{"id":302,"date":"2012-08-30T08:50:22","date_gmt":"2012-08-30T14:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/?p=302"},"modified":"2013-01-17T22:55:31","modified_gmt":"2013-01-18T05:55:31","slug":"rainbow-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/archives\/302","title":{"rendered":"Rainbow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to my ROLLED SCROLL study, where I follow cultural and literary images found in the Bible in an attempt to unearth God\u2019s meaning in His pattern of usage.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0RAINBOW<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Somewhere over the rainbow
\nWay up high,
\nThere’s a land that I heard of
\nOnce in a lullaby.<\/em><\/p>\n

Somewhere over the rainbow
\nSkies are blue,
\nAnd the dreams that you dare to dream
\nReally do come true. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0<\/em>E.Y. Young, Over the Rainbow<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This song, written for the 1939 Wizard of Oz<\/em> film, expresses an ancient longing for the divine, a yearning to fly off into the heavens of everlasting bliss glimpsed by every heart since Adam and Eve first lost the Garden. In biblical literature, the rainbow is a strong but seldom-used image, appearing in only four settings\u2014twice in the Old Testament and twice in the New.<\/p>\n

Of course every Sunday school student knows the iconic OT story of the Great Flood, when God drew the rainbow in the sky as an everlasting sign of His covenant to Noah\u2014a reminder to all mankind and even to Himself that He would never again send such a deluge to drown out the earth (Gen. 9:13-16; read the full story in Gen. 6:1-9:17). We encounter the English word next in a description of the glory of God that surrounds Him like the radiance of \u201ca rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day\u201d (Ezek. 1:28 NIV).\u00a0But in both cases, the Hebrew word translated into English as rainbow\u2014qesheth<\/em>\u2014more clearly refers to a military bow, and this concept of bow and arrow is used throughout the OT in connection with God\u2019s judgment (e.g., Ps. 7:11-12; Ps. 77:17; Ezek. 5:15-16; Zech. 9:14; 2 Sam. 22:14-15). In other words, God set the prismatic arch in the clouds above Noah\u2019s grounded Ark as though He were hanging up His bow at the end of a battle, putting away his weapon after His fury with evil had been for the time appeased, to be faced again in the end times before eternal peace (Zech. 14:1-3; Rev. 19:15; Rev. 20:6).<\/p>\n

In the NT apocalyptic book of Revelation, the Greek word for both references to the rainbow is iris<\/em> (bringing to the minds of John\u2019s contemporaries, perhaps, the mythological goddess named Iris, said to be the personification of the rainbow and the messenger of Zeus to mortals\u2014a bridge between divinity and humanity). John was taken into heaven; he envisioned a mighty angel robed in a cloud with a rainbow above his head, and the Lord Himself sitting on His throne encircled by a rainbow (Rev. 10:1; Rev. 4:3). The spectrum of hues mentioned here harks back to the OT descriptions of the vest worn by the Jewish high priest and also alludes to the foundation of the New Jerusalem\u2014both garment and groundwork encrusted with twelve precious jewels (such as emerald, jasper, amethyst, topaz) signifying God\u2019s matchless magnificence (Exod. 28:17-21; Isa. 54:11-12; Rev. 21:19-21).<\/p>\n

All this talk of rainbows and gemstones brings up the subject of colors<\/em> in the Bible, some of them taking on special meaning as they\u2019re applied within the context of the narrative. For example, green<\/em> is often associated with God\u2019s provision through nature\u2014of vegetation for food and pastures to lie in (Gen. 1:30; Ps. 23:2; Mark 6:39). God promised that those who trust in His steadfast love would flourish like green olive trees, but it was \u201cunder every green tree\u201d that His faithless people worshipped idols (Ps. 52:8; Jer. 3:6). God, patient and merciful, yet warns of ecological devastation He\u2019ll someday visit upon the earth in judgment (Rev. 8:7).<\/p>\n

Another colour was mentioned by the Apostle Paul when he wrote of Lydia, whose business was dealing in purple<\/em> cloth; as purple dye was a luxurious commodity prepared from rare molluscs found on the Mediterranean coast, and affordable only to the wealthy, it became indicative of royalty and strength (Acts 16:14; Dan. 5:29; Esther 1:6-7; Rev. 17:4). In mockery, the Roman soldiers dressed Jesus in a royal purple robe for His trial (John19:2-5).<\/p>\n

