2025
Pray. Give. Go.
Living Out the Mission God Gave Us
Over the past few weeks, our church family has been reminded of something simple and beautiful: God’s heart beats for the nations, and He invites us to join Him in what He’s doing. We ended our Missions Emphasis in November with a panel at each campus—a chance to hear firsthand how God is working around the world through the people we love.
Missionaries traveled back to share updates. Others from within our own church spoke about how God has used them in unexpected places. Their stories lifted our eyes. They helped us see that mission isn’t a program. It’s a calling. And it’s a calling for all of us.
That’s why this year’s focus—Pray. Give. Go.—matters so much. These aren’t steps in a process. They’re pathways of obedience. They’re ways ordinary people participate in the extraordinary work of God.
Pray
Mission begins with prayer because mission belongs to God. When we pray, something shifts in us. We start to see the world the way Jesus sees it. We start to long for what He longs for.
This month, we encouraged our church family to pray intentionally for our missionary partners, men and women serving in places like Togo, Poland, Mexico, England, Nepal, Taiwan, and dozens more fields around the world. These missionaries aren’t distant names. They’re part of us. When they rejoice, we rejoice. When they carry burdens, we help to lift them.
Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s heart. And it keeps us connected to the people we’re sending and supporting. If you haven’t already, take a moment to sign up for prayer updates or explore short-term opportunities. Your prayers carry real weight in the work God is doing.
Give
One of the most meaningful moments of our Missions Emphasis each year is seeing how God uses the generosity of His people to open new doors for ministry.
This year, we highlighted several needs — each one connected to real people and real gospel impact.
- Alderman Training Center, Phase 2 (Togo): Last year, you helped fund Phase 1: land and the initial training space for national pastors. This year, Phase 2 will add a security wall, storage, parking, and needed infrastructure that will strengthen the center’s mission to equip pastors who are planting gospel-centered churches across the region.
- Student Mission Trips: Our students will serve in Poland and Trinidad this summer. They’ll come alongside churches, missionaries, and families as they step into hands-on ministry. Your giving helps remove financial barriers so they can say “yes” to God’s call and grow as future leaders in global missions.
- Martinez Family Vehicle Need: Brittany and Lemuel Martinez serve faithfully in Poland, but their current vehicle no longer meets the demands of ministry or family life. We want to help provide a reliable vehicle that supports their daily work and allows them to keep investing in the people God has called them to reach.
When we give, we’re not funding projects. We’re investing in people. And God uses that generosity to carry the gospel farther than we could ever go on our own.
Go
For some, the next step is to step out—to go.
We shared opportunities for upcoming trips to China, Poland, and Togo in 2026. These teams will serve on university campuses, support local churches, encourage missionaries, and build relationships that open doors for gospel conversations in places with real spiritual need.
Not everyone is called to go long-term. But many of us can go short-term. And all of us can ask the question: Lord, where do You want me to step?
One Mission. One Church. One God Who Sends.
As we look back on these two weeks, one theme rises above the rest: God is at work. He’s at work through our missionaries. He’s at work through teams we send. And He’s at work in the hearts of people right here at home who pray, give, and go.
If you’d like to take your next step in supporting missions, you can give at tbc.org/give. And as always, let’s keep asking the Lord to use us—every one of us—to carry His love to the world.
Because this mission is bigger than any campus, any ministry, or any one of us. But together, we get to be part of it.
2025
Touch A Truck Recap: Bringing All Three Trinity Campuses Together for a Day of Fun
Saturday was a day to remember at Trinity Baptist Church as families from across our community joined us for our annual Touch A Truck event. Spread across our Hammond, Mandarin, and Oakleaf campuses, the event brought together more than 6,000 attendees for a morning packed with curiosity, excitement, and hands-on fun. Whether it was climbing into the cab of a fire engine, sounding the horn of a semi-truck, or exploring the inside of a police cruiser, children were able to experience some of our community’s most fascinating vehicles up close.
One of the most encouraging parts of the day was welcoming 1,130 families who visited Trinity for the very first time. We were thrilled to open our campuses to so many new faces and provide a space where families could connect, play, learn, and simply enjoy time together. Touch A Truck has always been about building bridges between our church, our neighborhoods, and the people who serve our city every day— and this year truly embodied that mission.
Each campus hosted an impressive lineup of vehicles, from emergency response units and construction equipment to utility trucks and specialty vehicles. Children had the chance to climb inside, flip switches, honk horns, and hear the real sounds that bring these machines to life. The wide eyes, big smiles, and enthusiastic questions made it clear that this hands-on experience left a lasting impression.
