So, also, in the narrative of Rahab, the Canaanitish young woman, who concealed the Israelitish spies sent into her land by Joshua, and lied about them to her countrymen, and who was commended by the Lord for her faith in this transaction.[1] Rahab was a harlot by profession and a liar by practice.  When the Hebrew spies entered Jericho, they went to her house as a place of common resort.  Rahab, on learning who they were, expressed her readiness, sinner as she was, to trust the God of Israel rather than the gods of Canaan; and because of her trust she put herself, with all her heathen habits of mind and conduct, at the disposal of the God of Israel, and she lied, as she had been accustomed to lie, to her own people, as a means of securing safety to her Hebrew visitors.  Because of her faith, which was shown in this way, but not necessarily because of her way of showing her faith, the Lord approved of her spirit in choosing his service rather than the service of the gods of her people.  The record of her approval is, “By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace."[2]

[Footnote 1:  Josh. 2:  1-21.]

[Footnote 2:  Heb.  II:  31.]

It would be quite as fair to claim that God approved of Rahab’s harlotry, in this case, as to claim that he approved of her lying.  Rahab was a harlot and a liar, and she was ready to practice in both these lines in the service of the spies.  She was not to be commended for either of those vices; but she was to be commended in that, with all her vices, she was yet ready to give herself just as she was, and with her ways as they were, to Jehovah’s side, in the crisis hour of conflict between him and the gods of her people.  It was the faith that prompted her to this decision that God commended; and “by faith” she was preserved from destruction when her people perished.

Another case that has been thought to imply a divine approval of an untrue statement, is that of Samuel, when he went to Bethlehem to anoint David as Saul’s successor on the throne of Israel, and, at the Lord’s command, said he had come to offer a sacrifice to God.[1] But here clearly the narrative shows no lie, nor false statement, made or approved.  Samuel, as judge and prophet, was God’s representative in Israel.  He was accustomed to go from place to place in the line of his official ministry, including the offering at times of sacrifices of communion.[2] When, on this occasion, the Lord told Samuel of his purpose of designating a son of Jesse to succeed Saul on the throne, and desired him to go to Bethlehem for further instructions, Samuel was unnecessarily alarmed, and said, in his fear, “How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.”  The Lord’s simple answer was, “Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.  And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do:  and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.”