2009-05-20 - There is a Rainbow

Revelation 4:3, "And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance."

We know that the rainbow is the symbol of God’s covenant with Noah (and us) that He will never again destroy the Earth with a flood, Genesis 9:8-17. Rainbows are probably something everyone has had some experience with, and we might each recall some experience we cannot forget, that made us immediately think of this passage. When I lived in Arizona, I witnessed a triple rainbow. The one on top was the strongest in view, but there were clearly three there right on top of each other. In Iceland, I will never forget looking upon a double rainbow that spanned the entire horizon, and seemed as if it went from one end of the Earth to the other. It was amazing. John had a different sight before him, and it is even more wondrous than any rainbow we have seen. It is a scene in Heaven, and it is a rainbow that circles the throne. It is “around the throne,” and so we can only imagine how striking this sight was for John.

There is a rainbow around the throne. We should see the significance of this. We mentioned God’s covenant with Noah in Genesis 9, but the memory of that covenant is with Him, as John sees His throne. He keeps a memory of His promised faithfulness ever present with Him in Heaven. Isn’t that thought glorious? It is a blessing that the Lord keeps all His promises. If there was one that He did not keep, we could wonder about any of the others. He does keep his promises, and for this we may be thankful. We have our troubles - we all do. Let us be thankful that there is this proof of the divine promises, even around the throne of God. It is proof of God’s loving faithfulness. There is a rainbow around the throne that shows His eternal covenant love. It is impossible that God should deal with His children in any other way than in love. It is a sure hope of our faith, that we have this consolation given to us here by the Lord, to John, concerning the throne of God.

We have no right to God’s grace and mercy. It is given freely to stubborn, rebellious sinners. For the believer, there is a promise of grace and mercy that will never fail. The goodness and loving-kindness of God are often emphasized in Scripture, concerning His children. In fact, it is done in many ways. We find comfort here. Even in our darkest struggles, there is still a rainbow of God’s kindness around the throne. John saw it with his eyes. We see it by faith. We live on this. There are so many who have no hope. Every dark, painful experience leads them to greater despair, but not so the child of God. Even our dark times are mediated by knowing that the tender love of God is over all. He loves His children and is, right now, preparing them to be with Him in His glory. In the midst of our struggles, there is the rainbow. We can rejoice in the God of our salvation who ever loves us, and has from before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

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