Genesis 9:14-15 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
“A double rainbow, a double blessing, a double portion of blessing”
A double rainbow is a splendid sight of two spectacular rainbows displayed in the sky. Rainbows are God’s masterpiece on the sky and double rainbows are God’s ‘magnum opus’ of double promise, double blessings and double assurance that He will never forget his everlasting covenant with us. Double rainbows happen when the light gets reflected twice inside the water droplet. The most interesting thing to note is that the second bow shows the colour pattern backwards to the first rainbow. This phenomenon occurs when the sun is low in the sky such as in early morning or late afternoon. The second rainbow is fainter than the first one with a black band in between the two rainbows called the ‘Alexander Band’; (named after Alexander of Aphrodisias who first described it in 200AD). The second rainbow is also twice as wide as the first one as it disperses over a wider area of the sky.
The double rainbow is such a poignant portrait of how we reflect back the light of Christ that shines through us as God-colours. The second rainbow can be compared to our reflection of Christ’s nature. It is fainter and wider – rightly so! Human mind can more easily remember something that has happened recently. This is called “Recency Bias”. Likewise, the second rainbow reverses the colours ‘VIBGYOR’ to ‘ROY G BIV’ (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet). Symbolically, we reflect back first what we receive last.
In 2024 display double rainbow:
1. Reverse: The reverse colours in the second rainbow represent human nature. Unlike God who qualified us while we were disqualified as ‘royalty’ (represented by violet in the 1st bow), we humans first forgive others before we can accept and respect others as reflected by red in the 2nd rainbow. Hence the reverse colours truly depict the human mind of recency bias. As the reflection of rainbow-2 is reversed, fainter and wider, our reflection of Christ is reversed, dimmer and dispersed.
2. Reflect: Double rainbow is the reflection of the reflection. There is no goodness in our human innate rebellious nature. Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone (Mark 10:18). Any godliness that people taste in us is only the reflection of the reflection of God’s character.
3. Resplendent: The beauty, appreciation and selflessness that we radiate are only resplendent attributes of God. We only give kindness and forgiveness that we already enjoy in abundance from Him. So, we must be careful not to brag about our godliness. The resplendent beauty of the second rainbow is only the reflection of the first one.
In 2024, reflect the reflection of God’s double promise to the hopeless world.
Isaiah 61:3b They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.
Prayer: Miraculous Jesus, let me be like the double rainbow that not only receives the blessings but also reflects and becomes a blessing to the hopeless, helpless and hapless. Amen.
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