The Sign Of The Son Of Man?
A d'rash for parshat Noach - B'reishit (Gen.) 8:15-9:17
By Rabbi Reuel Dillon
Ivrim (Hebrews) 10:7 states, "Then I said, 'Look! In the scroll of the book it is written about
me. I have come to do your will, O God.'"
The things written in the Torah speak of Yeshua The Messiah and the Kingdom of Adonai.
But, in parshat Noach, how is the sacrifice of Noach (Noah) and the resulting covenant and sign
of the covenant, the rainbow, analogous to The Messiah? Even in the colors of the rainbow, we
can see the atoning covering of Yeshua's blood over those on the Earth. When it is seen, red is
the color of the outermost arc of the rainbow that spans over the Earth. I believe this points to
the atoning sacrificial blood offered to those who dwell upon the Earth. In connection with the
rainbow we see that B'reishit (Genesis) 8:20-21 says, "Noach built an altar to HaShem. Then he
took from every clean animal and every clean bird, and he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
HaShem smelled the sweet aroma, and HaShem said in his heart, "I will never again curse the
ground because of humankind, since the imaginings of a person's heart are evil from his youth;
nor will I ever again destroy all living things, as I have done".
I believe the sacrifice Noach offered to Adonai pointed to the future work and sacrifice of The
Messiah. It was after this that it says, "HaShem smelled the sweet aroma and HaShem said in his
heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, since the imaginings of a
person's heart are evil from his youth; nor will I ever again destroy all living things, as I have
done". And, it was after this that the sign of the rainbow was given, pointing to Messiah, the
ultimate solution of mankind's problem. For it was demonstrated that a change of scenery
would not change mankind's yetzer hara (evil inclination), only the future work of Messiah
would accomplish this. And, just as it says that "HaShem smelled the sweet aroma" and showed
grace, so too Adonai smells the sweet smelling aroma of The Messiah's sacrifice and will show
grace, as He says in Mattityahu (Matthew) 3:17, "This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased
with him." (2Cor. 2:14-16)
The connection to the rainbow and The Messiah has long been held amongst the sages of
Yisra'el, as they state that the rainbow points directly to the Messiah and to his final coming in
the acharit hayamim (end of days). In B'reishit Rabbah 35:3 a discussion amongst the sages takes
place as to the significance of B'reishit (Genesis) 9:13-14 were it says, "I am putting my rainbow
in the cloud - it will be there as a sign of the covenant between myself and the earth. Whenever I
bring clouds over the earth, and the rainbow is seen in the cloud". It is stated that "the rainbow
(‫קשׁת‬/keshet) alludes to "something resembling Me" (‫קשׁתי‬/kashti). The commentaries on
B'reishit Rabbah explain that the Hebrew word relates to the word ‫ היקש‬- "hekesh", which
implies a "resemblance" (or an analogy). It is stated that, "This transcends all revelations, for it
"resembles Me," God's Essence, as indicated by the verse:16 "Like the appearance of the
rainbow in the cloud... so is the appearance of God's glory." Also, Rabbi Sh'muel of Lubavitch,
the fourth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch carries on the relating of this study based tradition and
states in his writings (Vihechrim, 5631, p. 69), "Do not expect the coming of Mashiach until the
rainbow is seen... in shining colors." Likewise, the 2nd century mishnaic sage Rabbi Shimon bar
Yochai once stated (Z -I:72b), "the rainbow is one of the signs of the future redemption".
