 It's August. Welcome to the teen's Cornerstone Connections lesson. In this series, we'll be drawing a line in the sand. Lesson number seven, Behind the Walls. With melodious music from our orchestra, Amy on the violin, Sibir on the clarinet, Kiki on the trumpet. Our mission story comes all the way from the European division, Poland, Warsaw, given to us by Henry. Joyce, appealing to the deaf community in sign language. And lastly, our amazing panelists, Flex, Shani, Grace, and our wonderful teen teachers. Enjoy. Welcome to today's mission. Our mission is from Poland, the Warsaw Division. It's titled, Roses and Angels. Belinda is a little girl who goes to the only Adventist pre-elementary school in Poland. She's beautiful with straight brown hair, just hanging above her shoulders. And like any typical pre-elementary school, our child, she wears her favorite clothes to school. In every way, Melissa is normal. But according to her teacher, she says she's not normal. She's special. The reason her teacher says that Melissa is special is because when she was about eight, Melissa was lying in bed at home. And all around her were roses, fresh, white roses. But then the roses changed below her tummy. The roses were black and dead. The black roses lay on her legs, lay on her legs and on her feet. Standing in the black dead roses at her feet was a bad angel. He was arguing with a good angel who was standing in the fresh white roses above her head. And they were arguing, one would say, she's mine, but the other would disagree and say, no, she's mine. The good and the bad angel were arguing over who was going to win Melissa's heart. Such a dream is strange and scary for most. But Melissa wasn't scared. She understood about the controversy between Jesus and Satan. She knew that Satan became a bad angel. He wanted to become God and he convinced angels to join him. That's how the war between Jesus and Satan began. The Bible tells us about this invisible battle in Ephesians 6, 12, which says, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principles, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Bad angels, bad and good angels are fighting for everyone. They're not only fighting to keep you close to Jesus or get you closer to Satan, but they're also trying, the good angels are trying to protect you. Melissa understood and knew Jesus. Therefore, the good angels were not only fighting for her, but protecting her. Melissa has never forgotten about her dream and often thinks about it. She wants to have good values and make good decisions. She just wants Jesus and his good angels to always win in her life. Once some children were arguing in school, the teacher was exasperated and didn't know what to do. The teacher asked the quarrelling children and Melissa remembered her dream. Good angels and bad angels were fighting an invisible battle at her school. The bad angels were causing other children to argue and Melissa raised her hand. Teacher, you told us that when we have problems, we can pray, she said. The teacher nodded. She had forgotten her own advice. It was a good idea to pray. The teacher called the children together and they prayed. As they prayed, Satan and his bad angels were defeated. Jesus and his good angels won and peace returned to the little school in Poland. Melissa's dream has not changed only in her life, it's also changing her school. This school of mission offering that helps church schools around the world, to children and Melissa about the wonderful love of Jesus. Thank you for your offering as it goes out to help such people. Lessons study for today and the title is behind the wall. The panelists will be discussing this lesson with me and I'd like to introduce them from my right-hand side. So please introduce yourself. My name is Mikhail Flex. Hello everyone, my name is Grace Washeke. Hi everyone, my name is Shani Mogaka. And my name is Nico Pio and I'll be moderating the session for today. So I'd like to start this lesson with a story. Long time ago there was a man who was a tightrope walker and he had an amazing talent. He could walk across a tightrope blindfolded. Now people had about him until one point in time. Someone in America decided that I'd like him to come here and walk across the Niagara Falls. Now Niagara Falls is in the border between America and Canada. And he was to do this blindfolded just like he had done. Now this Frenchman had been promised a lot of money to do this feat. And he thought that the American wasn't really sure if he believed he would do this. That's why he promised him such a large sum of money. So when he went to the Niagara Falls, he actually walked across the Niagara Falls and pushed the Wilbur on the tightrope still blindfolded. Now he wanted to confirm if the American actually still believed that he was able to do this with ease. Then the American just said in a casual way that he believed. But the Frenchman wasn't certain. So he asked, do you really believe? And the American said, yes, I believe. Then the Frenchman answered him and told him, get into the Wilbur. Would the American actually try to walk across the tightrope with him inside the Wilbur or not, given the fall that would take place if anything happened? So the question to us as Christians today is do we really believe? In our lesson today, we'll discuss and talk about a story that happened several years back in the Bible. And it was about how the Israelites conquered the city of Jericho, how they got behind the walls. And to give us more information about this story, I'd like to ask Flex to narrate the whole account and the experience that the