Joshua 6:22-25 – Keeping and living the promise

Integrity demands that we keep our promises. God expects us to be people of integrity, hence keeping our promises is important. We must keep the promises we make to God but we must also keep promises made to others. This principle is underscored by the record of Joshua 6:22-25. Remember how Rahab risked her life to protect the two spies who went into Canaan to recce the land. Knowing that it was a matter of time that the city would fall into the hand of Israel, she made them promise to preserve her life and that of her family members if she preserved theirs. The spies agreed with a condition that she must tie a scarlet cord on the roof of her house on the day that they would come and conquer the land. That was exactly what she did. Many conjectured that the red scarlet cord foreshadows the blood of Christ that saves us. It is true that forgiveness and redemption of our sin are only secured through the precious blood of Christ. As many as receive Him to them He gives the power to be children of God. We can count on God to keep His promise.

Now that the wall of Jericho had fallen. The words given by the spies to Rahab had to be kept. Joshua assigned the two spies who entered into the agreement with her to look into the matter. Apparently, a part of the wall where Rahab’s house was located was left standing. She and her family were then brought to safety. The promise made to her was kept. And we are told that at the time of the writing of this book, she was still living. Because she and her family were Gentiles, they were made to live outside the camp of Israel for a season. This was stipulated in Leviticus 13:45 and Deuteronomy 23:3. However, we know that God’s grace was richly extended to her and her name was grafted into the ancestry of David, through whose line our Lord came.    

We can deduce a few important lessons for our application from this account. Firstly, we must be people whose word is our bond. We become trustworthy people when we keep our word and fulfill the promises we make. Besides, as believers, we represent God. How do we expect people to trust God when we, His representatives, fail to keep ours? Secondly, the scarlet cord is a foreshadow of the blood of Christ. We surmise that there is no other name given under heaven where we can find redemption, the forgiveness of our sin. If we desire to be the recipients of the promises of God, we must align ourselves with God and His people. Thirdly, the grace of God is no respecter of person. Like Rahab, our past may be sordid, but when we allow Christ to do His abiding work, we will become a candidate for His glorious end. Fourthly, to be truly sanctified, we need to live a totally set apart life. Just like Rahab and her family who stay outside the camp, sanctification is required so that we get ready for the transforming grace of God to release its full impact. We live a life set apart so that we may prove the effectiveness of the will of God for our life.