How interesting it is that the rainbow, a sign of the covenant with the Noach and the Earth that
God wouldn't destroy it by flood again, is claimed to be a sign of the coming Messiah. What is a
rainbow? "Rainbows are created both by reflection and refraction (bending) of sunlight in
raindrops. As sunlight enters a raindrop, it bends and it is separated into its constituent colors
(the colors that comprise white light [ROYGBIV]. Some of the light, that which travels at a
"critical" angle, is reflected off the back of the raindrop. (A "critical" angle is the angle at which
sunlight must strike the back of the raindrop, in order to be reflected back to the front of the
drop.) Each color strikes the back of the raindrop at a slightly different angle, thus each color
emerges from the front of the raindrop at a slightly different angle. Only one color exits from
each raindrop at the exact angle necessary to reach the observer's eye. An observer sees only one
color at a time reflecting from each raindrop. For this reason, it takes millions of raindrops to
create a rainbow" (Sources: Ahrens, C. Donald. Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the
Environment, 5th ed., pp. 100-103; Engelbert, Phillis. The Complete Weather Resource, vol. 2, pp. 331, 333; Schaefer,
Vincent J., and John A. Day. A Field Guide to the Atmosphere, p. 163; World Book Encyclopedia, vol. 16, p. 128)
As mentioned before, the Hebrew the word for "rainbow" is "‫קשׁת‬/keshet" and it comes from
the root "‫קושׁ‬/kosh" that refers to something that bows or bends. This Hebrew word "keshet"
is used in different contexts, whether it be a rainbow, a bow used for archery (Gen. 27:3), or the
root is even used for a snare that is bowed to catch prey. As we meditate on the rainbow, this
type of bow uses water to bend and reflect light. All of this points to The Messiah. Yeshua The
Messiah is the source of living water that reflects the light of Avinu Elohim (our Father God).
Yeshua can be likened to the intersection of light and water. In Yochanan (John) 9:5 Yeshua
said, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." The type of water that is used to
make a rainbow, namely rain droplets, is considered in Jewish thought to be, what is called in
Hebrew, "mayim chayim", translated to mean; "living water". And, in Yochanan (John) 7:38
Yeshua tells us that he is the source of mayim chayim (living water). He states, "Whoever puts
his trust in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from his inmost being!"
Light comes forth from the Heavens, and water is an element of Earth. Likewise, just as it is
with The Messiah, the domain of the rainbow reaches between Heaven and Earth. And, when
Heaven and Earth comes together the result is a beautiful and glorious display and reflection of
the divine. In addition to this, we can also see that like Messiah, the rainbow was offered as a
sign of shalom between God and mankind.
In Yechezk'el (Ezekiel) 1:26-28 we see that the rainbow is representative of God's glory. It says,
"Above the dome that was over their heads was something like a throne that looked like a
sapphire. On it, above it, was what appeared to be a person. I saw what looked like gleaming,
amber-colored fire radiating from what appeared to be his waist upward. Downward from what
appeared to be his waist, I saw what looked like fire, giving a brilliant light all around him. This
brilliance around him looked like a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was how the
appearance of the glory of HaShem looked...". We also see this mentioned in the book of
Revelation 4:2-4 where we read, "Instantly I was in the Spirit, and there before me in heaven
stood a throne, and on the throne Someone was sitting. The One sitting there gleamed like
diamonds and rubies, and a rainbow shining like emerald encircled the throne".
From these passages we can safely conclude that the rainbow is representative of God's glory.
We also know that The Messiah represents the glory of Adonai. After the book of Yochanan
(John) says that The Word of God is a part of God, and that the Word was and is Yeshua The
Messiah, Yochanan (John) 1:14 goes on to state, "The Word became a human being and lived
with us, and we saw His Sh'chinah (Glory), the Sh'chinah of the Father's only Son, full of grace
and truth". And, in 2Corinthians 4:6 we are told, "For it is the God who once said, "Let light
shine out of darkness," who has made his light shine in our hearts, the light of the knowledge of
God's glory shining in the face of the Messiah Yeshua". Truly, as the sages have stated, "This
transcends all revelations, for it "resembles Me".
The rainbow was and is a powerful revelation of The Messiah to the Earth after a great judgment
had come upon it. It was a symbol of life, God's grace, and patience upon the Earth. But, as we
already touched on, it not only pointed to God's grace since the days of old, but it also points to
the future redemption of the Earth, and to The Redeemer. The redemption of HaMashiach
(The Messiah) is associated with the latter rain, speaking of the acharit hayamim (end of days).
And, as we discovered, when you add brilliant light to rain emanating from clouds...the result is a
big rainbow. A literal version of Hoshea 6:1-3 states, "Come and let us return to HaShem. For
He has torn, and He will heal us. He has stricken, and He will bind us up. After two days He will
bring us to life. In the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live before Him. Then we shall
know, we who follow on to know HaShem. His going forth is established as the dawn. And He
shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain to the earth". And as we read, the
rainbow is mentioned in the book of Revelation in connection with the future coming of Adonai
and His Messiah Yeshua. This is how we are to expect his coming to be. It not only serves as a
sign established in the days of Noach representing Adonai faithfulness to His covenant with the
Earth and those on it, but it also serves as a sign in the acharit hayamim (end of days).
