The Red Thread
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Derrel Strickland
This week's message from Pastor Derrel Strickland, part of our journey through the Book of Joshua, brings us to an intriguing story about Rahab and the significance of the red thread. Rahab, a woman of faith, helped the Israelite spies and marked her window with a scarlet cord—a symbol of her faith and a promise of safety. Pastor Derrel emphasized that the red thread symbolizes the sacrifice and salvation offered through Jesus, showing how faith in Him liberates us from sin. The story of Rahab encourages us all to hold onto our faith and trust in the red thread of Christ's sacrifice, which spans from Genesis through Revelation. The core takeaway is that, like Rahab, we must immediately act on our faith and trust in God's promises.
To see more of the Bible Study series on the Book of Joshua referenced in the message, click here.
Additional Info
The info below was generated by an AI from the audio recording of the sermon.
Introduction to the Narrative of Rahab
The story of Rahab in the book of Joshua is a powerful testament to faith and redemption. Often overlooked, the narrative provides rich insights into God's grace and purpose for unexpected individuals. In the context of faith, Rahab stands out, demonstrating a profound belief in the power of God despite her circumstances.
The Significance of Joshua Chapter Two
In Joshua chapter two, we learn about the two Israelite spies sent to scout the land, specifically Jericho. Unlike Moses, who sent twelve spies and received a largely negative report, Joshua wisely sends only two men. Their encounter with Rahab, a harlot, highlights a crucial turning point in the conquest of the Promised Land. Rahab's actions are steeped in faith, as she recognizes the power of the God of Israel and acts to protect the spies.
The Red Thread and Its Symbolism
A key element of this narrative is the scarlet cord that Rahab ties in her window. This red thread symbolizes her faith and serves as a sign for salvation when the Israelites eventually come to conquer Jericho. The spies provide Rahab with a promise of protection in exchange for her assistance, emphasizing the importance of this red thread.
Historical Context and Significance
Rahab's decision to hide the spies is not only brave but also showcases her faith, which surpasses that of the Israelite spies who had previously succumbed to fear. Her acknowledgment of God's power is significant; she states, "I know that the Lord has given you the land.” This insight into her understanding illustrates that true faith is not about background but rather about belief.
The Theological Implications of the Red Thread
The theological implications of the scarlet cord extend far beyond Rahab’s story. This red thread weaves through the fabric of biblical history, tracing back to the sacrifices made in the Garden of Eden and culminating in the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ. In Genesis, we see the first blood sacrifice when God clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins, symbolizing the beginning of atonement for sin.
Connections to Passover
The symbolism continues with the Passover, where the blood of the lamb protected the Israelites from death during the final plague in Egypt. The instruction to mark doorposts with blood parallels the scarlet cord, reinforcing the message that redemption is found through faith in God’s provision.
The Continuation of the Red Thread
As we progress through the biblical narrative, we discover the red thread connecting the Old Testament sacrifices to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Jesus, referred to as the Lamb of God, fulfills the prophetic significance of the blood that covers sins, bridging the gap between the old covenant and the new.
The Red Thread as a Symbol of Faith
When Rahab displayed her faith by tying the red cord in her window, she demonstrated proactive trust in God's promise of salvation. This act serves as a model for believers today, emphasizing that faith is often manifested through action. The red cord symbolizes not just deliverance from physical danger but deliverance from sin and spiritual death.
Conclusion: Embracing the Red Thread Today
The story of Rahab and the symbolism of the red thread remind us that salvation is available to everyone, regardless of past mistakes. Today, the message is clear: faith in Jesus, represented by the red thread, offers true redemption and promises eternal life. Rahab's actions affirm that it is never too late to respond to God's calling. Let us embrace the red thread in our lives, trusting in its power to transform and redeem.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
Topic: Faith and the Red Thread
Reflect on Rahab's Faith: How did Rahab demonstrate her faith in the story from Joshua, and what does her story teach us about the importance of faith in challenging circumstances?
Connecting Threads: Have you ever identified 'red threads' in your life—moments where your faith in God provided safety and guidance?
