Joshua 2

Joshua 2:1-24

RAHAB AND THE SCARLET THREADJos_2:1-24.IN view of the Divine promises one may be surprised by the opening sentence of this chapter: “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shit tint two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho”. What need of spies when God is with one?The Divine program in human affairs always demands the cooperation of men, and is never out of harmony with human concern and all righteous endeavor. James had occasion to defend the faith that works as of the highest form.The study of this chapter falls easily under three heads: The Work of the Spies, The Harlot’s Safety, and The Scarlet Thread.THE WORK OF THE SPIES“They went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there” (Joshua 2:1).As spies they sought to escape suspicion. Every office demands a certain environment; and the office of spy, if successful, must escape suspicion. Had these men entered a public lodging house their nationality might have attracted attention. Had they sought a private house, for entertainment, personal references might have been required.

To the house of the harlot he who will may go. It is a public house without being public, and it is a private home without being private, paradoxical as these statements may sound.

Beyond all question, that accounts for accepting the lodging provided by Rahab. They must escape suspicion, for secret service men are already on their track.“And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the Children of Israel to search out the country.“And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country” (Joshua 2:2-3).They affected for Israel a friend.“And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:“And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.“But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.“And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.“And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;“And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.“For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.“And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:4-11).Harlotry is one of the sins against which the Scriptures speak in no uncertain words. And yet, the Scriptures never attempt to make it out that the woman who has stained her character by this sin can never know any other virtues. She may be loyal, and she may be thoroughly observant and intelligent; and it is altogether possible for her to give careful attention to Divine providences and to the heart of religion itself. Were this not so, there would be no Gospel for such. Were it not true, Mary Magdalene’s history would not appear in the New Testament.

Were this not true, Christ’s words, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more”, would lack significance.The charge of some against this woman of disloyalty to her country, and of wanton lying, disregard certain important features of the incident. In the Orient, when you have admitted to your house a guest and have eaten salt with him, you have entered a covenant of loyalty.

She had, therefore, to decide which covenant bound her—that of nationality or that of this semi-religious custom; and she yielded rather to the latter, and might have done so in good conscience. Men’s judgments of their fellows are partial. Even our judgment of our own sins may be excessive. “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things” (1 John 3:20).They secured valuable information. She communicated to them the terror that had fallen upon her people in consequence of the favor of God that rested upon Israel.“And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.“For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.“And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you; for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:9-11).When an enemy is alarmed he is losing. When an enemy is thoroughly discouraged he is defeated. In the late war, when it was found that the German morale was breaking, that the fortunes of war were depressing both to the Emperor and the military leaders, hope sprang instantly into the breasts of Frenchmen, Englishmen, Americans, and their allies.THE HARLOT’S SAFETYShe demanded reciprocity.“Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:“And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death” (Joshua 2:12-13).Her demand was just.

She had shown kindness; she had a right to expect it. She had shown it to a whole nation; she had a perfect right to expect it for a whole family—her family. “Give, and it shall be given unto you”, applies not to money gifts only, but to the exercise of all graces.She was promised immunity.“And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business.

And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee” (Joshua 2:14).These men appreciated the protection they had enjoyed in her house and the risk that she had run to secure for them the same; and they also recognized the value of her service to their cause.Naturally a covenant followed. Covenants commonly look to mutual good; to exchange of favors and to mutual loyalty.She proved her fidelity.“Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.“And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way” (Joshua 2:15-16).The harlot is a sinner, but not necessarily a conscienceless sinner. The harlot is a sinner, but her sin often expresses ill-advised affection rather than deliberate disloyalty. It is a significant thing that of the thousands of inexperienced women who suffer betrayal, few betray their betrayer. This element of loyalty may be one of the basal facts upon which the Christian appeal rests for its easy response.THE SCARLET THREAD“Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.“And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless; and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.“And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.“And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.“And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.“So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them.“And they said unto Joshua, Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us” (Joshua 2:18-24).This scarlet thread was suggested by the spies.

Its scarlet made it quickly visible. When seen, it would be a reminder of the medium by which they were saved.This was significant to Israel.

The scarlet thread of shed blood runs through her entire history, and presents her one and only way of salvation. That is the significance of every blood-offering of Old Testament history.Then again, scarlet suggests her sin. It marked the house of the sinner. It is the color selected by inspired Scripture to characterize iniquity. “Come now”, says Isaiah, “and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet”. Whoever reads Hawthorne’s “Scarlet Letter” to forget the significance of this color?Yet the color pledged redemption. All back of it were saved. All under it were protected. The fortunes of war might sweep about this house, but its inhabitants would escape.

As she bound the scarlet line in the window she felt like an angel host had come from Heaven to protect that house. Back in the old day the sign of the blood on the lintels and door posts protected every Israelitish house in Egypt.God changes not; the color chosen originally is the color kept until now. “Without shedding of blood is no remission”, but “the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin”.