JESUS in the Scarlet Thread (Josh.1-6)

After Moses dies, as arranged, Joshua takes over.  Before TRYIG to go into the promised land for the second time, Joshua sends only two spies into the city, who wind up staying at the home of Rahab, a harlot.  Soon after meeting these Israelite men, she becomes a believer.  When the king of Jericho hears that these men are in his city, he sends guards to find the spies, for the people of that region had heard all the stories about how their God had mightily brought them out of Egypt, and how their God helped them win wars.

Rahab hides the two Israelite men, then lies to the king's guards that she doesn't know where they are.  Being a very new believer, she doesn't yet know all of God's commandments.  She means well - but - this doesn't mean that sins committed out of ignorance are okay.  So when the LORD commends her in the New Testament, it says...

(Hebrews 11:30-32)  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

As well, the New Testament says of Rahab...

(James 2:24-25)  You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 

These verses clearly state that Rahab did well by welcoming in the Israelite men, and then helping them to escape.  Notice, it does not say that it was okay for her to lie.  What we should clearly know by now is that when God calls us to something - when He promises us something - He will accomplish it!  We do not have to think that God needs our "help", and most certainly, we do not have to doing anything outside of His will.  Quite the opposite.  We should continually honor God and keep His commandments, and obey, and God will honor us (reminder verse)...

(Romans 8:28)  And we know that [a]God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

God does several things as the Israelites head into the land that He promised them which parallel the miracles He performed in Egypt.  First, He "parted the waters" for them to cross the Jordan River, just as He had parted the waters for them to cross the Red Sea.  All they had to do - was take that step.

(Joshua 3:15-16)  So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), 16 the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap...

And, just like the Passover lamb's blood painted on the two doorposts protected the people in those houses from death, the scarlet thread hanging from a certain window would protect Rahab and anyone inside her house from death.  The Israelite spies had told her on the day that they had left her house...

(Joshua 2:17-18)  ...“We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear,  18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household..."

And when the time came for the city to be destroyed...

(Joshua 6:24-25)  They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it.  Only the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 However, Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared...

When the Israelites put their faith in God, the LORD would bless them.  When they did things in their own efforts, things went very awry.  When we put our faith in God, the LORD blesses us.  When we do things in our own efforts, things go awry.  Are we a slave to God or a slave to sin?  (read Romans 6 for more on that.)  Everything comes down to faith in Jesus...

(1 Corinthians 15:56-58)  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.