Technically, a rainbow is “a circular arc of colors that appears in the sky when raindrops are illuminated by sunlight.”(1) But the spiritual definition of a rainbow is “a natural light show that takes place in the atmosphere, after a storm occurs, that is produced by God for the purpose of giving us hope.” It has been said that a rainbow is made up of seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Yet actually, the rainbow is the entire spectrum of colors ranging from yellow to purple and even beyond the colors that the naked eye can see.
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There are rainbows even in Death Valley! This is a double rainbow
There are also rainbows formed by moonlight, which are called lunar rainbows or moonbows. Moonbows are created in the same way that rainbows are, but because the moon (or reflected sunlight) does not contain all the colors of sunlight, a moonbow appears silver instead of multi-colored.(2)
Rainbows have always been a favorite weather phenomena. They can often be seen toward the end of the day, especially after a thunderstorm on a hot summer day. Most people stop dead in their tracks when they spot a rainbow in the sky. It seems like God has painted a message of hope across the sky for those he allows to view it, to encourage them to keep the faith and have hope.
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It's always darkest before the dawn, but be assured, a new day is dawning.
Think it not strange that a beautiful rainbow appears after a violent and dark storm; just as the peaceful eye of a hurricane is surrounded by the roughest part of the cyclone. Joy and pain are like sunshine and rain; you need both in order to grow. Just as God uses rain and sunshine to produce rainbows in the physical world, ironically, he also uses the storms of life to produce hope in us (Romans 5:3-4). There can be no true hope, if there are no real tribulations. Hope means waiting patiently in expectation for a change to take place or to look forward to something you cannot see.
A rainbow appeared in the sky after forty days and forty nights as a symbol of God’s covenant, or unconditional promise to never again destroy the earth by flood (Genesis 9:11-17). In Ezekiel 1:27–28, Ezekiel recounts what he saw in his vision of the Lord; and he compares God’s glory to that of a multi-colored rainbow. This description and comparison to a rainbow represents God’s never-ending faithfulness to his people. Rainbows must be found in heaven because in Revelations 4:3 and 10:1, John suggests that he saw a rainbow “like an emerald” around the throne of God and a rainbow upon God’s head; although one cannot be certain what John actually saw. At any rate, perhaps there will be rainbows in heaven, and if so, they will more than likely be much more awe-inspiring than any rainbows witnessed here on earth.
It’s been said that no two people ever see the same rainbow because a different set of raindrops
contribute to each visual appearance; so viewing at every angle means viewing a different rainbow unlike the person standing next to you. A rainbow is like an individual message from God to remind His people of his promise never to forsake them. When one feels as though they’re at the end of their rope, they must remember that there’s never an end to hope. Hope is described in Hebrews 6:17-19 as an anchor for the soul that is firm and secure no matter what type of storm is raging in our lives. According to 2 Corinthians 4:16–18; the trials that any child of God experiences in life are temporary; the eternal glory far outweighs any suffering on Earth.
No matter what the weather, there’s always hope for a better tomorrow. So whether a person is in a proverbial rainstorm or suffering an earth-shattering disaster, they can be sure of God’s promises and hope that there are brighter days on the horizon. There are two unchangeable things about God, his nature and his promise. Although the rainbow in life may be difficult to see, hold on, be strong, and take heart (Psalm 31:24) because sunnier days are on the horizon. Hebrews 11:1 states, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Have faith; night always comes before the dawn, and there's always a valley at the foot of every mountain. One may be at the end of their rope, but never at the end of their hope. Lean on Him.
Reference:
2. . Ibid.
FOR MORE LESSONS FROM JOANNE ON THE FORCES OF NATURE:
No Rain, No Gain:
Stormy Weather:
In the Eye of a Hurricane
Earthquakes
The Forces of Nature
The Earth Speaks:
To learn more about or purchase Joanne's book "A Down to Earth Bible Study" AMG Publishers:
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Comments
I enjoy reading your articles, Joanne. Thanks for the great pictures and encouraging words.
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