The Good News of the Rainbow

The rainbow is one of God’s most awe inspiring creations. Just look at these photos.

Is there anything more beautiful than that?

Today we look at the promise of God symbolized by the rainbow. It is unfortunate that our world has taken a beautiful symbol of God’s enduring mercy and made it into symbol of mankind arrogance. It is as if mankind is throwing God’s symbol in his face and daring him to act.

But you now what for this morning’s purposes. I want us to travel back in time by 25 years or so. I want us to remember the time when we looked up into the sky after a storm, saw the beauty of the rainbow in the sky and thought “Isn’t God Good!”.

Today, I want us to reclaim this awe and refuse to forget the rainbows symbolism and the promise of God behind it.

Turn with me to Genesis chapter 9.

Genesis 9:13 CSB

I have placed my bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Lexham Theological Wordbook Covenant

A covenant is a legally binding agreement between two parties. It is often solemnized or ratified by an oath or other means

Now in scripture we find two different types covenants made by God. In the O.T. we find highlighted a series of covenants made by God leading to the final covenant sealed by Jesus blood.

Here are the two types of covenants:

Unconditional - Unconditional covenants are those that are completely one-sided.

God told Adam and Eve a Messiah would come from them. It’s a promise in which no action is required.

Conditional - Conditional covenants are also made by God, but require some measure of agreement of commitment by both parties.

An example of this would be the covenant that God makes with Israel about how they are to behave in the promise land. If you follow my Law then I will bless you.

Today we will see that God makes an unconditional covenant not Just with Noah but with all future generations.

Now keep in mind this account takes place about a year after Noah and his family entered the ark.

Genesis 8:15–19 CSB

Then God spoke to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out all the living creatures that are with you—birds, livestock, those that crawl on the earth—and they will spread over the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” So Noah, along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, came out. All the animals, all the creatures that crawl, and all the flying creatures—everything that moves on the earth—came out of the ark by their families.

When Hope and I were in college, Hurricane Ivan came through Pensacola at a category 5. In fact, it almost hit Pensacola head on. I remember they made all the men on campus cram into the sports center to wait out the storm. Now as far as arrangements go, it was pretty good place to wait it out. We had racket ball, bowling, ice skating, pool, and ping pong to pass the time away. At one point when the storm was at it height they crammed us all in or near the racquetball courts. As the wind howled and we could see trees and debris flying around, I remember being amazed at the power of the storm.

Of course as a young man, I was young and stupid, and this whole thing was enjoyable for me. It was all a great adventure. Hanging out with my buddies while the world came crashing down around us. We seemed safe inside.

But I remember when the storm was over and they finally let us out of the building walking outside. If you can picture around 2500 college men walking outside into the light almost in complete silence. The destruction and devastation was unbelievable.

Their was debris, trees and large limbs down everywhere. Some of the buildings were missing part of their roofs. It wasn’t until we stepped out could we really get a true picture of what it was that we had gone through. Their was a strange silence in the air. No birds, no sounds of cars. Nothing. It was unbelievably quiet.

I can only imagine as Noah and His Family exited the ark the scene that must have unfolded before them. An empty earth filled with debris and an eerie silence.

No doubt their would have been a sense of awe and wonder at the power of God and his wrath against sin but also a sense of gratitude that they had been spared from it all.

In Fact, we see this very thing in Noah’s actions.

Genesis 8:20–22 CSB

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord. He took some of every kind of clean animal and every kind of clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, he said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of human beings, even though the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth onward. And I will never again strike down every living thing as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”

I won’t spend a lot of time here this morning but I do want to point a couple things out to you.

Notice that God acknowledges that his creation has been corrupted. While there is a very real sense that Noah is the new Adam and we will see that in the same language of Gen. 1 used in this passage. Noah is still an incomplete Adam. He is a sinner and there is coming a better Adam one without sin to restore all of creation, Jesus.

I also want you to notice that there is a lot of nonsense floating around today that is confusing a lot of God’s people. Climate change as a means of the earths destruction.

Genesis 8:22 CSB

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”

Do you see this promise. Climate change will not destroy the earth. In fact, scripture assures us that it will not be by the hand of man that the earth is destroyed. God spoke the earth into existence and it will be by his hand that both the heavens and the earth will be destroyed at the end of the age.

So Christian don’t get sucked into these deceptions. I am not suggesting that we don’t practice good stewardship and management of the earth. I think it is a shame when creatures are pushed to the brink of extinction or when people abuse the earth wastefully and carelessly. We need to respect creation because it was a good work of God.

Trans: Now, many months again when we were studying the sermon on the mount I introduced you to the idea of an “Inclusio”.

An Inclusio is literary device that acts like an envelope. Everything mentioned between these statement is meant to be interpreted by it.

We see this in

Genesis 9:1 CSB

God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

and then again in Gen. 9:7

Genesis 9:7 CSB

But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it.”

So in other words as man multiplies and fills the earth here are the guidelines by which you will live.

#1 Reiteration of Man’s authority over creation.

Genesis 9:2 CSB

The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority.

Now in the flood narrative we saw that it wasn’t just man that had become corrupt but rather all of creation. From this statement that we could make the inference that Just as mankind rebelled against God’s authority. The animals world under the corruption of sin lost its natural order as well.

So God does this to help mankind...

He places fear and terror of man in every living creature.

