“They are coming! The robbers from the hills! They have outnumbered the police and driven them away! What shall we do?”
The cry ran from lip to lip in a great city in northwest China. The bandits were on their way to sack the town. The armed officers had fled before them, and the town was at their mercy. Suddenly there arose a cry: “To the foreigner’s house! The mission compound is large! There we shall be safe!”
So the English missionary found to his amazement the doors of his compound besieged by a terrified crowd — women and children by the hundreds were clamoring to be admitted to the shelter of the mission. Mr. Shirley, the missionary, could do nothing except pray. God knew, and God could preserve them even now with danger and death advancing so near. Already far up the streets where the bandit chief was leading his lawless horde in looting and pillage, could be heard the dread cry: “The foreigner! Show me where he lives!”
Mr. Shirley knew only too well what kind of fate was likely to be in store for him. But he made no attempt to hide or escape. Calm and fearless, trusting in God, he went outside closing the gate behind him and waited.
“Where is the foreigner?” demanded the bandit chief.
“Here! I am he!” The missionary stood waiting. What terrible fate was to be his? Instead — the robber chief stopped. Then he came forward smiling — and held out a friendly hand.
“You are the foreigner? No harm shall come to you,” said the bandit. “Once I was ill, and one of your foreign doctors saved my life and I got well. So now your life shall be spared. Take this!”
He unwound his scarlet sash and handed it to Mr. Shirley.
“Take it! Tie it to the gate of your compound. No one will dare harm you or anyone else within your gates. I have spoken.”
The robber band pursued their way through the city, robbing and looting everywhere. But none came near the mission — it was safe! — protected by the robber’s sash.
Did the missionaries and their Chinese guests, sheltered behind that scarf tied on the gate open their Bibles and read of others saved by a scarlet line? For a red cord saved the messengers whom Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. Let down by that line from a window on the city wall, the messengers escaped back to Joshua’s camp while Rahab, who had saved their lives, obeyed their order and tied the red cord in her window.
To Rahab it was a signal of protection; to us it is a picture of the scarlet line which runs through all the word of God, telling of the coming of One who, on the cross of Calvary, put away sin so that the guilt that is like scarlet, and red like crimson, is washed as white as snow.
The crowd of Chinese women and children were safe behind the gate where hung the scarlet sash because Mr. Shirley had gone outside and parleyed with the robber chief. And we read that “Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate.” Heb. 12:1212Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; (Hebrews 12:12). He met the enemy’s power and the judgment of God against sin at the cross for all those who trust Him as their Saviour. Are you under the shelter of His blood, dear reader?
It cost the blood of God’s dear Son To save the soul of anyone.
We have no strength, guilty and lost; But grace is free, at infinite cost. Friend, be with self forever done, And put your trust in that blest One.
There is no sorrow, Lord, too slight,
To bring in prayer to Thee;
There is no burdening care too light
To wake Thy sympathy.
ML-12/05/1976