Today in Revelation 4, we see a description of God's throne... This verse really spoke to my heart today...
"And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald." (Rev. 4:3)
And there was a rainbow...
Think about the RAINBOW... it was one of the first special signs that God gave Noah and his family after the flood... a reminder of His promise, of His covenant, that He would never again send a flood upon the earth. A promise of His mercy and love...
Let's look back at God's promise in Genesis briefly...
"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. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth." (Gen. 9:13-16)
Did you notice, God isn't saying, "When you see the rainbow it will remind you..." No. He actually says, "When I look upon it (from heaven), I will remember my covenant with you..."
When I was a kid, I use to love rainbows... and things with rainbows on them. But now, because of the new stigma attached to rainbows, unless it's painted in the sky, I stay away from rainbows... Isn't it sad how the enemy has taken the "sign of God's covenant" and used it as motto to say: "We forget You God, we mock Your face, we don't care about You, about Your covenant or anything in Your Word...we will live life as we please..." And yet... even still... God keeps painting His more glorious rainbow in the sky and He continues to say, "You may have forgotten me, but I have not forgotten you. You may blaspheme my laws, my commandments, but my arm of mercy is stretched out still..." Wow! Almost just brings tears to my eyes just writing these thoughts. As long as we see the rainbow, His arm is stretched out still... There is still hope.
Ellen White writes the following about the rainbow:
The rainbow spanning the heavens with its arch of light is a token of “the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature.” Genesis 9:16. And the rainbow encircling the throne on high is also a token to God’s children of His covenant of peace.
As the bow in the cloud results from the union of sunshine and shower, so the bow above God’s throne represents the union of His mercy and His justice. To the sinful but repentant soul God says, Live thou; “I have found a ransom.” Job 33:24. (Education, p. 115)Let us look to the rainbow of God's mercy and live!
Tomorrow's Reading: Joel 1-2 and Psalm 139
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