Good morning,

Second Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that the scriptures are profitable (practical) for doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. This week we will look at these four areas as it relates to the Bible is practical.

The Bible is a practical book. It tells us about God’s creation, man’s sin, the flood, what caused the current conflict in the middle east, the creation and history of Israel. And that is just the books of Genesis and Exodus. It tells us that we are sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus came to pay our sin debt by becoming sin for us. He shed His precious, holy, sinless blood for our sins. Died, was buried, and rose the third day. It tells us of the struggles between good and evil. It tells us of heaven and hell, and how we can go to either.

It also tells us how to live in a world opposed to God and His Son Jesus Christ. This study is not all inclusive. We will see more during the coming weeks.

Come with me on a journey to explore what the Bible says. The Scriptures are always helpful, encouraging, and challenging. That’s how we grow in our relationship with God!

The Bible is Practical

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy3:16-17)

Doctrine

For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

What is doctrine? Teaching. God wants us to know what is important for us to be able to live in this sin sick world.

The verses above give us guidelines on what to do and know.

We must live by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross at Calvary. Believers in Christ or no longer condemned, but are conquerors. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Our focus must always be upward.

Walk by faith!

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week we begin a month-long study of the Bible. The Bible is… series. The Bible is God’s word, is practical, is to be obeyed, is about Israel, and is about Jesus and salvation.

Personally, my life has been influenced greatly by the Bible. Jesus Christ is my foundation and God’s word is my direction. Everything I am today is because God revealed His word to me. He taught me how to live in this ungodly world. He showed me that victory in the Christian life is through Him. And all this is revealed in the Bible.

Come with me on a journey to explore what the Bible says. The Scriptures are always helpful, encouraging, and challenging. That’s how we grow in our relationship with God!

The Bible is the Word of God

“The B I B L E, now that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God. The B I B L E, Bible.”

The power of the Bible

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Proverbs 30:5

The word of God is powerful, is like a fire, but is a shield to those who trust it. The Bible is God’s way of convicting us of sin, dealing with that sin, challenging us, and encouraging us. God wants the best for us.

Sometimes though, we do not want the best for us. He is always willing to take us back once we choose to repent.

The response to the Bible

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. John 6:68

When we choose to walk with God, we will have deep desire to share what we know with others. Since we have the mind of God, His directions to live life, we have much to share with others.

Conclusion

The Bible was with God from the beginning

The Bible is God’s authority on what His people are to do

The Bible was given to everyone by God

The Bible is powerful

The Bible demands a response

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week we begin a month-long study of the Bible. The Bible is… series. The Bible is God’s word, is practical, is to be obeyed, is about Israel, and is about Jesus and salvation.

Personally, my life has been influenced greatly by the Bible. Jesus Christ is my foundation and God’s word is my direction. Everything I am today is because God revealed His word to me. He taught me how to live in this ungodly world. He showed me that victory in the Christian life is through Him. And all this is revealed in the Bible.

Come with me on a journey to explore what the Bible says. The Scriptures are always helpful, encouraging, and challenging. That’s how we grow in our relationship with God!

The Bible is the Word of God

“The B I B L E, now that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God. The B I B L E, Bible.”

The longevity of the Bible

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matthew 24:35

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah 40:8

But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 1 Peter 1:25

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:18

The authority of the Bible

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Did it ever occur to you that the Bible is eternal? The Word of God will never go away. God’s Word will never change. Why? Because God Himself never changes. The Bible is a reliable book. It can be trusted to lead in the proper direction every time.

So, how do we know this? The Bible tells us that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” That means God gave it to specific men to write down to preserve for us today. How does it lead us? “…profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” God gave us His word to teach, convict, correct, and instruct us. If we are listening and trusting God, He will direct us.

If we study the Bible, God will reveal His direction for us.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com  

Good morning,

This week we begin a month-long study of the Bible. The Bible is… series. The Bible is God’s word, is practical, is to be obeyed, is about Israel, and is about Jesus and salvation.

Personally, my life has been influenced greatly by the Bible. Jesus Christ is my foundation and God’s word is my direction. Everything I am today is because God revealed His word to me. He taught me how to live in this ungodly world. He showed me that victory in the Christian life is through Him. And all this is revealed in the Bible.

Come with me on a journey to explore what the Bible says. The Scriptures are always helpful, encouraging, and challenging. That’s how we grow in our relationship with God!

The Bible is the Word of God

“The B I B L E, now that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God. The B I B L E, Bible.”

The origin of the Bible

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2

The giving of the Bible

And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. Exodus 34:28

The longevity of the Bible

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matthew 24:35

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. Isaiah 40:8

But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 1 Peter 1:25

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:18

The authority of the Bible

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The power of the Bible

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Proverbs 30:5

The response to the Bible

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. John 6:68

Conclusion

The Bible was with God from the beginning

The Bible is God’s authority on what His people are to do

The Bible was given to everyone by God

The Bible is powerful

The Bible demands a response

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

This week we begin a month-long study of the Bible. The Bible is… series. The Bible is God’s word, is practical, is to be obeyed, is about Israel, and is about Jesus and salvation.

