{Today’s post was written by Jaime Hilton. I had the pleasure of writing alongside Jaime for the HelloMornings community in a Bible study that will be published later this year. I think you’ll love her insight and tips for studying the Word!}

“I know that the Lord has given you the land,… ¹⁰ For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt … ¹¹ And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. (Joshua 2:9-11, emphasis mine)

How does a Canaanite woman make this fearless declaration of faith to her enemies? Rather than cower behind the walls like her fellow citizens, she chooses to change sides. Her faith moves her to action. She hides the spies, misleads the guards, and secures a promise to save her household from the coming destruction. It is a bold, almost presumptuous move.

Rahab’s story is one of my all-time favorites. Her conviction is inspiring and God’s love, compelling. How do we relate to this hero of faith, separated as we are by thousands of years of time, culture, language, and occupation? Could there be more to learn from the story than just the dry facts? In acting class, we learn to take a two-dimensional story and bring it to life. Flat characters from the page suddenly have breath, history, personality, and relationships. When I view Scripture as the source material for building a character, like I would a script, I find myself remembering that they were real people in a real place and time. It helps me to ask better questions as I study God’s Word and use my imagination to fill in the details.

Who are the main characters? Who are the basic supporting players? Are there extras in the scene (people who help establish the setting, but are not a part of the action)?

What is the main action or series of actions moving the story along (If the passage is long or involved, I might break up my study and focus on one character or event at a time)?

Where and when are they? This can be as detailed as you want. Archeology and history fascinate me so I can get lost on rabbit trails of discoveries. I like to learn about the ancient world. The more information you have about another culture or period, the richer your imaginings can become.

Why? What motivates the people to do and say what they do and say? Sometimes motives are spelled out (Jesus had compassion on them…Matthew 14:14) but not always. This brings us full circle: where did Rahab get her incredible faith?

Next, I cross reference the main character I am studying. Rahab’s life is better understood within the context of Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25, and Matthew 1:5, which names her as a great-great-great grandmother to the Messiah.

Using Joshua 2 as the scene, my next step would be to take the details from my research as a guide to create “the moment before”. This is what the actor imagines taking place off stage, before the scene that is shared with the audience.  I imagine what life may have been like for Rahab. Jericho was a center for worship of the moon goddess. Maybe Rahab had become disillusioned with a god whose power waxed and waned with the opinions of the people. Whatever it was, God had been working in her heart, preparing her for the day He would deliver her.

I won’t share my answers, because it’s not about right or wrong in this case. You might imagine Rahab to be thirty. Another might imagine her older. Both scenarios could be justified by the text. The point is to look deeply into her life and find Jesus. I imagine Rahab standing on her roof in the light of the moon, looking at the campfires of the Israelites, longing to be seen by the Creator, and I praise the Lord for calling out to this Gentile woman, for lifting her up and setting her free.

That’s something I relate to.

Jaime Hilton is 1/5 of the Hilton Family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is the household manager and wife to Ray, the actor. Together they are in the trenches of parenting three children, ages 5-11. Thanks to homeschooling and her voracious reading habits she has her library card number memorized. In her (rare!) spare time she likes to write and work with local theater companies, directing and encouraging fellow artists to glorify God in every aspect of their work. Her favorite mornings start with a quiet cup of coffee and an inspiring book or blog. Her most passionate pursuit is studying the Word and discovering the stories within The Story. She blogs from time to time about life, homeschool, and theater at classichiltons.wordpress.com and is active on Facebook @jaime.hilton.