The House on the Wall that Could Not Fall

Q: What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

The Bible shows that God's sovereignty in salvation is evident through His electing love and mercy, as illustrated by Rahab's protection in Jericho. God's sovereignty in salvation is a central theme throughout scripture, particularly seen in the way He chooses and calls individuals to Himself. In the case of Rahab, a sinner by birth and profession, we see God's sovereign electing love at work. Despite her background as a harlot living in a cursed city, she became the object of God's grace. As stated, Rahab was brought to faith and protection not by her own doing, but by the divine initiative of God, which is affirmed in Romans 9:15-16, indicating that God's mercy is not based on human will but on His own purpose and choice.

Q: Why is the blood of Christ significant for Christians?

The blood of Christ is significant because it represents atonement, redemption, and assurance of salvation for believers. The blood of Christ holds paramount importance in Christian theology as it symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice made for the redemption of sinners. In the case of Rahab, the scarlet cord she hung from her window served as a representation of Christ’s redemptive blood, which protects believers from judgment. As stated in Hebrews 9:22, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. This indicates that through His blood, Jesus offers forgiveness, cleansing, and access to God, fulfilling the role of our mediator and high priest as described in Hebrews 10:19-22. Therefore, Christians find their assurance and hope in the redemptive power of Christ's blood.

Q: How do we know that faith is necessary for salvation?

The necessity of faith for salvation is highlighted in the biblical account of Rahab, who demonstrated her faith through action. Faith is central to salvation as it is through faith that we receive God's grace. Rahab's example shows that true faith is not merely an intellectual acknowledgment but is evidenced by action. As reflected in James 2:25, Rahab was justified by her works when she acted on her faith; she hid the spies and sought mercy for her family. This illustrates that faith is not passive; it actively responds to the promises of God. For Christians, this means that true saving faith will always result in obedience and action, as seen in Acts 16:31, which states that belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation.

Q: Why is God's promise important for believers?

God's promises provide security and assurance for believers, ensuring their protection and salvation. The importance of God's promises cannot be overstated for the Christian. In the account of Rahab, she was given a specific promise of protection for her household based on her faith and the cord she hung from her window. This act symbolizes the believer's assurance that they are protected from judgment through Christ. Hebrews 10:23 instructs believers to hold fast to the confession of their hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. God's promises are not only assurances of His grace but serve as a foundation for a believer’s hope and faith, reinforcing that our security rests entirely in Him. As seen in Romans 8:38-39, nothing can separate us from the love of God, fulfilling the promises He has made to His people.

