dedicated or destroyed

Joshua 6:15-19 (JDV)

Joshua 6:15 Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times.
Joshua 6:16 After the seventh time, the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua said to the troops, “Yell! Because Yahveh has given you the city.
Joshua 6:17 But the city and everything in it are set apart to Yahveh for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will stay alive, because she hid the messengers we sent.
Joshua 6:18 But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and make trouble for it.
Joshua 6:19 You see, all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to Yahveh and must go into Yahveh’s treasury.”

dedicated or destroyed

Barnes comments on verse 19: “Every living thing was put to death (Rahab and her household excepted) as a sacrifice to God, and the indestructible goods were brought into the treasury of the sanctuary.”

Why was Rahab and her family to be spared? She had dedicated herself to Yahveh and the preservation of his people. The whole city was dedicated to destruction — a prefiguring of the coming day of destruction commonly called hell. When Jesus returns, all those not dedicated to his kingdom will be destroyed. The “indestructible goods” will return to his treasury, because our creator has always owned them.

Sinners are not indestructible. Jesus reminded us that we should not fear man, but God, because he is able to destroy body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28). But God is also able to make those dedicated to him indestructible. Paul says this will happen when Jesus returns:

1 Corinthians 15:52 “in a split second, in a blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. Because it will blast, and the dead ones will be woken indestructible and we will be transformed.”

Faith in the gospel is our scarlet cord, protecting us from this day of terrible and irreversible destruction. There is no other decision more important in this life that the decision to follow Christ and be a part of his coming kingdom. On that day, you will be dedicated to him. You will either be dedicated for permanent life or dedicated to permanent destruction.

2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 “They will pay the penalty of permanent destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength on that day when he comes to be glorified by his devotees and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.”

LORD, draw more Rahabs to yourself this day!