According to the Bible, the rainbow is a sign of a promise that God has made to the entire world: He will never again destroy the earth with a flood. The rainbow is physically associated with rain.
After the flood waters receded and Noah and his family departed the ark, God sealed this covenant with the rainbow as a sign. God stated, in Genesis 9:11-15. 11 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.”
12 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:13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,15 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.
God made this promise, symbolized by the rainbow, not just to humanity, but to all living creatures, including birds, livestock, wild animals, all those who came out of the ark, and all living creatures on Earth.
What Do Rainbows Mean in the Bible and Other Places?
A rainbow is an essential emblem of God’s presence and strength throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. The beauty of a rainbow is breathtaking, both in Bible times and now. Spotting a rainbow after a storm is a metaphor for faith, for the everlasting blessings of God’s love and mercy, as it was for Noah.
In reality, a rainbow represents variety and life in all of its facets. God made sure Noah brought two of each species aboard the ark in order to encourage a diverse range of organisms on Earth. Given this, it’s possible that God overlooked the diversity of humanity after the flood, with all of its flaws. God welcomes our variety of physical, spiritual, and intellectual gifts as well as the variety of experiences that lead us to God.
The Rainbow Serves as a Reminder of the Gospel.
It’s also good news for us because this account plainly and wonderfully connects us to the moment when God sent his own Son, Jesus, to die on a cross and then rise again to give humanity an incredible opportunity to avoid judgment by being “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3; 1 Peter 3:20-22; 2 Peter 2:9).
And it is only through the gospel that we can respond to God’s grace with true surrender and be saved.
Conclusion
The rainbow was created by God. We naturally enjoy it. The emergence of a rainbow after a storm is amazing to behold. We should rejoice in the rainbow because it is a God-ordained sign of God’s faithfulness and mercy. Some people’s attempts to appropriate the colours for their own purposes do not reduce the beauty and wonder of what God has created.