Chapter 6, when the Lord God
sent Joshua and the children of Israel across the Jordan River
into the land of Canaan, the first order of business given
to them was to destroy the city of Jericho. And there was good
reason for that. Jericho was the first major city
to be met as they crossed the Jordan. Jericho was a dominant,
prosperous, large city in the land of Canaan. If Jericho was
taken the others will tremble at the fear of God, who is the
God of Israel. Jericho was a mighty, fortified
city. A huge wall was built around
the city, and this wall was large enough that people would build
houses and shops and so forth on top of the wall of the city,
and there they would reside and do business. Now though the inhabitants
of Jericho prospered in this world, though they worked and
played and labored by day and partied by night, just like most
folks in our society. Forty years before this came
to pass, the city of Jericho had been brought under a curse.
They didn't know it. They had no idea. But the days
of their time on the earth, which were numbered by God from eternity,
were just about to end. And they went on their way, just
as merry as ever. As I wrote those words, I couldn't
help but wonder, to whom will I speak today? Of whom those
words are applicable. Jericho was about to be damned
forever. And it made me that you are as
well. This cursed, cursed city was about to perish by the hand
of God. The scriptures tell us that the
children of Israel marched around Jericho every day for seven days. Strange way to possess a city
unless you believe God. They took the Ark of God, the
Ark of the Covenant, representing God's salvation and God's power
in Jesus Christ, the Lord. And they marched around the city
and the priest blew their trumpets and then they go sit down. Next
morning, they get up and go march around the city carrying the
Ark of God and the priest blow their trumpets and go sit down.
On the seventh day, they marched around the city seven times.
And the priest blew the trumpet, and the people at God's command
shouted for victory, and the walls of Jericho fell down flat. Those huge walls. These were
not the kind of things we see when you go down here to old
Fort Harrod and watch capture the fort down there by the Indians.
That's not the kind of walls we're talking about. We're talking
about walls large enough to build houses on. Not just houses, but
inns. Not just inns, but businesses.
These walls fell down flat, all except for one section. There's
just one section. There was one house on the wall
that could not fall. It was the house of this lady,
now a lady, but this lady who was once a woman of ill repute.
this harlot, Rahab. Now, when I see that, if I were
standing there looking at it, I'd think to myself, why didn't
that wall fall, that section of the wall fall? Why didn't
that house fall? And so this morning, I want to
talk to you about the house on the wall that could not fall.
Read with me in Joshua chapter six, beginning at verse 20. So
the people shouted when the priest blew the trumpets, and it came
to pass when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, And
the people shouted with a great shout that the wall fell down
flat. Fell down flat. That's amazing. It fell down
flat. So that the people went up into the city. Every man straight
before him. And they took the city. And they
utterly destroyed all that was in the city. Both man and woman,
young and old, ox and sheep, and ass with the edge of the
sword. And Joshua But Joshua had said unto the two men that
spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring
out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as you swear unto
her. And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out
Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brothers, and
all that she had. And they brought out all her
kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. And they
burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein. Only the
silver and the gold and the vessels of brass and iron they put into
the treasury of the house of the Lord. And Joshua saved Rahab
the harlot alive. Though all of Jericho was destroyed
under the wrath of God, Rahab and her father's house were saved. The house of the town's most
notorious harlot could not fall. Now let me give you some reasons
why. me some specific reasons why. First, Rahab was the object
of God's sovereign electing love, and her house was under the protection
of grace while all Jericho must fall. What a picture this woman
is of God's sovereign mercy. What a picture she is of God's
grace to sinners like we are. Rahab was a sinner by birth,
and she was a notorious sinner by choice and by practice. She was a harlot. Back in those
days in the Gentile world, most every large town, even a small
town, would have a brothel, a house of ill repute. Prostitution was
popular among Gentiles in those days. These days, I imagine,
prostitutes would starve. Folks were so easily promiscuous
in their behavior. But Rahab the harlot kept this
in, and she kept an end that was specifically designed for
the practice of prostitution. Now, the legalist and self-righteous
religious moralist do everything they possibly can to figure out
some way to make this word harlot mean innkeeper. But the kind
of inn she kept was a brothel, and it was not exactly a holiday
inn. It wasn't quite that way. Back in these days, in these
times, in these countries, the only women who kept public houses
were prostitutes. Rahab was a prostitute. She's
a harlot, just a common streetwalker, a slut. She was nothing. She was just filthy and vile
in her behavior. Now, I don't understand why people
have so much trouble acknowledging that. You see, the Lord Jesus
Christ came into this world specifically to save sinners. This woman qualified,
and she was made to know she qualified. This is a faithful
saying worthy of all acceptation. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners. And I'm here to tell you, you
