Joshua 2

So the men said to her: "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home. So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear." Then she said, "According to your words, so be it." And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.

(Jos 2:17-21)

I love this story. Here we have Rahab, a harlot; and she provides us with a beautiful picture of God’s grace. She protects the spies of Israel from those seeking them, and asks for only one thing in return: she wants for her and her family to be SAVED. They ask her to do something rather interesting. They want her and all of her family to stay in the house, and to hang a scarlet colored cord out the window…

The question this makes me ask is, “why scarlet, and why a cord”?

First of all, the cord was right there, for the men of Israel say to her THIS CORD. I believe it was probably the same cord that she used to let them down. In that we see a beautiful example of the scriptural principle that those who show mercy will receive mercy. The same rope she used to save these men would be used to save her and her family.

Secondly, I don’t believe it was any sort of “accident” that the cord was scarlet. If you think back to the book of Exodus, can you remember any other scarlet colored markings that protected people from death? THE PASSOVER! Here we have another picture of what the blood of Jesus can do to protect an individual from the judgement of God. A provision is given, and the scarlet signifies the blood of Jesus.

All throughout the scriptures we have picture after picture of the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This scarlet thread is just another small piece in the beautiful picture the Bible paints for us of the love of God.

A heathen harlot who BELIEVED that what God had promised was true. She believed that He really would give the Israelites the promised land. She was sinful. She had a lot of problems. She wasn’t your typical “Christian” woman. Yet because of her faith, she was saved. God’s love reaches to the deepest parts, to the darkest regions… all a person must do is BELIEVE, and He will wash all their sins away!

Rahab’s story is such a beautiful picture of the power of God’s grace, that her faith is referred to by 2 of the new testament writers… (she is also referred to in one of the geneologies). Can you find those 2 references? If you find them, post them in the comments section. Also, write what you think they teach us about faith.