Could all of this give more meaning to the passage that we read in Mattityahu (Matthew) 24:30
that says, "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, all the tribes of the Land
will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with
tremendous power and glory"? Could it be possible that "the sign of the Son of Man" that "will
appear in the sky" is a rainbow? I believe that this sign will quite possibly be the most massive
and awe-inspiring rainbow that has ever been seen in all of history. Therefore, when we see the
rainbow in the sky, I believe we can not only have confidence that God will not destroy all the
living upon the Earth with a flood, but we can also be reminded of The Messiah and his coming.
The rainbow was a specific sign of His faithfulness and that He is a covenant keeping God.
Yeshua The Messiah also is a sign that God has remained faithful to His covenant that He made
with Yisra'el. Indeed, the brachah (blessing) that is said when we see the rainbow is, "Baruch
attah Adonai Elohaynu Melech ha-olam zocher ha-brit v'ne'eman bivrito v'kayam b'ma'amaro",
which is translated to mean, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who
remembers the covenant, and is faithful to His covenant, and keeps His promise".
On another note, although there are about 100 colors that can be distinguished from the light
spectrum, there are seven primary colors that the human eye normally distinguishes when
looking at a rainbow. The most commonly cited and remembered sequence is Newton's
sevenfold (Isaac Newton, Optice: edition 1740); red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo (navy blue)
and violet (purple). The number seven has particular significance in the scripture when it comes
to time. We not only see that the number seven is significant when it comes to the seventh day
Shabbat (Sabbath) of Adonai, but the seventh day also points to the seven thousandth year, and
thousand years of rest, a thousand years on the Earth ruled by The Messiah. Not only does the
seventh day, the day of rest, point to this truth, but the sages of Yisra'el have always believed
this. In Avodah Zarah 9A the Talmud states that the olam hazeh (this world) will only exist for
six thousand years, while the seventh millennium will be an era of worldwide shalom called the
olam haba (world to come).
I believe that this is the context that we are to understand the passage found in Kefa Bet (2Peter)
3:8, a passage comes after a direct reference to the flood and the sign of the rainbow that would
accompany it. It states, "Moreover, dear friends, do not ignore this: with the Lord, one day is
like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day". The seven day week speaks of the
seven thousand years of history. Because the book of Revelation speaks of the coming glory of
Adonai in comparison to a rainbow, and the revelation of HaShem's glory occurs once again in
the seven thousandth year, I do not think that there is any coincidence that mankind generally
identifies seven segmented colors in the rainbow, as Newton noted.
I also believe it is possible that the number of the colors, and even the colors of the rainbow
themselves, could also be correlated with the first seven Moedim (Feasts/Appointed Times) of
Adonai, starting with the first color (red) corresponding to Pesach (Passover) and the blood of
the lamb over the doorposts of Yisra'el, and the seventh color (purple) corresponding to Sukkot
(Tabernacles) and the royal reign of Adonai upon the Earth, with the source of the rainbow's
colors (white light) leading to Sh'mini Atzeret (The Eighth Day Conclusion), pointing to eternity.
As we further investigate and meditate on the sign of the rainbow, we may also see other
significance. As we look upon the rainbow, we see that it was put there as a result of mankind's
great wickedness. We grieved our Heavenly father deep into His heart. Unlike other plagues,
the flood had the potential to completely wipe out all life on Earth. Even though we would no
doubt deserve it at some point in history, He made a covenant that He would never seek to wipe
out life on Earth through a flood. Although, do to mankind's sin, He would bring various
judgments on the Earth...He nonetheless wouldn't move to completely wipeout mankind again
through a flood.
But, when we think about it, the promise was only not to kill everything living through a flood,
but not through other means. Therefore, the rainbow should also be a sign of caution to us, that
we should turn from our wicked ways...before the time to seek Adonai's forgiveness has expired.
