Thoughts on Joshua 2

So, as I am preparing for Sunday School last week, all of my resources say that Rahab's story is amazing because of her low place in society.  Rahab is a prostitute.  And she basically shows belief in the Israelite God (Yahweh) and acts on the belief by hiding Israelite spies.  By not betraying the spies, and thus betraying her own city of Jericho, she survives the coming destruction of her city and is allowed to remain outside the camp of the Israelites.

So, a couple of things strike me in this passage.
1.  Why did they spy out the city?  To see the layout of the city?  To know the number of people they would need to conquer?  The truth is, God brought the walls down with a show of force and intimidation.  And then the chaos that followed brought total destruction.  Were the words of the spies that necessary?  Perhaps.  And perhaps the spies were sent to find out if there was anyone who had faith, so that they might be saved.

2.  Was Rahab really poor and outcast in her city?  This point was brought out in our Sunday School class by Ben S.  In observing Rahab's situation, we notice the following:

• When she told the King about the spies leaving (lying about it) he believed her without much question.  It sounds like the King had no suspicions about her loyalty.  Either she was a very convincing liar, or the King had reason to trust and respect her judgment.  Perhaps she was both.  Or she had photos of the king . . . .
• She owned her own home, albeit on the wall.   But what a view.  You could argue that she was positioned near the gate in a place that was well-traveled and also common.  But, she does own the home and is not a slave . . .
• She apparently supported several family members with her wages.  Yes she was a prostitute; and apparently it paid pretty well.
• In ancient cultures, the prostitute was often given great cultural significance due to connections with local religious powers and also the secrets that they keep.  Since Rahab is not a slave, one could assume that her place in Jericho is one of independence.  
• The amount of resources at Rahab's disposal on her roof indicates great wealth and the ability to maintain that wealth.

Based on these facts, it is possible to see Rahab not as a down-and-out member of society, but perhaps as an independent, and even wealthy member of her community. 

So, does it make the story any more vibrant or "real" to suggest that Rahab was 1) a rejected member of society who believed in God and rejected her old life in Jericho for a new with the Israelite camp, or to say 2) Rahab was an influential member of her society when she rejected her place and acted in faith by betraying Jericho?  I bet your answer reflects your own socioeconomic status in your own community.

In the end, we see that the faith of one who (according to the Israelite law) was a sinner and foreigner--with impending judgment at her door--brought salvation to her and to her home.  And she was given access, albeit from outside the camp, to a new life with the people of the Israel.  I assume, then, that she was free from the burden of her past life of promiscuity and now able to make an honest living with a new people.

But this make me also wonder: Did the spies disobey God's command to destroy all things in Jericho?  Or was the action of faith enough to avert God's judgment?