EPC Australia

There is always ground for the Prophet's complaint, "Seeing many things, they observe not." How often do even objects, peculiarly designed and adapted to excite and impress, fail to strike, or at least to awaken any proper attention. This is the case with the rainbow. Children wonder at the novelty, grandeur, and construction of the figure, but seldom ask a question about it. The common people, who are much abroad in the field, rarely give it a gaze; and never connect a thought with it, but as it may be supposed, by the time of its exhibition, to intimate the state of the weather. And what does the philosopher? In the pride of science, he despises the vulgar; but, although able to explain the mediate cause of the phenomenon, he never looks after any thing the Scripture says concerning it. But who is, not only a naturalist, but a moralist? And not only a moralist, but a Christian — a Christian in the field, as well as in the temple; making that which is seen and temporal, the means of communion with that which is unseen and eternal?

The rainbow may be viewed three ways. First, physically. Thus it is, in the sky, a semicircle of various colours, which appears in showery weather. It is gendered by the sunbeams on a cloud. When there is a moist and dark cloud opposite the orb of day, and disposed to receive and reflect his rays, the bow is seen; and never without this concurrence.

Secondly, federally. The first time we read of it in the Book of Genesis, is in this covenant relation. "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you, and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh." It was in being before; but now it was made a divinely constituted sign, or token. Thus it should lead us to think of the holiness and justice of God, in the destruction of the old world, and also of his forbearance and goodness, in engaging not to destroy it in like manner again, and in affording a sensible assurance of it. The appearance may be, in some measure, viewed as even typical of the event. The bow was early the principal weapon of war, and soon became the emblem of it. David says, "He hath bent his bow, and made ready his arrows upon the string, to shoot at the persecutors." But here is a bow without arrows, and without a string! When a man uses the bow in a hostile manner, the ends are towards himself, and the back is towards the enemy. But here the bow is reversed — the back is towards heaven, and the ends towards the earth. And therefore if it had arrows upon the string, they must be discharged upwards not downwards — the earth is safe, and has nothing to fear from it. If this should be thought more curious than wise, yet the bow thus viewed, if not a type, is a proof and a pledge. It says, the flood is gone, never to return! And here we feel a perfect certainty. However long or violently the rain falls, we are not alarmed. We look to the bow in the cloud and are sure, that "while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease." And why do we not feel equally sure, with regard to another interposition?

For, thirdly, the bow is to be viewed evangelically. "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee." Here we find God doing, in a nobler case, what he did after the deluge. Here we find him with a better, an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure. And to render the allusion similar, and to afford strong consolation to those who are fleeing for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before them, we have his oath, accompanied with a sign or token, that should subdue every apprehension. Where, what is it? "Upon the likeness of the throne," says Ezekiel, "was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it." We know to whom this refers. "And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord." An emblem of his glory, both as to his person, and importance. Who can help admiring the rainbow? It is one of the most beautiful appearances in nature. How various the colours! Yet the celestial tints are united, and, though distinct, melt into each other, to make one astonishing whole. And his Name is Wonderful. What a combination of excellences is found in him! "He is altogether lovely." All human and divine beauties meet in him. All the charms of nature, all the attractions of all creatures in earth and in heaven, are blended in him, and infinitely surpassed. "For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!"

It also reminds us of his importance. It insures us safety, covenant safety. We are justified by his blood, and saved from wrath through him. He is the hope, the consolation of Israel. He that believeth on him cannot perish, but hath everlasting life.

Let us look to him, and be comforted, against every adverse threatening. Afflictions cannot overwhelm us. The Law cannot curse us; enemies cannot injure us. "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Morning Exercises For Everyday In The Year
By Rev. William Jay