find many women of grace, Baptist Church of Denver. You find upstanding
young ladies and young gentlemen until you can take your place
with this harlot in the gutter, in the ditch as useless and worthless. You will never obtain God's mercy.
Never. I'll never take my place there.
Oh, yes, you will. Either now at the throne of grace
or later at the throne of judgment, one of the two. You're going
to take your place with sinners one time or another. You'll take
your place today as the lowest of the low, the vilest of the
vile, the most wretched of the wretched, or you will take your
place in judgment at the throne of God with them. Take your choice,
whichever way you want it. Our Lord Jesus said, they that
are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I am
not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. For
when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for
the ungodly. Oh, Larry, I'd love to meet an
ungodly man. I'd love to run up across an
ungodly woman. I'm not talking about somebody
who's kindly polite about this thing where, you know, I sleep
with a different man every night. I sleep with a different woman
every night. I'm drunk. I'm a dope head. I'm a thief. I ain't bad.
You know, I'm no worse than anybody else. I'm not like old Joe. I'm
not like this gal down here. At least I know who I'm sleeping
with. Foolishness. Foolishness bound up in the heart
of a man. Oh, to find me an ungodly son. I've got good news for ungodly
folks. Christ came to save you. Jesus
Christ died for you. The Spirit of God will call you. Grace is for you. The Lord Jesus
Christ Is that one of whom it is written, God commendeth his
love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us? Mercy is for the miserable. Grace
is for the guilty. Redemption is for the ruined.
Righteousness is for the rotten. Rahab was a cursed woman in a
cursed profession, dwelling in a cursed city from a cursed race. She was an Amorite. But Rahab
obtained mercy. She was an ungodly wretch. One
of my favorite stories that I've heard Ralph Barnard tell on tapes
when he talked about preaching to sinners, I've told it to you
many times, he was preaching up north somewhere for a preacher
one time back in those days when preachers would take visiting
evangelists out and knock on doors, try to get everybody in
the community saved two or three times. And Barnard went out with
him and they'd visit this place and that and try to get folks
to come to church and get them to make a profession of faith.
And Barnard just went along with him, you know, and finally he's
walking down the road Just within eyeshot of the church building,
started to go into a little gate and the preacher said, I wouldn't
go in there if I was you. That's the wrong thing to say. And Barnard
said, why not? We visit everywhere else in town.
And the preacher said, well, the lady there has a reputation.
And Barnard said, well, I believe I'll go invite her to church.
Preacher standing on the sidewalk, Barnard went in there and knocked
on the door. And this gal came to the door kind of scantily
clad. And she said, what can I do for you, big fellow? And
Barnard said, I'm visiting preachers of this church down here. I'd
like you to come hear me preach tonight." She said, you're kidding.
He said, no, I want you to come hear me preach tonight. She said,
those folks down there be shocked to death if I came in there.
He said, it'd do them good. Come on in. She came. And Barnard preached the gospel
of God's grace. And he told the stories that when he got done
preaching, as they were singing and closing hymn, this gal came
down the front, just broken hearted, her eyes filled with tears. And
she said, I've come to confess Christ. I want to be part of
his people, his kingdom. And Barnard said, this lady has
come, said the Lord saved her. She wants to confess Christ.
What are you folks going to do? Things got deadly quiet. Finally,
one old woman came up, took her, wrapped her arms around her,
kissed that old harlot on the cheeks and said, welcome home,
sister. Oh, come to Christ, ungodly sinners, and welcome. Come and
welcome right where you are. Come and welcome. You mean he'll
forgive any kind of sin? Any kind you've done, any kind
you are, he'll forgive it. Oh, why did this poor cursed
woman obtain mercy? It was not because of anything
in her. Oh, no, no, no. She was saved, I grant. because
she had done this favor to the spies who came into the land.
She was spared and her house was spared because of what she
had done for these spies. But understand that this act
of hiding the spies and sending them out another way. Boy, that
gives religious folks a hard time. You ought to read the gobbledygook
written on that. This can't be justified. James
called it an act of faith. You read it for yourself, James
2, 25. He said that Abraham was justified by her works when she
received the spies and sent them out another way. So that she
was acting in faith when she received the spies, she was acting
in faith when she hid the spies, and she was acting in faith when
she sent them out the other way. And this faith by which she received
them, hid them, and sent them out the other way was the gift
of God. You see, it was not that she
obtained mercy by doing these things, but she did these things
because she had obtained mercy, because she believed God. This
faith that she had was not some natural, logical, reasonable
thing. All the other people in the land
heard everything Rahab heard. They heard about God's destroying
the other lands. They heard about God destroying
the kings. They heard about Israel's power with God, and they were
terrified. Rahab heard it and believed God.
How come? Because the hearing ear and the
seeing eye are of the Lord. God gave her faith. This woman
Rahab, therefore, was the object of God's grace. It was not by
accident that the spies just kind of stumbled into Rahab's
house. Might have been accidental as far as they were concerned.
But the Lord God sent them directly there. Just as he sent Paul directly
