By Alfred Cuellar, Family Friday Teacher, Book of Joshua
Source: Bible architecture.info; Artist rendition based on archeological evidence.
It all begins with a promise. God made a covenant with Abraham which included a promise that his descendants would take possession of Canaan (Gn. 12:7).
At the appointed time when the sins of the people of Canaan were full, God sent judgement upon the land of Canaan, and used Joshua and the twelve tribes of Israel to fulfill His covenant to Abraham and to his seed (Gn. 15:13-16). The book of Joshua documents the conquest and settlement of the land of Canaan. There is one particular story in the book of Joshua that I would like to share with you. It is the conquest of the city of Jericho.
God Had Promised
Now Jericho was the capital of the Amorite kingdom, it was the strongest of the seven nations in the land (Jos. 3:10). Joshua sent out two men to spy out the land of Canaan. Thirty-eight years earlier Moses had sent out twelve spies to scout the land, however when they returned only two had faith to believe what God had promised. Because of their unbelief they wandered in the desert 38 years (Deut. 2:14). God said, by two a report shall be established (Deut. 19:15). If two is good enough for God then it’s good enough for Joshua.
God’s Grace and Mercy
The two men that Joshua sent out were on a reconnaissance mission, they were there to gather vital information on how to conquer Jericho. However, their report was that Rahab and her household was to be spared from the coming onslaught. The two spies were spotted in the town of Jericho, therefore Rahab hid the two spies in her house (Jos. 2:2-4). Because of what Rahab did, and her testimony, she asked the two men to make a covenant with her, which God honored (Jos. 2:12-14).
Rahab chose to side with Israel because she believed; she is a believer chosen by God (Jos. 2:11; Heb. 11:31). Her faith was counted as righteousness before God, just as Abraham and all the people of faith mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11. What basis does Rahab have to make such a request from the two spies that Joshua sent out? Rahab is an Amorite, a pagan. She is not an Israelite, she has not converted to Judaism, she is not a proselyte, and she is actually a prostitute. The Law of Moses even stipulates that the Canaanites are to be slaughtered and not to make a covenant with them (Deut. 7:1-2). Yet, the Lord upholds Rahab by his right hand, why?
Rahab is a picture of God’s grace and mercy upon her and her household, independent of the Law. “And will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy” (Ex. 33:19 KJV). Rahab is told to put out a line of scarlet outside her window as a sign of the covenant she made with the two spies to spare her and her household (Jos. 2:12; 18). This scarlet token represents the grace of God. We see this when Israel was in bondage in Egypt. God told the people of Israel to mark their doors with the blood of a lamb and the angel of death would spare them. “When I see the blood I will pass over you” (Ex. 12:13). The scarlet line represents the blood of the lamb. Israel, I believe, was reminded of the covenant of blood when they saw the scarlet line. Rahab’s house was marked for salvation and deliverance. Imagine Israel marching around the town and looking at those massive walls, but in one particular place they see a window with the red scarlet as a reminder of the covenant with Rahab’s household.
The most dangerous place to be in Jericho is on the wall; yet, the safest place to be in Jericho, because of the covenant, is in Rahab’s house which is on the wall. Only our Lord could work out such a plot!! “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Cor 1:17-31).
The Blood of Jesus
Today, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal saviour, then you also qualify under the token of blood. The blood of Jesus is the token of the covenant of mercy and grace upon your household. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).
The conquest of Jericho is true, but this story is more than Jericho, it is the conquest of your heart by the one who shed His blood as a token for your soul.
When I see the blood I will pass over you!! The blood of Jesus speaks …
