Rahab, a resident of Jericho, encounters two Israelite spies sent to scout the city before its conquest. Recognizing the power of Israel’s God, she hides the spies from the king’s men. In return for her aid, the spies promise her safety, instructing her to tie a scarlet cord in her window as a sign, saying, 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, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home (Joshua 2:17-18). This cord became the marker of her household’s deliverance when Jericho fell in Joshua 6.
The scarlet cord’s most immediate significance lies in its association with blood, a central motif in Scripture symbolizing atonement and redemption. In the Passover narrative in Exodus 12, the Israelites marked their doorposts with the blood of a lamb to escape the angel of death, a clear precursor to Rahab’s cord. The scarlet cord, like the blood of the Passover lamb, points forward to Christ’s sacrificial blood securing our salvation.
Just as the blood on the doorposts signalled divine protection, the scarlet cord in Rahab’s window marked her household for salvation from the destruction of Jericho. This parallel suggests that the cord functions as a type that prefigures a greater reality in Christ. It foreshadows the blood of Christ, shed on the cross to secure salvation for all who, like Rahab, place their faith in God.
Scarlet in Scripture often represents sin, sacrifice, and redemption. In the Mosaic Law, scarlet thread was used in purification rites (Leviticus 14:4-6; Numbers 19:6), symbolizing the covering of sin. Jesus bore our sins in His own body, shedding His scarlet blood for our atonement.
Rahab embodies the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s redemptive plan. As a Canaanite and a prostitute, she stood outside the covenant community of Israel, yet her faith earned her a place in salvation history. Hebrews 11:31 commends her faith, stating that by faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
Remarkably, Rahab is listed in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:5, alongside other unexpected figures like Tamar and Ruth, emphasizing God’s grace in incorporating ‘outsiders’ into His plan. Through Christ, salvation extends beyond Israel to all nations, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham that in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Genesis 12:3). The blood of Christ ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation (Revelation 5:9).
Rahab’s story demonstrates that salvation is not based on merit or status but on faith in God’s mercy. Her inclusion in Christ’s genealogy also reminds us that God’s grace transcends cultural, social, and moral barriers, offering hope to all who turn to Him. Her story also illustrates that no one is beyond redemption if they turn to God in faith, just as the thief on the cross, the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, and countless others found mercy through Christ.
The cord was Rahab’s only hope; in the same vein, Christ is our only Saviour. His blood marks us, redeems us, and secures our eternal safety. Let us, like Rahab, cling in faith to this divine promise, knowing that if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN (1 John 1:7).
The public hanging of the scarlet cord challenges us to display our faith boldly, trusting in Christ’s finished work on the cross. Her act of bringing her family into the safety of her home mirrors our call to share the gospel, inviting others into the refuge of Christ’s salvation.
We are called to live with assurance in God’s protection amidst a world under judgment. Just as Rahab’s household was spared because of the cord, we are marked by Christ’s blood, sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. This assurance empowers us to face trials with confidence, knowing that there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
Pray that God may:
- Give you faith like Rahab’s – bold, discerning, and willing to trust in His salvation.
- help you to publicly live out your faith in Christ.
- break down barriers of prejudice and draw people from every nation, tribe, and background into His kingdom.