Personally, my life has been influenced greatly by the Bible. Jesus Christ is my foundation and God’s word is my direction. Everything I am today is because God revealed His word to me. He taught me how to live in this ungodly world. He showed me that victory in the Christian life is through Him. And all this is revealed in the Bible.

Come with me on a journey to explore what the Bible says. The Scriptures are always helpful, encouraging, and challenging. That’s how we grow in our relationship with God!

The Bible is the Word of God

“The B I B L E, now that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God. The B I B L E, Bible.”

The origin of the Bible

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2

The giving of the Bible

And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. Exodus 34:28

When we think of the Bible, we think about a book that has God’s word in it. But before the world was created, God’s word was already in existence. God has graciously allowed us to have His word in book form. We can access it whenever we choose, to determine what God would have us do. We have the mind of God in our very hands.

Moses received the ten commandments directly from God. He also received the ceremonial law at that same time. This was God’s directions on how the Israelites were to live. God identified every area of life. A step by step plan for living.

Now, we have the Bible that tells us even more. Only one problem. We choose to ignore God’s direction in our lives. The Bible says this, but we reject it. We have a better way. How’s that working for you?

Choose to trust God today.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com 

Good morning,

Memorial Day is Monday, 31 May 2021.

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them.

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim.

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.

5.  The feast of Purim 

The fifth memorial can be found in Esther 9:28. 

“And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.”  (Esther 9:28) 

In the book of Esther you may remember that Mordecai refused to bow to Haman, who was the king’s favorite. As a result, Haman made plans to massacre the Jews on a fixed date. Mordecai went to Esther and persuaded her to intercede with the king. Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet. At the banquet Esther reveals Haman’s plans to massacre the Jews, and Haman is hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Since the edict for the massacre cannot be revoked, the king sends a edict allowing the Jews to defend themselves. The Jews take advantage of this to kill their enemies. The deliverance is commemorated at the feast of Purim.

The special feast continues to be celebrated by Jews to this day to celebrate their deliverance from Haman’s destruction through Queen Esther’s actions. So it is a self-proclaimed memorial to the Jews to this very day. During the Purim, the Esther scroll is read aloud in the synagogues.

Other festivals were ordained by Divine authority this one was initiated by Mordecai and Esther. Yet its commemoration was undoubtedly sanctioned by God whose merciful interposition it records.

CONCLUSION:

So, what we can learn from this is not so much the memorial that the Jews proclaimed, but rather the fact that God is a protector and deliverer of those who look to him and trust in him. It is a memorial to illustrate the Graciousness of God.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Memorial Day is Monday, 31 May 2021.

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them.

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim.

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.

4.  Feast of the Tabernacles

The fourth memorial is found in found in Leviticus 23:39-43.

“Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.⁴⁰ And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.⁴¹ And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.⁴² Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: ⁴³ That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  (Leviticus 23:39-43) 

This is talking about the Feast of the Tabernacles. It fell in the Autumn when the full harvest of corn, wine and oil had been gathered in. It was the last great feast of the year. It was a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving when Israel showed their gratitude to God and remembered that He had delivered them from Egyptian bondage and brought them into a land which produced so many good things.

It came five days after the Day of Atonement when the sin of the people had been removed. During the seven days of the feast Israel dwelt in booths or tents made from the boughs of trees. It would remind them of the 40 years in the wilderness when they dwelt in tents, the This is talking about the Feast of the Tabernacles.

The feast pointed forward to the full harvest and the result of Christ’s work during the Millennium. It will be at this time that the whole earth will rejoice with Israel and keep the feast of Tabernacles. 

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Memorial Day is Monday, 31 May 2021.

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them.

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim.

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.

MEMORIALS

1. The Lord’s Supper

The first memorial we are considering in this list is found in Luke 22:19-20. 

“And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.²⁰ Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”  (Luke 22:19-20) 

Of course, the greatest memorial of them all is the Lord’s Supper which is a reminder of the broken body and shed blood of Christ.

The Communion service is a service of remembrance. It is the equivalent of the Passover feast under the Law of Moses. The Communion takes us back to our salvation from sin through Christ, which was made possible on the cross and to which we became related by baptism. Keeping this commandment is therefore something we naturally want to do.

2.  The Rainbow

The second memorial can be found in Genesis chapter 9:12-17.

“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.¹⁴ And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:¹⁵ And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.¹⁶ And the bow shall be in the cloud; 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.¹⁷ And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-17)

The memorial is the rainbow, and it is a reminder that God would never again destroy the world by a flood.

In the verses in the above quote, the rainbow is described as a token of the covenant. So, God is saying that whenever he sees this sign or monument in the sky, it will remind him of the covenant between him and every living creature on the earth. In other words, it is a memorial not only for God but also for us. Whenever we see the rainbow it is to remind us of the covenant, that never again will there be a flood to destroy all life on the earth.     

