in the bible, what is the meaning and significance of rainbows?

Question

think it talks about them in the old testament,possibly noah or moses? somthing to do with a covenant?

Answer 1

After the flood, there was a rainbow and God said he would never flood the earth again.

Answer 2

If the earth was flooded completely, the saltwater or the sweetwater fish must have died, The species we know now must have come from evolution with the fish aboard as forefathers. (See the relevant question about the fish on the ark)
If the earth was not completely flooded, there was no need for Noah to take two of each species.

I have the impression that the answer on: "Was the earth flooded completely?" varies according to the needs of the preacher.

Rainbows are normal after a flood. There is a perfect explanation for that.

Let us read the story as follows: a clever man, Noah saw that the climate was changing. He built a boat and when it started raining and the flood came, he put his family and a few animals on the boat and waited for better and drier days.
Sounds ok to me. No heavy handed god and covenant with a rainbow logo.
Of course people had to beef up the story a bit, they did not have television at that time. So they flooded the whole earth in their story and there were no atheists looking around every corner to find small contradictions. Who cared when uncle storyteller was giving them a good time?

So: local flood, fish survived, god stayed put, normal rainbow and old testament has no special meaninfg for us. Besides the story is copied from other cultures.

Take it easy.

Answer 3

The first Biblical reference to a rainbow is in the account of the covenant God made with Noah and his offspring after the Flood survivors came out of the ark. (Ge 9:8-17; Isa 54:9, 10) This splendid sight of itself would have been reassuring and an indication of peace to Noah and his family.

After the flood Jehovah made another covenant with Noah, using him as a representative for the human race. The covenant contained a promise that Jehovah God would never again destroy all flesh by means of a flood. Because the rainbow was given as a visual symbol and reminder of it, the covenant came to be known as the rainbow covenant. “I do establish my covenant with you: No more will all flesh be cut off by waters of a deluge, and no more will there occur a deluge to bring the earth to ruin. My rainbow I do give in the cloud, and it must serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”—Gen. 9:11, 13.

Many opinions have been offered as to whether this was the first time humans saw a rainbow. Some commentators have held that rainbows had been seen before and that God’s ‘giving’ the rainbow at this time was really a ‘giving’ of special meaning or significance to a previously existing phenomenon. Many of those holding this view believe that the Flood was only local or did not substantially change the atmosphere.

Nevertheless, this is the first mention of a rainbow, and if a rainbow had been seen earlier, there would have been no real force in God’s making it an outstanding sign of his covenant. It would have been commonplace, and not a significant marker of a change, of something new.

The Bible does not describe the degree of clarity of the atmosphere just prior to the Flood. But apparently atmospheric conditions were such that, until a change came about when “the floodgates of the heavens were opened” (Ge 7:11), no others before Noah and his family had seen a rainbow. Even today, atmospheric conditions affect whether a rainbow can be seen or not.

The glory, beauty, and peacefulness of a rainbow that appears after a storm are drawn upon in Biblical descriptions of God and his throne. In Ezekiel’s vision of God, the prophet saw “something like the appearance of the bow that occurs in a cloud mass on the day of a pouring rain.” This emphasized “the glory of Jehovah.” (Eze 1:28) Similarly, John saw Jehovah’s throne of splendor, and ‘round about it there was a rainbow like an emerald in appearance.’ The restful emerald-green color of the rainbow would have suggested composure and serenity to John, and appropriately so since Jehovah is the master of every situation, a glorious Ruler. (Re 4:3) John also saw an angel with ‘a rainbow upon his head’ (Re 10:1), which may suggest that he was a special representative of “the God of peace.”—Php 4:9.

Answer 4

God punished the people for doing so many sins. Such sins were homosexuality, adultery [homo and hetero] murder, stealing. Basically everything that's happening today. God flooded the earth for 40 days and 40 nights. He had Noah build a ark to save whoever was willing to be saved,which wasn't alot of people. And also to save two of every animal. Then after the flood was over, God made a rainbow as a promise to NEVER flood the earth again. Which is why I believe it's wrong for the homosexuals to steal the rainbow as their symbol.

Answer 5

I could as others have, quote directly from written scriptures, but I have read this and found it lacking your answer. I have a different take on the rainbow for you. When you see a rainbow consider all the factors that are in place at that one point in time and space in order for you to be able to behold the beauty in a natural creation. As I'm sure you will realise that all those factors are a coincidence, but this happening is only taking place for a small few, maybe just to enjoy that moment and make you smile as all others looking in the same place but from the other (Angle) side of the rainbow will see NOTHING only rain. Perhaps its a reminder of how to look on life?

Answer 6

Genesis 9:12-15 talks of a sign of a covenant (promise) between God and all living things on earth. He speaks to Noah :

"And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:
13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
17 So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."

It was established early in Genesis that because of sin (disobedience of God) death entered the world. So, God sent a flood as a punishment for the wickedness of the peoples on earth, taking only the most righteous family and the strongest of each type of animal, and destroying the rest.

Henceforth, this type of destruction will not be necessary because Jesus will enter the picture and take on all sin, which will give eternal life to humans on earth. The rainbow is a sign that God will never destroy us - only offer us the choice.

Answer 7

I believe the rainbow is a symbol of God's covenant with man, that is the promise that he will not destroy mankind again like he did with the flood in the story of Noah.

However, I am not a Christian, and certainly not an expert on the Bible, but I have read parts of it. I just checked, and the story of the flood of Noah is Genesis 6-9. The exact text that refers to the rainbow is in Genesis 9:13-17.

Genesis 9

13. I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

14. it shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;

15. and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the water shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

16. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.

17. And God said to Noah, "this is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."

Answer 8

God put a rainbow to promised after Noah, not to flood the earth again.

Answer 9

Rainbows signify God's covenant with Noah not to ever again destroy the earth by flood. There can still be floods - devastating floods, in fact - but there will never be another one that will destroy the entire earth.

FYI, the NEXT time God destroys the earth, it will be by fire.

Answer 10

God gave us the Rainbow as a symbol that he would not flood the entire earth again...it was Noah

Answer 11

It is a symbol of God's promise not to flood the entire earth again. He didn't say He wouldn't destroy the earth ever again, He just said He wouldn't use water. ** I believe in Revelations it also mention a rainbow around God's throne.