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!