3. The Passover

The third memorial is found in Exodus 12:11-14. In the verse leading up to these verses the Israelites are told to take an unblemished lamb and kill it. They shall take the blood from it and place it on the side and tops of the door frames of the houses where they should eat the lamb.

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.¹³ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”

So, the Passover was important as a memorial to the Israelites as it reminded them:

1. God’s separation of His people from the Gentiles.

2. God’s protection of His people.

3. God’s deliverance of His people.

4. God’s requirements of His people, that is, dedication to Him.

5. God’s commandment to them to keep the feast annually to remind them of all God had done for them.

4.  Feast of the Tabernacles

The fourth memorial is found in found in Leviticus 23:39-43.

“Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.⁴⁰ And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.⁴¹ And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.⁴² Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: ⁴³ That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  (Leviticus 23:39-43) 

This is talking about the Feast of the Tabernacles. It fell in the Autumn when the full harvest of corn, wine and oil had been gathered in. It was the last great feast of the year. It was a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving when Israel showed their gratitude to God and remembered that He had delivered them from Egyptian bondage and brought them into a land which produced so many good things.

It came five days after the Day of Atonement when the sin of the people had been removed. During the seven days of the feast Israel dwelt in booths or tents made from the boughs of trees. It would remind them of the 40 years in the wilderness when they dwelt in tents, the This is talking about the Feast of the Tabernacles.

The feast pointed forward to the full harvest and the result of Christ’s work during the Millennium. It will be at this time that the whole earth will rejoice with Israel and keep the feast of Tabernacles. 

5.  The feast of Purim 

The fifth memorial can be found in Esther 9:28. 

“And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.”  (Esther 9:28) 

In the book of Esther you may remember that Mordecai refused to bow to Haman, who was the king’s favorite. As a result, Haman made plans to massacre the Jews on a fixed date. Mordecai went to Esther and persuaded her to intercede with the king. Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet. At the banquet Esther reveals Haman’s plans to massacre the Jews, and Haman is hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Since the edict for the massacre cannot be revoked, the king sends a edict allowing the Jews to defend themselves. The Jews take advantage of this to kill their enemies. The deliverance is commemorated at the feast of Purim.

The special feast continues to be celebrated by Jews to this day to celebrate their deliverance from Haman’s destruction through Queen Esther’s actions. So it is a self-proclaimed memorial to the Jews to this very day. During the Purim, the Esther scroll is read aloud in the synagogues.

Other festivals were ordained by Divine authority this one was initiated by Mordecai and Esther. Yet its commemoration was undoubtedly sanctioned by God whose merciful events it records.

CONCLUSION:

So, what we can learn from this is not so much the memorial that the Jews proclaimed, but rather the fact that God is a protector and deliverer of those who look to him and trust in him. It is a memorial to illustrate the Graciousness of God.

Memorials are for:

Remembrance

Worship

Learning

Teaching

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Memorial Day is Monday, 31 May 2021.

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them.

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim.

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.

MEMORIALS

3. The Passover

The third memorial is found in Exodus 12:11-14. In the verse leading up to these verses the Israelites are told to take an unblemished lamb and kill it. They shall take the blood from it and place it on the side and tops of the door frames of the houses where they should eat the lamb.

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.¹³ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”

So the Passover was important as a memorial to the Israelites as it reminded them:

1. God’s separation of His people from the Gentiles.

2. God’s protection of His people.

3. God’s deliverance of His people.

4. God’s requirements of His people, that is, dedication to Him.

5. God’s commandment to them to keep the feast annually to remind them of all God had done for them.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Memorial Day is Monday, 31 May 2021.

God has given us many memorials. This week we will look at five of them.

The Lord’s Supper, the Rainbow, the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Purim.

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. The most common type of memorial is the gravestone or the memorial plaque. Also common are war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars.

MEMORIALS

1. The Lord’s Supper

The first memorial we are considering in this list is found in Luke 22:19-20. 

“And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.²⁰ Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”  (Luke 22:19-20) 

Of course, the greatest memorial of them all is the Lord’s Supper which is a reminder of the broken body and shed blood of Christ.

The Communion service is a service of remembrance. It is the equivalent of the Passover feast under the Law of Moses. The Communion takes us back to our salvation from sin through Christ, which was made possible on the cross and to which we became related by baptism. Keeping this commandment is therefore something we naturally want to do. We do this in obedience to Christ’s command.

2.  The Rainbow

The second memorial can be found in Genesis 9:12-17.

“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.¹⁴ And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:¹⁵ And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.¹⁶ And the bow shall be in the cloud; 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.¹⁷ And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-17)

The memorial is the rainbow, and it is a reminder that God would never again destroy the world by a flood.

In the verses in the above quote, the rainbow is described as a token of the covenant. So God is saying that whenever He sees this sign or monument in the sky, it will remind Him of the covenant between Him and every living creature on the earth. In other words, it is a memorial not only for God but also for us. Whenever we see the rainbow it is to remind us of the covenant, that never again will there be a flood to destroy all life on the earth.     

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com