Immediate Action: Rahab acted immediately to secure her family's safety. Why is it important to act on our faith without delay?
Legacy of Faith: How can we be examples of this 'red thread faith' to our friends and family?
Personal Application: What steps can you take today to ensure your faith is visible and active in your life, much like the scarlet cord in Rahab's story?
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Historical Context of Joshua 2
The Book of Joshua is situated during the Late Bronze Age, around the 13th century BCE. This period was marked by significant political turmoil and many cultures developing across the Near East. Canaan, where Jericho was located, was a land of many city-states often in conflict.
Jericho was one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, known for its fortified stone walls. Archaeological discoveries suggest a complex society with advanced agricultural practices and social systems. Underlying this was a mix of Canaanite religious practices, which often included the worship of multiple gods.
Rahab's story in Joshua 2 highlights a rare splice of personal choice intersecting with divine intervention. Her background as a Canaanite and possibly a harlot sets her apart, emphasizing God’s inclusive nature and the importance of faith over ethnic or occupational barriers.
This account is further enriched considering that, at the time, most narratives focused on military conquests, yet here, individual faith and actions within those events are pivotal. It underscores a backdrop of real historical tension and societal norms challenged by remarkable acts of faith.
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The Story of Rahab and the Red Thread
Once upon a time, in a city called Jericho, there lived a woman named Rahab. Rahab was brave and very smart. One day, two spies from the land of Israel came to her house. They were on a secret mission, and Rahab decided to help them!
Rahab had heard many stories about the wonderful things God did for the Israelites. "I know your God is the real God," Rahab told the spies, "I want to help you."
The spies thanked Rahab and made her a promise. They said, "When our people come to take over Jericho, we will protect you and your family if you hang this red thread from your window."
Rahab quickly tied the red thread to her window and told her family to stay inside. When the Israelites came, they saw the red thread and remembered their promise. Rahab and her family were safe and sound because of her clever idea and big heart.
And do you know what? Rahab’s faith was so special that she became part of Jesus’s family! Isn’t that amazing?
So remember, like Rahab, we should always trust in God and help others whenever we can!
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The book of Joshua is an exciting book. And for those of you that have been following our Sunday night Bible studies, you know that I'm doing a series on the book. But as I. When I came to the passage that I'm sharing today, I felt like I needed to skip over that and preach it on Sunday morning, because it, to me, it's a great, great, great message. Of course, usually I'm the only one.
You know, I asked my wife one time, said, honey, how many great, great preachers do you think there are in the world? And she said, probably one less than you do. So, you know, no, she didn't do that. She probably thought it, but she didn't say it. She's nice.
She's nice. She's a lot nicer than Ann, but. So this message, it's a story about Rahab. And starting with Rahab, we could go in a number of directions. We could talk about the fact that five generations later, she had a king by the name of David.
That was her descendant. She was a great, great, great. Five generations later, David was born. Then we could go. The fact that she wasn't totally honest with the king of.
Of Jericho, you know, she wasn't 100% honest. Then we could talk about the fact that she was a harlot. So there's a lot of things that we could go about this lady by the name of Rahab. But there's one interesting fact that I want to share with you today. The fact of the red thread.
The red thread. Let's read part of the story. Joshua, chapter two. Begin reading at verse one. And Joshua, the son of nun, sent two men secretly from Sheddim as spies, saying, go view the land, especially Jericho.
Jericho was right across the river. That was going to be the first thing that they faced when they crossed over into the promised land. Now, he had wised up. Remember, Moses sent twelve, only two brought a good report. So he sent two to check out the land.
And it says, they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. And it was told to the king of Jericho, behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out our land. Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your home or entered your house, for they have come to search out the land. But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, true, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax on top of her house, stalks of flat that she would had laid in order on the roof. So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan, as far as the forge, and the gate was shut as soon as pursuers had gone off.
Now, before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, I know that the Lord has given you the land and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the red sea before you when they came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to Sihon and I, og whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you. For the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
This woman, this person from Jericho, not a jew, had not been trained in the scriptures of the Old Testament law. She had more faith than the ten spies that said, we can't take the land. Think about it. She had more faith because 40 years had passed. 40 years had passed, and she said, you're able to take the land.
