In stories that begin and end the Bible there appears a rainbow. They are powerful symbols of our Christian faith. Photo by Jody Vining

Over the rainbow is the King's Son

By 
  • December 4, 2014

Is it just by coincidence that at the beginning and the end of the Bible there appears a rainbow?

In Genesis Chapter 9 we read that “God set His bow in the cloud” as a symbol of hope, as a promise to Noah and his family that never again would the Earth be destroyed by flood. Then, in the last book of the Bible, when John, the beloved disciple, describes a vision of the Last Judgment which came to him on the island of Patmos, he writes: “There was a rainbow round about the throne” (Revelation, c.4 v.3). What are we to make of this?  Coincidence, or something more?

This is a question worth pondering in this time of darkness and unspeakable cruelty. We live amidst wars and rumours of war, amidst savagery (think of the ISIS beheadings), and vicious persecution of Christians in many parts of the world. Even in Canada, Christians are increasingly marginalized and regarded with suspicion and contempt.

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