Have you ever wondered why animals are scared of man? Scripture tells us. I mean think about it. How is it that a 6 ton animal like an elephant will obey man? God has placed them under our authority.

#2 God institutes guidelines for food.

Genesis 9:3 CSB

Every creature that lives and moves will be food for you; as I gave the green plants, I have given you everything.

Genesis 9:4 CSB

However, you must not eat meat with its lifeblood in it.

In the first Adam account God gave them every green herb of food. In this account He now has given them every creature along with the plants for food. Because the earth was recovering there was no doubt a need for animals to become food.

But even in this God gives another restriction. The Blood must be drained from the animal. No doubt this was for sanitary reasons but also for the animals sake. Draining an animals blood ensures that the animal is dead before it was consumed. It also insinuates that the animal is killed humanly.

But then God issues a system of Governance.

#3 God institutes a system of governance

Genesis 9:5–6 CSB

And I will require a penalty for your lifeblood; I will require it from any animal and from any human; if someone murders a fellow human, I will require that person’s life. Whoever sheds human blood, by humans his blood will be shed, for God made humans in his image.

God requires the death penalty for murder. But why? Well verse 6 gives us the reason. Because man is made in God’s image.

Now in week 1 of our Genesis series we defined what that phrase means. It is not about cognitive ability, self-awareness, creativity because those things are not equally distributed. There are those that are more intelligent and creative. If this was the definition we would then be force to think that some were closer to the image of God than others.

The image of God is about representation. We are God’s imagers. We were to created to represent God’s authority to all of creation. Notice that this command is given in a passage about authority.

So when another human being or even an animal takes the life of a human being it is a direct affront to God’s authority. It is the same idea of a king killing another kings ambassador. It shows complete disregard for the sovereignty and position of the king.

So God gave these guidelines to govern mankind actions in remembrance of God’s ultimate authority.

God Establishes a Covenant with Noah and his Descendants

Genesis 9:8–11 CSB

Then God said to Noah and his sons with him, “Understand that I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you—birds, livestock, and all wildlife of the earth that are with you—all the animals of the earth that came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you that never again will every creature be wiped out by floodwaters; there will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.”

Now imagine with me that you were Noah or one of his familiy members. The first time you saw rain it was followed by a world-wide flood. Can you imagine if God hadn’t made this covenant what there reaction would have been the next time they had the slightest shower.

“ Oh no start building, He’s doing it again!” And if not this time there would have been great fear forever that every-time it rained one would wonder, at what point ,will it stop. But God in his graciousness established a covenant with Noah and his family.

note: The rainbow = passover = Christ.

Now as I mentioned to you at the very beginning. I want us to remember what the rainbow is really about. I want us to discipline our minds to see the graciousness of God each and every time we see it. weather in the sky or even on a pride t-shirt.

How do we do that you ask, we remember the gospel.

I don’t want you to miss this....

This is the first time in scripture where we see the imagery of the passover.

Just as God saw the blood of the lamb on the doorpost and passed over the sin of each household covered look what God did here.

Genesis 9:12–17 CSB

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 future generations: I have placed my bow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all the living creatures: water will never again become a flood to destroy every creature. The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the permanent covenant between God and all the living creatures on earth.” God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and every creature on earth.”

Don’t you see it. Even though God acknowledges that every inclination of man is evil from youth onward, When he looks at the rainbow he acts as if man has been justified and chooses not to destroy the world again by the flood.. This is a permanent covenant.

He says, “ I will remember”. Again this remembering is not a cognitive remembrance as if God could forget. Rather it is a choosing to act differently based on what He sees.

In just a few Generations. God would instruct Moses to tell the people to put the blood of the lamb on the doorframe of their house and death would pass over them.

The death angel would see the blood and remember whose people they were. He would remember the claim that God has on them and through the covenant of blood they would be saved.

But then there was a even greater covenant coming. One that could actually wash away our sins. The blood of the perfect lamb of God. Look at Jesus words here.

Luke 22:20 CSB

In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Now when God looks at the nail scarred hands of His son. He remembers that you have been bought and cleansed by the Blood.

That his wrath against sin was satisfied on the cross. This is a permanent covenant for all those who would enter into it.

So no matter who wears the rainbow.

No matter what they say it means. We who are God;s people can choose to remember when we see it, that’s my gracious God who has chosen to allow me to pass from death unto life. He has chosen to forgive and permanent forget my sins through the his gracious love. The Rainbow will no longer remind me of sin, I choose for it to remind me of the day he chose to forgive me, to allow death to passover me.

Do not let a wicked world conceal the gospel remembrance from your heart. The rainbow reminds us that God’s wrath has been satisfied and we are redeemed through the precious covenant of his blood.

I fear that we are teaching our kids to remember what the world says about the rainbow more than what God says about it.

so much so they do not see the gospel in it. If your little girls love rainbows on their shoes wonderful! Share with them good news of a God who loves them. Do not let the world take what only belongs to God. We see godless people wearing a cross around their necks all the time.....We have come to expect it but then should we shy away from the cross, of course not. Who cares what the godless say about it. What does our God say about it?

So Church family when you see a beautiful rainbow discipline your mind to remember the goodness of God that even those wearing it taking pride in their sin, may one day, recognize it’s significance, repent, and be saved. The Rainbow belongs to our God. It his creation and his enduring symbol of his goodness. Choose to remember our God!

The rainbow reminds us of our gracious God rescuing us from eternal death.

Let’s pray....