After mankind fell short of God’s glory because of sin, God wiped away all lives on earth with flood save Noah and his family and the animals that accompanied him in the Ark. Genesis 9: 16 says God said when the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. We have discussed some aspects of the rainbow in our previous paper. We now turn to the significance of the seven colours in the rainbow.
Red colour
The red colour signifies God’s love for his creation. Jesus affirmed the importance of love before God when he said in Matthew 22: 37-40, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets. Christ Jesus established the final covenant by love by his blood on the cross, John 15: 13. We are called to love because he first loved us, 1 John 4: 19. God’s love is unconditional and we must do likewise.
Orange colour
The orange colour symbolizes joy, happiness or contentment with God which flows from God’s love. Joy does not come from sin but by being obedient to God. Jesus said in John 15: 10-11 if you keep my commandment, you will abide in my love, just I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. God wants us to seek his joy through Christ Jesus by obeying his instructions. The rainbow thus directs us to the source of divine joy that rests with our souls. Joy from sin does not originate from God. What are the roots of our joys, evil or Christ Jesus?
Yellow colour
The yellow colour stands for hope in God. God’s love avails spontaneous hope because it allays all fears and doubts. God gave Noah, his people and all generations thereafter a new hope of life and a future. Matthew 12: 21 says and in his (Jesus) name will the Gentiles hope. God always honours his promises and there is no hope anywhere but in the Lord God Almighty. Those who place their hope outside God reject God and would be rejected not by flood as of old but by fire in future. All immoral conducts including LGBTQ+ practices have God’s rejection of hope in eternity. Hebrews 13: 4-5 say let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the immoral and adulterous. I will never fail you nor forsake you. The rainbow is a symbol of honour not for immorality.
Green colour
The green colour stands for rebirth or renewal. By the rainbow, God called us to repentance in a new relationship. This is the pivot of Jesus’ mission on earth which started after the floods of Noah. A new relationship with God demands rebirth and renewal. The world cannot maintain God’s covenant without remorse from sin. In John 3: 3-4 Jesus said truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. The green colour is a call to repentance as Jesus instructed his disciples to preach. 1 John 1:8-9 say if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us but if we confess our sins, he (Jesus) is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God is always concerned about our salvation because Hebrews 10: 31 says it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. We must be concerned also.
Blue colour
The blue colour stands for trust in God without which the covenant will be empty. Noah was obedient based on trust and so were the patriarchs and stalwarts of the faith. The sins of Noah’s days resulted from lack of trust in God but in external things. So Proverbs 3: 5-6 say trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. We maintain our covenant by trust in God. Jeremiah 17: 7 says blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. God’s word has been consistent throughout the ages from one generation to another because it is true. Sin abounds because of absence of trust. However, an unfailing trust in God will insulate us from the abuse of this world. In whom do we trust?
Indigo colour
The indigo colour stands for wisdom. God wanted the rainbow to remind us we need wisdom from above in order to maintain a worthy relationship with him and when dealing with the world. When Jesus sent his disciples to preach, he cautioned them saying in Matthew 10: 16 behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Wisdom comes from God. Psalms 119: 98 says thy commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. Earthly wisdom cannot compare with heavenly wisdom. Proverbs 3: 7 says be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. God’s message to us by the indigo colour in the rainbow urges us to seek wisdom from above in our relationship under the covenant. Are we guided by God’s wisdom?
Violet colour
The violet colour stands for humility and modesty. A walk with God demands humility and simplicity. Matthew 18: 4 says whoever humbles himself like a child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus also said in Matthew 11: 29 take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Jesus Christ succeeded in his mission because he was humble. Philippians 2:6 says Jesus also though he was in the form of God, did not count equally with God a thing to be grasped. Satan was arrogant and so fell from grace. Jesus Christ said in Luke 10: 18 I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. God has been advocating for humility since the days of Noah. In essence the rainbow symbol was a summary of scripture and must not be desecrated.
God’s rainbow is light
God is light and his radiance as by the beautiful rainbow should radiate purity in our hearts. Jesus said in John 8:12, I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have light of life. God chose no other thing but light to reflect his nature so we may cease to be in darkness. Jesus said in John 9:5, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. That rainbow light is Jesus Christ for he said in John 12:46 I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. We pray that the light of Jesus Christ working through the Holy Spirit will touch our hearts to dignify and not to degrade or the rainbow symbol so dear to God’s heart.
Prayer
Thank you Lord Jesus for expounding the purpose of the rainbow to us by your Holy Spirit. Let your covenant of light lead us from sin to righteousness so we may maintain a worthy relationship with you. Let your grace lead us in repentance of each and every sin and shortfall in our lives. Help us to be obedient to you as Noah did. Strengthen our faith in you as our unfailing savior of our souls. Let us abide in your love in your holy name, Amen!!
