The House On the Wall That Could Not Fall

Q: What does the Bible say about Rahab's faith?

Rahab's faith is highlighted in Hebrews 11:31, demonstrating that her belief in God led to her salvation and protection. Rahab's faith is an exemplary model of belief in God's promises. In Hebrews 11:31, she is mentioned alongside great figures of faith like Abraham and Moses. Her actions, which included hiding the Israelite spies and seeking mercy for her family, were motivated by her understanding of God's sovereignty and power. This faith was not mere acknowledgment; it compelled her to act in a way that aligned with God's guidance, showing true belief. Rahab illustrates that genuine faith is evidenced by actions that reflect trust in God, revealing that her salvation was a result of God's grace working through her faith.

Q: How do we know God's protection is real?

God’s protection is exemplified in Rahab’s story, where her house remained safe during the destruction of Jericho due to her faith and the scarlet cord. The story of Rahab provides a clear demonstration of God's protective grace. In Joshua 6, despite the surrounding chaos and destruction of Jericho, Rahab's house was spared because it was marked by the scarlet cord, symbolizing the blood of Christ. This served as a reminder that those who belong to God are under His sovereign protection. The scarlet cord represented God's promise and the means by which Rahab and her family could escape judgment. This instance shows believers today that God's protection is assured for those who trust in Him and abide under His covenant of grace.

Q: Why is the blood of Christ important for salvation?

The blood of Christ is vital for salvation as it symbolizes atonement and secures our forgiveness and acceptance before God. The blood of Christ holds paramount significance in the Reformed faith as it relates directly to our redemption and reconciliation with God. In the sermon, it is illustrated through Rahab's scarlet cord that represented Christ's saving blood. Just as the blood of the Paschal Lamb spared the Israelites in Egypt, the blood of Jesus provides atonement for our sins, covering us under God's mercy. Moreover, according to Ephesians 1:7, we have redemption through His blood, emphasizing that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for our reconciliation. Without this blood, there is no forgiveness, no hope, and no peace with God.

Q: What does it mean to be under God's grace?

Being under God's grace means receiving unmerited favor and protection from judgment, as seen in Rahab's story. To be under God's grace is to experience His unmerited favor, which allows sinners to be reconciled to Him despite their unworthiness. Rahab's story exemplifies this, as she, a harlot and inhabitant of a cursed city, was saved through God's sovereign choice and mercy. Her faith in the Lord and her actions in hiding the spies reflect a divinely granted belief that set her apart. Just as God chose Rahab, He sovereignly bestows grace upon those He has elected, ensuring their protection and ultimate salvation. This grace is not based on any merit but solely on God’s will and purpose.

Q: How does Rahab illustrate the message of the Gospel?

Rahab illustrates the Gospel through her transformation from sin to faith, showing that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. Rahab's life serves as a powerful illustration of the Gospel's reach and the transformative power of faith. Despite her sinful past as a harlot, her belief in God and subsequent actions demonstrated true repentance and faith. She became an instrument of grace not only for herself but for her entire family, reflecting the inclusivity of God's salvation. Her story affirms that no one, regardless of their past, is beyond the redemption offered through Christ. Furthermore, her inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 underscores that God's grace and mercy extend to all who believe, making her a vital part of redemption history.

leads to Joshua 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, 40 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. 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 trumpet 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 trumpet 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 there. These
were not the kind of things we see when you go down here to
old Fort Harrod and watch the capture of 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 Harlott Rayhead. Now when I see that, if I were
standing there looking at it, I'd think to myself, now 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 6 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
had said, 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, give you some specific reasons why. First, Rahab was the object
of God's sovereign electing law, 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
starve. Folks are so easily promiscuous in their behavior. But Rahab
the harlot kept this in. And she kept it in 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 was a harlot. Just a common
streetwalker, a slut. She was nothing. She was just
filthy and vile in her behavior. 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 by this Church of Daniel. 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 position. 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 kind of polite about this saying, well, 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. That 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 in ungodly times. 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 herself. 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. Barnard
went out with him and they'd visit this place and that. Try
to get folks to come to church and get them to make a profession
of faith. And Barney just went along with it, you know, and
finally walking down the road and 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 did. That's the wrong thing
to say. And Barney said, why not? We
visited everywhere else in town. And the preacher said, well,
the lady there has a reputation. And Barney said, well, I believe
I'll go invite her to church. The preacher standing on the sidewalk,
Barney went in there and knocked on the door. This gal came to
the door kind of scantily clad and she said, what can I do for
you, big fella? 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 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. Barnard preached the gospel of
God's grace. And he told the story 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 and 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 cheek, said welcome home
sister. Oh come to Christ ungodly sinner and welcome. Come and
welcome right where you are. Come and welcome. You mean you'll
forgive any kind of sin? Any kind you've done. Any kind
you are, you'll forgive it. Oh why did this poor cursed woman
obtained 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 destroying
the other land. 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 did you hear, Rahab? We heard how that God Almighty
opened up the red sea and brought you across dry shod. 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 heart did melt. Rahab's heart
withered before the august sovereign majesty of the one true and living
God. She just withered. Now everybody's
heart melted with fear. Everybody was terrified. Rahab's
heart melted in the temple. This is evident by the confession
she makes. She believed 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 is
going to fall. I know that God has 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 will. 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 doorposts 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 is 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 mocking deride us
as being outdated in our religion if they must. I quit trying to
respond to folks. They just say, you folks are
outdated. Your religion is 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, then 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 sins. 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 that. How on this earth can you, an
ungodly sinner, how on this earth can a woman like Rahab, a hermit,
dare to approach the throne of the Christ Holy God with confidence? Confident. 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'm going 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 that. This woman is held up by James
as an example of what it is to prove your faith by your work,
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.
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.
Ray had 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 farewell. So she got caught, she was dead. Believing God She sought the
mercy of God for her household. She said, now 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 sister. And they said, bring them into
the house and we'll deal kindly with them. We'll do it. And Rahab
hung everything. I mean, everything. James, 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, well, how can you be sure? Did you see that
scarlet cord out there? You see that? You see that red
blood hanging from my window? That's proof God be merciful
to you and to me if you buy this out. 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 a example this is of what Paul says in
first Corinthians one. 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. Kmar, 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, the 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've given to them eternal life 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. Thank you.

The House On the Wall That Could Not Fall

What does the Bible say about Rahab's faith?

How do we know God's protection is real?

Why is the blood of Christ important for salvation?

What does it mean to be under God's grace?

How does Rahab illustrate the message of the Gospel?

Sermon Transcript

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The House On the Wall That Could Not Fall

What does the Bible say about Rahab's faith?

How do we know God's protection is real?

Why is the blood of Christ important for salvation?

What does it mean to be under God's grace?

How does Rahab illustrate the message of the Gospel?

Sermon Transcript

About Don Fortner

Comments

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