The Noahic Covenant, Part Seven

A Devotional Series from Genesis

7/14 Reading Portions: Joshua 20-21; Acts 1; Jeremiah 10; Matthew 24

Genesis 9:12-17

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember My covenant that is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 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.”

BOW

God’s sign for this covenant He has made between Himself, Noah, and every living creature on the planet was a bow. This is the Hebrew word, קֶשֶׁת (QE-shet). The word is found 75 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, and it is always used in connection with an archer’s bow by which arrows are shot. Even here in Genesis 9, though we recognize this bow that appears with the clouds is what we call the rainbow, this colorful prism of light that appears after or during a rain, or when clouds appear in the sky, has an arc that resembles an archer’s bow pointed toward heaven. This is because of the truth of the gospel of Christ behind this covenant. This merciful bow is pointed toward heaven because God Himself would become a Man, and the judgment of God would be aimed at Him. When Jesus hung between heaven and earth, by this fulfillment of the Noahic Covenant, mercy will be established in men who have trusted by faith in the substitutionary atoning Sacrifice of Christ.

Every time anyone looks upon the bow in the clouds, whereas the Scripture says, “and the bow is seen in the clouds,” He will remember His covenant that He had made; for the Father delights in every act of His well-pleasing Son, most especially in Christ’s Sacrifice on Calvary’s Tree. That means that you and I may delight also in the blessing of the rainfall or the cloud cover every time we spot a rainbow, rejoicing in the grace and mercy of our loving God to send His only begotten Son to die in our place (John 3:16). And each time we see His bow in the sky, we may pray and praise Him for His amazing grace and mercy.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!