We were also proud to offer a dedicated Quiet Hour from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at all locations. We recognize that some children and adults prefer a calmer environment, so during this hour, vehicles refrained from sirens, horns, and engine revving. While there were still natural background sounds from generators and crowds, this quieter window made the event more accessible and enjoyable for guests with sensory sensitivities. Seeing families take advantage of this thoughtful addition reaffirmed our desire to make church events welcoming to everyone.
Of course, the fun didn’t stop with the vehicles. Each campus featured a variety of food trucks that kept families fueled and smiling throughout the morning. From sweet treats to savory favorites, the food added an extra layer of enjoyment as parents relaxed, and kids proudly shared their favorite vehicle discoveries.
Events of this scale don’t happen without an incredible team behind them. We are deeply grateful for every volunteer who greeted guests, guided families, managed lines, coordinated logistics, and ensured each child had a safe and memorable experience. A special thank you also goes to our vehicle partners and vendors, who generously shared their time, equipment, and expertise. Your participation not only made the event possible—it made it extraordinary.
Touch A Truck is one of our favorite opportunities to celebrate our community, showcase the heart of Trinity, and create meaningful memories for families. We loved spending the day with you, and we’re already looking forward to doing it again. Thank you for making this year’s event such a tremendous success.
2025
The Ripple Effect of One Life: Adrian “Huggy” Williams
At Trinity Baptist Church, one of our greatest blessings is the ministry of Trinity Christian Academy. Since 1967, TCA has been helping students discover their God-given life and purpose. Each day, our classrooms, hallways, and athletic fields are filled with young people who carry extraordinary potential. These are students whose stories remind us of the power of faith and community.
Adrian Williams, known to everyone as “Huggy,” is one of those stories.
Standing at 6’3” and 275 pounds, Huggy is a presence on the TCA football team where he plays both offensive and defensive line. Colleges such as University of Florida, Florida State University, and University of South Carolina have taken notice of his athletic talent. But as bright as his future on the field looks, it is his faith and influence that are making the deepest impact.
Recently, eight of Huggy’s teammates were baptized, bringing the total to eleven football players who have trusted Christ and followed Him in baptism over the last year and a half. And it all began with Huggy.
Like many young men, Huggy has walked a difficult road. His mom passed away when he was just ten years old, and his dad is currently serving time in prison. Today, he lives with a Trinity family whose son is also on the football team. Along the way, he faced struggles at school and needed accountability.
That is when the Trinity family stepped in. Coaches, teachers, and pastoral staff surrounded him with encouragement and guidance. They did not discard him in his struggles. Instead, they walked with him toward restoration. Part of that accountability included sitting in church each Sunday with his coach. Over time, God began to work in his heart. One Sunday morning, Huggy responded to the invitation and gave his life to Christ.
From that moment, things began to change, and his teammates noticed. In his steady, determined way, Huggy began sharing his faith. At summer camp, several players gave their lives to Christ. At the start of this football season, Coaches Verlon Dorminey and Dave Burdetsky challenged the team to take the gospel seriously, and eight young men were ready to publicly declare their faith in baptism.
Huggy’s story reminds us of a simple truth: no life is too broken for God to redeem. When one life is transformed, the ripple effect can touch countless others.
Adrian “Huggy” Williams is more than a football player with a promising career. He is a young man whose faith is influencing his teammates, his school, and his community. And his story is only the beginning. #extraordinarylife
Click here to watch the football players’ baptisms: TCA Football Baptisms on Vimeo
2025
From Second Grade to a Second Chance
Sometimes God plants seeds early in life, and years later, He brings the growth in the most unexpected ways.
Carson Seward first attended Trinity Christian Academy as a second grader. Though he later transferred to another school in Jacksonville, the connections he made during those early years never faded. Fast forward to today, Carson is a high school graduate navigating adulthood and, like many, wrestling with his spiritual journey.
After drifting away from church and his walk with Christ, Carson found himself at a crossroads. Difficult life circumstances became the turning point that made him realize he needed to get back to the foundation he once knew. In that moment of reflection and need, one name came to mind—Michael Parson, a classmate from his second-grade class at Trinity Christian Academy.
Though they hadn’t spoken since elementary school, Carson reached out and asked a simple yet powerful question: “Can I go to church with you?”
And Michael said yes!
Since that moment, Carson has been faithfully attending services each week, getting reconnected to God and to a church family at Trinity Mandarin. He has taken the next step in his faith journey and was recently baptized as a public declaration of his renewed commitment to Christ.