Let's read on. It says, now then, please swear to me by the Lord that as I've dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers and sisters and all who belong to them and deliver our lives from death. 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. Verse 15.
Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for our house was built into the city wall. Now let me give a little bit of exclamation, because that sounds kind of weird to build a house in the wall, but it's really not at all, because if you do some research, you'll find that they have excavated Jericho. And that Jericho had two walls. They had an inner wall that was eleven to 12ft, not inches, eleven to 12ft thick. And it was 30 foot tall.
And then a parallel wall on the outside, an outer wall that was six foot thick, 30 foot tall. And in between that there was some variable spaces from different spaces between twelve and 27ft. Now you think 12ft, 12ft wide. And the length and its length. When my wife and I got married, we lived in a ten by 48 trailer.
So they had plenty of room to have a house. Okay? And they had a roof. That's where she hid them. And it was a roof.
And she let them down on the outside wall. So I can see it very easily between the two walls. That was where she lived, in the wall. Okay? And those walls were, by intervals, were tied together by walls.
You can read that in your. And look it up in the books. Then it says. Then she let them down and she said to them, go unto the hills or the pursuers will encounter you and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.
The men said to her, we will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. Behold, when we come into the lambda, you shall tie this scarlet cord or this crimson cord, or this red cord in the window through which you have led us down. And you shall gather into your house, your father and your mothers, your brothers and all your father's household. Then if anyone goes out the doors of your house into the streets, his blood shall be upon 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.
But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us. Where. 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.
That's kind of interesting to me, that. And she tied that cord immediately. It was at least ten days because they had three days preparation to go surround Jericho. They walked around Jericho for seven days. So it was at least ten days waiting.
But she immediately put that red thread, that crimson thread, that scarlet dread outside of a window. Now, I know that you're not like this, but I've got a guaranteed way to lose something if I put it somewhere where I will not lose it.
I can tell by your laugh you do the same thing. She might have been like that. She said, I'm going to put this thing out right now because I don't want to lose this. I have no idea how big it was. It was big enough to be seen, but she did.
It immediately. Seemed like I read somewhere over in the New Testament that today is the day of what? Salvation. She made preparation the day that they left her. She said, I'm going to be ready.
I'm going to put out the red thread. I'm going to put out that scarlet ribbon. I'm gonna put that out the window, because I want to uphold my end.
And that was her life preserver, they said, because of that red thread. Now, what is the key element of the red thread? Well, James and Hebrews both talk about Rahab. And when they talk about Rahab, what, do they compliment her? They do not compliment her on her nationality.
They do not mention the fact that she was a prostitute. They did not mention anything except one. By faith. By faith, by faith, she put out the red cord. By faith.
Now, folks, we gotta understand something. We never gonna get good enough to be saved. We're never gonna be good enough to earn our way to salvation. The only way we can do it is through faith. Through faith in what?
Faith in the red thread. Now, say, wait a minute, that doesn't make sense. I've already told you she had a greater faith than the ten spies, because she said, I know. She didn't say, I think she said, I know that the Lord has given you the land, and the fear has fallen upon us. So for 40 years, her people had waited in fear for the bunch of people that were too fearful to enter the land.
Think about that. But by faith, she placed the red thread, the scarlet cord, and she did it immediately. Immediately. Now, I want to come back to that red thread in this passage a little bit later, but I want you to go back to the beginning of the red thread. And I know some of you say, oh, I know when that was.
That was that Passover, the first Passover. That was the beginning of the red thread. No, it wasn't. So go back to the book of Genesis, chapter three. Genesis, chapter three, verse four, where it says this.
But the serpent said to the woman, you will not surely die, for God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good, for food. And that it was delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise. She took of its fruit and ate. And she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Then the eyes were opened and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Now a lot of people make issue about their nakedness. Nakedness was not the problem. What the issue was is that they had eaten and disobeyed God.
And because up until that time, there was no sin on the earth. The earth was sinless. I said the earth was sinless unless Satan was around. But the earth in itself. Mankind did not know what sin was.
