The True Origin of the Rainbow

And the One who created it

Ah, the beauty and majesty of a rainbow after a soothing rain shower. There’s nothing like it. For some folks these days, a rainbow carries a personal symbolic meaning–representing inclusivity and diversity, an all-embracing image of love and friendship. Oh, but it has an infinitely deeper, much more ancient meaning and it frankly annoys me it is being overlooked in exchange for the temporal. The rainbow truly is a sign of peace if one contemplates it, or at least one of the absence of our worthy destruction. We humans seem to make a mess of most everything we touch, don’t we? Yes there is great architectural beauty around the world along with man created inventions of a countless variety. Subsequent to these man-made creations the world, over centuries, has slowly become a crowded, unsightly, noisier, stinkier place. Moreover, it really is amazing (and fortunate) that we have not yet destroyed ourselves with various weapons of destruction we created which would decimate most of the planet if deployed.

But God promised He would not be the one to do it. In the beginning He gave us an important sign for all the world to see, from America to Asia and everywhere in between. Read for yourself. It’s a tad long but context is always necessary and prudent:

Genesis 9:8-16

Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, "Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth." God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. "It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. "When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."

We don’t hear about the rainbow in any significant context until the very last book of Scripture. Fascinating how this important promise bookends the entire Bible. In Revelation we see the One who created all things clothed in the likeness of His own creation:

Revelation 10 1

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.

In my view, whenever we see a rainbow Jesus should be the first thought that comes to our mind, certainly not merely some narrow minded social symbol of inclusivity and diversity. It’s unnecessary and here’s why: For Jesus Himself is all inclusive. He said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28. At the end of the ages when Jesus is seated on His throne we will see what John saw, an authentic picture of diversity: "I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb."

What great hope the rainbow’s promise holds. One day, hopefully soon, we will be with Jesus and experience authentic eternal love, inclusivity, and diversity….and so, so much more. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Jim

Fun fact: There are seven colors in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The acronym “ROY G. BIV” is a handy reminder for the color sequence that makes up the rainbow.