Do You Like Rainbows?

My wife loves rainbows. We were sitting in a restaurant in Sanford, N.C., one day when she saw half of a rainbow. She jumped up to get a better look but was disappointed when she couldn’t see the whole rainbow. When we left the restaurant and were going to the car, to our surprise, she discovered the other half of the rainbow. This was amazing!

Can you imagine how Noah felt when he first saw a rainbow? It was more than refracted light. This first rainbow came with a promise from God. After the devastating flood, God assured Noah and all “living creatures” that “never again (would) the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” (Genesis 9:15)

The word “covenant” (Genesis 9:12-17) is a translation of the Hebrew word ber-eeth’. This word is used 280 times in the Old Testament and means “an agreement or bond between two or more persons.” Four elements were essential: parties, conditions, results and security. In this covenant God made with Noah, the parties were God, Noah and his descendants, and the earth. The conditions were that mankind would be fruitful and fill the earth. The result was preservation of the earth and mankind (vv. 11 & 15), and the security was the rainbow (vv. 12-17).

We just experienced two terrible hurricanes and over the years have witnessed other terrible weather phenomena, but the rainbow is a promise that God will never judge the earth with a worldwide flood. There may be individual personal losses and death, but God has promised us, with the rainbow, that He and His love will always be with us. Sunlight reflecting colors through water is a reminder of God’s faithfulness through His covenant. The rainbow is our reminder of God’s love for us, so we are encouraged to share it with others.

Prayer – Thank you, God, for your faithfulness. Help me to reflect Your glory to all those around us. Amen.

Genesis 9:13 – “My rainbow…will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”

By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Images: Look Up Down Photography, J. Williams & David Clode, courtesy of Unsplash