lot about the woman named Rahab. We discover she is a harlot and a liar, but more importantly, she has faith and a hope. Hope of a better life. Hope of a brighter tomorrow. Hope of being a different person. Hope in Someone who could make all of that happen. Rahab had heard the tales of the Lord of Israel, and she was intrigued. So much so she risked her life and committed treason to save God’s chosen people.
Though they didn’t know it at the time, those two spies weren’t at Jericho to gather military intelligence. They were there for Rahab and her family. The God who was so mighty as to not be affected by a miraculous feat was also compassionate enough to care about the souls of men. And He had a plan for Rahab—a plan to meet those hopes and expectations she had, for she would be in the family line of Jesus, the Son of God. Not a bad fate for a lying harlot, huh?
Perhaps I understand now why the Bible doesn’t specify how the spies crossed the Jordan. Maybe God didn’t want us to be so sidetracked by the “showy” miracle that we overlooked the miracle taking place within the home and heart of Rahab. Or perhaps it was simply a reminder of how almighty the Lord truly is. What we see as a miracle is like nothing more than taking a breath to God. That’s just how awesome He is!