Window Of Opportunity

[mfblume]

The Lord gave me a blessing when he showed me something about RAHAB the harlot last weekend.

Rahab, as we know, was the contact person the spies had when they entered Jericho. Obviously God led them there since the lady's heart was seeking for Him, as is evidenced by her words to the spies.

Anyway, the spies were ready to tuck in for the night beneath the stalks of flax on her roof (by the way FLAX is the raw materail for LINEN, which represents RIGHTEOUSNESS), when she ran up and spoke about her desire to be free from the destruction she knew was coming to her city.

Then she concocted a means of escape for the spies. SHE DID IT. Not them. She tied the scarlet cord to her window and let them down the wall. It was her idea! Note that the house she lived in was on the wall!

When they reached the bottom, she told them to head for the mountain for three days, and then return to their people across Jordan.

It was then that the spies told her to tie the cord around the window through which they escaped, as a token to rescue her. And to keep that business secret!

Jericho knew that the spies were even at her house! So that was not the business they told her to keep secrtet. It was the RED CORD IN THE WINDOW business. Otherwise, they would leave her to ruin.

And they made an OATH previously saying OUR LIFE FOR YOUR LIFE!

Why should she keep that secret? It was because there would be red cords in windows everywhere if she let the news out. And it is spiritually significant that hers was to be the only one!

The two spies distinctly said they would treat her KINDLY and TRULY.

And when it was all over, we read "AND JOSHUA SAVED RAHAB".

Jesus is JOSHUA in Greek. His two spies of GRACE AND TRUTH (John 1:14) were sent to this world. She asked for "KINDNESS" and a "TRUE TOKEN" of them. They said they would deal "KINDLY and TRULY" with her.

HIS LIFE FOR OUR LIFE!!!! The substitution of the cross!

The world concocted the CROSS, as Rahab made the escape of the red cord in the window. And the cross truly was an escape from the earthly flesh and mortality that Christ enrobed Himself with. And THAT SAME ESCAPE would be OUR ESCAPE, as the same means was Rahab's deliverance from the destruction.

The reason more than one window and red cord was forbidden, lest the oath the spies made be broken, was because they escaped THROUGH THAT SPECIFIC WINDOW on that CORD.

Many windows with many red cords, represent MANY DEATHS THAT GIVE DELIVERANCE. But ONLY ONE DEATH GIVES DELIVERANCE! The very one that Jesus Christ experienced!

Only Christ is the way to the Father. He alone is the way the truth and the life! Only HIS LIFE for our LIFE!

There is NO OTHER WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY!

And then He went for THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS away from the world. As the spies hid three days in the mountain.

And we experience that SAME WINDOW. Notice that Heb 2:14 says "THROUGH" DEATH, as though death were an avenue, or WINDOW... Christ destroyed the devil who had the power of death!

Praise God! I thank Him that He saw fit to reveal to me the WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY!

[tufluv]

AMEN, BRO.BLUME:

WONDERFUL post! I have often thought of the same thing when reading: "through" JESUS CHRIST,.HE is the path, or road, to heaven. We must past through HIM, "no one comes to the FATHER but through JESUS", the "thru-way" "true-way", it all spells the same! Halleluyah! A window was used as an avenue of escape...they slipped past the enemy battle lines, as we also have slipped past the EvilOne's demon traps, via that red cord, flowing down that wall, as the blood of JESUS flowed red.
What a magnificent plan of JESUS., although it was painful for him, he endured it all for me, and YOU!
Shall WE endure nothing? Hah! We must endure THIS fleshly life, endure to the end, knowing that HIS mercies also endure forever; with that same mercy, and grace, accompanying us on this journey through enemy lines, we have prevailed! I'm already there-in spirit, for now, (which IS what counts) HIS blood has cleansed us and continues to cleanse us so we may arrive spotless before our GOD, landing at the foot of HIS throne. :bow:
[just my thoughts!]

[Hebrews116]

And ultimately she was apart of the linage of Jesus too! (Matt. 1:5).

[ddc101]

Paul spoke of opportunities as doors
1 Cor 16:9
9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
(KJV)
Jesus spoke of gates

Matt 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
(KJV)

[Xerf]

And don't forget:

Act 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Act 20:8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
Act 20:9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

This man became unresponsive (not hearing) to preaching and fell OUT the window. The expression "there were many lights in the room" speaks of how the preaching of the Word "bringeth light" and this fellow sat and went to sleep in the light and fell into darkness!!!!!

[Sandy]

Also, the thought came to me regarding the red cord, red being the color of shed blood. Plus it was over the entrance way of escape to life.

[Xerf]

Plus the cord had to be taken hold of and grasped to allow it to be a device of salvation....God gives the Holy Ghost to them that OBEY Him....they MUST take hold of it!

[tufluv]

VERY GOOD, XERF!

I see you're doing much better now. Mercy has that effect on souls! :D :D

I think that this topic would make a good sermon or study for the lost or new converts, I am going to copy this info and present to one of our pastors., (if its okay?).

[Xerf]

No you may not copy and paste this material nor memorize or quote form it, this is copywrited stuff and the CW Police will soon be at your door!!!

