Title: The Rainbow in the Cloud
Theme:
Text: Genesis 6 - 9
Opening Scriptures
Genesis 9:11-14 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." (12) And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (13) I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. (14) It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
Introduction
In the flood God gave us a myriad of theological symbols that show His purpose and plan for the world.
We see judgement. There is a penalty for sin.
We see salvation. God prepared a way for man to escape.
We see grace. God gave to the world that which they could not give to themselves.
We see love. This was not a total destruction.
The story begins with a man by the name of Noah.
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
God was grieved over His creation of the world. Why?
- Their mixing between what was godly and what is ungodly. (iniquity)
- A heart of unrepentant. No remorse
- An imagination that created ways to sin. Even in their own imagination.
- A heart that was turned away from God.
(2 Timothy_3:1-5). “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away”
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
God saw Noah and showed him grace and favor.
Why? Noah
We learn that Noah was a righteous man.
Genesis 6:9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
What does that mean?
Righteous means to do what is right. He knew the promise of God from the beginning. God would send a savior through the seed of the world.
2 Peter 2:5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
Noah did what was right with what God had given him.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
Application: God is looking for someone who will do right with what He has given them.
- Salvation
- Right living
- Witnessing
- Stewardship
God’s judgement
So God set forth His judgement. How? He told Noah that He was going to flood the earth. Noah had to build a boat to house the animals. The perpetuate God’s creation.
Notice here God’s grace not only to Noah but also to all the world. This boat was big enough to house many from the world. It is estimated that only half the boat was used. When you take the average animal and place them 2 by 2 (7 for the clean) of their kind. You still have enough room to house a very large population.
(8,000 – 25,000 species needed to repopulate the earth)
This is God’s grace and mercy. They did not build the boat (only Noah). They did not draw the plans up for safety only God. Yet they could have been saved in the boat.
Noah preached to them for 100 years to no avail.
What a picture of salvation?
Jesus said He was the, “way, truth and life”. God’s plan for salvation. Yet many will reject this plan.
40 Days and 40 Nights
So it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. The floods came and covered all the earth. All was lost except those in the ark. It was Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth and their wives. Only 8 in total.
Genensis 7:1 Then the Lord said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.
Genesis 7:5 And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him.
Not only did it rain for 40 days and 40 nights but the earth was full of water for 150 days. Wow! That is a lot of turmoil.
Yet God brought salvation to the world through the ark.
The Cloud and the Rainbow
You can read the details of the story in chapter 7 and 8. The ark is settled on a mountain and the waters begin to recede. The raven is sent then the dove. Finally, the door is open.
Noah leaves the ark and the first thing he does is offer up a sacrifice to the Lord. This is a sacrifice of thanksgiving for God’s hand of protection. God makes a covenant with Noah. Then in Genesis 9 He makes a covenant with the world. Let us read.
Genesis 9:11-14 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." (12) And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (13) I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. (14) It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
The rainbow.
“THE rainbow is a picturesque phenomenon of nature, easily explainable in terms of modern science. What our text explains is the divine significance with which God invested it.” This is the first mention of a rainbow but truthfully there were no storms or rain before the flood.
“First, the rainbow is a symbol; God’s symbol that “behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face”. Life’s darkest episodes are overruled to contrive our richest blessing. The rainbow genius is that the very cloud which glowers becomes a chariot beaming with divine reassurance and salvation.”
Rainbow formation. “The rainbow is formed by sunshafts falling on raindrops which break up the rays into seven colours, and so paint on the opposite sky an arch of sevenfold hue. The cloud only needs the sun on it, and lo, the rainbow!”
Did you get that? The rainbow only needs the sun to shine through the clouds.
“There is a rainbow in every cloud permitted to overhang God’s people. Christian, those ominous clouds which affright or dismay you, if only faced bravely and discerningly, will disclose heavenly goodness.”
God’s rainbow is in every cloud of trouble. Did it seem a dark cloud, that Paul was imprisoned just when most needed? Read the prison epistles, and see the rainbow!
The rainbow is in every cloud of sorrow. There is a rainbow in the dark cloud of death. Philippians 1: 21 enrings it with, “To die is gain”! And even the dread cloud of coming age-end tribulation is over-arched with the rainbow promise, “I will come again, and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn. 14: 3).
When the days are hard or dreary Till you scarce know what to do, Lift your eyes, and see the rainbow, With the promise shining through.
Quotes are from: Baxter, J. Sidlow. Awake My Heart: Daily Devotional Meditations for the Year (J. Sidlow Baxter Library) (pp. 299-300). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
Conclusion
I wonder what God is doing in your life today. Maybe you see clouds, dark clouds but this is when God shines the most.
