41 Joshua 2 This chapter gives us spies, enemy territory, a prostitute, a scarlet cord, and God’s mission. Joshua sent in two spies to scout out the land. He sent them on mission into enemy territory. And a mission requires missionaries! And we have a mission from God. And we live in enemy territory. And we are all called as missionaries to someone. Joshua and Caleb’s someone happened to be Rahab – a prostitute. And I am so glad that God saves whosoever will! And the scarlet cord that Rahab was to hang out her window was a huge symbol in the Old Testament. I am not the first student of God’s Word to compare this scarlet thread with the first Passover, when God, through Moses, commanded the Jews in Egypt to sprinkle the scarlet blood of a sacrificial lamb on the doorpost of their homes so that the death angel would pass over them. Of course, this would be symbolic of Jesus – Our Passover Lamb!

John 1:29 (NIV) 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

1 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV) 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Whomever has His blood sprinkled over the door of their heart, the death angel can’t touch! Believers only die a physical death, but spiritually to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. This is because of the blood of Jesus over our lives. He died in our place as our substitute to pay the penalty for our sins! And so, the army of Israel would be looking for a scarlet cord out Rahab’s window so that death would not come to her house or family. And it didn’t! There is power in the blood of Jesus! Do you have the blood of Jesus over the door of your heart and out the window of your soul?! And are you on mission for Him in enemy territory as a missionary to whoever He calls you to?! Because you never know how God will use your obedience to carry on His fame and give Him the glory He deserves. Remember Rahab. Because this Canaanite prostitute, will show up later in Scripture. She will show up in the family tree of Jesus!

Matthew 1:5 (NIV) 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,

The two spies didn’t know it at the time. But their obedience to be a missionary to Rahab and her family, helped fulfill Old Testament prophecy by preserving the lineage of the coming Messiah. We may never know how major a role we play in His plan by just being faithful!!