Today’s Scripture: Genesis 9:8-17
14-15"From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life." (The Message)
Artwork by Frank Halloran
“God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.'”
~ Genesis 9:17
As one reads our text for today, one cannot help but be struck by the redundancy. In the span of nine verses, God speaks eight times about a covenant between God and every living creature on the earth.
God first tells Noah and his children that God is establishing a covenant with them, their descendants, and with every living creature around. Then, God states again that a covenant is being established and that it means God will never destroy everything again with a flood.
Now that God has established that God is establishing a covenant, God goes on to speak of the bow set in the clouds that will signify the establishment of this covenant. Twice God refers to “the sign of the covenant” between God and the whole earth as being what we call the rainbow.
The rainbow not only signifies the covenant’s establishment, it also serves as a reminder of the covenant. “I will remember,” says God. “I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant.” But here is where I go, “Huh?” I seem to remember being taught that the rainbow is there to help us remember God’s promises, not the other way around.
But it isn’t that God will forget without a reminder. Rather, it is there to assure us that God is a keeper of promises. And God does indeed remember us, all the way to the cross.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Amen.