These are pictures of a rainbow that was taken at the Wise household in the middle of July 2012 after a rain. It was late in the afternoon and it was very beautiful and  reminded me of how great God is to create such a beautiful sight. After God destroyed the ungodly generation with the flood on the earth during Noah’s time, He set His bow in the cloud as a token of His covenant with Noah and all living creatures.
Regarding this rainbow God said, “And it shall come  to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.” (Gen. 9: 14-15). This rainbow of many colors reminds us that God is a covenant keeping God and is also symbolic of another covenant. This is the everlasting covenant in which all the children of God are embraced. David said, “Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.” (II Sam. 23:5). Just as God’s covenant with Noah was ordered and sure, so is the everlasting covenant and never grows or diminishes. Jesus fulfilled the redemptive part of the covenant and ascended back to the throne of God on His right hand. John sees something round about the One that sat upon the throne. “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.” (Rev. 4:3). Jesus sits as the intercessor between God and His people and the rainbow reminds us of the many promises of God that have been fulfilled, are being fulfilled, or will be fulfilled. Why? It is because God is a covenant keeping God and has promised to never leave or forsake His people. Joseph had a coat of many colors given him by his father, Jacob, and that coat was dipped in goat’s blood to show Jacob that Joseph must have been killed by animals. John had a vision of One riding on a white horse and concerning his garment, he said, “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” (Rev. 19:13). The rainbow is an arch which is part of a circle. The circle of God’s love is unbroken and has no beginning or end. God’s promises are just as sure as the circle is unbroken. Look at the rainbow and then look to the One who put the bow in the sky. David said, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” (Psalm 121:1).–July 31, 2012–Elder Larry Wise