by the riverside to minister to Lydia. Just as he sent Paul
directly to the Philippian jail to preach the gospel to the Philippian
jailer. So these spies were sent directly to Rahab's house. They
came to Rahab because they were on a mission from God, a mission
which God had purposed from eternity. If you'll look at chapter 2 again,
I called your attention to it as we read through it a little
bit ago. I'll show you how this harlot describes her experience
of grace. In verse 10, she said, she said, we heard what you hear,
we heard how that God Almighty opened up the Red Sea and brought
you across dry shot. We heard the gospel of God's
salvation. We heard how that God destroyed
Pharaoh and his armies and all your enemies before you. We heard
we heard. Now if God is going to have mercy
on a sinner, I'll tell you what's going to happen to that sinner.
By some means or another, one way or another, you're going
to hear the gospel of his salvation. Look at what she says in verse
9, or verse 11 rather. She said, she said, as soon as
we heard these things, our hearts did melt. Rahab's heart withered
before the august sovereign majesty of the one true and living God.
Now, everybody's heart melted with fear. Everybody was terrified. Rahab's heart melted in repentance.
This is evident by the confession she makes. She believes God.
Look in verse 9. She said, I know. I know the Lord has given you
the land. I know this city is marked for
destruction. I know that when you call the day, this wall's
gonna fall. I know that God's given you the
inhabitants of the land. I know that God in justice will
punish us for our sin. And I know that the Lord God,
your God, He is God indeed. Now, why was it that this house
could not fall? It was under the special protection
of God's free grace. I spent all the days of my life
with my fist shoved in God's face just like many of you are
right now. Hated God, everything about God. But it was not possible
that this house should fall under the wrath of God and the terror
of God's judgment because I was under the special protection
of God's sovereign grace. You understand that? He sent
his angels to be ministering spirits to those who should be
heirs of salvation. Rahab's house could not fall
because Rahab was the object of God's grace. Secondly, Rahab's
house was under the blood. This scarlet cord that was hanged
from Rahab's window represented the precious blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Her house was symbolically, typically
under the refuge and protection of the blood of Jesus Christ
the Lord. This scarlet cord represented the blood of Christ just as the
blood of Abel and his sacrifice represented the blood of Christ.
Just as the blood of the paschal lamb sprinkled on the doorpost
and the lintel of the houses of the tribes of Israel represented
the blood of Christ. So that when God passed by in
judgment and saw the blood on the door, He said, I'll pass
over you. When I see the blood, I'll pass over you. When I see
the blood, I'll pass over you. And when Joshua and the children
of Israel came to Jericho, Joshua saw the blood on that house.
And he said, don't touch that house. And he saved Rahab alive.
That's exactly why that house wouldn't fall. Because Joshua
was there looking for the blood which represented the Lord Jesus
Christ. In fact, I don't have to tell you who Joshua was. The
word Joshua was the Old Testament name for Jesus. Joshua was the
deliverer appointed of God to bring Israel into rest. And he
even brought in this Gentile, portraying that when Jesus Christ
comes, the Messiah, he would gather Israel out of all the
corners of the earth. Even the Gentiles, he would gather
the true Israel and be mercy to those chosen of God and redeemed
by his blood. But others mock and deride us.
and being outdated in our religion if they must. I quit trying to
respond to folks. They just say, well, you folks
are outdated. Your religion's puritanical.
Your religion doesn't keep up with the times. I've been behind
the times all my life. I plan to stay that way. I like
it that way. In this place, the redeeming blood of Christ is
not just, it is not just paramount. It is not just prominent. The
redeeming blood of Jesus Christ is everything. And that's the
way it's going to remain. God helping us to the day that
we cease to exist as a congregation. This is the this is the paramount,
essential, everything in the kingdom of God. The precious,
precious, sin atoning blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Why do
you make such a great thing about the blood? Because it's his blood.
It's his blood. It is by his blood that we are
redeemed. We purchase not with silver and
gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. It's by His blood
that we have forgiveness of sin, redemption through His blood,
even the forgiveness of sins. It's by His blood that we have
access to God by this new and living way. It's by His blood
that we have assurance, confidence, and peace as we approach the
living God. We come near to Him with full
assurance of faith. How on this earth can you an
ungodly sinner? How on this earth can a woman
like Rahab, a hermit, dare approach the throne of the Christ Holy
God with confidence? With confidence. Where are you
going? I'm going to go meet God. Who are you going to speak to? I'm going to speak to God Almighty.
Where are you going to go? I want to go worship at the throne
of God. He'll kill you. Not me, he won't. Not me, he
won't. How can you be sure? The blood,
the blood, the blood of the covenant, the blood of peace, the blood
of reconciliation, the blood of atonement, the blood that
gives us acceptance with God. Rahab's house then could not
fall, though it was seated upon this wall that was doomed to
fall. It could not fall because it
was under the special protection of grace and under the special
protection of Christ's sin atoning blood. And thirdly, Rahab's house
could not fall because it was protected by faith. She believed
