Genesis 9:8-17 - Significance of the rainbow
Scripture:
Genesis 9:8-17
8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying,
9 "Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with
your descendants after you;
10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the
cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of
the ark, even every beast of the earth.
11 "I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again
be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a
flood to destroy the earth."
12 God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making
between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all
successive generations;
13 I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant
between Me and the earth.
14 "It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the
bow will be seen in the cloud,
15 and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and
every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water
become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 "When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember
the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all
flesh that is on the earth."
17 And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have
established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."
NASU
Thoughts:
The sign of the rainbow is given, a beautiful conclusion to a dreadful
event. It seems likely this was the 1st appearance of a rainbow in the
sky. The Flood seems to have brought the 1st rain (Genesis
2:5-6).
In like manner, as God sees the rainbow as a reminder of his
covenant as told to Noah, so He sees Christ for the believer. In
Christ, God made another covenant with mankind. God looks upon His
sacrifice and pardons all those who place their trust in Jesus.
Noah
was spared in the ark from destruction. In honor of His covenant
signed by the rainbow, God has spared the entire world from another
global flood. But greatest of all, God forgives the sinner
by the work of Christ, if only he will come to Christ for forgiveness.
Prayer:
Hallelujah! Thank You Lord that though I am not deserving of the
heavenly home You have prepared for me, You have made the way that I
can come to live there. I'm so thankful to have been released from the
guilt and the punishment I was due. I'm so glad as a Christian You have
made me a new creation, holy in Your sight!
Amen