At length the rain stopped and the waters began to go down, and at last the Lord told Noah to come out of the Ark. So he and his family and all the living creatures came out; and Noah built an Altar, and the Lord accepted his sacrifice.
Then God gave a beautiful Promise and a beautiful Prophecy, and of both we see the constant fulfilment now.
The Promise was, that He would never send a Flood again: and the Prophecy was—"While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
And then God gave them the Token of His Promise, in putting His rainbow in the cloud whenever there is rain and the sun shines at the same time.
God said He would look upon the rainbow and remember His covenant not to send another Flood; and when we turn our eyes to that beautiful coloured arch above us, we can say reverently: "God is looking on that bow too."
The rain reminds us of the Flood; but the sunshine reminds us of God's love: and the rainbow itself reminds us that in that great love He gave His beloved Son. He is our rainbow of Promise.
[VIII. Prophecy of the Jews: A Separate People]
Numb. xxiii. 9.—Rom. ix. 4, 5.
I have heard children say carelessly:
"Oh, that is only an old Jew!"