The Rainbow as God's Covenant Sign to Noah
The rainbow serves as a divine sign of God's covenant with Noah and all living creatures after the Great Flood [2, 10]. This covenant, detailed in Genesis 9, promises that God will never again destroy all life on earth by a flood [2, 3, 8].
According to Genesis 9:13, God states, "I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth" [2]. The rainbow is presented as a visible token of this everlasting agreement [3, 5, 9]. While rainbows are a natural phenomenon caused by the reflection and refraction of sunlight on falling rain, the biblical account indicates that God consecrated this existing beauty as a specific sign of His promise [1, 4]. Some interpretations suggest that the rainbow itself might have appeared for the first time after the Flood, implying a different atmospheric composition before that event [4]. However, the more common understanding is that God took an already existing phenomenon and imbued it with new symbolic meaning [1].
The covenant is not just with Noah, who is considered a connecting link between the old and new worlds [7], but with "every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth" [3]. God declares that when He sees the rainbow in the clouds, He will remember this covenant [3]. This signifies God's faithfulness and mercy [1].
The rainbow appears in other biblical contexts as well. In Ezekiel 1:27-28, a rainbow-like brilliance surrounds the throne of God [4]. Similarly, in Revelation 4:3, a rainbow encircles the throne, suggesting God's grace and recalling the covenant with Noah [1, 8]. While the Noahic covenant promises no more destruction by water, Revelation depicts future destruction by fire [8]. The imagery of the rainbow around the throne in Revelation 4:3, described with the appearance of an emerald, symbolizes God's holiness and justice [12].
The repetition of the covenant's terms and the sign of the rainbow in Genesis 9:17 emphasizes its certainty, particularly given humanity's potential fears after the flood [9]. The flood itself was sent as a punishment for humanity's extreme wickedness [6]. The rainbow, therefore, stands as a perpetual reminder of God's promise not to repeat such a global watery judgment [11].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Rainbow — the token of the covenant which God made with Noah when he came forth from the ark that the waters should no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. The right interpretation of (Genesis 9:13) seems to be that God took the rainbow, which had hitherto been but a beautiful object shining in the heavens when the sun's rays fell on falling rain, and consecrated it as the sign of his love and the witness of his promise. Ecclus. 43:11. The rainbow is a symbol of God's faithfulness and mercy. In the "rainbow around the throne," (Revelation 4:3) is seen the symbol ”
- Genesis “I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. -- Genesis 9:13”
- Genesis “The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” -- Genesis 9:16”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Rainbow — Caused by the reflection and refraction of the rays of the sun shining on falling rain. It was appointed as a witness of the divine faithfulness (Gen. 9:12-17). It existed indeed before, but it was then constituted as a sign of the covenant. Others, however (as Delitzsch, Commentary on Pentateuch), think that it "appeared then for the first time in the vault and clouds of heaven." It is argued by those holding this opinion that the atmosphere was differently constituted before the Flood. It is referred to three other times in Scripture (Ezek. 1:27, 28; Rev.”
- Genesis “Genesis 9:17 (YLT) — And God saith unto Noah, `This <FI>is<Fi> a token of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that <FI>is<Fi> upon the earth.'”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Deluge, The — Sent as a punishment for the extreme wickedness of man -- Ge 6:5-7,11-13,17. Called the Flood. -- Ge 9:28. Waters of Noah. -- Isa 54:9. Noah forewarned of -- Ge 6:13; Heb 11:7. Long-suffering of God exhibited in deferring -- Ge 6:3; 1Pe 3:20. The wicked warned of -- 1Pe 3:19,20; 2Pe 2:5. Noah, &c, saved from -- Ge 6:18-22; 7:13,14. Date of its commencement -- Ge 7:11. Came suddenly and unexpectedly -- Mt 24:38,39. Produced by Forty days' incessant rain. -- Ge 7:4,12,17. Opening up of the fountains of the great deep. -- Ge 7:11. Increased gradually -- Ge”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Noah — Rest, (Heb. Noah) the grandson of Methuselah (Gen. 5:25-29), who was for two hundred and fifty years contemporary with Adam, and the son of Lamech, who was about fifty years old at the time of Adam's death. This patriarch is rightly regarded as the connecting link between the old and the new world. He is the second great progenitor of the human family. The words of his father Lamech at his birth (Gen. 5:29) have been regarded as in a sense prophetical, designating Noah as a type of Him who is the true "rest and comfort" of men under the burden of life (Matt. 1”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 4:3: 4:3 Rather than painting a visual picture of God (Exod 20:4; Deut 4:15-19), John uses gemstones and the rainbow (Gen 9:8-17; Ezek 1:28) to suggest God’s qualities. The rainbow speaks of God’s grace as it recalls God’s covenant with Noah (Gen 9:13-17) that he would never again destroy the earth with water. In Revelation, however, we see the earth destroyed by fire (cp. Gen 19:24-29).”
- Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 9:17: And God said to Noah, this is the token of the covenant,.... Which is repeated for the greater confirmation and certainty of it, since the fears of men would be apt to run very high, especially while the flood was fresh in memory: which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth: see Gen 9:9, it is highly probable, that from the rainbow being the token of the covenant between God and Noah, and the creatures, sprung the fable of the Chinese concerning their first emperor, Fohi, who seems to be the same with Noah, and whom they call the son of”
- Genesis (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Genesis 9 (introduction): God blesses Noah and his sons, Gen 9:1. The brute creation to be subject to them through fear, Gen 9:2. The first grant of animal food, Gen 9:3. Eating of blood forbidden, Gen 9:4. Cruelty to animals forbidden, Gen 9:5. A man-slayer to forfeit his life, Gen 9:6. The covenant of God established between him and Noah and the whole brute creation, Gen 9:8-11. The rainbow given as the sign and pledge of this covenant, Gen 9:12-17. The three sons of Noah people the whole earth, Gen 9:18, Gen 9:19. Noah plants a vineyard, drinks of the wine, is intoxicated, an”
- Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 54:9: For this is as the waters of Noah unto me,.... Some copies, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe, read these two words, , as one, thus, "as the days of Noah"; and this is followed by the Targum, Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions; both readings may be kept, and joined in one, and the sense be, "for this is as the waters that were in the days of Noah unto me"; so Kimchi and Menachem join them. The meaning is, that God's dispensation towards his people, at the time the prophecy refers to, is like that of his to Noah and his family; and the love he bears to them is like that”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 4:3: was--omitted in the two oldest manuscripts but supported by Vulgate and Coptic. to look upon--Greek, "in sight," or "appearance." jasper--From Rev 21:11, where it is called most precious, which the jasper was not, EBRARD infers it was a diamond. Ordinarily, the jasper is a stone of various wavy colors, somewhat transparent: in Rev 21:11 it represents watery crystalline brightness. The sardine, our cornelian, or else a fiery red. As the watery brightness represents God's holiness, so the fiery red His justice executing fiery wrath. The same union”