The Giants mentioned in Genesis chapter 6, were the product of fallen angels who were at war with God. They were referred to as mighty warriors on the earth and wreaked havoc among all mankind. They were the Nephilim – God’s primary enemies. They infiltrated all life on earth. God went to war with them in Noah’s day by sending the flood that destroyed all life on the earth. We read in Genesis 9:12-13, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” The Hebrew word that is translated as “bow” refers to the “battle bow” used in war. God’s battle with mankind has been completed and God hung up his weapon of war in the sky for all to see. The colorful rainbow that appears in the sky after a storm stands as a reminder to all mankind that God will never destroy the earth with a flood again. This was a beautiful site that had never been seen before. Noah and his family were the first humans to see a rainbow. In Genesis 2:5-6, we read that God watered the earth with a mist. It had not rained on the earth before Noah’s flood.
But we don’t need rain to see a rainbow. I remember visiting Niagara Falls and seeing rainbows caused by the spray of water that rises above the falls. I saw a rainbow in the sky over Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park. When we lived in Hawaii we saw rainbows created by the ocean pounding on the lava rocks. I remember standing on the fantail of the Destroyer I served on back in the sixties seeing a rainbow in the wake of the ship. Many other natural occurrences can cause the appearance of a rainbow. But in every case, sunlight produces a rainbow. The canopy referred to as “the water above” collapsed and caused the flood that destroyed all mankind. Rainbows became visible because the earth was now exposed to direct sunlight from the sun for the first time. This may explain the shortening of man’s lifespan on the earth after the flood. If the sun was previously visible, there would have been rainbows seen in a variety of situations on Earth. But this rainbow was the first one. It’s the symbol of God’s grace on sinful mankind.
The book of Revelation is filled with symbols. Some are easy to understand, others are very difficult. We see three symbols in Chapter 4. The first is the door. It was opened by Christ and all who come through that door will have access to God. That door is open now but will one day be closed. The second symbol is a throne. Thrones are symbols of rulers. Many have sat on thrones in this world but God’s son, Jesus reigns from this throne. His reign will be forever and ever. The third symbol in Chapter 4 of the Book of Revelation is the rainbow that surrounds the throne upon which Jesus sits. It is the emblem of God’s grace as seen back in Genesis after the flood. It represented God’s promise to Noah and all the earth. The rest of the book of Revelation foretells of the great tribulations to fall upon the residents of Earth at the end times. But those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ need not fear the coming storm that’s recorded in the rest of the book of Revelation. The rainbow reminds us of God’s promise.