The Rainbow

    "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.”

    After God destroyed the world with the waters of the flood in his fierce anger, he promised Noah that he would never do so again. He made a covenant with Noah, by which he assured him that he would never again destroy the world with a flood. As a perpetual reminder of that covenant, God set a rainbow in the sky (Gen. 9:11-16). From that day to this, the rainbow has stood as a perpetual reminder of God’s covenant. It is a sign of the covenant that will stand until God our Savior comes again and makes all things new.

    The rainbow and the covenant are mentioned frequently in the Scriptures in connection with the throne of God, the glory of God, and the promises of the grace of God. It is the Lord our God who declares, “This is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy upon thee” (Isa. 54:9-10). When Ezekiel describes his vision of God’s glory, he tells us that he saw a rainbow, the symbol of the covenant, encircling God’s glorious throne. “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” (Ezek. 1:28). When the apostle John was called up to heaven, to behold the throne of God, he tells us, “There was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald” (Rev. 4:3). As the throne John saw is a symbol of God’s sovereignty, the rainbow round about the throne is a symbol of the covenant of grace.

    The rainbow is a reverberation, or a reflection of the beams of the sun upon a thin watery cloud. And the covenant of grace is owing to Jesus Christ, the Sun of righteousness” (John Gill). It is Christ who made the covenant for us with the Father. He fills the covenant with all the blessings of grace. Christ is the Mediator of the covenant, the Surety of the covenant, and the Messenger of the covenant. In Revelation 10:1; John draws a picture of Christ as One clothed with a cloud having a rainbow upon his head. The fact is the whole of the covenant of grace is Jesus Christ himself. He is the Surety of the covenant, the Ratifier of the covenant, the Blessing of the covenant, and the Embodiment of the covenant. God the Father said to his Son, “I will preserve thee and give thee for a covenant of the people” (Isa. 49:8).

    The rainbow is an emblem of the covenant of grace. Its many colors might be expressive of the promises of God in the covenant. The covenant symbolized by the rainbow is the everlasting covenant of grace, of mercy, and of peace (Jer. 31:31-34; 32:37-40; Heb. 8:8-13; 10:16-17; Psa. 89:19-37). This covenant of grace was made between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit before the world was made. Our Surety and Representative in the covenant was the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 7:22; Gen. 43:8-9). In this everlasting covenant of grace, the salvation of God’s elect was agreed upon, wrought out, and accomplished in the oath, purpose, and decree of God (1 Pet. 1:18-20; Rev. 13:8; 2 Tim. 1:9-10; Job 33:24). In time this covenant of grace, made in God’s eternal purpose, was ratified and fulfilled by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in the place of his people (Heb. 9:15-17). And all the blessings and promises of the covenant are sealed to the hearts of God’s elect by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:13-17; Eph. 1:13-14).

    As the rainbow is the emblem of mercy, peace, and recondiliation in God toward man, after he had destoryed the world by the flood, so the covenant of grace is a covenant of mercy and peace. It comes from God’s mercy. It is full of God’s mercy. And it provides abundant mercy, peace, and reconciliation for sinners through the blood of Christ.

    When God set his bow in the sky, he promised that he would never again destroy the world by a flood. Can you imagine how Noah and his sons must have trembled, when they heard that first clap of thunder and saw that first bolt of lightening after the flood. The ark was gone. Perhaps they used it for fire wood. As the rain began to fall, I do not doubt, they must have been horrified. Then, the rain stopped. The sun began to shine. And the bow of God appeared in the sky! By the appearing of God’s bow in the sky, their fears were silenced.

    As the rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant and his promise to Noah that he would never again destroy the earth with a flood, it is God’s covenant of grace that holds back the hand of his justice, and keeps Him from destroying this earth and its inhabitants. Had it not been for the covenant of grace, God would have destroyed the human race when Adam sinned in the garden. And were it not for that same, inalterable covenant, God would not allow the wicked to live today (2 Pet. 3:9). As the angels of judgment could not destroy Sodom until Lot was safely out of the city, so the Lord God will not destroy this earth in his wrath until he has saved all the hosts of his elect (Rev. 7:1-17).

    Above all else, it is the firm and everlasting covenant of grace that secures the eternal salvation of God’s elect (2 Sam. 23:5). We believe in eternal security, because we believe in the immutability of God’s covenant. God is faithful to his covenant. He will honor his covenant. He will keep his covenant. And, blessed be his name, God’s faithfulness to his covenant is not in anyway dependent upon the faithfulness of his people (Psa. 89:28, 34; Ezek. 16:60-62).

