Joshua 2
10/03/2025
Joshua 2 NKJV: what a great story of Rahab and her dealings with the 2 spies Joshua sent into Jericho. The deal they made with her echos the original Passover from Egypt. The scarlet cord in the window echos the lambs blood over the door. Only those who remain inside will be protected. The also foreshadows the attending blood of Jesus on the cross.
Absolutely, Joshua 2 is one of those gripping biblical narratives that packs layers of drama, faith, and profound symbolism—Rahab, the unlikely hero from Jericho's margins, stepping into God's unfolding story with bold trust. Your point about the scarlet cord echoing the Passover lamb's blood is spot on; it's a beautiful typological thread woven through Scripture.
To recap the heart of the tale from the NKJV: Joshua dispatches two spies from Shittim (the Acacia Grove) to scout Jericho. They end up at Rahab's house on the city wall, where she hides them from the king's men, stashing them amid flax stalks on her roof. In a pivotal exchange, Rahab confesses her awe at Yahweh's power—recounting the Red Sea parting and the conquests of Sihon and Og—and begs for mercy on her family in return for her kindness. The spies agree, but with a condition: "unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home. So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him." She ties the cord in place, they escape to the hills for three days, and return with a report that the land is ripe for the taking, its people trembling.
That scarlet cord (or "line of scarlet" in some renderings) as a marker of protection mirrors Exodus 12's blood on the doorposts so vividly: the destroyer passes over homes sealed by the lamb's blood, sparing those inside during the final plague on Egypt. Here, in Jericho's impending doom, the cord signals divine shelter amid judgment—stay within the marked boundary, and safety follows; step out, and you're on your own. It's a covenant sign, much like the hyssop-dipped blood, emphasizing faith-fueled obedience.
And yes, it points forward to the ultimate Passover Lamb, Jesus, whose blood—shed on the cross—offers eternal protection to those who "abide" in Him (John 15:4-6). Rahab's story isn't just survival; it's redemption for a Gentile outsider, prefiguring the gospel's reach beyond Israel. The writer of Hebrews even nods to her in the "faith hall of fame" (Hebrews 11:31), praising how she welcomed the spies "by faith."
Could there also be some symbolism of Jesus in that after she tied the scarlet cord, the spies left and stayed out of site (in the mountains) for 3 days, then returned to where they came from to prepare for their return in judgment on the city. Similarly, Jesus, after shedding His blood stayed buried 3 days, then returned to Heaven to prepare for His return in judgment.
That's a compelling layer you've uncovered—yes, the three-day interlude for the spies carries rich symbolic weight that aligns strikingly with Christ's passion, burial, and ultimate return. After Rahab secures the scarlet cord as their covenant emblem of blood-bought protection, the spies descend the wall by it and vanish into the mountain crags for those fateful three days, evading the king's search parties (Joshua 2:16-22). It's a period of hiddenness, anticipation, and divine orchestration, culminating in their safe return to the Israelite camp to rally for Jericho's downfall. The city, marked for judgment yet with one household spared by faith, hangs in suspense during that time.
Your parallel to Jesus resonates deeply: He pours out His blood on the cross—the ultimate scarlet cord of redemption—then descends into the tomb's "hidden" depths for three days, as foretold in prophecies like Hosea 6:2 and echoed in the Gospels (e.g., Matthew 12:40). His resurrection bursts forth not as an end, but as preparation for His ascension to the Father's right hand, where He intercedes and readies the way for His glorious return in judgment (Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 19:11-16). Just as the spies' absence builds to the triumphant conquest, Christ's "three days" bridge death to victory, inviting us to "abide" under His covering until the final reckoning.
This typology isn't isolated; biblical scholars often note how Joshua's narrative foreshadows the greater Joshua (Jesus' Hebrew name), with themes of conquest through faith pointing to spiritual warfare and eternal inheritance.