Israelites had to show us how they expressed their belief in God to actually accomplish his faith. Flex, please give us the story of what happened that time. Yes, gladly. So our story comes from Joshua chapter 2. And it's a story about two spies sent into Jericho to see how the city was. But before I tell you the story, let me quickly go to Joshua chapter 1 to give you a glimpse of the situation they were in. Moses just passed away and Joshua was chosen as God's vessel to lead the people of Israel. And in this, he told Joshua that in three days they'll be crossing the Jordan River to go conquer the land that the Lord promised him, his predecessor Moses, and therefore fathers before him. So to do this, now we come into the story where Joshua, the son of Nun, called two people to go into the city of Jericho secretly. Now these people went into the city and they stayed overhosted in a house by someone called Rahab. Now Rahab hosted these people, but the king heard of these people. They heard of the two spies coming into the city and the people told the king that two men who came into the land to spy on us. The king sent to Rahab and told her, release this man and bring them to us because they have been sent to spy on the city. Now Rahab, knowing that she can be tried and executed for doing this, for the treason that she had committed, but she still hid the two people in the top room on the roof. And by doing this, she went out and told the king or the king's messengers that the two people came to our house, but she did not know where they were from. And so by the time it was dark and the gates closed, they ran out. They're probably on the way on the road. If you go, you will probably find them and you'll catch them on their trucks. So the king's men went and chased after them, thinking that this was true. Then the Rahab went on top and told them that it was all safe. And before she gave them the way out, which was through the window, she told them, now that I've done this deed, do me a favor and spare my household, my father's household, when you come and take over this land. Because during this time, the city of Jericho have heard all the stories of Israel capturing and conquering all the cities that they have been through. And by that, they have lost courage and all hope. And because of this, Rahab told them, spare me and my family when you come for this deed that I've done. And the two men said, because you have saved our lives, our lives for yours. Anyone who's in your house, we will spare. If anyone gets out of their house, then their blood will not be on their hands. So after agreeing and being told that she will be spared high in our household, they were told to get out through the window through a rope. Now upon them getting out, they said that you need to tie this rope, a scarlet rope on the window. So when they come, they know which house to not attack. So they were told to go through the mountain for three days so that the men can come back and they will not be captured. And then they went back to Joshua and said, told him all these things and told Joshua how the Lord had been with them during all this time. Now there are a couple of questions that I'd like to ask my fellow panellists. So one question is, how would you describe Rahab? Why is a foolish, smart or stupid lawyer or a traitor? And please explain why you think this. Maybe Shani can take it over and answer. Okay, good question. I think she was actually very wise because if she had not helped them, if she had not done what she did, her and her family would probably have died. So it was a really good thing that she did that and saved the lives of her family members. All right, thank you so much. Now another question is, maybe Grace can answer, what will you have done if you had been Rebecca? Rahab, sorry. Will you have done what she did when the spies came? Well, I think I would because like if you read the Bible, even if you read the into the story section, Rahab says that all the people in Jericho have heard about what God did for the Israelites and they knew that they were helpless against Israel's God. And of course, wanting to save my family, I would of course have to help these people who have a very powerful God on their side. Thank you so much. Very true, very true. Now maybe our last question can go to the teacher or the proctor for this panel. On what event in Israel's history does the Scarlet Code remind you and maybe you can be taken back to Exodus chapter 12 verse 12 to 13, where the Passover was happening and the angel of death was coming to the city to kill every firstborn, except from the people who had the blood shed of the goats spared on the door. Yes, so Exodus chapter 12 verse 12 and 13 is a very important event in Israelite's history. Pact Passover was celebrated every year as a result of the blood on the doorposts. So this event actually reminds us that the people who had smeared blood on the doorposts were the ones who are actually saved. And just like Rahab was saved by putting a Scarlet Code outside her window and that resulted in her salvation and her family's salvation in Jericho, so also the blood on the doorposts ensured the salvation of people. And it's interesting to me that the color used is actually scarlet, which represents the blood of Christ. Scarlet is showing salvation to the people who actually believe in God. So the Scarlet Code, the blood on the doorposts, same color, but they're all representative of the salvation that is offered to us through Christ. Very true, very true. Now I can now just share one question and I'll answer this. The question