Rainbow, Dove and Olive

The rainbow, dove and olive branch have become universal symbols of love, peace, harmony, tolerance and spirituality. Their origin however is in the Bible as part of God’s covenant with Noah.

“The dove came to him … an olive leaf in her mouth” (Genesis 8:11). “I set My rainbow in the cloud … for a sign of the covenant” (Genesis 9:13).

All the nations of the world today come from Noah and his sons. The rainbow is the seal of God’s promise, representing God’s destiny for those nations. The different colors represent the different nations, ethnic groups, cultures and languages. Their destiny will be fulfilled in those “called out” from every nation, the ecclesia, the international Church (Revelation 7:9).

The different national groups maintain their own identities but are united in harmony. That is the essence of their beauty. Were the rainbow all one color, it would not be beautiful. Were it not unified but divided and confused, it would also lose its beauty. The beauty is found in diversity with harmony.

The brilliance of the rainbow represents glorified and sanctified believers while worshiping God. The shining colors do not come from the rainbow itself. A rainbow merely displays the light rays from the sun refracted through water vapor. So it is with the glorified Church.

We reflect the glory of God shining through the face of Yeshua (II Corinthians 3:18; 4:6). The connection between the rainbow and the throne of God can also be seen in Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God (Ezekiel 1:26-28) as well as in John’s vision of heavenly worship (Revelation 4:3). The rainbow is curved, reflecting the curve of the sun, representing the face of the Son.

The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which hovered like a bird over creation (Genesis 1:2) and came down upon Yeshua in the form of a dove after His immersion in water (Matthew 3:16, Luke 3:22). Water baptism in the New Covenant is seen as a personalized version of passing through the flood in Noah’s Ark (I Peter 3:21-22) and of passing through the waters of the Red Sea as well (I Corinthians 10:1-2).

The olive tree represents the restored Messianic remnant of faith within the nation of Israel (Romans 11:16-24). Yeshua’s most gripping prayer (Matthew 26:39), His teaching on the end times (Matthew 24) and His second coming (Zechariah 14:4, Acts 1:11-12) all take place on the Mount of Olives, because all three involve the restoration of the remnant of Israel.

These three symbols – Rainbow, Dove and Olive Branch – represent God’s hope for the human race. They were pre-planned by God before the creation, identified at Noah’s flood and revealed in the New Covenant. The rainbow is the glorification of the international Church; the dove is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; the olive branch is the restoration of the Messianic remnant.

Those three – Israel, the Church, and the Holy Spirit – represent God’s eternal destiny for us; past, present and future. God is bringing all these into one in Yeshua (Ephesians 1:10). Israel is one of the colors in the rainbow; the Church is grafted into the Olive tree; and the Holy Spirit is being poured out on all flesh (Acts 2:17). What was hidden as a mystery in Scriptures from the beginning is being openly revealed to our generation today.