At Bible Study the other night we were discussing the wonders of creation as evidence of God’s glory (Isaiah 6:3). One woman shared that she and her husband had witnessed a triple rainbow once, while driving on the interstate. Each bow stretched from one side of the sky to the other in bright, glowing splendor. Vehicle after vehicle slowed, then pulled off the road, so the occupants could marvel at the spectacle.
Those of us at the table listened with wide-eyed wonder. We had witnessed double rainbows, but not a triple. Several of us had seen the same double rainbow after choir practice late last spring. It, too, extended completely from north to south in luminous brilliance. I remember thinking, If only we were on the plains of Kansas for this moment, so no buildings or trees blocked this view!
Even a single rainbow grabs our attention. The glowing colors, grand size, and rarity of rainbows all contribute to the wonder. And for those of us who know Creator God, we whisper a prayer of praise and adoration for this manifestation of his glory.
Did you Know…
…rainbows are caused by light being refracted (bent) while entering a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it. It boggles my mind that light shining on tiny droplets of water, suspended in the air, can result in the astounding beauty of a rainbow. Give God a cup of water, and look what he can do!
In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc. The order of its colors are reversed, red on the inside, violet on the outside. This second bow is caused by light reflecting twice inside water droplets. Once is amazing enough, but twice? You wouldn’t think droplets were big enough for a double phenomenon, much less a triple!
Descriptions of rainbows often include seven basic colors – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Actually, the rainbow is a whole continuum of colors from red to violet and even beyond to colors the human eye can’t see. Yes, according to the National Center of Atmospheric Research, there are more colors in the universe we haven’t seen–yet (http://eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/ ). But someday we’ll have eyes that can see all!
That brings me to…
The Rainbow of Heaven
Even in heaven, a rainbow encircles God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 4:3), symbolic of God’s grace and faithfulness. Those attributes were highlighted when the first rainbow arched over the sky. Because of God’s grace and faithfulness, he promised Noah that never again would he flood the earth, even though “every inclination of [man’s] heart is evil from childhood” (Genesis 8:21). That first rainbow was a sign God would remain faithful to His promise (Genesis 9:12-17).
The rainbow in heaven is also a sign of God’s grace and faithfulness. John Gill asserts that the colors express His promises and blessings (www.bibletools.com ). Now that thought presents a challenge! What promise or blessing might each color represent? (Before you read on, you may wish to consider the possibilities.)
Red = the blood of Jesus, through which we have the promise and blessing of forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:14).
Orange = fruitfulness (John 15:5), providing the blessings of purpose and fulfillment in our lives. (Can you guess I live in Florida?)
Yellow = the light of God’s Word (Proverbs 6:20-23), giving us guidance, comfort, encouragement and more.
Green = the promise and blessing of everlasting life (1 John 5:11-12).
Blue = the skies and heaven, where someday we will enjoy eternity with our Heavenly Father (2 Peter 3:13).
Violet = royalty, because of the promise we will reign with Christ in his eternal kingdom (2 Timothy 2:12).
The next time a rainbow sweeps across the sky, we might remember these promises and blessings.
But rainbows can represent even more.
A Personal Rainbow
Several years ago, while sitting in the living room, I glanced down to discover a small but brilliant bit of rainbow shimmering on my leg. Revelation 4 had just recently been part of my Bible study, so the rainbow encircling the throne of God came to mind. At that moment in the living room, it was as if God had scooped up a bit of that ethereal rainbow and placed it on me, that God himself was personally touching me!
Now, when you or I reach out to touch a loved one, our unspoken message might be: “I love you; I’m here to empathize, to support, and infuse you with strength.” Well, that little rainbow “spoke” those words to me, from my Heavenly Father (even though it was caused by the beveled glass in the front door). It was a special moment of blessing and promise that brought tears to my eyes.
Of course, rainbows are not the only manifestations of God’s glory on earth. What rare and awe-inspiring moment have you experienced that “spoke” to you? “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:3). Share your story below in the comment box!
From the Inside Out 
Thank you Nancy for the meaning and scriptures of the colors in the rainbow
Those “meanings” were my own take on what the colors mean. With your Bible study background, you could add even more! Thank you, Pam for taking the time to comment.
As we traveled to Hart Springs last night, rays of sunlight streamed forth from the sun through puffy, white clouds, and our heart sang at the glory of God – a foretaste of what is to come. We felt the presence of The Lord and His love for us.
We’re on the road for Crystal River now. Praying for you and Steve. Love you.
Oh, yes–I agree wholeheartedly! ‘LOVE it when huge rays of sunlight beam down through the clouds. It’s as if God is RIGHT THERE behind those clouds. Thank you for your prayers, Nikki. God has been good! We pray for you two, too!
What beautiful thoughts from a beautiful person!! I want to let you know that our daughter in law saw the breast surgeon today and she agreed with Heidi that it has to do with the lactation cycle and does not need a biopsy. She said it is inconsistent with breast cancer. Thank our wonderful God!!
Indeed–praise God! And thank you for your ongoing encouragement, Grace. You do lift my spirit!
Nancy, this isn’t all that rare (although here in the Pacific Northwest it is a cause for joy)–standing outside today looking at a sky full of blue with clouds in all sizes and shapes, while the sun was out. One little kindergartner ran up to me at recess and said, “Mrs. Collins–it’s a great day for looking at the clouds!” I agreed 🙂
Another cloud-lover, and only five or six years old. ‘So glad he/she has discovered the beauty and wonder to be enjoyed–just by looking up. Happy Friday, Jody!
what a neat post – inspirational and also informative. Never have seen a triple one either. wow. somehow looking up at rainbows, cloud formation and the stars lifts the spirit. Thanks for a wonderful read tonight, Nancy
Thank you, Jean. You’ve got me thinking about that little word “up.” We miss a lot of promise and blessing when we don’t look up!
This email came from a dear friend; she gave me permission to share. It’s another rainbow miracle!
Nancy – did I ever tell you about seeing a circular rainbow? Normally seen from an airplane, they are called “glories” – isn’t THAT appropriate?! I googled them but couldn’t find any photos that matched what I saw but here’s what happened. It had been storming and was just beginning to lift. That could probably describe my life at that time. I hopped in the car to run some errands and when I turned the corner it was right in front of me, about where the sun might be a couple of hours before sunset. I stopped right in the middle of the street (no one nearby) and just began to weep. Somehow I knew I was seeing something extraordinary and filled with promise from His heart to mine. They say you can’t see them from the ground but I know what I saw. By the time Peter came out (I called him) it was gone so I’m the only witness to it that I know about. I have never forgotten that experience. I was so filled with wonder at His majesty and “glory” that to this day, probably twenty years later, just retelling the story makes me weep with joy. He is matchless in His glory.
I love you,
Mick
Great, great read! I love rainbows and your interpretation of the various colors cannot be improved upon (at least by me!). As I’m typing this I noticed in my first sentence I had typed ‘red’ instead of ‘read’. I am betting this was no slip; God just reminding me of the blood his Son gave for me. I love Him so. And (though I do get behind on your posts) I’m not missing a single one. Each and every one a true blessing to my soul.
Thank you, Cheri. Praise God that he has brought blessing out of this blog. That is my prayer. “May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord” (Psalm 104:34).