Tuesday, February 2, 2021

"The New World Order" - Doug Rehberg

In 1939 Edgar Yipsel Harburg (Yip) wrote, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Seven years earlier he wrote, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”

Yip grew up on the lower east side of New York City. From his earliest years he witnessed human deprivations of all kinds that were exacerbated by the Great Depression. He once said, “Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” And feel a thought he did, and it’s expressed in the song, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, quite clearly. In fact, the impact of the words and melody of the song have motivated some of the most ardent proponents of social justice this nation has ever seen, e.g., Fred Hampton, William Fesperman, and Jessie Jackson.

The message of the song is simple. It’s the story of a young girl who wants to get out. She’s in trouble, and she wants to get somewhere else. The rainbow was the only color that she’s seen in Kansas and that’s why she believes that all that’s needed is to get over the rainbow to somewhere far better.

It’s that same sentiment that drove the activists of the 1960s and 70s to build their Rainbow Coalitions. It’s what drove Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole, “the voice of Hawaii” and Hawaiian sovereignty activist, to sing the most popular rendition of the Yip Harburg hit.

But what strikes me is how much variance there is with the modern interpretation of the rainbow symbol and its biblical definition. Rather than a symbol of revolution and “free expression”, when God institutes the rainbow as a symbol in Genesis 9 His purpose is the opposite. He desires to elicit our trust in His ability to deliver us from all life’s dead ends. That deliverance is not simply from human injustice, but from divine justice, which is far more severe and far reaching.

The rainbow, in Scripture, is much more than a strikingly beautiful atmospheric phenomenon. It is a potent symbolic force. After the waters recede and Noah and his family once again stand on solid ground, God reaffirms His covenant relationship with them. The rainbow becomes, “the sign of the covenant”, a new relationship between human beings and their Creator.

The Hebrew word for rainbow is the same word that’s used to refer to the bow of a military weapon. In Genesis 9 God has taken His weapon of judgment and hung it in the sky, so that when people look at it they can remember that He will never again use the waters to destroy life. Thus, the rainbow becomes a symbol of mercy and peace after the storm of judgment. Not only will they be reminded of this divine promise but, more importantly, He too, will be reminded.

Throughout the balance of Scripture the rainbow is a symbol that God’s grace overshadows His judgment (see Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 4:3, Revelation 10:1). And that’s why the rainbow is a perfect foreshadowing of the cross. We are going to dig into that much further this Sunday in a message entitled, “The New World Order”. In preparation, you may wish to consider the following:

1. How does chapter 9 signal a new world order? In what ways are things different than the first creation?

2. What does this new covenant say about God’s judgment and mercy?

3. To whom does this covenant extend?

4. How is the glory of God seen in the things He remembers and those He forgets?

5. Why does God give tangible evidence to the veracity of His promise in verses 13-16?

6. What amazing truth does verse 16 predict?

7. What future tangible sign will God give us of His eternal judgment and mercy?

8. To whom does this covenant and its promise extend?

9. How do Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 relate to Genesis 9:8-17?

10. How do the rainbow and cross relate to each other? How are they the opposite of what Yip and Iz portray them as being?

See you Sunday!