Genesis 9 records the covenant God made with all mankind after the devastating flood that swept the earth clean. When Noah stepped out of the ark and smelled dry ground again, God set a brilliant reminder in the sky—His promise never again to destroy all life by water. The sign was the rainbow, a shimmering arc of color that has fascinated people ever since. One writer described it as “a perfect arc, often during a rainstorm when the sun shines onto water droplets, shattering its white light into an array of brilliant colors.” Technically, it is a full circle, but only half is visible from the ground. To see the rest, you would need to be in an airplane—or perhaps in heaven, where perspective is better. Either way, it is a breathtaking covenant sign: beauty following a storm, light shining through tears, and a reminder that judgment is never the end of God’s story.
Legends and songs have turned rainbows into things of mystery and magic. Irish folklore insists there is a pot of gold at the end of one, though every child who ever tried to chase it learns that rainbows are notoriously uncooperative—they move when you do. I have always liked the song “Over the Rainbow.” Judy Garland sang it beautifully, but Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole gave it a sound that makes you think the rainbow might be within reach. They both sing of a place “where troubles melt like lemon drops” and “dreams come true.” The melody soars, but the lyrics sigh, because that place seems forever out of reach. “Birds fly over the rainbow—why then, oh why, can’t I?” The song expresses humanity’s aching desire for something beyond the storm, a hope we can almost see but never quite touch.
For believers, the rainbow still carries God’s message: mercy after judgment and hope after despair. It points forward to Jesus, the ultimate covenant of grace. Through Him, God fulfills His promise of peace. Paul wrote, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Though the symbol has been borrowed for other meanings, its original message remains divine—hope shining through judgment. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Through faith in Him, we will one day discover what truly lies at the end of the rainbow—not a pot of gold, but the presence of God Himself.