Thus the covenant about the ark fell away. The rainbow is our reminder that a covenant of mercy came after the flood, and the covenant about the ark no longer applies directly to us. Yet that ark and its covenant are important parts of the Bible. They provide many lessons for God’s people today (1 Peter 3:20-21; 2 Peter 3:1-13). Jesus, who called Himself “the Son of Man,” used the ark as a warning about His second coming.
The rainbow is our reminder.
“For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37-39)
The covenant of the ark is in the past. The direct commands of that covenant no longer apply to us. If you think about it, there are many commands in the Bible that Christians no longer practice today. Here are a few examples:
- Killing and burning animals as sacrifices for sin,
- Going to a central temple or tabernacle (tent) for worship,
- Circumcising male babies as a religious rite.
Yet these and many other rituals were at one time commanded by God and required of His people. That Christians no longer do these things is not a matter of disrespect for God. Just the opposite is true. We want to find what God has in mind for us today. Yet how can we tell which parts of the Bible apply most directly to us, and which parts do not? Certainly, it should not be a matter of each person doing whatever he or she wishes. If individuals pick from the Bible only what pleased themselves, the result is a chaotic clash of differing likes and dislikes.
Considering the present religious world, it seems that many are confused, and some are doing just as they wish. But God’s word itself does not lead to confusion. It makes clear the way in which God expects us to follow Him. It speaks plainly of an Old Covenant and of a New Covenant and shows the place of each for us today.