In Genesis 9 we read the story of the great flood and God’s
desire to start over with the human race. He had endured enough of disobedience
and sin. So He commanded Noah to build an ark to house animals with his family
to survive a flood over all the earth. Noah, taking an unbelievable 100 years
to complete, built the ark to detailed architectural design. Noah was 600 years
old when God sent the 40 days and nights of rain to flood the earth and the ark
floated until the rain stopped.
We read that God made a covenant to never flood the earth
again. He demonstrated this covenant with a rainbow in the sky. Today we
remember this covenant that God continued with other patriarchs. Today we have
conflated this pact with lepricon stories of a bucket of gold at the end of the
rainbow. I think few people understand
God’s faithful covenant with His people to always be we with them and never
leave them.
The photo in this essay was taken by my cousin Douglas F.
Frank, a renowned landscape photographer. It is a 6-hour pinhole exposure that
gives it an almost living and ethereal quality. It is called “The Arc.” This
light arc is formed by sunlight moving through the aperture over a long and
enduring period, like our lives. Notice the almost lunar landscape background of
the Oregon desert. It recollects from Isaiah’s ancient prophecy; on,
“The
people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land
of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9:2). This light is
almost too bright to gaze upon with unprotected eyes. Later in his prophetic
work 700 years before Christ he says of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, “After
the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life, and be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11). I am again reminded of God’s rainbow covenant
light reflected in the skies declared to be everlasting. “I will make a covenant of peace
with them; it will be an everlasting covenant” (Ezekiel 37:26). This is
a covenant of prosperity and peace forever, even though His people would break
their promises.
Now comes a new covenant again prophesied by Jeremiah
saying, “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the
covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead
them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant…This
covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the
Lord. I will put my law s in their minds, and write them on their hearts, I
will be their God and they will be my people…because they will know me…By
calling this covenant “new,” He has made the first one obsolete; and what is
obsolete is aging and will soon disappear” (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews
8:8-12). When does it come? It arrives with the incarnation of Jesus Christ as
Isaiah again prophesies speaking of the One to be born of virgin who was to be
called Immanuel (God with us). “For to us a child is born, to us a son is
given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. Of the
increase of His government and peace there shall be no end” (Isaiah
9:6-7). Most readers are very familiar with this passage recited at Christmas
time and referencing the birth of Jesus, the Messiah.
So the new covenant was born. He is Christ the Lord. We
continue to remember Him who lived, taught and then suffered and died for our
sins that we might be forgiven and saved from our sins. In Holy Communion we
take the cup saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood,
which is poured out for you, do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke
22:20). This is a covenant or relationship between God and His people beginning
in Genesis and faithfully kept by God through the Old Testament times to the
promissory Davidic times to the New Testament. But then God in Jesus Christ had
to renew it because His people had broken it. The throne of the Davidic Covenant of an everlasting throne
was reestablished in Christ and His atoning sacrifice of blood for His people.
It once more was to supersede the broken law to make a new everlasting one in
Him. He was the Pascal Lamb and covenantal meal. He was and is the glorious
coming King and Messiah, the Son of David forming the important link between
Old and New Testament covenants. This fresh covenant will obtain until the Parousia or second coming of the Messiah to rule
and reign.
Returning to Ezekiel’s prophetic vision of the glory of the
Lord, speaking of heaven and the Revealing of Christ says, “And brilliant light surrounded
Him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the
radiance around Him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of
the Lord” (Ezekiel 1:27b-28). This vision is repeated in Revelation
speaking of the throne in heaven saying, “A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled
the throne…then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was
robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun; and
his legs were like fiery pillars” (Revelation 4:3; 10:1). This is the Shekinah
glory of God appearing in our midst. This is the symbol of the fact that, “God
is light, in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). This is the
ever-present covenant relationship He has made with us, to bring brilliant and
lasting light in the darkness. This is the arc or light in the many colors of a
rainbow, signifying God’s faithfulness. Next time it rains and the sun shines
look up for God’s covenant of peace and praise Him.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts.