The Rainbow

Genesis 9:12–17 (NASB95) 

12God 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; 13I 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, 15and 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.” 17And 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.” 

God establishes the rainbow as a visible sign of His covenant with Noah, all his descendants, and every living creature. This covenant promises that God will never again destroy the earth by flood. The rainbow serves as a reminder for both God and humanity. When the rainbow appears, it calls God to remember His promise and reassures humans of His faithfulness.  

This covenant is universal and everlasting. It extends beyond Noah’s family to all generations and every living creature. The rainbow joins other biblical covenant signs such as circumcision for Abraham and the Sabbath for Moses. Each sign anchors God’s promises in the physical world, serving as a constant reminder of His relationship with creation. 

Today, we can find hope and assurance in the rainbow covenant. It reminds believers that God’s mercy endures despite human sin and brokenness. The rainbow reminds us to trust in God’s faithfulness and to live as witnesses of His peace in a troubled world.