Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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3. Nor will the destruction of the world at the last day by fire be any breach of his promise. Sin which drowned the old world will burn this.
12 And God said, this is the token of the covenant which I make
between me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a
covenant between me and the earth.
Articles of agreement among men are usually sealed, that the covenants may be the more solemn, and the performances of the covenants the more sure, to mutual satisfaction. God therefore, being willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his councils, has confirmed his covenant by a seal (Heb 6:17), which makes the foundations we build on stand sure, 2Ti 2:19. The seal of this covenant of nature was natural enough; it was the rainbow, which, it is likely, was seen in the clouds before, when second causes concurred, but was never a seal of the covenant till now that it was made so by a divine institution. Now, concerning this seal of the covenant, observe,
1. This seal is affixed with repeated assurances of the truth of that promise of which it was designed to be the ratification: I do set my bow in the cloud (Ge 9:13); it shall be seen in the cloud (Ge 9:14), that the eye may affect the heart and confirm the faith; and it shall be the token of the covenant (Ge 9:12,13), and I will remember my covenant, that the waters shall no more become a flood, Ge 9:15. Nay, as if the Eternal Mind needed a memorandum, I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, Ge 9:16. Thus here is line upon line, that we might have sure and strong consolation who have laid hold of this hope.
2 The rainbow appears when the clouds are most disposed to wet, and returns after the rain; when we have most reason to fear the rain prevailing, then God shows this seal of the promise that it shall not prevail. Thus God obviates our fears