The Blood and the Glory #6
We’re going to continue our teaching on the “Blood and The Glory.” Before we go on to find out how to apply the Blood of Jesus to any given situation in your life today, I want to look at someone else in the Old Testament who also had a revelation of the Blood.
I) But 1st let’s go back to Exodus 12:11-14.
A) In (verse 14) the Lord says that this shall be an ordinance for you to keep forever.
1) Now God doesn’t just tell us to do something for no reason at all. This Passover that they were to keep every year was to remind them of what the blood of the Lamb did for them.
(a) It protected them from the works of the destroyer.
B) But back in verse 13, let’s read it.
1) Underlined the word “TOKEN.”
C) God gave another amazing revelation of the power of the Blood to protect and that was to RAHAB THE HARLOT.
1) In (Hebrews 11:31) it says that what she did, she did by faith.
(a) The whole country was filled with fear. The massive multitude of the children of Israel, perhaps 2 to 3 million people, had destroyed the kingdom’s that tried to stop them from their move to the Land of Canaan.
(b) The Bible describes their state of mind in Joshua 5:1 so let’s turn there.
(i) The inhabitants of Jericho were terrified. Yet in the midst of a frightened population, ONE WOMAN EXERCISED FAITH so great it gained for her a good report from God and a place in 2 Bible halls of fame: the lineage of Jesus, and the heroes of faith. (Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:2, 31)
2) Everything about Rahab’s life was against her exercising such faith.
(a) Everyone was in such fear of the children of Israel.
(b) Her religion was against her which consisted of sex acts and sacrificing children.
(i) This explains why God commanded Israel to totally destroy these people. It was an execution of God’s judgment.
(ii) Everything seemed to be against Rahab.
(iii) And when this time of judgment was about to fall on the inhabitants of Jericho, she was in the most dangerous spot of all. Her house was built on the city walls, which God decreed must fall.
3) Rahab’s faith deserves close consideration. It reveals a way to use the power of the Blood in today’s events.
D) Joshua sent to spies into Jericho. And they lodged at Rahab’s house. When the King of Jericho heard it, he sent men after them.
1) Rahab hid the spies and managed to get rid of the king’s men.
2) Let’s look at something Rahab said in Joshua 2:9-11.
(a) Rahab heard the same news everyone in the town heard which was the supernatural acts of Israel’s God.
(i) Fear filled the hearts of the overwhelming majority.
(b) FAITH FILLED RAHAB’S HEART. She decided to believe that Jehovah was the true God.
3) Because of her faith in the one and only true God and her action of faith by hiding the spies she asked a request.
(a) Look at Joshua 2:12-13. (Here we see the Word TOKEN again).
(b) Rahab asked for the lives of her father, her mother, her brothers, her sisters, and she wanted all their possessions. Their material goods. Their belongings.
(i) Rahab had a legitimate request to ask for protection. The Bible says in (Exodus 21:24), “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
(ii) She had just protected Israel’s spies and now she has a legal right to ask for protection.
4) But Rahab also asked for something else. She wanted a TRUE TOKEN, a sign.
(a) If the spies had not been running for their lives, they might have SLAIN A LAMB and place the same token upon Rahab’s doorpost, which was upon the Hebrews’ doorpost, when judgment was coming to Egypt.
II) But this time a scarlet cord would have to do for Rahab and her family.
A) THIS SCARLET LINE would REPRESENT THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB slain before the foundation of the world.
1) Let’s read Joshua 2:18-19, 21.
B) Listen to what the Matthew Henry’s Commentary says about this.
1) Israel would protect Rahab, and all her relations, provided that she tie the scarlet cord with which she was now about to let them down in the window of her house. This was to be a mark upon the house, which the spies would take care to give notice of to the camp of Israel, that no soldier, how hot and eager soever he was in military executions, might offer any violence to the house that was thus distinguished. This was like the blood sprinkled upon the door-post, which secured the first-born from the destroyer, and, being of the same colour, some allude to this also to represent the safety of believers under the protection of the blood of Christ.
(a) Just as it was in Egypt, the children of Israel were protected from the destroyer when the blood of the Lamb was applied.
(i) Everyone in the house where the blood was applied was protected.
(ii) The same is true for Rahab. When Rahab displayed a token of the blood, this time with a scarlet thread, everyone in the house would be protected as long as the scarlet thread was displayed.
C) I’m sure you know the story how the children Israel marched around Jericho seven days, so let’s pick up the story on the 7th day.
1) Joshua 6:20-23, 25.
(a) The Word of God mentions several times that Rahab and her kindred (families) were saved.
(i) They may not have even had faith in Jehovah, but because of Rahab’s faith and the blood being applied, her family was kept safe.
2) The same is true for us. When we apply the blood of Jesus over our loved ones they too will be kept safe.
3) But the Bible also emphasizes, “the saving of their goods.”
(a) You need to also plead the blood of Jesus over your belongings.
(b) You need to offer up a prayer in faith similar to this, “Thank you, Lord, for the blood of Jesus and in the name of Jesus I draw a bloodline around my property and possessions. I plead the blood of Jesus over my family and my loved ones.”
III) If Rahab’s faith, a Canaanite harlot, could protect her family and goods with this token of the scarlet cord, which represented the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
A) How much more can a New Testament believer’s faith in the power of the blood of the risen Lord protect their loved ones and possessions?
1) If we cannot draw a bloodline around our loved ones and property, then we don’t have a better covenant.
2) But we can. (Hebrews 8:6) says, “That we have a better covenant which has been established upon better promises.”
IV) The Bible calls the blood upon the doorpost of the Israelites on that first Passover in Egypt “A TOKEN.” (Exodus 12:13).
A) It also calls Rahab’s scarlet cord “A TRUE TOKEN.” (Joshua 2:12).
1) Tokens are signs. They are to be displayed.
B) God gave THE RAINBOW as His “TOKEN” that the world would never again be destroyed by water. (Genesis 9:11-17).
1) He has displayed that token somewhere on the earth every day since the end of the flood.
2) We are to continually display the token of the Blood of Jesus and its power over the doorpost and boundaries of our lives.
C) HOW?
D) BY FAITH. And by the words of our mouth because we believe it in our hearts.
1) Draw that bloodline by faith with your mouth over your life, circumstances, and property. And PLEAD THE BLOOD OF JESUS by faith.
2) That’s what the old-timers did and it worked. And it will work for you and me.
V) Next week will get into pleading the blood of Jesus, but I’ll say this much, the Word “PLEADING” is a legal term. Like a lawyer would plead a case before the judge. The blood of Jesus does that.
W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, December 03, 2000 from Billy Brim’s book, “The Blood and the Glory.” Pp. 61 through 67.