Let the children explore the item. What is this? What can you do with this string? What do you think this string was used for in the Bible?
After wandering in the desert for forty years, Israel (God’s chosen people) were ready to take over the land God had promised them. The first city they came to was Jericho in the land of Canaan. The city of Jericho was full of people who did not believe in God.
Two Israelite spies snuck into Jericho to see how they could take over the promised land. Inside the city, they met a woman named Rahab, who had lived in Jericho her whole life.
Rahab had a bad reputation in the city; however, God had a plan to save Rahab from her life of sin and brokenness and use her in a mighty way.
When the spies were in danger of being caught in the city, Rahab hid them to keep them safe. She had heard of their God, the Lord, and feared him.
After acting in faith to a God she didn’t know, she asked the men to then help her. She didn’t know this God, but she knew He was able to save her.
12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign 13 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”
17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.” 21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
Do you think Rahab was saved? Yes!
One red rope hung in the window of Rahab’s house to show her faith and hope in the Lord. She believed in her heart that God could and would do everything He promised.
God was faithful to protect Rahab and her family when Jericho was destroyed. God took Rahab from her old life hopelessness, and He put her right in the middle of His covenant people.
God sent an Israelite man named Salmon to marry Rahab. Although she was once an outsider, an enemy of the Lord, she had been redeemed and restored to a new life with God.
And guess what else happened to Rahab? She eventually became the great-great-great-grandmother of Jesus!
If Rahab, a woman with a bad reputation someone you would expect to be in Jesus’ family? No, not at all, but she was. She was called, even in her sin, just like we are. She needed a savior, and so do we. Jesus is coming!
