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.
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.
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