| “And the men said unto her … Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window … and she bound the scarlet line in the window” (Joshua 2:17-18, 21). |
| Perhaps you are all familiar with the story of Rahab, who lived in the city of Jericho thousands of years ago. She was not a very good woman, and had led a sinful life. But then the men from the children of Israel came to the city, and Rahab knew that they were spies. They had come to find out about the city of Jericho, and she invited them to stay at her house. The Lord had worked in her heart, and she knew that the Lord was going to give the land of Canaan to the children of Israel. She was friendly to the two spies, and helped them escape from the city. In return she asked that she and her family not be killed, when the Israelites came and took the city. |
| The men told her plainly that they would not kill anyone that was in her house, but that she must put the scarlet line in her window so that everyone would know which house was hers. But why was it a scarlet line? Scarlet is a very deep color of red, and reminds us of the blood of Christ. Just as that scarlet line protected Rahab and her family from the children of Israel, so the blood of Christ protects us from the judgment of God. If our sins are covered by the blood of Christ, we are not in danger of any judgment from God for our sins. |
| There is something else we notice here too. The men told Rahab to put the scarlet line in the window when they came into the land. But Rahab did not wait that long. As soon as the men were gone, Rahab bound that scarlet line in the window. She wanted to be sure that she and her family were safe! It is the same for you and me. God’s time to be saved is now, not later when judgment is about to come. We never know what may happen during our life down here; it is good to be ready to meet God. |
