Here again, in the third place, we find a rainbow, a rainbow round about the throne; round about the throne of grace. A rainbow is a token of the covenant, a token of the covenant of grace in its lastingness, and that token is the appearance of the man Christ. The appearance—that is, his robes, his righteousness, 'from the appearance of his loins even upward,' and 'from the appearance of his loins even downward' (Eze 1:27); even down to the foot, as you have it in the book of the Revelation (1:13). 'As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord' (Eze 1:28). The sum then is, that by the rainbow round about the throne of grace upon which God sitteth to hear and answer the petitions of his people, we are to understand the obedential righteousness of Jesus Christ, which in the days of his flesh he wrought out and accomplished for his people; by which God's justice is satisfied, and their person justified, and they so made acceptable to him. This righteousness that shines in God's eyes is more glorious than the rainbow in the cloud doth in ours, saith John, is round about the throne. But for what purpose? Why, to be looked upon. But who must look upon it? Why, God and his people; the people when they come to pray, and God when he is about to hear and give. 'And the bow shall be in the cloud'; says God, 'and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth' (Gen 9:16). And, I say, as the bow is for God to look on, so it is also for our sight to behold. A rainbow round about the throne, in sight; in whose sight? In John and his companions, like unto an emerald.
We read of Solomon's great throne of ivory, that though it was not like any kingdom, he was not willing for the bow of it to stand before him. It was round behind (1 Kings 10:18-20). O! God's throne has the bow before, even round about to view, to look upon in sight. Solomon's was but a shadow, and therefore fit to be put behind; this is the sum and substance, and hence fit to be before, in view, in sight, for God and his people to behold. Thus, you see that a rainbow is round about the throne of grace, and what this rainbow is. Look then, when thou goest to prayer, for the throne; and that thou mayest not be deceived with a fancy, look for the rainbow too. The rainbow, that is, as I have said, the personal performances of Christ thy Saviour for thee. Look, I say, for that, it is his righteousness; the token of the everlastingness of the covenant of grace; the object of God's delight, and must be the matter of the justification of thy person and performances before God. God looks at it, look thou at it, and at it only (Psa 71:16). For in heaven or earth, if that be cast away, there is nothing to be found that can please God, or justify thee. If it be said faith pleases God; I answer, faith is a relative grace; take then the relative away, which, as to justification, is this spangling robe, this rainbow, this righteousness of Christ, and faith dies, and becomes, as to what we now treat of, extinct and quenched as tow.
A very fitting emblem is the rainbow, which is of the righteousness of Christ, and that in these particulars. 1. The rainbow is an effect of the sun that shines in the firmament, and the righteousness by which this throne of grace is encompassed is the work of the Son of God. 2. The rainbow was a token that the wrath of God in sending the flood was appeased; this righteousness of Christ is that for the sake of which God forgiveth us all trespasses. 3. The rainbow was set in the cloud, so the sinful man might look thereon and wax confident in common mercy; this righteousness is shown to us in the word, and we may believe in special mercy by it. 4. The bow is seen now and then in the cloud; Christ's righteousness is revealed here and there in the Word. 5. The bow is seen commonly upon, or after rain; Christ's righteousness is apprehended by faith upon, or soon after, the apprehensions of wrath. 6. The bow is seen sometimes more, sometimes less; and so is this righteousness, even according to the degree or clearness of the sight of faith. 7. The bow is of that nature as to make whatever you shall look upon through it, to be of the same colour as itself, whether bush, man, or beast. The righteousness of Christ makes sinners look beautiful and acceptable when God looks upon them through it, for we are made comely through his comeliness and accepted in the Beloved (Eze 16:14; Eph 1:6).
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