How beautiful is the big arch of a brilliant rainbow, reaching across a stormy sky with both ends appearing to be anchored to the ground. What an amazing sight this must have been to Noah and his family. The rainbow that they saw was the first time in the world’s history that God produced this wonderful sight. It was a promise from God that flood waters would never cover the whole world again. This is something to remember every time you see a rainbow.
Scientists tell us that this colorful display “is an arch of prismatic colors caused by refraction, reflection and dispersion of light in falling raindrops.” It is not yet fully known how a rainbow produces seven distinct colors, nor how the colors show in perfect bands so vividly. They are always in the same order: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red - the red always on the outside in the prime rainbow, but on the inside when a second rainbow appears as a reflection of the first one.
Students of nature are seeking to understand how a raindrop, multiplied many millions of times, can bring the colors out in this order with the rainbow remaining stationary while the raindrops are falling rapidly through the air. Surely, if there were not a control over this remarkable display, the colors would merge together and the rainbow would lose its shape. We know the power of the very Creator of the universe is the control. It is He who, while supplying the world daily with clear, brilliant light from the sun, can conceal those colors. Then, according to His promise, they shine out in the “bow in the cloud” to remind the world that He rules both the heavens and the earth - “The heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, Thou hast founded them” (Psalm 89:1111The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. (Psalm 89:11)).
The seven colors are called “cardinal” because, by mixing any of them, other colors may be produced. For instance, red and yellow make orange; red and blue become purple. But in the rainbow we see them as distinct colors.
While the rainbow is a reminder of God’s earthly promise, there is something more important as a reminder of His great love. That is the value He saw when His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, shed His blood on Calvary. For it is “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son [that] cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). It is the value of that blood that protects everyone whose faith is in the Lord Jesus from the terrible punishment that is coming on this world. Before that fearful time comes, everyone whose faith is in Him will be safe with Him in heaven.
Have you put your trust in that shed blood and accepted Him as your Saviour?
MAY 21, 1995
ML-05/21/1995