The rainbow (September 2025)
What we need in this age when man-made
gadgets multiply faster than we can learn their names is a
fresh sense of the transcendent presence of God.
One enduring God-given
gift is designed to impart the peace and the strength that God alone bestows:
the rainbow.
On a recent summer’s evening, some of us were blessed to see amid the clouds a brilliant heaven-sent
rainbow. The accompanying photograph is taken from my back deck.
In our time, the rainbow has been co-opted
by
people for various purposes, and has become a
symbol that instead of universally bringing peace
often stirs controversy.
It is necessary and helpful that we recover both
the original design and purpose of the rainbow,
and the promise of its future appearance,
according to God’s own word.
Genesis 9:12-16
records the original meaning
attached to the rainbow:
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.”
God promised Noah that never again would the whole earth be covered with water. The promise and
guarantee of God’s mercy-tempered
judgement was the rainbow. Looking up, the inhabitants of the
earth are assured amid the clouds that the sunshine will follow the rain. Looking down, God
remembers that the rain falling from the clouds will be followed by the brightness of the shining sun.
Throughout the ages since the time of Noah, God has been faithful to keep His covenant promise.
Yet God also gave John in Revelation 10:14
a picture of what the rainbow would one day come to
herald:
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 he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he
shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to
write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not
write it down.”
The rainbow would accompany the arrival of the angel who at the end of days would announce:
“There will be no more delay! … The mystery of God will be accomplished.” (Revelation 10:6-7)
Amid the many clouds which envelop our world in present days, we need to hear Jesus’ words:
“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’
and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not
alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the
beginning of birth pains. … but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will
come. (Matthew 24:48, 13-14)
The rainbow is appointed by God. It is a reminder that God is faithful. By God’s appointment, the
rainbow will remain to accompany the return of both the sun, in our time — and the Son, in God’s
time.
May we have eyes to see, minds to understand, hearts and wills to believe: Jesus Christ, faithful Lord
of all, is coming!
Your pastor, thankful for God’s rainbow,
James T. Hurd
