People of the Red Cord

When the time of her delivery came, there were twins in her womb.  While she was in labour, one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a crimson thread, saying, ‘This one came out first.’ But just then he drew back his hand, and out came his brother; and she said, ‘What a breach you have made for yourself!’ Therefore he was named Perez. Afterwards his brother came out with the crimson thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.  Genesis 38:27-30

In the story, the first bay to appear during the birth has a crimson cord tied on his hand, but his brother is born first, and is given the name Perez, which means "a breach."

A breach can be an infraction of a law, a break in something, like a barrier or a relationship, or a gap.

So why was he named "breach"? Did he break with tradition? Did his birth foretell a broken relationship with his brother? Did he break through expectations?

And where else have you seen a scarlet cord in the Bible?   Remember the story of Rahab?   The Israelite spies gave her a scarlet cord to mark her home so that no one would hurt her when they conquered the city.

I'm reading Reading the Women of the Bible by Tivka Frymer-Kensky. She calls Rahab a "barrier-breaker" and says that the red cord places her in the company of David's ancestors.

Rahab was an outsider. To the Israelites, she was a foreigner. To the Canaanites and the Israelites, she was a woman and a harlot (if I use the real word, I'll trigger some unwanted search engine results). In everyone's eyes, she was outside of desired company. And yet, she has a large role to play in the keeping of God's promise to the Israelites. She helps to bring them into the promised land. Even God, who has told them to destroy everything; leave nothing that could contaminate the fledgling nation, seems OK that Rahab and her family are saved.

She has a faith in God, and that seems to be her motivator. She believes that God will conquer Jericho, and she works a deal to keep her family safe. She keeps the two spies safe. She does the unexpected, doesn't she? And she becomes an agent of God's desired plan because of her barrier-breaking.

Should we be people of the red cord? Should we be barrier-breakers? And should we be more aware of the likelihood that God will use "outsiders" to do his will?