Skip to main content

In Plain View - Rahab and the Resurrection

Rahab was a woman of ill repute who lived on the wall in the soon to be destroyed city of Jericho. Joshua sent spies to Jericho to reconnoiter the land because Israel was going to launch an unusual offensive against it. Jericho's king heard of the Hebrew spies being in town. Tracking the spies' movements they determined that these men had gone into Rahab's house. Being a wily woman herself, Rahab had already hidden these men before the soldiers came to look for them. After the search party had left her house, at the peril of her own life Rahab agreed to help them escape. However, being the true entrepreneur that she was, she made a contract with the spies before they left. The binding visual element of the contract was the scarlet cord.

Joshua 2:
12 Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death." 14 "Our lives for your lives!" the men assured her. "If you don't tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land." 17 The men said to her, "This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house.

The marvelous thing about this scarlet cord was it was in plain view. People came in and out of Rahab's house like always. That scarlet cord was not hidden it was in the window. This symbol of salvation was free for all to see. This Scarlet Cord had been salvation for the Jews. This sturdy Scarlet Cord let them down safely and to their freedom. This same Scarlet Cord, in plain view, was the Gentile Rahab's hope of salvation. When the Israelites saw the Scarlet Cord fixed in the window it signified they were not to destroy the people in this particular house. Rahab and all with her under this Scarlet Cord had a personal Passover. She and her family passed from death to life to be as it were resurrected from the destruction of Jericho.

This Scarlet Cord represents the salvation through Christ's blood that is still available today for both the Jew and Gentile. Christ's blood binds us together. That Scarlet Cord is still in plain view. Whether we are Jew or Gentile we just need to come under Christ's protection to be saved.

I Corinthians 1
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Elisha, The Provision is in the Obedience

Sometimes I've felt that I've only had very little to give so why give it at all. This morning the thought came to me "All you you have is all you need to give." This thought came as I was reading the following passage in II Kings 4: 42 A man came from Baal Salishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain. "Give it to the people to eat, "Elisha said. 43 " How can I set this before a hundred men?" his servant asked. But Elisha answered, "Give it to the people to eat," For this is what the Lord says:" They will eat and have some left over" 44Then he set it before them and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord. This man only had twenty loaves to give to the prophet. The principle at work is: All that we have is all that we need to give. When we obey, God gives the increase. There are many examples in the Bible of this principle in action: Like the widow at ...
2 comments
Read more

For Women - You Can Have It All!

Today you may hear that you can't have it all. Well when you look at God's economy in Proverbs 31, it seems to say you can have it all. God has given women an amazing amount of liberty and independence. She can be a woman of character -Noble character She can marry well -Has a Husband She can be a mother -Has children She can be healthy -Arms are strong for the tasks She can be a part of the team -Watches over the affairs in her house She can be socially adept -She is clothed with strength and dignity She can buy and sell -Buys property She can be a boss -Tells the servants what to do She can run a business -Sells her handmade belts She can work with men -Supplies the merchants She can be astute -Judges that the property is a good buy Sh e can be energetic -Works with eager hands She can be a good time manager -Gets up early She can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Police Officers, Ministers of God

When I was a child my father told me that police officers were ministers of God. Indeed this was not just his opinion. This is verified by the Scriptures: The police aren't there just to be admired in their uniforms. God also has an interest in keeping order and he uses them to do it. (Message Bible) Therefore it was very hard a few minutes ago to read that on this peaceful Sunday morning south of Seattle, four policemen were shot execution style. Not a month ago a police officer was killed in Seattle under similar circumstances. These killings are troubling. They point to a fundamental breakdown in respect towards authority in our country. We are seeing this disrespect towards authority on a daily basis. When we have a news commentator, under the guise of free speech, implying that it would be alright to kill the president we have a new level of contempt towards those in authority. The same Scripture that tells us police are ministers of God tells us that our rulers are ordained,...
Post a Comment
Read more