God. Rahab is held up before us in
Hebrews chapter 11, in verse 31, side by side with Abraham
and Moses and Joshua as an example of faith. This woman is held
up by James as an example of what it is to prove your faith
by your works, to prove your faith by your obedience to God.
Now, this woman Rahab did not simply have an empty, unfruitful,
meaningless profession of faith. Her faith was not just a doctrinal
faith. It was not just a faith that
was in some notion in her head. Rahab believed God and she proved
that she believed God. Let me show you how. First, she
believed the report that she heard about God's salvation.
Now, good many of you have come that far. We preach free grace
here. We preach salvation is of the
Lord. We preach blood atonement, electing grace, effectual grace.
You say, man, I believe that. Rahab proved that she believed
it. This wasn't a notion in her head.
No, no, this was not just doctrinal theory, doctrinal speculation.
She proved it. How'd she do that, preacher?
She lived in this pagan, ungodly, Gentile city where men despised
the people of God. They'd do anything to kill them.
Anything. They knew that God had promised
them the land. They'd do anything to kill them.
Rahab received the spies, God's messengers, into her house, hid
them under her roof at the hazard of her own life. Now she believed God. She believed
God. She entertained these messengers
and protected these messengers and sent them out the other way,
knowing full well if she got caught, she was dead. Believing
God, she sought the mercy of God for her household. She said,
Now, boys, before y'all leave, I want you to make me a promise. I've been kind and gracious to
you. I've received you into my house. When you come to destroy
this city, don't destroy my house, my mother, my dad, my brothers,
my sisters. And they said, bring them into
the house and we'll deal kindly with them. We'll do it. And Rahab
hung everything. Everything. I mean, everything. Jane, she hung everything on
the blood. Everything. What's your hope,
Rahab? Her father might say, how do
you know? Her mother might say that God's going to be merciful
to you if he's going to destroy the whole city. Her brothers
and sisters say, how can you be sure? She used to see that
scarlet cord right there. You see that? You see that red
blood hanging from my window? That's proof God will be merciful
to you and to me if you abide in this house. Rahab the harlot
then so thoroughly believed God that she brought all her family
into her house with her, and thereby was the instrument by
which her whole family was brought into the pale of God's grace.
Oh, what a proof this is, what a demonstration, what an example
this is of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1. God takes that
which is not to accomplish his purpose. for his glory. This
woman, this woman, buddy, who had been all her life the reproach
and shame and embarrassment of her family, was the instrument
of God's grace to her family. Rahab the harlot, believing God,
obtained a place so that her name is listed directly in the
family line of the Son of God. Read Matthew chapter 1. She's
listed directly in the family line of God's own son. Matter
of fact, there are just four women mentioned in that genealogy
of Christ. Tamar, an incestuous gal. Rahab, a harlot. Ruth, a Moabitess. Bathsheba, an adulteress. so that even in his genealogical
line, the Lord Jesus Christ coming into the world in human flesh
declares, I come, the friend of publicans and sinners to save
sinners. That's why I'm called. Now then,
sinner, would you have your name in the family book of the Son
of God? Would you? Believe God. And I'm telling you, your name
was inscribed in that book before the world began. Fourthly, Rahab's
house sitting upon the wall could not fall because it was under
the special protection and security of God's promise. I'll paraphrase it for you. You
can read it again in chapter two. said to Rahab as they were
calling out the window, now listen, you hang this cord from your
window and bring your family into this house. And everybody
who is in this house under this blood, we will spare. Now, if anybody goes out of the
house, they're gone. But everybody who's under this
blood in this house, will live when judgment comes. We will deal kindly and truly
with thee. Child of God, this is our security
as well. When judgment falls on those
around us and judgment comes against those who are dearest
to us, the Lord Jesus says, I give unto them eternal And they shall
never perish. Rahab's house stood on that wall
and it could not fall. Not even under the wrath of God
Almighty. Because God promised it couldn't
fall. One more thing. How come this
house couldn't fall? Because Rahab stayed in the house. She stayed in the house. There
was only one place in the city where she could be protected
from the wrath and judgment of God. Only one place in the city
where her family could be protected from the wrath and judgment of
God. And she stayed right there. She stayed right there. Now,
listen to me. If you would be saved at last,
stay in the house. Abide in Christ Jesus, the Lord,
under the blood of Jesus. Safe while the ages roll under
the blood of Jesus, I'm safe. kept secure in Jesus Christ the
Lord. May God bring you now to trust
his Son and his precious blood. Amen.

The House on the Wall that Could Not Fall

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

Why is the blood of Christ significant for Christians?

How do we know that faith is necessary for salvation?

Why is God's promise important for believers?

Sermon Transcript

About Don Fortner

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The House on the Wall that Could Not Fall

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

Why is the blood of Christ significant for Christians?

How do we know that faith is necessary for salvation?

Why is God's promise important for believers?

Sermon Transcript

About Don Fortner

Comments

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