The scarlet thread is a central theme in the book of Joshua and throughout the Bible. We are continuing the series on ‘Jesus Who?‘ This week we are studying the book of Joshua. Joshua, from the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshu’a) means “YAHWEH is salvation”. Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim and was a companion of Moses. He went up 
Mount Sinai with Moses when he received the Ten Commandments from God and he was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan and was one of the two spies (Caleb being the other) who came back from spying out the land and gave Moses a good report (Joshua 14:6-9). After Moses died Joshua succeeded him as leader of the Israelites.
The story of Rabab and the scarlet thread is a type and shadow of Redemption. Blood is the key element in our salvation. This blood-red rope is a type (or picture) of the blood-red scarlet thread that runs throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Let’s follow the path from the beginning of human history:
- Genesis 3:21 – God shed innocent blood in order to cover the sin of Adam and Eve by making them clothes from animal skins. This is a picture of the covering of righteousness that we receive when the Lord Jesus Christ died for us.
- Exodus 12:7 – Moses told the Hebrews to put the shed blood of a lamb on “the two side posts and on the upper door post” of their houses. God said, ” The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you (Exodus 12:13).
- Leviticus 17:11 – For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement covering for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul”.
- I Corinthians 11:23-26 – In this Lord’s Supper, Paul points to the two elements which remind us of what Jesus did for us. Firstly, the bread which represents His broken body and secondly, the cup, representing His shed blood.
- Hebrews 9:22 – In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- Romans 3:25 – God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith.
- Colossians 1:18-20 – And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.
- 1 John 1:7 – The blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin if we walk in the light, as He is in the light and have fellowship with one another.
- 1 Peter 1:18 -19 ensures us of this: “ For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”
- Revelations 12:11– We have power over the accuser, the devil. Satan fears the blood. “And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.”
The testimony of Rahab and the scarlet thread is our testimony. We were also in need of rescue and the scarlet thread (blood of Christ) saved us. Have you taken hold of that scarlet thread? The blood still cleanses and it still saves just like it did for Rahab.
Disclosure: Many of the linked products and services I recommend are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
