I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth… Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. — Genesis 9:13,15
From church stained glass windows to city pride parades, the rainbow stands as a powerful symbol, yet what it symbolizes can be worlds apart. This is a tale of two rainbows: one found in the book of Genesis, and the other in the cultural landscape of the 21st century.
The Rainbow of Promise
The rainbow was God’s idea long before it was anyone else’s. The first rainbow in history appeared in the aftermath of a global storm, the great flood in the days of Noah. After the waters receded and the ark came to rest on dry ground, God made a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and all living creatures.
In both Ezekiel and Revelation, the rainbow further appears as a vivid sign that God’s glory is always joined to His mercy. Ezekiel 1:26–28 describes a rainbow-like radiance surrounding the appearance of God’s glory, assuring the exiled prophet that judgment has not canceled God’s covenant. In Revelation 4:2–3, John sees a rainbow encircling God’s throne, and in Revelation 10:1, a mighty angel bears a rainbow over his head, both images showing that even amid end-times judgments, God’s authority is surrounded by grace. Together, these visions reveal the rainbow as a reminder that God’s holiness, power, and compassion are inseparable.
The biblical rainbow is a divine reminder, a promise of mercy. It stands as a sign of God’s patience, grace, and restraint in judgment. It’s a holy symbol rooted in repentance, rescue, and relationship between the Creator and His creation.
The Rainbow of Pride
First introduced in the late 1970s by artist Gilbert Baker, the rainbow flag has since become the recognized symbol of the LGBTQ+ pride movement. Each color originally had a meaning: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, and so on.
To its adherents, the pride flag represents freedom, identity and inclusion. Nonetheless , the Bible consistently warns that human pride, when detached from repentance and submission to God, leads not to freedom but to self-deception (Proverbs 16:18; Romans 1:25). Scripture further teaches that our truest identity is not found in self-definition, but in being created in God’s image and redeemed in Christ (Genesis 1:27; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This is why a faithful Christian response must hold to biblical convictions while still showing kindness, compassion and respect to everyone the flag represents.
Related:
Jesus and Homosexuality
Equality Must Go Both Ways
Despite their shared visual characteristics, the two rainbows diverge in profound ways. One rainbow points to the sky. The other points to self. One reflects the mercy of God. The other rejects His authority. One leads to the cross. The other distracts from it. The biblical rainbow points upward, reminding us of God’s sovereignty, grace, and call to holiness. In contrast, the pride rainbow points inward, celebrating the rejection of biblical morality. One commemorates salvation from judgment. The other, in many ways, ignores the idea of sin and the need for redemption altogether.
I love my LGBTQ+ friends. They matter deeply to me and even more importantly, to God. Yet we cannot compromise the truth. To follow Jesus means to honor God’s design for identity, sexuality, and holiness. Pride celebrates things the Bible calls us to surrender to Him. Yes, this does include sexuality but it is certainly not limited to that. This is why, even aside from the sexual aspects, pride itself is certainly not something to be celebrated.
When this topic is discussed, the word “abomination” is often used. Yet for this article, I would like to look at it from a different angle. Proverbs 16:5 tells us that “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD.” In many ways, the sin of pride is even more dangerous than the sin of homosexuality. It is much more subtle and blinds us to our need for God’s forgiveness.
While sexual immorality corrupts the body, pride corrupts the heart at its core, exalting the self above God and resisting the grace that could save them (James 4:6). Proverbs says, “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18), not merely because it is evil, but because it shuts the door to humility, conviction, and healing.
Satan fell not because of sexual immorality, but because of pride (Isaiah 14:13-15). Sexual sin is usually obvious. Pride hides under things like religious zeal, self-righteousness, doctrinal precision and morality, all of which Christians are especially susceptible to. Jesus illustrated this by comparing a religious leader who said “I thank God I’m not like them” with a social outcast who cried out “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:11-13).
This is the great equalizer: None of us, black, white, male, female, rich, poor, gay, straight are any less in need of God’s grace than anyone else. We have ALL sinned and fallen far short of God’s glory. To acknowledge this is to lay down your pride and humble yourself before a loving, merciful God.
Which brings us to an aspect of the rainbow that is often overlooked. As beautiful and awe inspiring as rainbows are, there is a darker side. As the following video explains, the bow is an archer’s bow, a weapon, an implement of death.
The flood was a devastating event of God’s wrath upon a world that had rebelled against Him. But notice that the sign of His promise was a weapon pointed upwards. The wrath of God would be aimed at Heaven itself. In other words, God was promising to take our punishment for us. The theological term for this is propitiation, which means a sacrifice to appease divine wrath.
Look to the One Who Bore the Bow
Image courtesy of www.fullofeyes.com
Image courtesy of www.fullofeyes.com
Image courtesy of www.fullofeyes.com
This is why, contrary to what some claim, the Gospel message is not about hate. Rather, it’s about obedience, love, and believing Jesus offers something better than our desires: new life, forgiveness, and true identity in Him. Truth without love is cruel. Love without truth is empty. Jesus calls us to both.
So today, examine your heart in the light of Jesus. Don’t settle for a faith that only affirms, but never transforms. Lay down the desires that compete with His will, and trust that what He offers is better than what you leave behind. Choose obedience even when it’s costly. Choose love even when it’s difficult. Choose truth even when it confronts you. And if you’ve strayed, come home! His grace is still enough, His cross still stands, and His invitation still reaches for you: “Follow Me.”
Keep It Real,
James
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