Black<\/em> illustrates God\u2019s righteous anger, as in His chastising desolation of Jerusalem whose citizens\u2019 fine white complexions were blackened like soot as their bodies shrivelled with starvation (Lam. 4:6-8). At times God comes in darkness like a black storm, or sends a rider on a black horse carrying scales of justice (Ps. 18:9-14; Isa. 50:3; Joel 2:1-2; Rev. 6:5). The day of the Lord\u2019s victory over his enemies was \u201calready but not yet\u201d fulfilled at Jesus\u2019 crucifixion, when a preternatural gloom fell over the whole land (Zeph. 1:15;\u00a0Matt. 27:45).<\/p>\n

In contrast to the black darkness of God\u2019s wrath upon the guilty, His sustenance and forgiveness bring inner cleansing represented by the colour white<\/em>. For example, the sweet manna He sent to nourish the Israelites on their journey was white, and the psalmist asked for God to wash him whiter than snow (Exod. 16:31; Ps. 51:7). Although a false whiteness is mentioned in the Bible (as when Jesus called the Pharisees of His day \u201cwhitewashed tombs\u201d hiding putrification), yet the colour usually symbolizes purity (Matt. 23:27). At the Transfiguration Jesus shone \u201cwhite as light\u201d and\u2014similar to His Father, the Ancient of Days\u2014the Son is pictured in white as the Lord of glory (Luke 9:29; Dan. 7:9; Rev. 1:13-15). Angels appear in white as well (John 20:12; Acts 1:10). The victorious redeemed ride white horses, and heaven\u2019s residents in pristine linen receive new names written on white stones (Rev. 19:14; Rev. 3:4-5; Rev. 6:11; Rev. 2:17). Believers are \u201crefined, purified, and made white,\u201d and robes are washed in the blood of the Lamb to remove all stains (Dan. 11:35; Rev. 7:14).<\/p>\n

The starkness of red<\/em> or scarlet<\/em> often stands for the blood necessary in expiation, foreshadowing the final blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God taking away the sins of the world (Lev. 14:4-6; John 1:29; Heb. 9:11-14ff).<\/p>\n

Come now, let us reason together, says the <\/em>Lord<\/em>:<\/em>
\nthough your sins are like scarlet,
\nthey shall be as white as snow;
\nthough they are red like crimson,
\nthey shall become like wool.<\/em> (Isa. 1:18<\/em>)<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the harlot Babylon is described as sitting on a scarlet beast symbolic of the false religious system that will be in place when Jesus returns, and the scarlet of her clothing speaks of political power and riches further identifying Babylon with sin (Rev. 17:3; Rev. 18:15-20). \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Blue<\/em>linen,the colour of the sky synonymous with the boundary line separating sacred from profane, was worn by Jewish priests performing mediatory rites and (along with other colours) draped the portable Tabernacle furniture to shield the holy items from contamination (Exod. 39:1; Num. 4:4-7). Likewise, the curtains of the Tabernacle and subsequent Temple in Jerusalem were made of blue, <\/em>scarlet, and purple twisted linen with cherubim worked in threads of golden embroidery, with the \u201cveil\u201d separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place\u2014the very presence of God\u00a0 (Exod. 26:31-34). This multi-coloured veil might well have reminded the Israelites of the covenant rainbow, or perhaps it spoke to them of the glory of God once so far off in His celestial home and now living amongst them (Exod. 40:34). It was this veil\u2014this barrier between the iniquity of man and the holiness of God\u2014that was torn in half from top to bottom upon the death of the Man\/God Jesus Christ, who\u2019d become human to dwell among us (Matt. 27:50-51; John 1:14)<\/a>. Now mankind had free access to the presence of the Father through the flesh of the Son (Heb. 6:19-20; Heb. 10:19-22).<\/p>\n

The colours of the rainbow\u2014from the greening of creation to the shed blood of Christ\u2014radiate throughout Scripture and reflect the grace of God in His promises, provision, and protection.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To comment on this reading, or to subscribe or unsubscribe to a monthly email reminder of new postings, please write me: deb@rolledscroll.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These short literary articles tied to the Bible explore what God might have been saying in His pattern of usage for each symbol. English rendition of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek varies with translations (e.g., \u201cscroll\u201d is sometimes interchangeable with \u201cbook\u201d); however, the quality and underlying meaning of the selected emblem remain consistent across versions. Sketches are by Lorenda Harder. I recommend the website of Dr. Grant C. Richison for thorough expository Bible study: www.versebyversecommentary.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to my ROLLED SCROLL study, where I follow cultural and literary images found in the Bible in an attempt to unearth God\u2019s meaning in His pattern of usage.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0RAINBOW Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high, There’s a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the … Rainbow<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=302"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":305,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302\/revisions\/305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}