Chapter 2:18-24
Rahab let the two men down by a cord through the window, for her house was upon the town wall. And the men said to her, “Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.”
But more than this, let us notice here the two “whosoevers.”
“And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him... And she said, According unto your words, so be it.”
How wonderful the grace God pledged here to whosoever took refuge in the house of faith in this doomed city of Jericho! On the other hand judgment was the certain doom of whosoever was found in the streets of Jericho.
And so it is today, dear reader. If you, whether young or old, a great sinner or a little sinner, will take your place in the great whosoever of John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16), there is pardon, salvation and eternal life for you. But if you reject the Lord Jesus Christ or neglect to take shelter under His precious blood, you will find yourself in the whosoever of Revelation 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15): “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” How dreadfully solemn this is!
While Rahab was sheltering the two spies, the men of Jericho were scouring the countryside looking for them. To Rahab these two men were God’s messengers of life and salvation, but to the king and his people they were enemies. How often in the history of this world have men sought to get rid of the Word of God and those who proclaim it, rather than bow to His claims and be saved. The Apostle could say: “We are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life.” 2 Cor. 2:15, 1615For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2 Corinthians 2:15‑16).
The two men had said to Rahab, “when we be come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window.” But it appears that she did not wait for the advancing hosts of Israel to cross the Jordan. As soon as the men were gone she acted, and the scarlet cord in the window witnessed not only to her faith, but in type proclaimed Christ and the value of His work to save the vilest of sinners. Not only was Rahab safe, but she was sure also, for she trusted the word spoken, saying, “According to your word, so be it. '
The blood of the slain passover lamb, sprinkled on the doorposts and lintel in Egypt that dark night, turned away the destroying angel; so the scarlet line hung in the window would preserve the house and all in it from destruction and death when the walls of Jericho should fall at the noise of the trumpets of the Lord. May we each know the peace and shelter of the blood of Christ, as Rahab knew the safety of the scarlet line.
ML-03/20/1977