Therefore they did not have a conscience. They did not know good from evil. Cause there's no such thing as evil. But when they sinned, their eyes opened to see good and evil. Remember there's another tree that was there too.
They said, don't eat of what was that? Life. Eternal life. So God kicked them out before they ate that one. But then all of a sudden they understood what sin was and they covered themselves with leaves.
But if you go over to the verse 21, we find the beginning of the red thread. And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. The first blood sacrifice was when God killed an animal and put the skins to cover them. Brother Michaelson last week did an awesome job talking about the difference between the Old Testament or the Old covenant. In the New Testament, the Old covenant never said their sins were gone.
The old covenant says their sins were what? Covered. Covered. Therefore God had to kill a blood sacrifice. I don't guess fig leaves were good enough.
He said there has to be a blood sacrifice. So at that time, at that point in history, the red thread began. Whenever he killed that first sacrifice. Killed that first sacrifice. Now, what kind of animal did he kill?
The Bible doesn't tell us. I don't think it was pigeons because they didn't say they put feathers on.
I believe it was a lamb. I thought it was a lamb. You say? Why would you say that? Because that's what the number one sacrifice for sins was, was a lamb.
That's what the cloak that Elijah threw down and Elisha picked up. It was made of lamb, made of sheep. So I believe probably killed a lamb and covered their sins. Did not cleanse them from their sins. He covered their sins.
Simpleness. The red thread, the blood, sacrificed, again, covered them, did not remove them.
And again, I think it was probably lamb. But it really doesn't matter. But we can see the beginning way back in Genesis, which says, the book of beginnings, the red thread begin to be woven throughout biblical history. The next stop is the first Passover. Even the word Passover, what does it mean?
When I see the blood, I will pass over you. Why? Because he saw the blood. See? Like Rahab, like Adam and Eve, the children of Israel were far from perfect.
How many knows that they were far from perfect? How many knows that you and I are far from perfect? Amen. We're far from perfect. And we have to have something to take care of.
The sins. The Old Testament, they did not remove the sins. They covered their sins, so they had to do it every year. And the beginning of that institution was in the Book of Exodus, chapter twelve. Let's go there.
Exodus, chapter twelve, verse three. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the 10th day of this month, every man shall take a lamb according to their father's house. A lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for a lamb, aren't you glad God takes care of us poor folks, too? He said if they're not rich enough to get a lamb, they can get together with the neighbors.
Then he and his neighbors, nearest neighbors, shall take according to the number of persons, according to what each can eat. And you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male, a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the 14th day. Now, this is really significant.
The 10th day is when they took the lamb. They brought the lamb literally into the household to keep an eye on it. Why? To make sure that it's perfect. Make sure that there was no deformities.
Jesus went into Jerusalem on the triumphal entry four days before the crucifixion. Why? So that everybody could see that he was in a peak physical condition.
He withstood the beating that would kill most people. But he was the Passover lamb. He was the red thread that started in Genesis. Went through Exodus, went through Joshua, went through Isaiah. He was the red thread, the scarlet cordental.
Let's go back to Joshua and read that again. Joshua, chapter two, verse 18. Joshua two, verse 18. Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the windows through which you led us down, and you shall gather into your house, your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's households. That scarlet cord.
Let's back up to book exodus. There's a couple of verses I did not read that. I need to do that. I quit reading too early. Keep within four days, and says, then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lentil of the house in which they eat it, and then drop down to verse 13.
The blood, the red, shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you. When I strike the land of Egypt. Verse 23.
For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians. And when he sees the blood on the lintel, when he sees the red thread on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your house to strike you. How amazing that is. Because, see, God told everybody, all the Jews, he said, if you do not have that red thread, if you do not have that mark on your door, the eldest one in your household will die.
The Egyptians were not told that the Egyptians did not have the red blood. And therefore, every one of their oldest children, male children, died, all of them. Why? Because they did not have the red thread. They did not have the blood that covered their sins.
And then we see Joshua says, the scarlet cord. Now say, what do you mean? Scarlethe you say, pastor, you've been saying red, you've been saying scarlet, you've been saying crimson.
