And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. (Joshua 2:21)
Do you remember the story of the two spies Joshua sent to look over the land of Jericho? It was the prostitute Rahab who took them in and protected them when the king of Jericho sent this message to her, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” She said the men came and already left the city, but in fact, had taken them up to the roof and hid them. Why would this pagan woman, outside of the covenant community of Israel, do such a thing? She heard about the God of Israel and the amazing things he did in freeing His people from Egypt . . . and believed!
Before the spies left, Rahab asked that she and her family be protected from the Israelite army that would come and conquer the city because of the kindness she showed to them. They agreed, with one simply stipulation.
Now the men said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window” (Joshua 2:17-18).
The spies promised preservation was rooted in a simply yet firm act of faith. The scarlet cord in the window would be the sign of her personal protection. A trivial act to be sure, but an act that was absolutely necessary if Rahab and her family were to survive the invasion of the Israelite army into her city. The angel of death was on his way to Jericho, but he passed over Rahab’s home when he saw the scarlet cord hanging in the window.
There are many lessons in this story, but one we must not miss is this: the spies represented God to this pagan woman and Rahab trusted in their promise and was obedient to their plan. Can the same be said about us? Do we trust in the promises of God and are we obedient to His plan . . . even in the seemingly insignificant details of the Christian life? Do we render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s? Do we forgive as we have been forgiven? Do we do unto others what we would have others do unto us? Do we walk by faith and not by sight? Do we trust God’s heart even when we cannot trace His hand?
Remember, Rahab’s house was on the wall in Jericho and the walls came tumbling down. But she and her family were preserved because she believed in the promise of God and demonstrated it by tying the scarlet cord in the window. Let that be the confession of our lives as we live as “SCARLET CORD SAINTS” for the glory of the One who has promised to preserve us all the way into glory.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 