says, how did God honor Rahab for what she did that day? And we are being told to go to Matthew chapter 1 verse 5. And in this we are being told the lineage of the generations that were before Jesus's. Jesus's generation basically, the lineage of Jesus. And how God honored Rahab was the fact that Rahab's generation of bloodline was Jesus's own bloodline. And this is fascinating to me because, you know, Rahab was not a normal woman, she was a harlot, it says in the Bible, and a harlot is known as a prostitution or a prostitute, sorry. And this is really fascinating because even though she did all these deeds, Jesus's lineage was still found from her bloodline. And this is all because of the faith she had in God's sovereign power because she knew that God can save her in her family, which is why she hid the two spies. Now I'd like to take it back to the panelist instructor. Thank you. Thanks, Flex, for sharing those interesting insights. In fact, Rahab is not only mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew chapter 1, verse 5, she's also mentioned in Hebrews 11 as one of the heroes of faith. Hebrews 11, verse 31 says, by faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she had received the spies with peace. So Rahab is considered one of the heroes of faith. There are very few people in the Bible, regardless if you look at all the characters in the Bible, this is a coveted list that people exist in. And of course it's not exhaustive, but if you're mentioned by name in this heroes of faith wall in Hebrews chapter 11, then you're a very important character. So not only does Rahab appear in the genealogy of Jesus, she also appears as one of the heroes of faith. And I'm just thinking about it from our perspective. Are there people who we consider not worthy to be Christians? And there's a question here from the section, what do you think in the lesson that I'd like us to answer related to this, are there some people today who because of their profession or previous actions are thought as being unworthy lights for God? Rahab was a prostitute. Is there any other profession that you think about that you think may be unworthy to be a light for God? Or people think, Shani, any profession? As you think about it, Grace, you can give us one that comes off the top of your mind. I can't, I mean, this is not a profession, but someone who was maybe, who indulged in sexual promiscuity, either in fornication or adultery or even lesbianism or all that kind of stuff. Yeah, Lex? Well, I'm also with Grace. It's not really a job or a profession, but it's actually an action. From what I think, maybe those who maybe drink or take drugs, people tend to think of them not as Christian. I'm taking back, why do people think that you have to be perfect in order to be a Christian? Just like God saved Rahab, why she was still a prostitute. And then she stopped, right? Then for most of the time, right now, the youths and the drug addicts, I really looked down on because of what they do and not getting the help they actually need. Okay, okay. Thanks. Did any come to mind, Shani? Yeah, maybe I'd say it's con artists. Con artists, okay. That's interesting. Yeah, because usually they lie, they steal, and they just do a lot of bad stuff. So a con man turning a Christian is something that is worthy of note. I can also think of somebody who maybe we can say is a DJ at a club. You're the one playing the music and bringing people to actually dance. And that leads people to fornication, right? And then suddenly a DJ comes to church and you're like, wow, what is this? Then another profession, closely linked. No, it's highway. You know, like it's been trending on social media. You know, there's this like, should a color a celebrity in the US? She goes now by the name Angela White. You know, she used to trend before for all the wrong reasons, as you can imagine. But then she just underwent a radical change. And you know, like she had changed her body through plastic surgery. She got all that reversed. She had like a satanic tattoo on her. She got that removed. She got baptized. And like now she's a full Christian now. Yes, yes. So that's something that can actually happen. So are there any professions or people in the Bible who you see this radical transformations happening? Anyone comes to your mind, Grace? Yeah, Saul. He used to like persecuting Christians was like his joy, so to speak. Then he had that encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. And from there he became a changed man. Any others? I remember this story. I'm not sure of the name. Where this man was demon possessed. Yes. Right? And Jesus came and cussed all the demons out. And right then, then everyone knew him or someone who cuts themselves and goes to the cave naked. But he's now professing his faith, saying God is true. So that's a crazy radical change. Yes, yes. Think about it. Yeah. I think it's a story of Legion you're referring to. Yes, yes. Yeah, but he didn't even have a name. We normally just call him the demoniac possibly. Yeah. Any others that come to mind? Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus, yes. He used to, you know, he was a tax collector. Yeah. And he wasn't really liked by people. But you know, he wanted to see Jesus. Jesus saw him. He called him down the tree. He invited him to come and dine with him. And you know, he turned his life around. Amen, amen. So this actually shows us the grace of God. There are people who we might look down upon as people who are unworthy of the grace of God, but God is actually showing us, I have grace for anyone. And God says, come as you are, but you don't remain as you are. God works the change in your heart. We read the story later on. We find out that Rahab actually became part of the children of Israel and later went on to become one of the great, great, great grandmothers of Jesus. It actually shows us that there was a transformation. So there's nobody who we should look down upon because God's grace can actually transform the hearts of these people. I'd also like us to look at something interesting. When we consider the prayer of Rahab, we find that Rahab actually prayed to God to save her and her family. And there are similar prayers like this in the Bible. When we look at the prayer of Daniel, as he started understanding the prophecies that he had been given in Daniel chapter 8, he now starts saying a prayer and is asking God to forgive him and forgive his people for the sins that they have committed. And he's asking God, have mercy on us. This is how Rahab started her prayer. And Rahab did not ask for grace on everybody in Jericho. She only asked for grace for her father, her mother, her siblings, and just members of her family. But Daniel interceded for the rest of the people. The same thing that happens in the story of Esther. Esther is put in a situation where she's the only person who can actually save her people. And she decides to go and make a request to the king without knowing whether it will be granted or not. I can only imagine if Esther decided that I will do nothing, there would be nothing recorded about her today. Which actually brings us to the story that we shared in the beginning. Do we really believe as Christians? Are there things that we think about or see that we don't really know the end result but we actually make a step in faith? And when you think about just marching around a city like they did around the walls of Jericho, that doesn't seem like something that can take down the walls but they had to believe. So the question is, do you really believe? Now I'd like Grace to highlight the important things that we see from the flashlight section. Okay, so I'm going to read the flashlight section as it is. God will do great things for those who trust in him. The reason why his professed people have no greater strength is that they trust so much to their own wisdom and do not give the Lord an opportunity to reveal his power in their behalf. He will help his believing children in every emergency if they will place their entire confidence in him and faithfully obey him. And we see an example of the Israelites putting their trust in him in the story of the conquest of Jericho. I mean, does it really make sense if you're told and you know actually God, you know how the story goes. You know, Joshua was worried about how they're going to conquer Jericho, went out by himself at night and then Jesus came to him. And, you know, he told the instructions to him only and not to the rest of the Israelites. So, you know, this was actually a test of faith for the Israelites because, you know, here's their commander saying, instead of saying that, you know, we're going to get our, the best weapons you can find our strongest man and, you know, maybe build a battering ram and, you know, knock that door, that gate open. Instead it tells them march around the city and go back to camp. Next day, same thing. I mean, this would have really, I mean, this would have like caused doubt in very many people's minds. I mean, that is not how you conquer a city. So, you know, the Israelites just had to trust God that God knows what he's going to do and we'd better trust him on this one. Yes, yes. I think it was a really, really important act of faith. Trust God in the directions that he gives. In fact, Joshua had communion with God to actually understand what they needed to do. So, I'm trying to think like if the soldiers there decided that this looks crazy, want to go with the swords, they would have been killed or something else would have happened, but they actually went ahead. So, there are some punchlines in the lesson and maybe Shanu can lead us through this. What were some of the verses that spoke to you or which verse spoke to you most? And I believe you can guide us to say ours as well. Okay, thank you. I'm actually, we have five punchlines which are five different verses. So, the first one is from Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 31. It says, By faith, rehab the harlot did not perish along with those who are disobedient after she welcomed the spies in peace. The second one, it says from James, chapter 2, verse 25, it says, In the same way was not rehab the harlot that also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by the other way. The third one is John 3.16. It says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so whoever believes in him should not perish, perish, but have eternal life. The fourth one says, It's from Romans, chapter 5, verse 1 and 2. It says, Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand and we exalt in hope of the glory of God. And the last one is from Galatians, chapter 2, verse 6. It says, Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Jesus Christ so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of law, since by the works of the law no flesh will be justified. So I want to ask my fellow panelists, which of these five like resonated with you most? I think we'll start with Flex. Thank you very much, Sonny. I think for mine is James, chapter 2, verse 25, down you read. And what really speaks out to me here is, as we've said previously, it's that it says in the beginning, in the same way was not Rahab the harlot, also