GET TOGETHER – HANGING ON BY A THREAD
Jos 2:18-21 “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.” 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.
Perhaps you have heard the expression that we say here in Northwest Alabama that old saying: “she was just hanging on by a thread” when he or she was in danger, or about to experience some life-threatening situation. Well, that was certainly true in the case of Rahab. And, it wasn’t just a thread it was a cord that we would see that she needed in the situation that she was in.
The Army of Israel was approaching the city of Jericho. Rahab like others had heard the accounts of what the God of Israel had done for his people. Her hearing of this is written about in Jos 2:10,11 “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.”
She demonstrates her faith by hiding out the spies that Joshua has sent to spy out the city. She hides them on the roof of our house and covers them with flax. We see in the passage above where the spies agree with her that she and her household will be spared when the city is taken if she binds the scarlet cord out of the window. And in the following passages we see where she and her family were spared and would gain a new life with the people of God. Jos 6:23,25 “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. 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.”
She had demonstrated her faith in the God of Israel by hiding the spies in her house. She was saved by putting out the scarlet cord. She trusted that Blood red cord to spare her life and the life of her household. And they had to trust in it as well. She and her household made the decision to put their trust in the God of Israel to save them from destruction. Rahab is listed in what some of us refer to as God’s Hall of Fame also known as the Faith Chapter in Heb 11:31 “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.”
According to David Guzik in his on line Bible commentary “early church commentators such as Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Origen saw the cord as symbolic of the Blood of Jesus” (https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/joshua-2 .
The title of this message is Hanging On By A Thread. The Hebrew term for cord is actually tiqvah, tik-vaw’. It means cord as an attachment. I agree with those commentators that believe that cord is symbolic of the Blood of Jesus Christ. Today we might feel surrounded by all the uncertainty in the world. There are wars and rumors of wars across the globe. There are murders taking place everyday in neighborhoods across our nation. The basic Biblical values about gender, marriage and other biblical values are under attack. It may appear to us that the enemy is closing in on us and that there is no hope. Everywhere we turn, we see the epidemic of rampant drug use.
But praise God that the Blood of Jesus Christ covers us and makes us more than conquerors in all situations. We can be thankful that we really aren’t just hanging on by a thread. The cord that was hanging from Rahab’s window points us to the Blood of Jesus Christ. And through the Blood of Jesus Christ, we are more than conquerors! Because of the Blood of Jesus Christ, we are bound with that eternal three cord strand Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! And we know that a three-cord strand cannot be broken. Because Jesus hung on the tree we don’t have to just hang by a thread. Because Jesus rose from the dead. we can experience life and life more abundantly in season and out of season! In him and by faith in His precious Blood we have eternal life!
And just as Rahab became a part of God’s people by her faith. Through the Blood of Jesus, we became and if you haven’t, yet you can become a part of God’s people by faith in His Blood. The Apostle Paul said this in Eph 2:13,14 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¶ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.” Rahab got a new identity. We get one too when we come to Christ. And praise God we aren’t just hanging on by a thread, but we are being held in the arms of God by the Holy Spirit.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, we thank You for every word of God being yes and Amen! We thank You that just as Rahab was saved by grace that we can be and are saved by grace today. Help us to never forget the Blood sacrifice that You made for us. And Lord help us to demonstrate our faith as Rahab did by being faithful to You and caring for those around us.
In Jesus Name
Amen
Love You All
Your Friend/ Kinfolk
Preston
PS For those in Northwest Alabama our Broadcast Redeeming the Time comes on at 9:30 A.M. AND 9:30 P.M. on Sunday morning and Sunday night. I am currently preaching a Sermon Series called The I-22 Sermon Series. That is on Spectrum Channel 10. In Jasper, I believe it is on TV 16.
Preston Headrick
Evangelist
Real Party Ministry
P O Box 2302
Hamilton, Alabama 35570
Real Party Ministry 