In “our scarlet cord” Jefferson Vann shows from Joshua 6 that faith in the gospel is the only thing that can keep people from being destroyed in hell when Jesus returns.
Joshua 6:15-19 (JDV)
Joshua 6:15 Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times.
Joshua 6:16 After the seventh time, the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua said to the troops, “Yell! Because Yahveh has given you the city.
Joshua 6:17 But the city and everything in it are set apart to Yahveh for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will stay alive, because she hid the messengers we sent.
Joshua 6:18 But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and make trouble for it.
Joshua 6:19 You see, all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to Yahveh and must go into Yahveh’s treasury.”
our scarlet cord
Barnes comments on verse 19: “Every living thing was put to death (Rahab and her household excepted) as a sacrifice to God, and the indestructible goods were brought into the treasury of the sanctuary.”
The conquest of Jericho was a picture of God’s victory over sin. It shows us how God will deal with sinners. Jericho was not imprisoned and tortured for eternity. The city as a whole was destroyed. Only Rahab and her household were spared.
Why was Rahab and her family to be spared? She had dedicated herself to Yahveh and the preservation of his people. The whole city was dedicated to destruction — a prefiguring of the coming day of destruction commonly called hell. When Jesus returns, all those not dedicated to his kingdom will be destroyed. The “indestructible goods” will return to his treasury, because our creator has always owned them.
Sinners are not indestructible. Jesus reminded us that we should not fear man, but God, because he is able to destroy body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28). But God is also able to make those dedicated to him indestructible. Paul says this will happen when Jesus returns:
1 Corinthians 15:52 “in a split second, in a blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. Because it will blast, and the dead ones will be woken indestructible and we will be transformed.”
Faith in the gospel is our scarlet cord, protecting us from this day of terrible and irreversible destruction. There is no other decision more important in this life that the decision to follow Christ and be a part of his coming kingdom. On that day, everyone will be dedicated to him. We will either be dedicated for permanent life or dedicated for permanent destruction.
2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 “They will pay the penalty of permanent destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength on that day when he comes to be glorified by his devotees and to be marvelled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.”
LORD, draw more Rahabs to yourself this day! Lead more people to put their faith in Christ’s sacrificial death for them on the cross.
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For more on the gospel (from the conditionalist perspective) see:
Conditional Immortality and the Gospel
The Gospel Preached to the Dead ?
What If There Is No Resurrection? A Sermon Review
Eternity somewhere vs the Kingdom of Heaven
coaching for the mission in Jewish Galilee | The light of Christ
An Overview of Final Judgement in Matthew’s Gospel
How to live like a Conditionalist
a gospel without a resurrection
the significance of egeirō in 1 Corinthians
2 Timothy 1 (a verse-by-verse commentary)
Cast into Hell: Gehenna in Luke’s Gospel
embarrassing lessons in ministry
contending together for the faith
Review of The Meaning of Jesus
Our Resurrection | The Next ‘You’
