Let’s read through the book of Hebrews one verse at a time in 2023. Every day explore a single verse and its cross references. AI-generated text draws the passages together. RSS feed.
By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
The cross references for Hebrews 11:31 emphasize the importance of faith and obedience. Rahab's faithfulness in welcoming the spies and sending them out by another way was an act of obedience that was ultimately rewarded. This is mirrored in other passages, such as Hebrews 3:18, where God swears that those who are disobedient will not enter His rest. In contrast, Rahab's faithfulness is highlighted in Matthew 1:1-5, where she is included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, emphasizing the importance of faith in God's plan of salvation. Ultimately, these cross references point to the importance of faith and obedience in God's eyes, and the rewards that come with it.
| Passage | How It’s Related (AI-Generated) |
|---|---|
| Joshua 2:1-24: And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” | Both passages refer to Rahab the prostitute who lived in Jericho. Hebrews 11:31 highlights Rahab's faith in God which caused her to shelter the spies and not perish with those who were disobedient. Joshua 2 provides the details of the story in which the spies were sent by Joshua to search out the land and Rahab was told by the king of Jericho to bring them out. She hid them until the gate was about to be closed and then sent the pursuers in the wrong direction. |
| Joshua 6:22-25: But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute's house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. But Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. | Both passages refer to Rahab the prostitute, who is mentioned in Hebrews 11:31 as an example of faith. In Joshua 6:22-25, we learn of Rahab's actions in welcoming and protecting the Israelite spies, which ultimately saved her from the destruction of Jericho. As a result of her faith, Rahab and her family were spared and she has lived in Israel to this day. |
| Matthew 1:1: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. | Both passages demonstrate the importance of faith in the life of a believer. In Hebrews 11:31, Rahab's faith is seen in her welcoming of the spies, which saved her from perishing with those who were disobedient. In Matthew 1:1, Jesus' genealogy is traced back to Abraham, showing that faith was a key factor in His lineage and ultimately in His mission to save the world. |
| Matthew 1:5: and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, | Both passages refer to Rahab, a prostitute from Jericho who welcomed the Israelite spies and was spared from the destruction of the city. Hebrews 11:31 highlights her faith and obedience in welcoming the spies, despite the risk she faced. Matthew 1:5 goes on to show how Rahab's faithfulness to God resulted in her being an ancestor of Jesus Christ. |
| Hebrews 3:18: And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? | Both passages refer to the disobedient and their fate. Hebrews 11:31 speaks of Rahab the prostitute, who was spared because of her faith, despite the disobedience of her contemporaries. Hebrews 3:18 talks of those who were disobedient and not allowed to enter God's rest because of their disobedience. |
| James 2:25: And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? | Both passages refer to the story of Rahab, a prostitute from Jericho who welcomed two Israelite spies and helped them escape. Hebrews 11:31 explains that Rahab was not destroyed with the rest of the inhabitants of Jericho because of her faith in God. James 2:25 further explains that Rahab was justified by her works, which included receiving the messengers and helping them escape. |
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the great faith and courage that Rahab displayed when she welcomed the spies and helped them to escape from the city of Jericho. We thank You for her obedience to Your will, and for her willingness to put her own life in danger for the sake of Your people.
We also thank You for the faithfulness of Your people throughout the generations, and for the way You have used them to bring about Your plans and purposes. We thank You for the way You have used their stories to show us Your grace and mercy, and to remind us of the importance of faith and obedience.
We pray that You would help us to live lives of faith and courage, trusting in You and obeying Your will in all things. Help us to be faithful to You, even when it seems difficult or dangerous. Give us the strength and courage to follow You and to put our trust in You.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
This reading plan reads through a single verse each day, six days a week, paired with the most-popular cross references for the verse. AI-generated (and human-reviewed) text provides an opening thought and concluding prayer along with an explanation for how each cross reference relates to the verse. In 2023, this reading plan works through Hebrews one verse at a time. Every seventh day is a catchup day. Want more info? Try this blog post.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.