The Scarlet Thread

ValMay ♦ July 7, 2022 ♦ Leave a comment

I am a ‘word’ guy and I found myself intrigued the other day while reading a devotional from ‘Unveiling Mercy’. I was intrigued because the term ‘homograph’ came up. Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. You are already familiar with them but here are a few examples:

Agape … mouth wide open, love

Down … a lower place, or soft fluff from a bird

Entrance … the entry to a place, or to be enthralled with something or someone

Fine … of good quality, or a levy

Bear … an animal, or to endure

Lean … thin, or to rest against

Skip … to jump, or miss something

Minute … small, or a measure of time

There are many, many more but you get the picture.

There is a Hebrew word, ‘tiqvah’ that is a homograph. it means ‘hope’ or ‘cord’. The Old Testament uses it as ‘hope’ in every instance except one … with Rahab. And there it refers to a scarlet cord that was used as a sign between her and the spies from Israel that she protected. Here is the scripture that refers to it:

” Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you will let us down, and you shall gather in your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household” Joshua 2:18

There is a scarlet thread, or cord, that runs throughout both the Old and New Testaments. This word with two meanings meant both to Rahab … it means both to us. Just as this scarlet cord saved Rahab and gave her hope. It does the same for us.

As Chad Birds says in his devotional; ” This Gentile prostitute was mentioned in Hebrews 11:31 as a woman of faith who was not only adopted into God’s family but also formed part of the family tree of the Messiah.”

Yes, you read that correctly —- this gentile prostitute formed part of the family tree of the Messiah. The Messiah, the One and Only, whose blood bled like scarlet so that we all might be saved!

That , my friends, is tiqvah …. the scarlet thread of hope.

” Lord, you alone are my salvation. You, alone, are my hope.”

By Larry May