justified by the works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way. And this really speaks out to me because it says that God can use everyone and everyone if you only allow him to do so. That he can do every great thing or any emergency as we've read in the first Flashlight, you can have, if only you allow him to do this. And not only will you be stuck, as Teacher Nico said, in the same predicament that you are, maybe you're a drink or you will be changed and become known as a Christian or as a children of God and a light to his works. So that's really something that speaks out to me. Thank you. I'd like to highlight something that I've seen. You know, maybe some people may read these punchlines and see that James 2.25 talks about being justified by works and Romans 5.1.2 talks about being justified by faith and they think there's a bit of a contradiction here. Now, I want to put this straight. Of course, we come to Christ by faith, but faith alone will not save us. Okay, yes, it will save us, but you have to show your faith through your works. And this comes from the spirit of prophecy that Rahab was not the only one in Jericho who believed that these people are going to defeat us and had the same conviction that she did, but she's the one who acted on it. You know, it is not enough to say that you're a Christian, but you're living like the world. You have to show that you're a Christian through your works. So this is what it's trying to insinuate here. Of course, you're saved by faith, but then you also have to show your faith through works. Faith without action is dead. Amen. And so are we saying that that's a verse that spoke to you most as well? James 2.25. Well, no. I liked this one, Romans 5.1-2. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand and we exalt in hope of the glory of God. It just reminds me of Rahab. She accepted the Israelites' faith as her own faith and united herself with God's people. And God rewarded her for that by making her the great, great, great, great, I don't know how many greats, grandmother to Jesus Christ himself. Amen. Then I was actually asking because my verse as well was James 2.25. I love the fact that we are justified by works in the sense that our works will actually have to show our faith in God. And I'm thinking about it when Rahab is told, decides to follow the counsel of the Israelites. She had to express faith with which many of us normally can't agree to. You know, when you're having enemies in your territory and you make a pact with them, you can't be sure that they'll actually accomplish or do what they say they will do. But the Israelites were true to their word in saving Rahab. I can imagine when the soldiers were marching around the walls of Jericho and Rahab is there. I'm sure she had already started gathering her family on the first day when they started marching around the walls. Then now they're looking at them every day. And when she sees the Israelites coming, I don't know if the parents and family were living in different houses, but they are brought in just waiting. And by the time the walls fell down, everybody was in the house just like Rahab had said. And I think this was something that showed us much that she not only had faith in God, but she was willing to support it by the works which she did. So she tied the scarlet cord as she had been told, brought her family in, and waited for God to fulfill his part. So that spoke to me the most. Thank you. Personally, my favorite was the first one, Hebrews 11 verse 31, because Rahab actually had faith and also she brought in two strangers into her house and hid them from the soldiers. Normally, people wouldn't really do that. I wouldn't do that, but she had faith that they were gonna help her and she also converted to their faith as well. And that's why she was saved high in her family and she ended up being one of Jesus' ancestors. Amen, amen. So I'd like to request Grace to please read Galatians 2 verse 16, and could you give us further insights from the spirit of prophecy on this? Okay, Galatians 2 verse 16, and it says, Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. Okay, so we can see in, where is it? Sorry, in the Thursday section that in this life we have to live by faith. Yes. And you can even see the story of the fall of the walls of Jericho. Just as I said earlier, this took a lot of faith. Marching around a city will not really, it can't really help in terms of conquering it. And I honestly can't figure out in the understanding that I have, how you can get like, for example, our church can hold like 3,000 people, get them all in here, have them yell at the same time, and these walls are going to fall. And I can imagine that the walls of Jericho were much wider than that. Much stronger as well. Yeah. So like, I think it is just, it just took pure and sheer faith for the Israelites to march around the city. And on the seventh, they do it seven times, having to fight doubt all the way, and then eventually shout as they were told to do. And yet this faith paid off. They did as God told them to do, and the city was theirs. Amen. I love it when the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 11, I believe it's verse five, actually it's verse six, where the Bible says, but without faith, it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. So God says, without faith, we cannot please him. Now, Shani, please read Ephesians chapter two, verse eight and nine. And you can share with us the lessons on salvation, grace, or faith that you can pick up from this verse. Ephesians chapter two, verse eight and