Let’s learn the truth about the Rainbow
Today we will park in Genesis chapter 9: 1-17, as we learn the story behind the Rainbow.
God repeats the plan
God repeating the plan to Noah. And when does God repeat Himself? When it’s important!!! So listen up!
God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. You will find that in the next couple of verses, the instructions sound familiar.
“The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”
Sounds a lot like what He told Adam in the beginning when He gave him charge over everything in the garden. Because humans are still sinners and subject to wickedness, this time Adonai had additional instructions. These instructions would be about taking the life of another.
Do not eat the blood
“But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.”
This passage is important. It still applies. God made it clear that He will demand an accounting for every life taken.
Then He repeats Himself again…Listen up:
“As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
In case that stirred a question in your mind, let’s read it again, God said, “Never again will “all life” be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
Yes, there have been floods, but God promised not to destroy all life, or the entire earth again by flood.
The Rainbow Covenant
Listen up:
“And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy “all life.” Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
See, Adonai is so gracious that He repeats the covenant a number of times to make sure you didn’t miss it. What a loving Heavenly Father we have. He is so so patient with His children.
Let’s dig a little deeper on why God gave us the Rainbow…
The colors of the rainbow are a reminder that God is always faithful – even when we don’t feel like He is.
No matter what storms we face in life, we can be assured that God will see us through to the other side. And just like the colors of the rainbow, our lives can be full of hope and beauty because of Him. So next time you see a rainbow, remember that God is faithful and He loves you unconditionally!
– To remind us of His promise to never again flood the earth
God has promised not to destroy the earth with a flood ever again, and this is a promise we can take comfort in during uncertain times. As believers, we stand on the solid foundation of God’s promises; He has proven Himself faithful throughout the ages. This promise encourages us to trust Him now more than ever; He will always keep His word.
– To show us His love and care for all of creation
Adonai’s unfailing love and care is a wondrous blessing to behold. In scripture, Psalm 36:7, we can find the assurance that God’s love reaches to the heavens and His faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. We are being called to trust Adonai because His love for us is ever-present and full of steadfastness and mercy. He desires for us to ensure that every corner of creation knows His wonders, loving kindness and undying affection. As this beautiful truth is shared all around us, may we take comfort in knowing that no matter what life presents, our Creator holds us tenderly, protecting us always. He proves everyday that the assurance of His grace will remain forevermore.
– To give us hope in the midst of a storm
In times of difficulty, it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But regardless of what we face, God promises us hope and encourages us again and again to trust Him in the storms that life brings. He says in Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you”. In an ever-changing world, His promises don’t change; those words remind us that God is with us always, especially during our darkest moments. When feeling downcast or anxious, know that even in these hard seasons of life we can take comfort in knowing that He is by our side and with faith and confidence we will also make it through the storms.
– As a sign of His covenant with us
God’s covenant with us is a reminder of His total devotion and love. He doesn’t make covenants lightly. When He speaks them, they are truth and unchanging. We can gain peace, strength and comfort in knowing that God stands by His promises to protect and provide for us no matter what may come our way. God’s covenant with us reveals that He is faithful beyond measure and it serves as an inspiring example for those who are looking to strengthen their faith in Him. By surrendering our hearts through prayer and worship, we experience the fullness of God’s blessing on our lives, allowing us to draw near to Him as He holds firmly to His pledge of grace toward His beloved children.
– Because He delights in bringing beauty out of chaos
God is a god of beauty and order, He delights in restoring beauty where chaos has reigned and getting the glory. In Genesis 1:2-3, we see the example of God bringing order out of formless chaos – a testimony to His creative power. Even when our lives are turbulent and seem beyond repair, we can remember that it is God’s delight to bring about good from anything, no matter how chaotic and destroyed. In order to receive His Shalom peace we must trust Him with our hearts and put aside our efforts to try and control everything in our life so that He can work through us to make all things new.
In the same way, when we go through difficulties in our lives, God uses those storms to remind us of His promise to never leave us or forsake us. He also shows us His love and care for all of creation, including ourselves. When we trust in Him and turn back to Him, He delights in bringing beauty out of chaos in our lives just as He did with the rainbow after the storm had passed.
God bless you.