Just send all royalties to my address.

:)

[tufluv]

Whats CW?
Ah-hah! So you have an address , I'll take it!
Maybe THEN we can uncover your secrets! Heheh!

Now I know why when I was a child till now, RED has been a most favorite color of mine! Amazing how we can look back and see subtle ways GOD was reaching out, and we did not even know it! The weaving of our lives with HIS prescence, one thread at a time, seamlessly woven.
Reminds me of a sermon (yes, again) one of our pastors (the one that baptized me) preached on called "Woven w/o Seam" (spanish) that really moved me, he's one of the best preacher/pastors I've ever met! He helped build my foundation.
Another sermon dealt with building our temple, speaking of the ouchies that come with each "nail" (trial) that is driven into us!
Anway, once again :nt: !!

[Xerf]

Ok stay with the topic or we will banish you to the site of "those that have a lot to say about everything but what we want to hear . com

:)

ANd how about the men that brought their friend on a bed and there was NO window of opportunity (because others had blocked the way)!

THEY MADE A WINDOW!

[tufluv]

Ooh, cool!
Now there's some enterprising young souls!
I love it! We need more folks like that, that will "make a way, where there is no way", as JESUS does!
They go around, or above, the obstacles, pretty inspiring example, glad you brought that up. :D

As for that site, how would you know about that, maybe you were one of the first ones sent there? Hmmm...getting lonely there? :spin:

[mfblume]

Praise God! Great thoughts here! I also noted a while back the thought of LOOKING AT LIFE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS. The cord was in the WINDOW. Something you look through. And that means victory in a world that tumbles down all around.

Since her home was on the WALL, when the WALLS fell down after the Hebrews marched around and shouted, imagine one single piece of the wall standing with the rest all rubble on the ground! Praise God!

And those walls were not brought down by sound waves of the shout. INVISIBLE ANGELS were there. That is the reason Joshua saw the captain of the hosts of Heaven at the end of Chapter 5.

So the angels recognized the CORD IN THE WINDOW!

[tufluv]

Oooh! Gives me chills! How awesome are these revelations!
Angels do recognize a lot, thats why I pay attention whenever they're mentioned in the Bible, they answer and respond to GOD's order and orders! :angel:

[Xerf]

AND the fact that the spies promised (vowed) to Rahab that there would be saftey for her and her family was IN the house identified with the red cord, if any went out his blood was on his own head! Showing that salvation was only IN one house and that all others would fall!
This house was the house of a prostitute! But became the house of salvation! HIS BLOOD WASHES AWAY ALL SIN!

[Xerf]

PLUS.......the window was a 2 way device....look in....look out.
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SALVATION!

[ddc101]

The word calls it a scarlet thread.
Check out these other scriptures that speak of a scarlet thread.
Bro.Blume note the story of the twins.The one who came first had the scarlet thread tied to his arm and then his brother prevailed but his mother recognized that the one who came first did not have the thread.This reminded me of the covenents.lv sis.c
Josh 2:18
18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
(KJV)

2339 chuwt (khoot);

from an unused root probably meaning to sew; a string; by implication, a measuring tape:

KJV-- cord, fillet, line, thread.

Gen 38:28-30
28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
(KJV)

[foreverblessed]

Great post Bro. Blume, thank you!

Wow Xerf, good thoughts, you must have taken a smart pill today! :jk: :laugh:

[Xerf]

I slept with a Bible under my pillow last night, --- subliminal instruction!!

[mfblume]

Another note, Rahab hid blessed SPIES of Israel in her roof.

Achan hid cursed things in the FLOOR of his tent.

To look at both on the outward would make you think Achan was the good guy. An Israelite! But he hid a GARMENT in the floor of his tent that would have killed him and eventually did!

However, Rahab hid spies in her roof which would have killed her had her people known.

Josh 6 says Rahab and that was her's was alive "until this day".

At the end of Josh 7, Achan and all that was his was beneath rubble in a valley "until this day".

What a contrast!

Reminds me of the one man who committed one sin and would not repent. Jesus said he's "out". But the man who came tpo Peter seven times in one day would be forgiven, because the man REPENTED. By all outward appearances the single-sin man was better than the seven-sin man. But Jesus notes the HEART... what is hidden. The single-sin man would not repent. The seven-sin man did!

Rahab outwardly looked like a harlot for she was. And Achan was an Israelite (kept all the standards!) However, look what was inside these two people!

Achan became CURSED since he hid the cursed thing. Rahab became a blessing, since she hid blessed Israelites. Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus! Talk about a blessing!

[Xerf]

My, my, my..........what a message! On the Roof Or Under The Floor!

THAT WILL PREACH!! (soon as I get my license, I'm gonna rip and snort with that one!) :)

[mfblume]

Amen! IT DID! :)

What is also interesting is that the roof led to the mountain.... the spies went to the mountain afterwards. Higher and higher.

The floor went to the valley. Achan was taken into a valley and stoned to death.

Lower and lower.

[Xerf]

AWESOME!!!!!!!! man I feel that one!

[truemessianic]

Either all the way up, or all the way down...
The Choice is Ours!!!
(Man, I could preach that one!!!)