The Bow

 

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 the 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.”

—Genesis 9:12-16

Noah and his family must have felt terrified once they left the ark and, for the first time, saw storm clouds begin to form in the sky. In their experience, clouds meant devastation, loss, and probably provoked in them intense fear.

God had seen what His clouds had brought upon the earth. He had spared just this one family of godly people and a select number of animals. He wanted His creation to know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that, above all, He is faithful and interested in having an everlasting relationship with mankind, not in causing their destruction.

God created something new after the flood. Never before had mankind seen such a spectacular sight in the heavens as the rainbow. This massive curve of refracted light meant promise, protection, and covenant between God and His creation. What an assurance this sign must have been to Noah and his family. As they gazed at the rainbow, they had a visible sign that God had spoken and He would keep His word.

Why the symbol of the bow? We can only speculate on God’s reasonings because we cannot know the true depth of His great wisdom and love that oversee all that He does. But, we can speculate a bit, in light of our knowledge of Him. Charles Spurgeon comments in this way:¹

The rainbow is thus made the lovely symbol of God’s truth. A bow unstrung, for war is over; a bow without a string never to be used against us; a bow turned upward, that we may direct our thoughts and prayers thither; a bow of bright colors, for joy and peace are signified by it. Blessed arch of beauty, be thou to us ever the Lord’s preacher.

When clouds form over our lives, we must remember the rainbow. It never appears without the clouds. And, just when we need to know that God sees and remembers us, He will show us a sign of His love and faithfulness.

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1 Spurgeon, Charles Haddon, Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, reprinted 1982, Public Domain. p. 16.