Genesis 6–11; Moses 8
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13
Introduction
The rainbow is the primary token of the covenant God established with every living creature. “The rainbow no doubt existed before the Flood, but with Noah the rainbow took on a new significance as the token of the covenant” (Bible Dictionary).
While commonly seen as a meteorological promise after the Flood, its symbolism reaches into the restoration of Zion and the character of God’s relationship with humanity. While the rainbow is often seen as God’s pledge against world floods, Latter-day scripture also presents it as a symbol of an everlasting covenant made with Enoch. It points to the future event of Zion’s descent to Earth, where it will be reunited with the righteous.
Word Origin
The Hebrew word for rainbow, qashath (קשת), specifically means a war bow for shooting arrows. It is derived from qeshet (קשת) which means “archer” or “bowman”. Figuratively, the bow often represents military power, strength, or victory.
A rainbow is not just something pretty in the sky. God states He places His bow in the clouds. An ancient reader would have instantly visualized combat and warfare. A bow represents power, authority, and judgment. It is not decorative but practical. Thus, the bow’s placement in the scriptural account is a crucial element.
Symbolic Meaning
There are several interpretations of the rainbow’s purpose:
• The “War Bow” of Peace: A warrior’s bow is aimed at the enemy. By hanging His “bow” pointing upward in the clouds, God symbolically sets aside His weapon of judgment. He pointed it away from mankind as a sign of reconciliation and peace. It is a weapon being set aside. Similar imagery appears in the Mesopotamian Enuma Elish, where the god Marduk sets his victorious bow in the sky as a constellation after defeating chaos.
• Zion’s Return: The Joseph Smith Translation (JST) adds a significant layer, clarifying that the rainbow is a token of the covenant God made with Enoch. It symbolizes the promise that when humanity embraces the truth and “looks upward,” the City of Enoch (Zion) will “look downward” and return to the earth to meet the Saints.• The Glory of God: Biblical and rabbinical texts compare the splendor of the rainbow to the likeness of the glory of the Lord. In Ezekiel 1:28, the appearance of the “glory of the Lord” is explicitly compared to the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. In the book of Revelation, the rainbow appears in two main visions: first, an emerald rainbow encircles God’s throne, representing His enduring promise of grace amidst judgment (Revelation 4:3). Second, a rainbow crowns the head of a mighty angel (Revelation 10:1).
• The Glory of God: Biblical and rabbinical texts compare the splendor of the rainbow to the likeness of the glory of the Lord. In Ezekiel 1:28, the appearance of the “glory of the Lord” is explicitly compared to the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. In the book of Revelation, the rainbow appears in two main visions: first, an emerald rainbow encircles God’s throne, representing His enduring promise of grace amidst judgment (Revelation 4:3). Second, a rainbow crowns the head of a mighty angel (Revelation 10:1).
The Covenant with Enoch
Noah’s covenant with God was a renewal of an earlier one with his fourth great-grandfather, Enoch. God removed Enoch’s people from the earth to save them for the last days, as they couldn’t establish righteous millennial times in their own era, and their prayers could then be fulfilled. Therefore, the rainbow served as a reminder to Noah of the “surety” and “everlasting covenant” originally given to Enoch.
The Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 9 gives a deeper understanding of the rainbow’s covenantal meaning, specifically its relationship to entering God’s presence. The verses are numbered according to the Joseph Smith Translation, and the JST changes are in italics.
15 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I will establish my covenant with you, which I made unto your father Enoch, concerning your seed after you.
21 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, which I made unto thy father Enoch; that, when men should keep all my commandments, Zion should again come on the earth, the city of Enoch which I have caught up unto myself.
22 And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy;
23 And the general assembly of the church of the firstborn shall come down out of heaven, and possess the earth, and shall have place until the end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant, which I made with thy father Enoch.
24 And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I will establish my covenant unto thee, which I have made between me and thee, for every living creature of all flesh that shall be upon the earth.
25 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and thee; for all flesh that shall be upon the earth.
“Among the things revealed to Enoch was the knowledge of the flood, which was to take place. And the Lord made a covenant with Enoch, that He would set His bow in the clouds—just as it afterwards was given to Noah—not as a mere token alone that the Lord would no more drown the world, but as a token of the new and everlasting covenant that the Lord made with Enoch.”
Elder Orson Pratt
The Covenant with Noah
The covenant with Noah, symbolized by the rainbow, is a divine pledge that God will never again destroy the earth or all flesh with a flood. While often viewed as a simple promise of safety from water, Restoration scripture and ancient traditions reveal it is an “everlasting covenant” that bridges the gap between the antediluvian world and the latter days.
When God places His bow in the clouds, it is a symbolic gesture of hanging up His weapon after the “battle” (the Flood) has ended. Ancient warriors would often invert their bows when declaring peace. Rabbinic commentators note that the rainbow is pointed away from humanity and toward heaven, showing that it has no string or arrows ready to fire at the earth. It signifies that His anger has subsided and He is establishing a new order of peace.
The Purpose of this Covenant
• Preservation of Life: God promised to sustain the created order, ensuring that “seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter” would not cease while the earth remains.
• Reciprocal Obligations: In exchange for God’s protection, humanity was given specific laws: they were commanded to multiply and replenish the earth, permitted to eat animals, and strictly forbidden from shedding human blood, because man is created in God’s image.
• Renewal of Enoch’s Promise: It serves as a reminder of the promised return of Enoch’s city of Zion.
The Rainbow and the Second Coming
According to a revelation received by Joseph Smith, the presence or absence of the rainbow acts as a temporal gauge for the Savior’s return. Therefore, the withdrawal of the rainbow signifies that the “end” is near—the moment when the heavens shall shake with gladness and the city of Zion will descend to unite with the earthly New Jerusalem and a warning of the tribulations that will precede His appearance.
| Aspect | Prophetic Interpretation |
| Agricultural Surety | Joseph Smith taught that a rainbow is a token occurring each year, signifying a good period for planting and harvest. No rainbow indicates that the regular order of nature that sustains life is interrupted. |
| Timing of the End | The appearance of the rainbow indicates that the Second Coming of Christ will not occur during that specific year. |
| Signs of Desolation | On the other hand, if a year goes by without a rainbow, it will herald the start of widespread famine, suffering, and disaster. The withdrawal marks the beginning of a period of intense social and political upheaval. The bow aimed at the sky is withdrawn, opening the way for divine judgments. |
Conclusion
Rainbows, appearing as bridges from Earth to Heaven and back, imply that Heaven is within reach when we follow God’s way. The rainbow belongs to God. It’s a covenantal token of the new and everlasting covenant.
As such, the rainbow is an enduring token that serves as a prophetic bridge between heaven and earth, reminding God’s children of an “everlasting covenant” that spans from the days of Enoch to the eventual return of Zion. Far from being just a natural phenomenon, it is a curated gospel sign of peace, reconciliation, and divine mercy that invites us to look upward and prepare for a glorious future.
