Hope from a Harlot's House
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From My Desk
The story of Rahab and her redemption is a great picture of salvation. Her story, found in Joshua 2, gives us the gospel in a striking visual.
Please know that no matter how educated, cultured, genteel, and moral any of us are, we live our lives on the level of the flesh. Our desires are mostly toward pleasing or satisfying the flesh. That is how Rahab, the harlot, made her livelihood. She lived very much in the flesh - literally.
To her house some messengers came. They brought a message of judgment and doom. Oh, she was offered grace but not before she was confronted with doom.
Hearing the message of judgment and destruction to come Rahab faced a decision. She could turn in the spies and earn the gratitude of men or she could hide the spies in return for deliverance. Rahab staked her future on the words of God's messengers.
Now is when Rahab's house becomes a gospel message. She was offered salvation from certain death, but a sign was needed.
Rahab was a picture of salvation. Her hope, her expectation, was placed in a scarlet cord that flowed out of a pierced place.
When I tell my congregation that we should find Christ on every page of Scripture I'm not exaggerating. My desire is that you share this picture with a fellow believer and recommit to being a "spy" on a mission with a message about impending judgment and gracious salvation.
Please know that no matter how educated, cultured, genteel, and moral any of us are, we live our lives on the level of the flesh. Our desires are mostly toward pleasing or satisfying the flesh. That is how Rahab, the harlot, made her livelihood. She lived very much in the flesh - literally.
To her house some messengers came. They brought a message of judgment and doom. Oh, she was offered grace but not before she was confronted with doom.
Hearing the message of judgment and destruction to come Rahab faced a decision. She could turn in the spies and earn the gratitude of men or she could hide the spies in return for deliverance. Rahab staked her future on the words of God's messengers.
Now is when Rahab's house becomes a gospel message. She was offered salvation from certain death, but a sign was needed.
1. Since salvation is based upon sacrifice, the cord (the sign) had to be scarlet, the color of blood.
2. She hung it out her "window". The Hebrew word is challon. It comes from the root word meaning "a perforation", "something pierced". The verb of this word means "to pierce through". The adjective refers to a mortal wound. And as a noun it means window.
3. The word line (Joshua 2:18) is the Hebrew word for "hope" or "expectation" (tikvah).
Rahab was a picture of salvation. Her hope, her expectation, was placed in a scarlet cord that flowed out of a pierced place.
When I tell my congregation that we should find Christ on every page of Scripture I'm not exaggerating. My desire is that you share this picture with a fellow believer and recommit to being a "spy" on a mission with a message about impending judgment and gracious salvation.
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