“The Line Of Scarlet Cord” Joshua 2:17-18

Joshua 2:17-18 “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.”

Joshua 2:17-18 “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.”

Introduction: 1) Rahab is mentioned twelve times in the Bible; three times in the New Testament (Mat. 1:5; Heb. 11:31; Jas. 2:25). 2) There are other great women mentioned in the Old Testament but not in the New (Rebekah, Deborah, Esther, and Hannah). 3) Do you think there is some significance in this? 4) She is one of five women mentioned (four by name) in the genealogy of Jesus (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, wife of Uriah, and Mary).

“The Line Of Scarlet Cord” Her Story

Her Story 1) Spies sent to Jericho. “Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there” (Joshua 2:1).

Her Story 2) King of Jericho finds out about the spies arrival. “And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.” So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country” (Joshua 2:2-3).

Her Story 3) Rahab hides the spies. “Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate” (Joshua 2:4-7).

Her Story 4) She ask for deliverance. “Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token, and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death” (Joshua 2:12-13).

Her Story 5) She made a covenant with them. “So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the LORD has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you” (Joshua 2:14).

Her Story 6) She was spared as stipulated in the covenant. “And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father’s household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho” (Joshua 6:25).

Her Story 7) She was married to Salmon of the tribe of Judah. “Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse” (Matthew 1:5).

Her Story 8) She was a harlot. “Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there” (Joshua 2:1). “commit fornication, be a harlot” (The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon).

“The Line Of Scarlet Cord” Her Story Her Faith

Her Faith 1) In the Hallmark of Faith. “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31).

Her Faith 2) How she obtained this faith. “Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men: “I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:8-11).

Her Faith 3) Faith’s influence. “But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, “Go into the harlot’s house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her.” And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel” (Joshua 6:22-23).

Her Faith 4) How do we obtain faith? “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31). “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Her Faith 5) Think of how our faith can impact others. “I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:3-5).

“The Line Of Scarlet Cord” Her Story Her Faith Her Obedience

Her Obedience 1) Her faith shown by her works. “Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?” (James 2:25). Works – “an act, deed, thing done” (Thayer).

Her Obedience 2) Notice the covenant. “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” (Joshua 2:17- 20).

Her Obedience 3) She did as instructed. “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” (Joshua 2:21). “But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, “Go into the harlot’s house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her.” And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel” (Joshua 6:22- 23).

Her Obedience 4) Notice the Lord’s promise. “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” Hebrews 5:8- 9). “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

Her Obedience 5) Our faith must show itself as well. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). “remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father” (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

“The Line Of Scarlet Cord” Her Story Her Faith Her Obedience The Scarlett Cord

The Scarlet Cord 1) She did as she was instructed. “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” (Joshua 2:18). “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” (Joshua 2:21).

The Scarlet Cord 2) Is there any significance to this? “The scarlet cord, like the blood upon the doorpost at the passover, recalls to remembrance the sinner's security under the atoning blood of Christ; and that we are to flee thereto for refuge from the wrath of a justly offended God. The same cord Rahab used for the saving of these Israelites, was to be used for her own safety” (Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary).

The Scarlet Cord 3) Blood offered for us. “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).

The Scarlet Cord 4) Yet we must apply it. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).

“The Line Of Scarlet Cord” Her Story Her Faith Her Obedience The Scarlett Cord Lessons For All

Lessons For All 1) Rahab – an unlikely subject. 2) Yet has faith – what faith can do couple with grace! 3) Anyone can be saved.

“The Line Of Scarlet Cord” Her Story Her Faith Her Obedience The Scarlett Cord Lessons For All