THE SCARLET THREAD
As we think of Passover and the Seder Meal, this short story reminds of the power of the blood.
THE SCARLET THREAD
“What does this mean Papa? She asked as she held up a weaving of red thread that her grandfather kept in his books.
“The scarlet thread is woven throughout all of time and in our lives. True life is found in Him. We have the privilege of knowing this in retrospect. It is woven throughout and signifies life.” The old man spoke lovingly to the child.
In a cozy little cottage nestled among the hills, an old man sat by the fireplace with his young granddaughter, and a book of ancient stories in his hands. She loved rocking in her little wooden chair he had made for her, while listening to his stories.
“Let me tell you the story of the Scarlet Thread," he said, his voice a gentle tremor like distant thunder. He had a big old volume and a few weather worn journals.
Flipping through the pages, he found the tale he sought, beginning with Cain and Abel. Cain took his brothers life in jealousy and God said that Abel’s blood cried out to Him from the ground.”
“How can blood cry out?” she asked.
“Because all of life is in the blood. That’s God message to us. The violently shed blood must be avenged.” He said somberly as his fingers deftly moved the pages.
He continued. “Long ago, in a land of patriarchs and prophets, there lived a young woman named Tamar," his eyes twinkling with the sparkle of the past. The old man loved life and the stories of old.
"Tamar bore twins, Zerah and Perez," he continued, his voice building the story like a master craftsman. "And upon their birth, a scarlet thread marked the firstborn, Zerah, signifying a dawn of brightness." That pointed to the thread of life.”
He turned the pages again and read:
The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
“Where was that?” she asked.
“God prepared His people to move out of Egypt where they were slaves. He protected them from harm when they marked their doors with blood. That event became known as the Passover. When they were spared.”
As the fire snapped he then spoke of the scarlet threads in the tabernacle of Gods remnant people. Folks then didn’t understand the life it represented.
“Even Jesus, our Savior, bore a robe of scarlet, at his crucifixion, not for earthly grandeur, but it signified the life He would give," the old man explained, his words carrying the weight of centuries.
He recounted the events of Jesus' trial, where the scarlet robe became a cloak of royalty, though leaders thought it was to bring ridicule. “It fulfilled what was told. Life is found in the blood. His perfection as the Lamb of God. The scarlet robe represented life. Jesus was Life, covering all humanity with His grace," he said, his voice filled with reverence.
She gazed at her grandfather’s weather worn face, she didn’t understand all he was saying but so enjoyed the time with him.
“The soldiers stripped Him of His garments and gave him one of supposed shame. One of the soldiers then pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.”
“Why did they do that?” she asked.
“To make sure He had died. The soldiers didn’t know they were fulfilling prophecy.”
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Jesus had said.
“Christ had said to them,
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”
“Papa, how could one drink his blood?, yuck.” his granddaughter asked puzzled.
“It means sweetheart, that when we commit our life to Him that blood flows through us and gives us life. We give our life back to Him.”
She got real a serious expression in her little face. “I want to do that.” she said.
He took a minute and told her to bow her head and said a simple prayer for her to repeat.
Then he smiled, nodded and read more from his writings. “The symbolism of the scarlet robe also provides us with a link to the rider of the white horse. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God, wonderful counselor. Prince of peace. It was through this thread of life, looking back through time, that we find was all laid out. It was all foretold."
“And in Revelation, we see the Scarlet Thread woven through the prophecy, symbolizing both redemption and deception," he added, flipping through the pages to reveal the harlot clothed in scarlet, a stark contrast to the true bride of Christ.
Prophetic because all knowers of Gods true remnant knew the stories. Jesus fulfilled that.”
And he added. “Avoid cheap imitations.”
In the thread of your life there will come deceptions. Always know that true life is only in the blood.
As he closed the book, the old man looked into his granddaughter's eyes, seeing the beginning flicker of understanding. "Remember, my dear, the Scarlet Thread is more than a color or a cloth. It is the thread of life, of redemption, for all mankind. Life is in the blood.”
“My life is in the blood?” she asked confused.
“Yes. Jesus was infused and covered with Life, and this was made clear by the symbolism of the scarlet thread; the significance of which goes far beyond the robe itself, because His life threads in all of humanity and all of life itself.
“That is why we take the communion and say, ‘Do this in memory of me.’“
The old man’s words echoed in the warmth of the firelit room.
He looked at more of his reflections. She would not understand them yet. This would be for another telling.
In the Song of Solomon, Jesus the bridegroom declares to His bride, “Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely” And so it is. We can speak His life into the world around us through lips that are covered by His blood. The bride of Christ is uniquely His and she is daily becoming more and more like Him. It seems unreal that we can communion with Him.
Jesus was clothed in a scarlet robe to symbolize not only His royalty, but His life and His blood. The word blood in the scriptures is associated with life. The life of all flesh is in the blood.
Still, the world would not see it or believe it, and may never. As His trial, sentence and execution took place; he was led to the slaughter at the same time the sacrificial lambs for Passover were being examined to determine their perfection. Jesus was also being examined to determine His perfection as the Lamb of God. The Father found Him worthy to be the perfect sacrifice. The replacement for our sins.
All of the symbology surrounding that event has been recorded.
And as they sat together in the glow of the flickering flames, they felt the presence of something greater, something timeless—a bond woven with threads of scarlet, connecting them to a story that spanned eternity. They felt the fire of His Holy Spirit woven throughout the ages.
The girl smiled and said, “Papa, I feel that fire of life in me.”
“Yes, and I do as well.”
“That scarlet blood was poured out for us and somehow made our sins erased.” he said with a smile and closed his books as she hugged her papa.
©️Donald Schuler
3/26/202
4
"And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, "Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many." Matthew 26:27-28 NLT
GOD bless you all!
You Know My Name https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6cAZNgaY-M