Rainbow in the Clouds (Part 2)

When you see a rainbow in the sky on a cloudy raining day, what comes to your mind? What does it represent to you? Is it its scientific composition? Is it the “Pride Flag”, the symbol of the LGBTQ+ social movement? Is it its beautiful colours or perhaps the myth of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?

Let’s consider the Bible’s view on the origin, reason, and purpose of the rainbow.

“Then God said, ‘I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life.’” Genesis 9:12-15 (NLT)

God placed His rainbow in the clouds as a sign of His covenant with man and all the earth. What was the reason for the covenant? What necessitated it?

The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil… God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt…“I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!” Genesis 6:5,11-13 (NLT)

Because of the wickedness of man and the corruption in the world in Noah’s day, God decided to wipe out the world with a flood.

The rainbow in the clouds is a sign and seal of God’s covenanted promise with man and all living things. A promise that He will never again use a flood to destroy the earth.  

The rainbow does not stop or prevent the rain from falling. Instead, it’s a reminder that God has already stopped the rain from destroying the earth, no matter how intense the downpour might be. Whenever it rains, we’re reminded that the rain is for sustaining life not to destroy it, though it might not seem so considering recent flood events.

The rainbow reminds us of the mercy and faithfulness of a holy and righteous God. He promised never again to destroy the earth with floodwaters. This is the good news. The bad news, however, is that the rainbow also reminds us of the indictment against man “…the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.” Genesis 6:5 (NLT)

God destroyed the earth with a flood during Noah’s day because of the dire wickedness of man’s heart. Sadly, man seem not to have learnt the lessons of the past. The same corruption, oppression, violence, and wickedness pervades our modern world today.

We’ll talk more about this in the next blog.

Stay blessed,

Laralex