What was the actual word there? Well, let me flip over to psalm 22. Psalm 22 sheds a little bit of insight on this because we talked about psalm 22 the other day. Remember when he says, when Jesus was on the cross, he said, my God, my God, why hast thou? What, forsaken me?
A lot of people say that God had turned his back on Jesus. I believe that Jesus was quoting this psalm, and he was too near death to quote it all. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? But drop down to verse six? But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
If you go to the original language, you find out that that word worm is the same word that's used for scarlet, the same word that's used for the crimson. Why would that be? Because it was the worm that they made the dye. They made the dye that they made the red color. It was very expensive.
Therefore, Jesus said, I'm the red thread. Are you following me? I'm the red thread.
I'm the one that's going to shed my blood. And the amazing thing over the New Testament that blood does not cover the sins. What does it do? It removes the sins. But there's amazing verse in Isaiah, chapter one, verse 18, that we quote pretty often, because we know that the Old Testament, the sins are nothing removed.
They're covered. But in Isaiah, chapter one, verse 18, it said, come, let us reason together, says the Lord, for though your sins are like scarlet, like the worm, they shall be white as snow. Now, that means to me, like, though they're red like crimson, they shall become like woolen. In other words, they're not just covered, they're cleansed. And I know some of you say, wait a minute, that's old Testament.
Yeah, but Isaiah was prophesying New Testament.
He was prophesying about Jesus Christ. He's talking about Jesus being that red thread. And he said, your sins are no longer just going to be covered, but they're going to be white as snow.
The red thread that waves from Genesis to Exodus to Joshua to Isaiah. Then we get to John, behold the lamb of God. That covers the sins. No, it doesn't say that, does it? It says, takes away the sins of the world, fulfilling.
The scripture in Isaiah said that sins that were scarlet shall be white as snow. See, the same faith that the nation of Israel had when they put the blood on the doorpost. The same faith that Rahab had when she put out the red cord. That's the same faith that's needed today for you and I, for everybody in the world. Not that our sins would be covered, but our sins would be removed.
Our sins would be forgiven. Now, I know some of you saying, I don't know if I follow that. Well, let's go to the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews, chapter nine, verse eleven. But when Christ appeared as high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect intent, this is another rabbit I could chase all day.
Because in the Old Testament, God made what we call the tabernacle. Now, if you study the tabernacle, that was a nice tent. I've camped out in tents a lot lower grade than that. It was a nice, nice tent.
But then he said, that tent's not good enough. Build me a temple.
And they made that temple. And if you study by that temple, that's pretty nice, wasn't it? Millions of dollars worth of gold in that temple. Millions of dollars worth of gold in that temple. But God said, that tent's not good enough either.
And he picked you, and he said, that's the tent that's valuable to me. That's what it's saying here, but when Christ appeared as a high priest, the good things to come. Then through the greater, more perfect tent, you and I, that is, not of this creation, not made with hands, he entered once for all into the holy place, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, the red thread, thus securing an eternal redemption forth the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer sanctified for the purification of flesh. How much more will the blood of Christ, who the eternal spirit offered himself through without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? God doesn't want a dead body.
He wants a living body. He wants a living body. Therefore present yourselves a living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Why? So he can live in you and through you and do things with you.
Therefore, he's a mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since the death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established, for a will takes effect only at death, since it is not enforced as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore, not even the first was inaugurated without blood. First covenant. Blood sacrifice.
For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, this is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you. And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law, almost everything is purified with blood. And without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Without the red thread, there's no forgiveness of sin.
Now. Hebrews ten five.
Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me. If burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, behold, I have come to do your will, o God, as it is written with me in the scroll of the book. When Jesus said, he's talking about Jesus, and he said, it is finished. When he said above, you shall neither desire nor taking pleasure in sacrificing offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings.
These are offerings according to the law. Then he added, behold, I have come to do your will. He does away with the first, he does away with the covering, does away with animal sacrifices, he does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. So the red thread, the beginning of Genesis, goes through Exodus, went through Joshua, went through Isaiah, went through James and John and Hebrews.
