(1Timothy 1:15) “Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:”
What would those around us do if we sang out of tune, would they not squelch their ears to its sound, or what do we do when our friends let us down and disappoint? Do we show resentment? Far too often I would suggest! If only we could learn to take on our great Kings nature and live with His attitude, how useful we would be to those around us. How magnificently our God’s name would be praise, it would be no different to the days of the plight of Israel as they fled slavery and now were about to posses the Promised Land.
There came a day that God began to make good on His promise to Abraham, his seed was now in final preparation to receive their inheritance, the Promised Land! They approach a city, Jericho by name and there they sent spies to spy it out in preparation for battle. Yet the battle was not theirs but God’s! How we need to be reminded that it is the Lord Jesus that has overcome, we must learn to take our eyes off our own struggles and remember that it is His resurrection that we need to be reminded of daily. He who has begun a good work will see it through unto the end.
A harlot by the name of Rahab heard about Israel’s great victory over the Egyptians, news had somehow travel by the winds of the desert and she had heard about this great God. On hearing the news great fear fell upon her and she resolve that whatever the cost she needed to find favour from these people and their God, our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
At the possibility of losing her life she hid the spies; “And it was told to the king of Jericho, "Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land." Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land." But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them… Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death." And the men said to her, "Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you." Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. And she said to them, "Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way." The men said to her, "We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear.” (Joshua 2:3-17)
- What I love about this account is that this woman was a harlot, a sinner! There was no mistaking the fact and even the writer of Hebrews refers to her as Rahab the harlot. Each and every individual that has every lived must come to a place in their lives that they acknowledge that they are sinners and that they need a Saviour (somebody who rescues somebody or something from harm or danger). What then is the danger? Hell! Without Jesus Christ as our Saviour that is where we will all end up. There is no debate required when we look at the Bibles teaching on this subject. These are the facts; unless we repent and call upon the name of the Lord through repentance, seeking out His forgiveness for our sins we will be doomed in the life here after to a Godless eternity.
Here is another example of God’s brilliance as He shows mercy on whom He chooses and He has chosen to save sinners and not the self-righteous as they believe that they do not need a Saviour. Once again he will confine the “wise” (who are in fact fools) and silence them once and for all at the White Throne Judgment.
Mercy rest in His hands alone, no one else has the power to excuse the sinner but God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the only way we will be beneficiaries of that mercy is in and through the Lord Jesus. Accept His sacrifice and find life, reject it at your own peril!
Awhile back I posted that I had resolved to speak the truth even if it hurt. I have now declare the truth. I pray for all those who have not yet bowed the knee to the Lord Jesus that they would repent and call out to Him and find life. I too remember the day when I thought this to be “pie n the sky”. But God who was rich in mercy call out my name and quicken my spirit and I then found life. Father God please have mercy on all who are still grappling to come to terms with this truth, that salvation is only to be found in and through your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is only the sick that seek out a physician and He is the greatest of doctors, praise the name of Jesus! Let us be reminded of what He has achieved; He gave sight to the blind, He raised the dead to life again, He saved the harlot from certain death, He cleansed the leper, He cast out demons from a madman that was chained like an animal, He calmed the raging seas, He fed the poor and after all these acts of humanity he was beaten, whipped and then sent to die the cruelest of deaths, He was crucified on a hill, Golgotha by name. He bled and died for sinner so that they could go free. Do not be mistaken, reject the work of Calvary and you will not escape the wrath of God. He has given all; He laid down His life to make a way for sinners to repent of their sin. He alone has the keys to heaven and hell. Without His blood as our covering we will be found naked.
Growing up as a boy I idolized many different men as my hero’s but there is no one that will ever come close to the greatest of all heroes’, my Saviour the Lord Jesus. There is no one like Him! He is my HERO! How do you view Him?
Rahab believed the report and found safety, what will you do with the message of the Gospel I wonder? This offer is still on offer, but it will eventually run its course, the doors of heaven will be shut and then it will be too late. I urge you do not delay, for we do not know what tomorrow will hold.
Tyrone
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