The rainbow

Read Genesis 9:8-17

Devotion by Michelle MacPherson

The covenant that God made with Noah, his descendants, and every living thing, he confirmed with a sign: the rainbow. Not unlike how wedding rings worn by married couples are the symbol of the covenant promises made on their wedding day. The signs of covenants should give the recipients of the promises confidence in the actual covenant itself, and that it will be both  upheld and fulfilled. The rainbow was for both God and all living things.

God said that he put the rainbow there so he would “remember” not to flood the earth again. Does this mean that God could forget and accidentally flood the earth again? Not at all! When God sees the rainbow, he remembers, and it is him saying he is choosing to be faithful and to act on his promises to fulfil his covenant. The rainbow is a sign to God of his own character and glorifies his work in creation.

Just as the covenant sign is for God, it is also for humanity. A symbol to remind us that God remembers. We should know that God will fulfil his promises, yet we are fickle and often doubt that he will act on them (or we misunderstand what their fulfilment looks like). In his wonderful grace, he has given signs to show us his faithfulness. Jesus’ words to Peter “you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31) should point us back to our patient and faithful heavenly Father.

And as the rainbow was the sign to Noah of God’s covenant to never flood the earth, so too we have the signs of the new covenant in Jesus. “See my hands and my side” (John 20:27) - look at Christ’s body and blood broken and poured out for us, in the symbol of communion. Also, baptism is the sign that we have been crucified and raised with Christ (Rom. 6:3-4). These glorious signs of the covenant have been given to us that we may see the ongoing fulfilment of God’s promises to us in Christ.

Prayer:

Father, I thank you for these signs that point to your covenant promises to us. Help me to see your faithfulness at work throughout history, as well as your ongoing work in my life. May I be forever thankful for your work of Jesus on the cross. Amen.