Rahab's Scarlet Robe Of Redemption Series

RAHAB'S SCARLET CORD OF REDEMPTION

SCRIPTURE READING:

Joshua 2:15-21 15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.” 17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” 21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

INTRODUCTION:

Our story in Joshua chapter 2 is about the two spies sent to Jericho by Joshua.

They entered the house of Rahab, the prostitute and spent the night there.

The King of Jericho heard about these two spies and orders Rahab to surrender them immediately.

But Rahab hides the Israelite spies on the roof and covered them, explaining that they have already fled.

While the soldiers go off in search of the Israelites, Rahab goes to her roof to cut a deal with the two spies.

She explains that "all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before them because of what they done to the Egyptians."

Rahab then asked for the protection of her own family from the destruction at hand.

As it turns out, Rahab is a prostitute with a heart of gold.

The spies return in kind, and promised to protect them in one condition.

Rahab must tie a crimson cord in the window of the day of the Israelite invasion.

Otherwise, her family will be killed along with the rest of the city dwellers.

Then, the spies scale down the great wall of Jericho on the crimson cord that hung outside Rahab's window.

It was this same scarlet cord that would be the basis of their salvation as well.

The spies returned safely to Joshua and reported all that has happened.

I've got this news article from Christianpost.com website.

If you have been following the news lately, you would have read about the hacking of the Ashley Madison website.

This website also called as adultery facilitation site was designed for married people who want to cheat on their spouses.

The website's motto is "Life is short, have an affair."

But after it was hacked, there was a public posting on-line of about 37 million users with their names, home addresses, financial data and message history that has caused tremendous uproar.

Avid Life Media, the Toronto - based company that runs this extramarital website Ashley Madison has offered a $500,000 reward for the information leading to the arrest of those who hacked the website.

Also, several multi-million dollar lawsuits have been filed against Avid Life Media for inadequate security in protecting its customer's data.

But this hacking has already led to numerous extortion attempts and several unconfirmed suicides in Texas and in Canada.

A number of marriages are now at risk while some exposed users have been faced with extreme humiliation.

This might even lead to more families filing for divorce.

Why is there such an alarm for those whose names were in the Ashley Madison website?

Because of the devastating shame, the guilt and embarrassment of their sins being made in public.

There is a damaging ripple effect with the exposure of their infidelity.

There is also the unbearable pain of scandalizing and shattering the confidence of children who have looked up to them.

They thought that they have completely erased what they have been viewing on the internet, but they were wrong.

Their past had haunted them and severely affected their integrity and their future.

We might ask: Is this part of the signs of the End Times when moral corruption and decay had pervaded to the very fabric of our society?

We have not yet recovered from the shock of the approval of gay-marriages by the Supreme Court, now this.

Is there moral purity left in our nation?

Is there a way that we could be delivered from such moral corruption?

There is a good news.

The sin of adultery can be very devastating but there is a God who can give life and restore.