Rainbow

We serve a promise-keeping God, who provides us reminders of His presence - through His creation, by His Word, through His promises, and by the companionship of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible says in
2nd Peter chapter 1:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We can be reminded of the presence and promises of God.  He is faithful to preserve His people and to lead us in the way that He would intend.  He made a covenant with Noah, the one whom He chose to build an ark and take His family and animals aboard.  We are reminded through the story of Noah and the flood that we all deserved to die because of our sin, yet God has continued to make a way for His people, and He sent Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice for us.

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In Genesis chapter 9, we read this incredible promise following the flood:
11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed 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.

One of the concepts that we have experienced over the last month is that symbols are important. And, those involved in defacing property have included within their activities the defacing or destruction of symbols that they believe represent offensive moments in American history.

In the Bible, we see that symbols were important from a positive and a negative standpoint.  The Old Testament Law contained a system of sacrifices that communicated powerfully about our sin and our need for redemption.  One of the Ten Commandments dealt with the worship of idols; the Israelites, in their rebellion, erected a golden calf as an idol.  But, when the children of Israel were plagued by snakes, sent as judgment by God, Moses hoisted a snake in order to provide deliverance to those who would turn to God.

Across our land and around the world, we have crosses that are displayed in the structures of our worship centers.  Chinese authorities have been on a spree of removing crosses from buildings in their nation, striking at the heart of Christianity, which they view as a threat.

And, there is one powerful symbol of God's love that has been co-opted for purposes that do not honor him, and that is the rainbow, which is a reminder of God's promise to never destroy the entirety of the earth's population with a flood. During the month of June year after year, we have seen the rainbow displayed as an expression of so-called "pride" in the LGBTQ lifestyle, expressing a celebration of actions that are not pleasing to God.

There are those in the Christian community who want to "take back" that powerful symbol.  Take, for instance, a story from the Christian Institute website from the U.K., which opens up by saying:

A London-based LGBT group has complained about a rainbow artwork which was inspired by children using “the natural phenomena as a symbol of hope” during the lockdown.

Brockley Queers in south London claimed that “the rainbow is ours” and told the Artmongers group who decorated a bridge that it cannot use it for a different meaning “without taking it away from us”.

In the UK the rainbow has recently been used as a symbol of solidarity with NHS workers, with many children placing pictures in the windows of their houses.

Furthermore, the LGBTQ group actually vandalized the artwork on the bridge, and, as the aritlce notes, it "accused Artmongers of 'appropriating' the rainbow, claiming the artists cannot use it if it means losing its 'explicitly queer meaning.'”

Excuse me, but I believe the rainbow was God's idea - and His creation.

In 2017, following its Christmas light display, Ark Encounter continued its use of rainbow lights to denote the significance of the symbol.  An article on the National Religious Broadcasters website said:

Originally installed to add a “wow factor” to its special Christmas event last year, the rainbow display will continue to light up the Ark each night “to remind the world that God owns it and He decreed it's a sign of His covenant with man after the Flood,” announced AIG President, CEO, and Founder Ken Ham on his Facebook page last week.

“We now have new permanent rainbow lights at the Ark Encounter so all can see that it is God's rainbow and He determines its meaning in Genesis 6,” reported Ham.

In announcing in early February the ministry’s intention to keep the rainbow lights, Ham said, “We’re trying to help Christians and unbelievers recognize the true meaning of the rainbow as it’s given to us in the Bible (Genesis 9).”

Ham said, “The rainbow not only symbolizes the mercy and judgment of God, but it also symbolizes God’s glory, beauty, holiness, and perfection,” adding, “The beauty of the rainbow gives us a tiny glimpse of the glory and beauty of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

First of all, as we consider the powerful, Biblical symbolism of the rainbow, we can remember the mercy of God.  The world had essentially placed itself under judgment, but God showed His kindness to Noah and his family.  We were once separated from God, but God sent His Son as an act of supreme love so that we could come to know Jesus and to be delivered from the wrath and punishment that we deserved.

The rainbow, a glorious act of nature, is made up of many colors, and I supposed that the LGBTQ movement adopted it as a representation of diversity.  We can actually remember that Jesus came for all, regardless of our gender or race, and the degree to which we have embraced a life of sin.  For the Bible reminds us that there is none righteous, but He desires for all to come to know Him.  The rainbow can remind us that God is merciful and is no respecter of persons.  He has made each of us unique, certainly, and even though we are created different from one another, we can be united under the banner of the cross.

The Bible encourages us to worship the Lord in the "beauty of holiness" and that we shall "see the King in His beauty."  Building on what Ken Ham has said about the rainbow, we can worship the Lord our Creator and recognize His works, including bringing salvation, healing, and restoration, doing all things for His glory and reflecting His majesty. Creation reminds us that we have a God is who is powerful, beautiful, and who does all things well.