Day 11: Spies and a Scarlet Cord
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Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.”
So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.”
So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.”
Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.)
Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall.
So the men said to her: “We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down.
Then she said, “According to your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.
—From Joshua 2:1–21 (NKJV)
Meditation
Many theologians read the story of Rahab as proof of God’s unfailing love, His acceptance—that even a wicked woman, a prostitute, can be included in the lineage of Christ.
But what if the five women listed in Christ’s family tree have something in common, something much more meaningful for us today? Women at the time of Rahab, Tamar, Mary, and others in Jesus’s lineage were held in low esteem, at times seen and treated more as property than as persons. Yet these five women were in positions of weakness beyond that of the average woman.
When Tamar’s husband died, she was passed from man to man until she finally had to trick her way out of the position of childless widowhood. Bathsheba’s husband was murdered after the king of Israel impregnated her. Ruth was a desperate young widow with few prospects for her future.
“What if the five women listed in Christ’s family tree have something in common, something much more meaningful for us today?”
Mary was young, poor, and bound to a man who had every right to abandon her to the disgrace of unwed motherhood.
And Rahab…
Some argue that Rahab was a woman of financial means achieved by illicit acts, but it is just as likely that she was trafficked, coerced, sold into her position. Or, knowing what we know about those in today’s sex industry, she had experienced trauma so deep it led her to a trade no honorable woman of her day would ever consider.
Perhaps Rahab was a prisoner, the great city of Jericho—the amazing, impenetrable city—her jail. Perhaps that is why Rahab did not trust in the greatness of her city as everyone else did. Rather, she trusted in the God of the Hebrews.
She trusted so much that she would hang a cord of scarlet from her window. See it swaying as Jericho’s mighty walls began to crumble—a cord the color of blood—the only thing marking her house as one the invading army of Israel would pass over.
God did indeed include an unexpected figure in His family tree—a woman, a foreigner. Likewise, Israel expected a Messiah who would free them from Rome. They were awaiting a king born of nobility with military prowess, not a working-class family’s infant Son. “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all [Abraham’s] offspring” (Rom. 4:16a).
Inspiration
Rahab’s Window
Artist and date unknown.
Music
Watch this dramatized version of O Holy Night and recall where (and with whom) Jesus spent His time.
Listen to Masters in this Hall and reflect on how the proud have indeed been cast down!
Visit our Joy of Advent YouTube playlist for featured videos, our Ultimate Christmas playlist for all our favorite carols, or our sing-along carols to enjoy karaoke style.
Reflection
Imagine Rahab, described as a harlot, trying to convince her family to seek refuge—with her. The urgency of her message needed to overcome her unworthiness—she had lied to the king’s men, a treasonous offense, and now she had to convince her family that their only salvation rested with her and her alone. It would have been an unbelievable tale, and Rahab may have felt unworthy to the task. We never learn how many of her family actually survived the defeat of Jericho. Do you ever feel like you’re facing an impossible task? Do you feel unworthy of God’s love, His grace? The simple truth is: you are. We are all unworthy. But God’s grace is a gift, freely given to those who will do the absurd, like Rahab’s family, and believe. Reflect today on anything that blocks you from fully believing and accepting God’s love for you.
Prayer
Lord, be with us this day,
Within us to purify us;
Above us to draw us up;
Beneath us to sustain us;
Before us to lead us;
Behind us to restrain us;
Around us to protect us.
St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland (c. 389–461)
Family Celebration
A scarlet cord reminds us of God’s salvation through Christ’s blood.
In your child’s favorite Children’s Bible, read the story of Rahab and the Spies.
Say: What does it mean to have faith? Rahab lived in one of the strongest cities in the land. It was a famous city because it had such a strong wall. Everyone said the wall was impossible to break, so the city of Jericho would stand forever. But when spies came, Rahab believed in the power of their God. She believed in God more than she believed in her city. The scarlet cord reminds us of Rahab’s faith. Do you remember another story that has something red? In the Passover story, the Israelites who painted red blood on their doorposts were saved, just like Rahab would be saved by putting a red cord in her window.
Especially for Toddlers and PreK
Resources
Does the children’s song, Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho have a basis in historical truth? After much doubt on the part of experts, evidence now says yes.
Support the ministry Women At Risk International this holiday season.
Enjoy a printable coloring page of Rahab and the spies.
Would you like to make Jesse Tree ornaments to accompany your readings? Find tutorials and ideas from simple to advanced at our Jesse Tree Ornaments Pinterest board.
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