Wednesday, April 14
“And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis 9:12-13
Few natural phenomena are more beautiful than the rainbow. Who does not remember as a child one’s first fascination and wonder as those amazing bars of light bent across the sky like some sort of beckoning, mystical portal into the heavens (or maybe merely a clown’s belt)? Even as adults, our breath can be taken away by the sight of those outrageous colors in the clouds. No wonder that even today the rainbow is used as a symbol for so many things: from political organizations to cults to rock bands to travel agencies (look up the word “rainbow” on the Web and see). Obviously, those beautiful bands of color still touch chords in our hearts and minds.
Of course, that was God’s whole point.
Why did the Lord say the rainbow would symbolize? Genesis 9:12-17
The Lord said He would use the rainbow as a sign of “my covenant” (Genesis 9:15). How interesting that He would use the word covenant here, for, in this case, the covenant differs from how it is used elsewhere. In contrast to the covenant with Abraham or the Sinai covenant, there is no specific obligation expressed on the part of those who would benefit from the covenant (even Noah). God’s words here are to all people, to “every living creature of all flesh” (Genesis 9:15) “for perpetual generations” (Genesis 9:12). God’s words are universal, all-encompassing, regardless of whether anyone chooses to obey the Lord or not. In this sense the concept of covenant is not used as it is elsewhere in the Bible when talking about the relationship between God and humans.
In what sense does this covenant also reveal God’s grace? Who initiated this covenant? Who is the ultimate benefactor?
Though the covenant, as expressed here, does not come with specific obligations on our part (God’s part, of course, is never to destroy the world with a flood), how could our knowledge of what the rainbow symbolizes influence us to live in obedience to the Lord? In short, are there some implied obligations on our part when we look up into the sky and see the rainbow? Think of the whole context in which the rainbow came and the lessons we can learn from that account.