    The throne, remember, is the emblem of God’s sovereignty, his dominion, and his power. The “rainbow round about the throne” tells us that God’s sovereignty is bound, hedged about, and limited by his covenant. In other words, God cannot and will not do anything contrary to or inconsistent with his covenant (Heb. 6:13-19). God has bound himself to his covenant. The fact that this rainbow, the covenant of grace, completely encircles the throne of God signifies three things:

    1.God is always mindful of his covenant.

    The Psalmist said, “He will ever be mindful of his covenant” (Psa. 111:5). No matter which way he turns, the covenant is always before his eyes. He constantly remembers it for the good of his people. He faithfully keeps his covenant. No matter how he comes to his people, he comes to us by way of the covenant. No matter what God does, he is fulfilling his covenant.

    2. No man can come to God, except through the covenant.

    Strip the throne of this rainbow, and there is the august, sparkling majesty of God, a consuming fire, which no man dare approach. But that same throne, encircled with a rainbow, is inviting (Heb. 4:16). Sinners may approach the God of the covenant by a new and living way, by the blood of the everlasting covenant. We cannot draw near to God with our works. Both Cain and Uzza stand as striking examples of what becomes of those who put their own hands into the business of God’s salvation. We dare not attempt to draw near to God with the strange fire of our own religious deeds and sacrifices. But sinners can draw near to God on the basis of the covenant, pleading the merits of Christ’s righteousness and shed blood. We come to God in the covenant name, Jesus Christ. The pass-word to God’s throne is Christ. We pray in Christ’s name (John 15:16). We worship in Christ’s name (Matt. 18:20). We are saved in Christ’s name (Acts 4:12).

    3. The fact that this rainbow encircles the throne of God tells us that God’s government of this world is determined by and is in exact agreement with the covenant of grace (Rom. 8:28).

    God always has respect to the covenant. He does everything for the fulfilment of the covenant. In all the great events of providence, God is simply fulfilling his covenant. As you read the Scriptures, you will notice that everything was done to suit God’s purposes for his chosen nation. Egypt comes across the stage, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome. But all these nations are just background settings. Their pomp, granduer, and wealth are just accessories. They rise and fall, they come and go with insignificance. The central figure is Israel, the elect nation, the church of God. The rest of the nations are nothing more than props, scaffolding, and gardeners for the Lord’s vineyard. God has chosen Jacob for his portion. He is only concerned with Jacob. He does everything for Jacob. “I believe”, C. H. Spurgeon once said, “that when kings and potentates meet in the cabinet chamber and consult together according to their ambition, a Counsellor whom they never see pulls the strings, and they are only his puppets.” (Read Isaiah 10:1-34; 43:1-7)

    The ultimate end of all the events of providence is the salvation of God ‘s elect, the gathering of his redeemed ones, the calling of his church. God rules this world for his elect, covenant people. By secret, almighty, irresistible force, God works all things together for the good of his elect.

    As this is true in all the great, momentous events of providence, it is equally true of all the small, minute matters of daily life - The painting of the lilac, the feeding of the sparrow, the numbering of the hairs of our heads, are all done by God because of his care and love for his people in Christ.The promise of the covenant is, “Surely blessing I will bless thee” (Heb. 6:14); and he always does. “Although my house be not so with God, yet” I am blessed of God. Let every child of God rejoice in this great fact of covenant grace. We are blessed of God according to the tenor of the covenant. In all our temptations (1 Cor. 10:13), in all our afflictions, in all our chastisements (Heb. 12:5; Rev. 3:19), our heavenly Father is bringing upon us his covenant blessings in and through Christ Jesus.

    There is a rainbow round about the throne. Let that throne decree what it may, the decree shall never run contrary to the covenant of love. Even when I am most distressed, and the circumstances of my life are most painful, yet I know of a certainty, and testify gladly, “Truly God is good to Israel” (Psa. 73:1).

    The rainbow has many colors. But the dominant, prevailing color is green. This is the color of life, peace, tranquility, and joy. Truly, the most delightful, enlivening, peaceful sight in all the world is the covenant of God’s grace. What is more cheering than to see God as our covenant God, Christ as our covenant Surety, and all the blessings and promises of the covenant made sure to us in him? The covenant of grace, like the emerald, is ever green. It is always new. Its promises are always fresh. Its blessings shall endure forever.

    Though God does not need anything to bring things to his remembrance, yet, he condescends to set the rainbow in the sky so that he might look at it and remember his everlasting covenant; and he allows us to put him in remembrance of his covenant, pleading the promises of the covenant with him in prayer (Isa. 43:25-26). Let every believer have a constant regard to the covenant. Our God does. Draw comfort from the covenant. Never be so base as to entertain hard thoughts about God’s providence. God’s providence is only the outworking of his covenant grace. Give thanks and praise to God for his covenant (2 Sam. 23:1-5; Eph. 1:3-6).