Saved by Faith

Hebrews 11:31

By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Rahab, the harlot was saved by FAITH without perishing because she had received the spies with peace. Joshua sent out spies to view the city of Jericho and the spies lodged in the house of Rahab. The King of Jericho sent out men to Rahab’s house and these men asked Rahab to bring out the spies. Rahab hid the spies and protected them from the King’s men. The only reason she did this is because she had heard about how the Lord dried up the water of Red Sea when the Israelites came out of Egypt and the other miraculous things that the God of Israel had done for the Israelites. She not only believed that the God of Israel is the only God in heaven and earth but also testified this to the spies. It says in Joshua 2:11 “And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.”

Rahab expresses her faith in the Lord God and then requests the spies for an important favor. This was her only chance to plead for herself and all her people. Joshua 2:12-13 speaks of her request: “Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” She is not just concerned about her salvation but also of her entire family. The spies answered her saying “Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.” The spies made up their minds to deal with her kindly and truly when the Lord has given them the land. The spies asked her to bind a scarlet thread in the window through which she had let them down as it says in Joshua 2:18. “Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.”

All her family members needed to be in Rahab’s home so that they would not perish. In the end, Rahab and all her family members were saved without perising. Just by one person’s faith the whole household received salvation. This is similar to how Noah’s family was saved from the forty days of flood just because of one man, Noah’s righteousness. Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord as it says in Genesis 6:8. Also, Lot’s family was rescued from fire and brimstone that rained on Sodom and Gomorrah just by Lot’s righteousness and of course by Abraham’s plea to the Lord’s messengers as it says in Genesis 19. Now today, you are probably the only member in your family who can make this important decision of committing your life to Jesus and thus rescuing your whole family from perishing.

The scarlet thread represents the shed blood of the Savior Jesus Christ. Window represents the cross. When Israelites acquire the land, they recognized the family in this home just by this scarlet thread. Those who are cleansed by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB and have the blood of Jesus on them will be saved from the eternal damnation. Therefore, we the people of the world need to be cleansed by the saving blood of Jesus. Jesus died on the cross carrying all our sins and He shed every drop of His blood just so that our price is paid in full. We just need to have faith in Jesus and repent of our sins and you and I can be saved from destruction. If we need eternal life all we need to do is accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and follow the Lord the rest of your life. It is time right now for you to be saved by faith just like Rahab and her family was saved from perishing. Probably this is your only chance to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and then save your entire family too. Won’t you give your heart to Jesus now?