Think about it...each time we see a rainbow we should be reminded of the story of Noach and
what led to the great flood and judgment. When we look at the rainbow we should meditate on
the fact that when it spans across the sky it actually restrains Adonai from wiping the inhabitants
of the Earth out again...for make no mistake - we certainly deserve it. For those on the Earth
this should be a continual reminder for the need of "teshuvah", the need of repentance, and to
serve HaShem with fear and trembling. In regards to the question, "When does God show a
rainbow?", the Gutnick edition of the Chumash (B'reishit, pg.57) notes that Rashi says, "When it
arises in His mind to bring darkness and destruction to the world", that is when God shows a
rainbow. Also it states that Rabbi Bachaye, the student of the Ramban, stated, "The rainbow
does not appear on every cloudy day or on any occasion that it rains, but only when the
generation deserves destruction, to indicate that God is guarding His promise". Indeed, B'reishit
(Genesis) 9:13-15 states, "I am putting my rainbow in the cloud - it will be there as a sign of the
covenant between myself and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth, and the
rainbow is seen in the cloud; I will remember my covenant which is between myself and you and
every living creature of any kind; and the water will never again become a flood to destroy all
living beings".
On that note, for thousands of years the rainbow has been a symbol of Adonai's grace and
patience. But, I also believe that through the rainbow Adonai has been warning the Earth for
thousands of years. Kefa Bet (2Peter) 3:6-7 states, "...and that by means of these things the world
of that time was flooded with water and destroyed. It is by that same Word that the present
heavens and earth, having been preserved, are being kept for fire until the Day of Judgment,
when ungodly people will be destroyed".
Adonai has been patiently warning the inhabitants of the Earth for thousands of years. As we
continue to read Kefa Bet (2Peter) we are told that in context of the flood, and the sign
associated with it, that this long period of grace and the lack of a world-wide judgment was do to
Adonai's desire for many to have the opportunity to come into a saving relationship with Him.
Kefa Bet (2Peter) 3:9 tells us that, "Adonai is not slow in keeping his promise, as some people
think of slowness; on the contrary, he is patient with you; for it is not his purpose that anyone
should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from his sins".
And, although the rainbow is a pleasant thought for many of us, as it represents God's grace, the
Sh'chinah (the Glory) of Adonai, and Yeshua The Messiah returning to the Earth, when the
wicked of the Earth sees the sign of the Son of Man in the sky when He returns to judge the
Earth there will be fear and trembling among the inhabitants of the Earth for the things that will
be coming upon it. So, in another sense the rainbow speaks of a future judgment. For the one
who saves and has shown grace is also the one who will judge. Revelation 19:11-13 states, "Next
I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse. Sitting on it was the one called
Faithful and True, and it is in righteousness that he passes judgment and goes to battle. His eyes
were like a fiery flame, and on his head were many royal crowns. And he had a name written
which no one knew but himself. He was wearing a robe that had been soaked in blood, and the
name by which he is called is, "THE WORD OF GOD.""
Although the Hebrew word "‫ קשׁת‬- keshet" is used in the TeNaKh four times to describe a
rainbow, the overwhelming usage of the word "keshet" refers to a bow that shoots an arrow. In
fact, it is used 64 times in this way throughout the TeNaKh. Perhaps this should be a hint that
just as the rainbow can represent the grace that we need in our day of weakness, so too can it
represent a coming judgment if we don't take heed to the warning that it also represents. Many
of us are aware of the passage in the book of Revelation 1:16 that says of Messiah; "out of his
mouth went a sharp double-edged sword", but it also seems that Yeshua The Messiah, the glory
of HaShem, will return to judge the Earth with another symbolic weapon, a bow and arrow.
Yesha'yahu (Isaiah) 49:1-2 states, "Coastlands, listen to me; listen, you peoples far away: HaShem
called me from the womb; before I was born, he had spoken my name. He has made my mouth
like a sharp sword while hiding me in the shadow of his hand; he has made me like a sharpened
arrow while concealing me in his quiver".
One day soon, Yeshua The Messiah will be placed into God’s bow and he will be shot at the
Earth like an arrow, striking the inhabitants therein. Until the great coming of our King
Messiah, each time when we see the rainbow in the sky may we meditate on the message that the
rainbow truly teaches us. And, b'ezrat HaShem (with God's help), may we prepare our hearts to
behold the future sign of the Son of Man with a clear conscience, and lift up our heads and our
hands to receive the glory of the coming Messiah, Yeshua, The King Of Glory (Tehillim/Psalms
24:9-10, 1Corinthians 2:8). Baruch haba b'shem Adonai - Blessed is He who comes in the Name
of The Lord!
Shabbat Shalom!
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