The story of Rahab can by symbolised by the red cord of grace. Joshua 6:22-25
22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who
belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.
24 Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho-and she lives among the Israelites to this day.
The story of Rahab is one of an unlikely heroine, raised from the ashes to become the great grandmother of the most famous king of Israel, and an ancestor of Jesus himself.
Let’s go back for a moment to where we first meet her. In Joshua chapter 2 we see that two Israelite spies were sent to the city of Jericho. They base their operations at Rahab’s house, a rather cunning move as who would particularly notice the comings and goings of men at the house of a prostitute. However, word gets to the king of Jericho of the infiltrators. Rahab equally cunningly, and quite literally covers for them, hiding them under flax on the roof while directing the king’s soldiers outside of the city. In a Rapunzel-like fashion, she lets them out of the window via a rope and they get away.
Rahab’s house was positioned in a part of Jericho’s wall; so how, out of all the hundreds of wallfront homes, were the spies to remember which one was hers? The answer was quite simple. She was told to hang a scarlet cord in her window and anyone in her house on that day would be spared from the utter destruction of Jericho.
As the army of Israel marched around the city wall, did they notice that red cord fluttering in the window and remember the blood of the Passover lambs that spared their own fathers that night in Egypt? For Rahab and her household, that red cord meant salvation, their trust in the word of the Israelite spies, and their faith in being given mercy for allying with Israel and the God of Israel.
That red cord of grace pulled Rahab into the people of Israel where she married a man of the house of Judah and became great-grandmother to King David. Through the generations, that red cord of grace continues to the bloodstained ropes on the cross of Christ that lifted Him up that he might draw all to himself.
Rahab and the red cord was a hint to Israel that salvation would be available to all, regardless of race, gender, or background. God’s grace invited her to become part of the lineage of Christ and now that red cord of grace invites us to be part of His heritage.
Head: In this passage we see Rahab transition from in the enemy wall, to outside the camp of Israel, to living among the Israelites. How does this mirror the journey of your own heart to the pull of the red cord of God’s grace?
Heart: Rahab demonstrates that God’s love and grace does not discriminate. How can you show the same impartiality, not judging past or social status, to someone yet to experience the red cord of grace?
Hands: The scarlet cord hanging in Rahab’s window was a very visible indication of her trust in Israel and Israel’s God. What can you do that obviously demonstrates your allegiance to Christ?
Prayer: Thank you Lord for your grace that has wound its way through history to me. Help me to demonstrate clearly that I have put my trust in your grace and become part of the bloodline of Jesus. In His name, Amen.
A song to listen to: Our Saviour & Our King https://open.spotify.com/track/6nEBqnoR8SxyiU4alegDHc
Nicole Davenport
This Grow Daily was originally posted as part of the God With Us – Matthew series. During the School Holidays we take the opportunity to look back at the Grow Dailys over the years.
