CHRIST TYPIFIED IN THE RAINBOW (3)
GENESIS 9:8-17

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Noah and his family found in their ark refuge and salvation from the deluge which destroyed the world of their day (Genesis 6-8). God then promised that He would never again destroy the world with water, and gave the rainbow as the perpetual token of that promise (Genesis 9:8-17). The rainbow is a type of Christ in the following regards. (We here continue where we paused at the end of the preceding message.)

V. Both rainbow and Christ are manifested by God for all to see. God declared that "the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud" (v.14). It is not hidden from our view.

Christ is manifested by God for all to see. Paul the apostle declares the reality of His manifestation (1 Timothy 3:16): "God was manifested in the flesh." John the apostle emphasizes the purpose of the manifestation (1 John 3:5): "And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins." Christ Himself confirms them both (Isaiah 45:22): "Look to Me [one cannot look to that which has not been manifested], and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other."

VI. Both rainbow and Christ are manifested in like manner. The rainbow is manifested when sunlight illuminates falling raindrops in a distant shower. One does not behold a rainbow on a clear cloudless day.

Christ has been manifested because God has illuminated man's stormy existence. Man's stormy existence is due to his fall in Adam (Romans 5:12ff). In the midst of this gloomy storm, God has shone the light of Christ, illuminating the salvation which is found in Him (Matthew 4:16): "The people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned" (fulfillment of Isaiah 9:1f). Christ therefore declares, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

VII. Both rainbow and Christ are observed in like manner. The rainbow is observed by one whose back is toward the sun. One does not behold the rainbow by gazing at the sun.

Christ is first observed by one whose back is toward God. This truth is set forth in the doctrine of evangelical repentance. Repentance involves a turning away from sin, toward God (Ezekiel 3:19; 18:21; 33:9,11,14,19). No sinner will do so until God reveals Christ to him, and he himself embraces Christ as Lord and Savior.

VIII. Both rainbow and Christ reveal a glory which is not at-first-glance apparent. The rainbow reveals the glory of light. Behold the light! At first glance, its glory is not readily apparent: it appears to be colorless. But in reality, it is comprised of many rays, each a different color. When this light enters raindrops in a distant shower, its colored rays are refracted or bent, each at a slightly different angle forming the composite rainbow. In this rainbow (or in a prism) we behold the otherwise invisible glory of light.

Christ displays the glory of God. Behold Christ! At first glance, His glory is not readily apparent (Isaiah 53:2): He is "as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him." But blessed indeed are all those whose spiritual eyes are opened to see beyond the mere physical, and who can therefore declare "we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14; cp. 2 Corinthians 4:6).

IX. Both rainbow and Christ are incomparably beautiful. Nothing in nature is more exquisitely beautiful than the rainbow! Nowhere else in nature are all the colors so marvelously displayed.

Nothing anywhere is more beautiful than Christ! The saints therefore confess, "You are fairer than the sons of men" (Psalm 45:2) and "altogether lovely (Solomon 5:16). In Christ is most perfectly revealed "the beauty of holiness" (Psalm 29:2; 96:9). Indeed, Christ is incomparably beautiful to all who believe in Him!