The Fine Print: (Part Two) Fire Insurance: The Protection Plan You Can’t Afford to Ignore
- Oct 13
- 5 min read
Part Two: Rahab’s Scarlet Cord, Coverage in the Fire
Last week we heard God’s first instruction to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous.” But here’s the real question… have you personalized that for yourself?
Being strong and courageous is not about a feeling. It is not a surge of confidence that shows up when everything looks easy. Strength and courage are anchored in Christ.
Joshua’s courage led to obedience, and his obedience activated God’s protection plan. But here’s the beauty of God’s coverage, it wasn’t just for Joshua or the Israelites marching around Jericho. It extended to someone living inside the very city marked for destruction.
Her name was Rahab.
People knew her by her title, a prostitute. In Jericho, that meant she wasn’t respected or welcomed into the inner circles of the city. Women like Rahab were pushed to the sidelines, carrying the weight of labels and judgment. Her house was literally built into the city wall (Joshua 2:15), on the edge of Jericho, and on the edge of society.
Maybe you’ve felt like that too, defined by your past, overlooked, or kept at a distance. But Rahab’s story reminds us that God’s grace reaches even there. The very place people used to exclude her became the very place God used to display His salvation plan. Thank You, Jesus.
Rahab’s house also served a practical role. In ancient cities, women like her often ran inns or houses where travelers stayed. Think of it like a rough version of a Motel 8, a spot with constant turnover where merchants and soldiers came and went.
Positioned right on the city wall, Rahab’s home was a natural stop for strangers. And because of that, she had access to information, whispers of armies, rumors of victories, and stories about the God of Israel. She got all the tea firsthand.
I can almost picture her leaning in with a knowing smile:
“So, what brings you to Jericho?” (sips tea).
One night, two new guests showed up at Rahab’s door, but they weren’t merchants or soldiers just passing through. They were Israelite spies, sent by Joshua to scout out Jericho. And where did they end up? At Rahab’s house.
“So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.”
(Joshua 2:1)
But word spread quickly in Jericho. The king heard there were spies in town, and guess whose house their footprints traced back to? Rahab’s.
“So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab, ‘Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.’”
(Joshua 2:3)
Now imagine the pressure. Rahab had a decision to make: obey the king of Jericho or protect the men of Israel. Logic said side with the king, it was safer, right? But faith whispered something different.
Rahab hid the spies on her roof under stalks of flax. She looked the king’s men straight in the eye and said, “They were here, but they’ve already left. If you hurry, you might catch them.” (my paraphrase of Joshua 2:4–5).
Why risk everything like that? Because Rahab had already chosen whose side she was on.
She told the spies plainly:
“I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us… The Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
(Joshua 2:9, 11)
Think about that. She had never seen the Red Sea split. She hadn’t tasted manna. She didn’t march with Israel through the wilderness. She only heard the stories, and it was enough to believe.
Rahab didn’t just hide the spies, she declared her faith. She moved before the proof. And that decision would not only save her life but also secure her family’s covering when Jericho’s destruction came.
Faith That Moves Before Proof
Rahab believed before Jericho’s walls crumbled. She had only heard about God’s wonders, most likely from the travelers who passed through her inn, stories of the Red Sea splitting and Israel’s victories in the wilderness (Joshua 2:10–11). She hadn’t seen these miracles herself, but she trusted the reports.
And this is why spreading the good news of Jesus matters. You may never meet the person who hears your story, but your testimony can be the seed God uses. Someone else may water it, but God will bring the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6).
Real-Life Connection: Fire insurance starts with faith. We don’t wait until we smell smoke before we prepare. We act now because we trust God’s Word about what’s coming.
Takeaway: True faith doesn’t wait for the walls to fall. It moves while they’re still standing.
The Scarlet Cord as a Sign of Coverage
“Tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and bring your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house.” (Joshua 2:18)
The spies gave Rahab clear instructions: tie the scarlet cord, gather your family, stay inside. That cord wasn’t just decoration, it was her protection plan. It marked her house as covered while everything else in Jericho was devoted to destruction. My God. Thank You, Jesus.
Real-Life Connection: The scarlet cord pointed ahead to the blood of Jesus. Just like Israel painted blood on their doorposts at Passover (Exodus 12:7), Rahab’s cord marked her household for salvation. Today, our fire insurance is still the blood of Christ.
Takeaway: Protection isn’t random. It rests on those who are marked by covenant.
Everyone in the House Was Covered
“Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho.” (Joshua 6:25)
Now let’s be real, how hard do you think it was for Rahab to convince her family to listen to her? With her reputation, it probably wasn’t easy. Yet faith gave her influence. She couldn’t stop Jericho’s destruction, but she could decide who came inside her house. And her obedience opened the door for her entire family’s survival.
Real-Life Connection: Your obedience can pull others under God’s covering. Rahab tied the cord, but her household reaped the blessing. Likewise, your faith in Christ can be the reason your family finds safety.
Takeaway: Fire insurance doesn’t just cover you. It can cover your whole house.
Did You Know?
Rahab wasn’t just rescued from Jericho, she was woven into the very family line of Jesus. The same woman people labeled by her past became the great-great-grandmother of King David and the mother of Boaz. Let that sink in. lol
From prostitute to God’s plan of promise, talk about coverage.
Prayer
Lord, thank You. Thank You for divine protection. Please forgive me for the times I have treated Your instructions like suggestions. Thank You for not allowing my past to disqualify me from Your blessing.
As I read Your Word, I see what You did for Rahab, how You saved not only her but also her family. I believe You are the same saving God today. No matter what the world looks like around me, there is still a protection policy with my name and my family’s name on it.
I stand on the finished work of Your blood. Open my ears to hear the instructions for this season, and Holy Spirit, teach me to act on what I hear in faith. I choose You, Jesus.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
