For most people, the sight of a rainbow after a storm has become a symbol of peace, or perhaps beauty. This is understandable because a rainbow is beautiful and usually appears during the peaceful aftermath of a storm. However, for the believer, the sight of a rainbow should bring out much more.
Almost everyone is familiar with the first rainbow that we are going to discuss. This rainbow is found in Genesis. It is the rainbow that appeared to Noah after the flood. The writing does a good job of telling us what this rainbow represents. It is a symbol of the pact that God made with man to never again destroy the earth with water. So when we see a rainbow, we can take comfort in the fact that no matter how strong the storm was or is, it will not destroy us.
The second rainbow is a bit more ambiguous in the scriptures. It is found in chapter 4 of Revelation. In this chapter, John, the revelator, describes what he sees around God’s throne in heaven. One of the descriptions includes an emerald rainbow. This rainbow is seen behind Jesus Christ on his throne. The representation here is God’s fulfilled promise to place his appointed King on the throne. The fact that the rainbow is Emerald is also important because most believe that the Emerald is the stone of the priestly mantle that represented the tribe of Judah. Jesus is the promised seed of the tribe of Judah who was prophesied to sit on the throne of David.
In order to see the third rainbow, we must first learn a few things about rainbows.
1. Rainbows are seen when light hits the water and a person sees them at the right angle. (about 42 degrees)
2. The water works like a prism dividing the ray of light into seven colors.
3. Due to the angle required to view a rainbow, it is believed that no two people see the same rainbow. If they both see an arc, they are technically two different ones.
Well, using Romans 1:20 as our foundation, let’s unveil the third rainbow found in Scripture.
Like everything else, it all begins at the cross. On the cross were three men crucified. A rejected Jesus (the negative); one accepted Jesus (the positive). When the positive and the negative met in the middle, the great light of the world (Jesus) shone brightly. This light is seen as the true light after the storm that Jesus had just gone through represented by the cross itself. When we look at the sacrifices made by Jesus (the light) through the cross (the prism) we see salvation (the covenant).
History, along with the book of Revelation, shows us that there are seven identifiable church ages since Jesus on the cross. This is the rainbow of seven lights seen after God’s light is seen through the sacrifices made on the cross. We all have a different angle as to how we view the cross that shows the individual relationship we should have with God. Just as you cannot see another person’s rainbow, you cannot be saved by another person’s experience with God.
For my last point, I want to address an interesting fact about rainbows. Sometimes a second arch can be seen. This bow is not as bright as the first and the colors appear backwards. Experts say that this second arc is not real, it is just a false reflection of the first arc. This illustrates what Satan tries to do with us. He is not a creator, he is just an imitator. Satan takes what God has made perfect and tries to deceive us with the false “likeness” of him.
So the next time you see a rainbow, along with peace and beauty, let it also remind you that Jesus is on the throne and in control, and that God has sent his son as a covenant promise to you that you will live forever with you. to the. If you see the second rainbow, remember that, like the power of Satan, it is not real.
Now go and let your light shine as a symbol to others of the hope that is within you!