The Rainbow

For the longest time I’ve wanted to download a copy of the Old Testament and listen to it on my iPod. I finally got around to downloading it other day and started off listening to Genesis. Eventually, I had to stop right around the part where God told Noah that he would never again destroy all life on earth by a flood.

As the verse continued, God went on to say that he would set his rainbow in the clouds to act a reminder of this covenant (promise) between himself and man. I became very interested in this passage, mostly because I had never before realized the significance of the rainbow. But there’s much more to this story…

But first, here’s the passage I’m referring to:

11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."

12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:

13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,

15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

17 So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."

Genesis 9:11-17

I listened to this on Saturday morning and I’m not kidding when I say that this passage was on my mind all day long. That evening we decided to go to church, which is uncommon for us to do on a Saturday. Anyhow, while in church we got to the point where it became time for the gospel readings. Usually, there are a series of three readings that occur one after the other. The very first reading was from Genesis chapter 9…and yes…it told the story of God’s covenant with man and the significance of the rainbow. I sat there both amazed and delighted as my eyes watered up.

So how was it that out of all the tens of thousands of verses in the New and Old Testaments that we just happen to read the same passage that had been on my mind all day? Coincidence? I think not.

I personally feel this was the Lord’s way of reminding me to keep listening to His word and to continue down this path. The Lord works in wonderful and mysterious ways and I feel so blessed to have been a part of this experience. This is an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I pray that someday the Lord will touch you as he did me during that Saturday evening.

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.

Psalm 115:1

May God bless you. And this is for His Glory.