nine. Okay. Ephesians chapter two, verse eight and nine itself, for by the grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourself is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast. So throughout the whole week from Monday to Friday, what we've been like talking about is faith, trust, and everything about that. And it's usually by God's grace and the faith in that grace that we are saved. And even we have evidence from like Rehab's story that if having faith can save you and change your life. And actually what I find interesting is that Rehab had more faith than the people in Joshua and Caleb's generation who didn't have faith in God. So they ended up wandering in the wilderness until most of them died. So the lesson here, like what I've learned is that we should have faith in God and can be able to do a lot of things in life. Amen, amen. You know, I just have to throw this one in. You know, I was just doing my, I was reading on Friday and I just decided to do some research on Google that if they took the straight route to Canaan, how long it would have taken. And the answer is 11 days. Yes. And yet because of, okay, we know that, you know, God took them on a slightly longer route in order to mold them into the nation that he wanted them to become. But that shouldn't have taken 40 years. And it took them, I think, like a year to get to the border of Canaan. Yes. But now because of the lack of faith on the part of the Israelites, they had to go back and wander for 40 years now. Yes. So like this shows just what lack of faith can mean to the life of a believer. Yes. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. So before we get to the end of our discussion today, I'd like to get some parting shots from all of you. We'll start with you, Flex. Yes, thank you. For me what I get in this whole lesson of the week's lesson is faith is crucial, especially in any situation you're in. It's crucial to believe in God for whatever situation because not only will it work because faith is what pleases God, that it's a sure bet that it will come. It may not come in the answer or form that you want, but just know it will happen. And the fact that this faith can happen based, even though you're not necessarily a Christian or you're still living a worldly life, it's still open to everyone. Because as you read John 3.16, a repeated verse which people have become so bored of, but it's so crucial because God gave His Son for everyone. Everyone who believes in Him can't be saved, but you just need that faith. Amen. Shani? I think it's a simple thing. We need to just give God a chance and have faith in Him. Yeah. Amen. Grace? And for me, I've seen that in Rehab has shown me that it's not just enough to have faith. You also have to work on your faith, even if it means you're going to look like the outsider because I'm just trying to use my imagination. Rehab trying the scarlet cord on her window and not taking it out. I'm pretty sure that everyone around her would be like, why does she have a scarlet cord on her window? But she didn't let anyone thought of her, like deter her from doing God's will. And she also acted out of faith. But the point is, it's not just enough to have faith. You also have to act on your faith as well. That's what saved her family. Amen. Amen. The key text for today came from the book of Joshua chapter 6 verse 17, where the Bible says, The story of Rehab is the story that tells us how the Israelites got behind the walls of Jericho. And when they got behind the walls of Jericho, all the inhabitants living in the city of Jericho actually perished. But because of Rehab, she saved herself and her family, while everyone else in Jericho perished. And Romans chapter 5 verse 17 tells us, For if by one month of fence death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men and to justification of life. God has given us the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. And he has been revealing this to us through the Old Testament. And he started all the way in the book of Genesis. But he also shows us this through the story of Rehab, where Rehab by believing in God came to save her family. Christ by offering his life on the cross actually saved the human race. And all we have to do is to believe. So God's call to us is follow and receive the gift of salvation that has been offered to us in the blood of Christ. That is represented by getting into the house of Rehab, so that we can all receive the salvation that is given to us. So even as the Israelites got behind the walls, Rehab and her family were saved. So even as the sins and the things of the world come to us, we need to be under the banner of Christ so that we may be saved. So it is our prayer that you may have faith like the Israelites to trust in God, even through the situations that we have in life. Even when we can't see the end from the beginning, let's leave it in God's hands. May you all be blessed and thank you for joining us today. Let's pray. Our kind and loving Father who art in heaven, thank you for guiding us. And thank you for being with us even through the lesson discussion that we have had. We pray that even as we close this session, we pray that you may guide us to see how you help the Israelites get behind the walls. And I pray that by faith we may also follow you even when some things don't look very clear to us in our lives. Please guide us and help us to make the same decisions like Rehab and help us not to look down on anyone, even when we think about them and their past life in a different way. Guide us, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.