First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

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First Christian Voices

offered him as a sacrifice to God on one of the mountains which He showed him. On account of his hospitality and godliness, Lot was saved from Sodom when the region around him was punished by means of fire and brimstone. The Lord made it clear that He does not give up on those who hope in Him. Instead, He gives up on those who depart from Him to punishment and torture. For Lot’s wife was made an example. Although she left with him, she was of a different mind and did not continue in agreement with him, so she was turned into a pillar of salt to this day. This was done that all might know that those who are of a double mind and who distrust the power of God, bring down judgment on themselves and become a sign to all succeeding generations. On account of her faith and hospitality, Rahab the harlot was saved. For when spies were sent by Joshua, the son of Nun, to Jericho, the king of the country discovered that they had come to spy out their land. So, he sent men to seize them in order that when taken, they might be put to death. But the hospitable Rahab took them in and hid them on the roof of her house under some stalks of flax. And when the men sent by the king arrived and said “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” She answered them, “True, the men came to me, but quickly departed again and are gone,” thus not revealing the spies to them ( Josh 2:2–6 ). Then she said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us . . . Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly