There are many significant aspects to the Christmas story. Prior to the star and the manger, even before the Annunciation and the Magnificat, comes the genealogy of Jesus as presented in the opening chapter of Matthew's gospel. Scholars recognize this as an artificial and inaccurate (compare with Luke 3:23-38) list of 41 generations but it is significant that five women appear on an otherwise all male family tree. In addition to his mother Mary, Jesus has listed Ruth, Rahab, Tamar, and the mother of Solomon who remains nameless. These last three are all of questionable moral character and at least two of the five were aliens.

Our interest centers on Rahab (Matthew 1:5) who here is listed as the wife of Salmon and the mother of Boaz and thus the mother-in-law of Ruth. Tradition says she was the wife of Joshua. The first is impossible and the second seems quite improbable. Besides appearing in the Christmas story this woman is mentioned in two other New Testament books: Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25 But it is the Old Testament book of Joshua 2:1-21 and 6:17, 2225 that tells us the most about Rahab. The "Rahab" in Psalms 87 and 89 and Isaiah 30:7 and 51:9 is not the same person nor indeed even a human being.

It is significant that each time Rahab is mentioned outside the gospel (Joshua, Hebrews, James) her name is immediately followed by "the harlot". Apparently a reputation she never lived down.

We first see her befriending the two spies Joshua had sent to reconnoiter Jericho prior to invading this key citadel of the Jordan valley. Perhaps the spies figured they could pick up some carelessly dropped military information if they visited such a promiscuous rendezvous as Rahab's house. Fortunately for them and their

mission Rahab had already decided to throw in her lot with the invading Hebrews. When Jericho's equivalent of counter spies came looking for the messengers the harlot hid the latter and sent her own country's security force off in the wrong direction.

As a reward for her help the enemy spies promised their hostess to spare her house and all who were within when their army conquered the strategic city. Before long this came to pass as Jericho was reduced to ashes and all its people and animals put to the sword except Rahab and her family.

Now

what spiritual lesson might

we learn from this tale of treason on the part of an immoral ancestoress of Jesus Christ?

"Why did she do it?" and the more important, "What did two New Testament writers find in her behavior worth extolling?" are questions which offer highly significant answers for those concerned with the moral role. of the homosexual in contemporary society. At this time in American history when spying is defended if we do it but highly condemned if it is done to us this 3300 year old story has even more pointed relevance.

When in later Jewish history Ruth switches gods, exchanging the pagan god of Moab for the God of Israel, she is highly praised. This is exactly what we see in this story of Rahab. The harlot tells it in her own words in Joshua 2:11 as she professes the God of Israel. It is this profession plus her good work in helping the Israel spies that not only saves her life and the lives of her family but makes her immortal in the pages of the New Testament. It is the old story of faith and works; not either one alone but in solid combination, done to the glory and in the service of the one true God: the God of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, of Joshua, and of Jesus Christ.