The TOKEN

The meaning of ......token (ˈtəʊkən)  

1. an indication related to as to a warning, or sign of something

2. a symbol or visible representation of something; indication as to an authority, a proof, or of an authenticity

For Rahab the harlot, the sign in the window represented that she or her family would not be touched when the Hebrew nation came through Jericho. A scarlet thread represented protection. It was a symbol indicating others not to touch Rahab.

Joshua 2:1-24

2:1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. 

2 The king of Jericho was told, "Look! Some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land." 3 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." 

4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them." 6(But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. 

8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.  11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death." 

14 "Our lives for your lives!" the men assured her. "If you don't tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land." 

15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 Now she had said to them, "Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way." 

17 The men said to her, "This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone who is in the house with you, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear." 

21 "Agreed," she replied. "Let it be as you say." So she sent them away and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. 

22 When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, "The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us."  NIV

This agreement guaranteed her safety and her families as we read in verses 17-21. Those who heard they were coming melted "with fear"!

The scarlet thread in the window was a "sign" of kindness to others. What Rahab had done for the spies who came as she hid them in safety from the men of the city would prove to be a good thing for her and her family. Now hidden, but men who would give voice to safety for her and the family by implication of the tying of the scarlet thread in the window, she gave action to her belief. Her home was located as part of the city wall, and the spies who came left by climbing down strategically and went to tell Joshua all that had occurred!

What would have been her prayer when the men left her with the instructions? What life did she have in the city now closed up, and quaking from fear of the God of the Israelites?
This woman knew that God had given them the land of where she lived. She wanted to be found of that which was of life and not over to death.
Her "harlotry" was not sin among the pagan. But encountering God and His people will cause you or I to see people who have a love and trust in God. She renounced her life of harlotry by giving hospitality to the spies. Receiving these men in "peace" she secured her pathway in peace.
Paul wrote about Rahab. And he mentions her faith that was working by love. She believed. Her peers did not believe. In the force that was coming to conquer, she had believed with her whole heart. She asked for a sign that her parents or family would not be destroyed.
As Jesus' blood was represented by the scarlet thread, the harlot had faith in action to represent life and a peace that all was going to be good for her and her family, even though the city would be destroyed.
It was written that one of the young men who she kept in safety while they spied out Jericho married her later. An attitude of gratitude marked for a relationship where her former shame was erased forever. Tying that "token" in the widow became a reward in that she later became the mother of Boaz. See in Ruth 4:21. She is also named in Matthews genealogy seen in Matthew 1:5.

Lives were forever changed!
By "the token", the sign was given to others.

Psalm 73:22-28  The Message Bible:  I was totally ignorant; a dumb ox in your very presence.

I’m still in your presence, but you’ve taken my hand. You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then you bless me.

You’re all I want in heaven! You’re all I want on earth!

 When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful.

Look! Those who left you are falling apart!  Deserters, they’ll never be heard from again.

But I’m in the very presence of God------oh, how refreshing it is!

 I’ve made Lord God my home, God I’m telling the world what you do!

WILL WE be deserters, and never be heard from again? Or will we make known what God has done for us?

It is impossible to please God apart from faith. Why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek Him.

You never hear anymore about those people of Jericho. But you hear of those who "believed".

In our daily lives, we are to seek God and it can be hard sometimes, especially in poor health or having to work two jobs, or raise other people's children besides your own. But God is always here. He is always present and praying will keep us close and connected.

If you heard "terror" was on its way to your house, would you not pray? We should always delight to meet with God and allow Him to speak to us in poor health, or working two jobs or just being overwhelmed with many "kids".

If we will just pay "attention" to everything in our daily lives, we might see the "token" He Himself has sent to say, "I've heard your prayer, and I will answer!"

This week I had been going over some things my husband and I had prayed. One day I felt I needed a long nap and took the opportunity to lay down to rest. And upon rising, I addressed the same heartfelt desire for some of the prayer requests to be answered. But you cannot force God. You cannot make Him do anything. He is God! But one thing I have learned, is that if I watch for that "token" to appear, I will know what I am to do next. Well, the token came in the mail. We were not expecting anything from any ministry resources that we had given into recently. Two items were of proclamations of which we had done at church during the summer and the other two were journals. Yes, I was to keep writing and to continue to make "declarations" over our lives and our children's lives.

We declare that we are in agreement with God's promises to pour out His Spirit on our descendants and declare that we will see them grow fast, strong and to soar with eagles.

"For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. Some will say, 'I belong to the LORD; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, 'The LORD's,'and will take the name Israel." Isaiah 44:3–5 NIV

We declare to have new opportunities for us to see who needs that deeper touch by Jesus. Help us to bring healing to people who have been the wounded, the rejected and the broken.

"Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame." Luke 14:21 NIV

We declare that we will live our lives this year above all the negativity around us. We look for doors of opportunity and ask for eyes to see all that God our Father is doing!

"After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in Heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.'" Revelation 4:1 NIV

 Our prayer is that people who read this will be open to the new that God is doing. We pray they see the tokens He has sent their way to say " He has never left them or forsaken them." We pray for people to be aware that God is loving them everyday and in every way as they keep their pathway in which He ordained their walk with Him. Father may we together be those who walk by faith in action and see the glory of the Lord fill this land. Amen.

Notice: 

The Voice of Prayer  has a new teaching published:

The Glory of the Latter Rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44w_A_1IBgg



You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at  http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV