Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Joshua 2:1-24 The Scarlet Risk

Joshua 2:1-24 The Scarlet Risk

Last updated on: September 27, 2006 at 1:04 pm by Jim Erwin

Joshua 2:1-24 The Scarlet Risk 2006-09-27T13:04:00-05:00 Jim Erwin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Joshua 2:1-24 The Scarlet Risk

You have probably heard of the expression: “You could go out on a limb.”

To put yourself in a risky position in order to help another person is to go “out on a limb” for them. Example: “You know I’m always here to help you and would go out on a limb if you asked me to.” As you climb “out” farther “on a limb” of a tree, there is a greater chance that the limb might break and you would be hurt. To go “out on a limb” is to put yourself in a dangerous position in order to get something done.

(Definition comes from http://GoEnglish.com)

To go out on a limb for someone else means to take a risk.

Have you ever gone out on a limb? Have you ever taken a risk?

What strikes me most about this passage is the fact that the Bible casually mentions the fact that the spies went the house of a prostitute. My first question when I read this passage was: “Why did they go there?” What were these spies thinking? I know what you may be thinking, and it may have crossed their minds as well. But clearly God had much more in mind here.

Did the spies know what God had in mind here? I don’t know. Tradition says that prostitutes in the present day light up their rooms red because of this story. You know the “red light districts” in various places. Well, the red lights come from the red cord that was thrown down the wall. Was that red cord there when the spies came? Did they know what that meant when they saw that cord?

It is possible that the red cord was a symbol to tell others: “My door is open.”

Apparently, God used that invitation.

That was risky for Rahab. She would be exposed as a prostitute. Would she be condemned? Probably. She had three things going against her:

1. She was a Canaanite, not a Jew

2. She was a woman

3. She was a prostitute

Yet, Rahab and her family would be saved. Her name would be in the family line of Jesus Christ. She would be listed in the list of names that were honored for their faith in Hebrews 11.

Let’s first talk about Rahab. Rahab went out on a limb and took a risk.

RAHAB

She recognized the promise of God. She knew that God was working through His people and she wanted herself and her entire family to be part of it. She didn’t want to miss out. As a result, she took a risk. She decided to risk her family and her life to follow God.

Rahab teaches us that God can use anybody for His purposes. God is more gracious than some other people. God showed compassion for a woman who was scorned by society.

The spies also went out on a limb and took a risk.

THE SPIES

They shared the message. They thought that the message was so important, that they decided to take the risk of staying in her home. Knowing that Rahab could betray them, or that they could get caught did not matter. They were willing to share the message of salvation with the people that God had showed them.

Sharing this message is a risk. That is where the scarlet thread comes in.

THE SCARLET THREAD

Salvation comes in scarlet. (See Leviticus 14:4, Numbers 4:8, 19:6; Hebrews 9:19.) The blood on the doorpost was the way in which God would save His people during the Exodus of the previous generation. Here, God showed that He would also save other people that would voluntarily come to Him, not just Israelites. He will save everyone who comes to Him.

The thread is a bridge of escape. (See Joshua 2:21, Joshua 6:17, 25). The thread reminds us of God’s provision. It reminds us of how God risked His Son to save us from hell.

For whom are you going to risk your life?

VISUAL: The Scarlet Ribbon

I am going to pass out this red ribbon. I want you to unwrap it so that you can write a name on it. I want you to write the name of someone on it who you are willing to risk telling them about Jesus. If you don’t know Jesus, then I want you to use this to remind yourself this week of the risk that Jesus took to save you.

In both cases, I want us all to remind ourselves of the risk. I want us to remember what God has done for us. I challenge us to share that message of hope with others – even when it seems risky to you.

You see, God’s love is a risky business. We are in a risky business. But God means for salvation to come

to everyone. The scarlet thread is a thread of hope, not humiliation. It is a thread that shows that God loves us and that He has made a way for us to come to Him through Jesus Christ His Son.

Previous Post

September 19, 2006

Pimp My Faith

Next Post

October 6, 2006 Axis of Sexual Perversion

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Chronicles 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Kings 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Chronicles 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John Acts Advent Amos Book Review Colossians Comics Culture Watch Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galatians Genesis Guest Post Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Hosea Humor Inspiritational Isaiah James Jeremiah Job Joel John Jonah Joshua Jude Judges Lamentations Lectionary Lent Leviticus Link Love Luke Malachi Mark Matthew Micah Movie Review Nahum Nehemiah Numbers Philippians Political Watch Prophecy Watch Proverbs Psalm Revelation Reviews Romans Ruth Science Watch Sermon Series Sermons Simple Thoughts Song of Solomon Titus Top Ten Uncategorized Video Review Zechariah Zephaniah

Select a Month May 2026 October 2025 September 2025 June 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 January 2022 June 2021 January 2021 October 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2009 June 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What items did Pharaoh give Joseph as a sign of authority?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Crown and sandals Sword and shield Chariot and whip Ring and robe