Rahab, a Type of the Gentiles During the Days of Jacob’s Trouble

Before the Israelites cross the Jordan, Joshua sends men to spy the land. Arriving in Jericho, the two men decide to spend the night at the house of the prostitute Rahab, a cannanite woman. When Jericho’s ruler tries to apprehend them, Rahab hides them and then helps them escape through the window, thus saving their lives. In return, she and her household are spared the destruction of Jericho and become part of the people of Israel. The scarlet ribbon on her window shadows the blood of Jesus as a sign of protection and salvation for the Canaanite woman and her household. Similarly as the blood of the lamb over the doorposts of the Israelites was a sign of protection from the angel of death. And just as the blood of Jesus is a sing of protection and deliverance from spiritual death.

Rahab’s story shadows the story of those jews that will be hidden and helped by gentiles during the time of Jacob’s trouble, when a ruler (the antichrist) will try to apprehend and kill them. I believe that some of those believers will receive supernatural protection and blessing during the tribulation just as Rahab did. Entire homes will be restored and saved because of the love and support offered to the Jewish people as they face persecution. Standing with Israel always brings blessings, as we know that God promised to Abraham in genesis 12:3 that he will bless those who bless Israel, and whoever curses Israel He will curse.

Let’s remember that in Revelation 12 the woman, who is Israel is given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. This eagle is an allegory of the gentiles. (Revelation 12:13-14 “When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.”)

The eagle is an unclean animal, and unclean animals were a representation of the gentiles in the vision God gave to Peter in Acts 10:9-14. As we can see, God revealed to Peter through a vision that the unclean animals had been already cleaned by him, and that jews were allowed to have communion with gentiles because God had removed the wall of separation between jew and gentile at the cross of Calvary. Those gentiles then are not longer pagans, but they have been made kosher by the blood of Christ. (Acts 10:9-14 9 “About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.””)

God uses such patterns and analogies to show time and time again the role the church will play in the salvation and protection of the Jews during times of trouble. And as Ecclesiastes 1:9 says that “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

We see again a prophetic passage about the fullness of the gentiles and their role in bringing the jews to salvation in Song of Songs 4:3 that is connected to Rahab’s story. (Song of Songs 4:3 Your lips are as lovely as Rahab’s scarlet ribbon, speaking mercy, speaking grace. The words of your mouth are as refreshing as an oasis.)

The scarlet cord alludes to Rahab, the gentile who helped and hid the Jewish spies to protect them from their enemies. The bride’s mouth in connection to the scarlet cord alludes to the proclamation of salvation through the mouth of a gentile (like Rahab), one who also helps and protects the jewish people. The pomegranate cheeks make allusion to the fullness of the gentiles. For the pomegranate with its many red seeds speaks of the fullness and fruitfulness of Christ in us. According to Romans 11:25-26 Israel won’t be saved, until the fullness of the gentiles has come. (Romans 11:25-26 “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,“The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”). So I truly believe that such pomegranate cheeks in the face of the Bride denote her fullness in Christ and her readiness to become a Rahab as she offers help to the persecuted jews during the tribulation and as she proclaims the good news with her scarlet mouth.