It's still going. It's still going. But the red thread doesn't stop there. It continues on through the book of revelations, revelation, chapter seven, just one verse, verse 14, sir, you know, and he said to him, these are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb in revelation, chapter twelve, verse nine.
And the great dragon was thrown down. Now this is talking about futuristic, this hasn't happened yet, but how many knows it's going to? And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who's called the devil, and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, he was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, now thy salvation and the power and the kingdom of God and the authority of Christ has come. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them both day and night, and they have conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they love not their lives, even to death.
Therefore rejoice, o heavens and ye who dwell in them. But woe to you, o earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short. Don't have time to chase that rabbit. But Satan's time is running out. Satan's time is running out.
And we see more and more and more and more things that are resulting in things that are bad for God's creation because of Satan's times running out, because he knows that that red thread is still effective today. The end result of all those people in Jericho was death. There were no one that escaped Jericho, except the ones that had the red thread. The red thread, the red cord.
The reality is, it's still true today. The only ones that will survive eternally is the ones that have put their faith and trust in the red thread in the final battle, those that overcome by the blood of the lamb. The red thread. I was thinking last night or yesterday afternoon, how long is that red thread? Well, we know it started from Genesis and it's still going on.
Through revelations, we know that it came from heaven all the way down to earth. We know that it goes to the deepest pit, to the darkest prison.
I thought of that prison guard when Paul was released. He was getting ready to kill himself. But Paul said, don't do it. We're still here. And he had enough faith.
He had enough faith to accept the red corn. So how long is it? I'm glad. It's long enough to reach me. It's long enough to reach you.
It's long enough to reach the most evil place in the world. But then how strong is it?
I can tell you this. It's never been tested. I said, it's never been tested. You say, wait a minute. Satan tested it at the.
When he crucified Jesus. He thought he'd won. You know, I imagine there was a celebration going on in hell. Jesus was dead.
We won. The red thread has been broken. Mm mm. Because God raised Jesus from the dead. And the red thread just came a lot stronger, became a lot more powerful, because Jesus proved that he was more powerful than sin, than death and the grave.
And that red thread is still going on throughout our world today. It even goes through Washington, DC.
It's powerful.
And what did we do?
I don't totally understand. Cause I read some commentaries and said that Rahab may not have been a harlot or a prostitute. It may have been she had a house that she rented and different things. It really doesn't matter. I said, it really doesn't matter.
I can tell you what she did have, though. She had enough faith to throw out the red cord.
She said, we're destined to die.
I wished so many in the world today would understand that they're destined to die if they don't have the red cordental, if they don't have the red thread. And, friend, if you've never reached out and grabbed that red thread, if you never applied it to your life, the same thing's going to happen to you that happened to everybody else except Rahab and her family, and they died a death except that red thread.
And I'm so thankful that rehab didn't say, well, I'm gonna wait till later. She threw it out ten days, at least ten days before it was needed because she didn't want to take a chance in missing what God had for her. She put her faith and trust in the red thread. I hope you all understand those online in here, too. We're not talking about a literal piece of material.
We're talking about the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that travels from Genesis all the way to revelations, from heaven all the way to earth. It's still available today. Let's avail ourselves of it. Worship team's coming.
Those that are getting baptized in water in just a few moments. You can go on back and get ready. But we want to worship the Lord for a moment. We want to pray with you if you need prayer, and I'm going to just ask Brother Jeff to just lead us in some worship. But if there are people that need prayer, I want you to come on up and pray.
So our prayer team come on up and be ready to pray with these people that come and respond. Holy Spirit, we thank you, God. I thank you for that red thread, God. I'm glad I didn't have to earn salvation because I could have never worked that hard, could have never raised up that kind of money.
But all I had to do is believe. All I had to do believe. So, Father, we ask that there are those here today that need to avail themselves of the blood of Jesus Christ that will not just cover their sins, but will remove their sins and cleanse them from all unrighteousness. We pray that they would respond to this altar call today and God, that you would minister to them and touch them. In Jesus name.
Amen.
