During national Pride Month, people can spot the rainbow flag within the windows of companies, in front of individuals’s homes, and incorporated into shirts and accessories. The colourful flag has grow to be synonymous with the LGBTQIA+ movement. So, at any time when we see someone wave a rainbow flag, we understand the message – that person is either a member of the LGBTQIA+ community or a supporter of it.
However, we may wonder how a naturally occurring phenomenon – a rainbow – got here to be identified with a movement advocating for inclusive views of sexuality and gender. Why select a rainbow to symbolize pride? And how does this relate to the rainbow’s origins in line with the Bible?
To understand the rainbow flag and its enduring presence, we can have to think about its beginnings related to the gay rights movement, though the rainbow symbol’s true meaning has ancient roots dating back to the time of Noah.
The Beginning of a Recognized Symbol
There was no single identifying symbol for the LGBTQIA+ community within the early days of the gay rights movement, which began gaining ground after the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Some had used the pink triangle despite its sinister past (though today it’s a reclaimed symbol for the LGBTQIA+ community). Multiple years before, the Nazis had pinned pink triangles to those in prison camps who practiced homosexuality – individuals who were specifically targeted by the Nazi regime. Many of those who were forced to wear the pink triangles were killed in concentration camps.
So, when Harvey Milk encouraged Gilbert Baker to create a logo for the gay community, Baker steered away from the pink triangle. Instead, he selected the rainbow to represent pride within the LGBTQIA+ community, and the primary flags were flown in 1978. Because a rainbow has various colours that occur together, it could function a logo of the various community and its unified mission. As noted in a Britannica article by Nora Gonzalez, each of the colours of the unique flag had a special meaning: “hot pink for sex, red for all times, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit.”
However, widespread production of the flag required a few of the colours to be modified or removed. To help with these manufacturing issues, the flag’s design was modified into what it’s today – a rainbow flag consisting of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. This pattern differs from the unique design but corresponds generally with the naturally occurring rainbow.
Underpinning the usage of the rainbow as a logo of gay pride is the assumption that sexuality and gender are fluid concepts and will be represented in some ways. This diversity is shown through the person colours of the flag. Yet together, they portray the unified mission of pursuing freedom for those throughout the LGBTQIA+ movement.
The legacy of the rainbow flag continues today as people have fun Pride month with parades and other events, specifically toward the tip of June, to recollect the impact of the Stonewall Riots. Rainbow flags, buntings, and banners adorn these festivals, and participants will be seen proudly waving flags. The rainbow is now a recognizable and universal symbol for LGBTQIA+ pride.
Biblical Origin – An Ark and a Flood
Long before the rainbow was related to Pride month, though, it was connected to a promise. God had sent an incredible flood to destroy the earth through the days of Noah. Wickedness had spread, and folks had all turned away from the Lord to follow violence (Genesis 6:5-7, 11-12). One man, nonetheless, stood out as someone who continued to walk with God despite the evil surrounding him: Noah (Genesis 6:8-9).
God wanted to save lots of Noah and his family from the approaching destruction and so instructed Noah to construct an ark (Genesis 6:13-14). This large, sea-worthy vessel would preserve them and pairs of all of the creatures of the earth (Genesis 6:19). In a significant act, the Lord rescued Noah and brought him safely to restored land in order that the world could again be full of life – with beasts of the sphere, birds of the air, and with people (Genesis 8:15-17).
When He had done this, He made a covenant with Noah, his sons, and all of the animals, promising never to flood the earth again. As detailed within the Genesis account, “I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth” (Genesis 9:11, NIV). The sign of this covenant was the rainbow within the sky. God promised that “Whenever the rainbow appears within the clouds, I’ll see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of all kinds on the earth” (Genesis 9:16). Although the rain had fallen repeatedly to make the waters rise and flood the earth, that may never occur again. The rain would come, however the clouds would eventually break, and the rainbow would seem – a visible reminder of God’s covenant with humankind and all of the creatures of the earth. Never again would He flood the earth.
The account shows God’s love and mercy for all He created. He could have wiped every type of life from the earth due to His sorrow at seeing His previously good creation corrupted by the vile actions of humans. And He would have acted justly in doing so. Yet, He provided salvation for a family to proceed the road of Adam and Eve, despite what humans had already done. The lives of the creatures of the earth would also proceed, accomplishing God’s good plan to see the earth full of life.
In the symbol of the rainbow, we discover a good looking reminder of God’s grace and provision. Ever because the time of Noah, it has served as a visual sign of the covenant between the Lord and all creation. When we see it, our thoughts should naturally turn to the events of the flood and the mighty act of salvation by our God.
Other Examples of the Rainbow in Scripture
Not only is the rainbow an indication of the covenant God made with all creation, but it is usually related to the glory of God. In Ezekiel’s vision of the Lord, he witnessed the awesome radiance of God. He compared the Lord’s throne with the fantastic thing about precious stone, lapis lazuli (Ezekiel 1:26). And the One on the throne appeared in fiery glory (Ezekiel 1:27). As Ezekiel explained, “Like the looks of a rainbow within the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him” (Ezekiel 1:28, NIV).
The Apostle John later recorded an identical vision to that of the prophet Ezekiel. In Revelation, though, the rainbow is specifically seen across the throne of God. John wrote about what he saw: “A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne” (Revelation 4:3, NIV). Whether the mention of the emerald indicated a certain color or merely acted as a prism is just not clear or agreed upon by commentators. What we do know is that the Lord’s radiant presence was symbolized through the fantastic thing about a rainbow.
Original readers of those descriptions would naturally think back to Genesis 9 and the promise of the Lord. He who made the promise of mercy and style to Noah is identical Lord who sits enthroned in heaven and who will bring about His judgment on the earth in the longer term. In Revelation, we’re presented with vivid imagery about God’s wrath poured out on sinful humankind. This time, the world won’t be judged with water, but with fire (2 Peter 3:6-7). Yet, even with these righteous judgments, grace is present. Those who trust within the Lamb who had been slain will likely be saved and brought through the times of wrath safely – even when martyred – to the inheritance promised way back (see Revelation 5:6-10). They will live perpetually with the Lord, all due to the love and style that was shown to them (Revelation 21:1-4).
Within its ancient biblical meaning, the rainbow symbolizes the grace, faithfulness, and love of the living Lord.
Understanding the Pride Symbol in Light of the Biblical Rainbow
When we see the Pride flags flying in June, we will turn our thoughts to the rainbow as a logo of God’s great mercy. He promised to not flood the earth again, and His kindness prolonged to humankind and the creatures of the earth. Today, His promise stands, and He continues to point out mercy.
For just like the ark that rescued Noah and his family, Christ saves those that trust in Him, because the ark prefigured the even greater work of our Savior. His salvation is just not only offered to just a few, but to all no matter nationality, background, or gender, although none of us are deserving of His mercy – that’s the reason it is named grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:3-6).
The gospel is for all people, including those that discover as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Jesus can meet them where they’re and draw them into an everlasting fellowship with Himself. In Christ, all are brought right into a loving family, washed and made latest, and given the identity of little children, no matter past sins (see 1 Corinthians 6:Sept. 11).
Rainbows are symbols that remind us of how mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13). May we extend that very same sense of grace to others, including those we don’t agree with, and lovingly point them to our Savior.
Photo Credit: Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/NATALIA DE LA RUBIA