His story is a beautiful reminder that God is never finished writing our story. No matter how far we drift, He’s always pursuing us—and sometimes, He uses a childhood friend and a long-forgotten connection to lead us home.
2025
Trinity Students on Mission: Trinidad and Tobago 2025
From June 4–11, our Trinity Students traveled to Trinidad and Tobago for a mission trip that has now become a three-year tradition. What started as a simple opportunity to serve has grown into a powerful, ongoing connection with the people of Trinidad—and a deeply personal experience of transformation for our students.
Throughout the week, students were actively engaged in bringing change to the island—because they themselves have been changed. One of the primary ways they served was by leading a kids club, where they ran crafts, games, and shared a fun, gospel-centered message. They also hosted a teen event, giving local students a glimpse into what a regular Wednesday night at VIVE looks like in America.
Beyond the events, our students participated in various outreach opportunities throughout the area. They went out to invite students right outside of schools to come to the teen night and even took time to connect with people at the mall. These simple invitations and conversations turned into moments of real impact. Several of our students were able to share the gospel in meaningful ways.
One particularly memorable interaction happened between one of our students and a girl from a local school. After receiving a pamphlet that explained the steps of following Jesus, the girl returned to find one of our students and asked her what some of the steps meant. Our student had the opportunity to walk her through the plan of salvation. After hearing it, the girl ran off to share what she had just learned with her friends.
One of our students reflected,
“God showed me what it means to step out of my comfort zone and serve people.”
This trip opened the eyes of every student to what it truly means to go, serve, and love people who may look, speak, or live differently than they do. It’s evident that God worked through them in big ways. They served and loved sacrificially, living out our mission to help everyday people discover an extraordinary life with God.
We’re so thankful for the opportunity to serve alongside Jimmy and Marie Westbrook—and we look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come. #extraordinarylife
2025
Easter Celebration for Every Family: A Special Needs Service Recap
This Easter, we had the privilege of hosting a Special Needs Easter Service—an evening designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and full of joy for families of all abilities. From the moment guests arrived, there was a sense of warmth, laughter, and genuine community in the air.
We intentionally created an environment where everyone could participate in a way that felt right for them. With thoughtful accommodations and sensory-friendly touches, families were able to relax and enjoy the evening knowing they were in a space that saw and supported them.
One of the highlights of the night was a visit from Pastor Joel and his puppet friend, Hercules, who brought energy, humor, and lots of smiles. Their engaging performance was a hit with both the kids and adults! Worship was intentionally designed to be interactive and accessible, with egg shakers and colorful streamers so everyone could join in and worship together.
Beyond worship, families enjoyed hands-on crafts, fun games, and a photo spot to take family pictures. The entire night was centered around connection, celebration, and the hope we have because of Jesus.
The most meaningful moment came as we shared the Easter story—the powerful truth of Jesus’ love, His death and resurrection, and the new life He offers to each of us. It was a gift to see families hear and respond to that message in a setting where they felt safe, included, and celebrated.
As a church, we seek to live this extraordinary life together, considering the unique and powerful ways we can impact Northeast Florida with the gospel—living intentionally, strategically, and missionally. Nights like this remind us of the importance of creating space for everyone to encounter Jesus in a real and personal way.
We are so thankful for every volunteer who helped make the evening possible and for every family who came to be part of it. This is what the church is all about—making space for everyone to experience the love and joy of Jesus, just as they are. #extraordinarylife
2025
Extraordinary Generosity: Trinidad and Tobago Mission Trip 2025
In just a few months, our Trinity Students mission team will be heading to Trinidad and Tobago from June 4-11, 2025, to serve alongside our long-time mission partners, Jimmy and Marie Westbrook. The Westbrooks have faithfully ministered in Trinidad and Tobago for 20 years, reaching communities with the love of Christ, and we are honored to support their work. Our team of 20 students and leaders will be hosting kids' clubs, youth events, service projects, and serving at a local college, all with the goal of sharing the gospel and making an impact in the community.
Preparing for a mission trip is no small task, and one of the biggest challenges is often fundraising. But our church family showed up in an extraordinary way to make this trip possible. Over the course of three weeks, we launched an envelope fundraiser across all three of our locations, giving people the opportunity to take an envelope with a specific dollar amount written on it and donate that amount toward our mission team. What happened next was nothing short of incredible—our church raised over $20,000 to help send our teenagers to Trinidad and Tobago!
This kind of generosity is a powerful reflection of one of our values: “Be generous people because we serve a generous God.” We don’t just say it—we live it. Our church family didn’t just meet a need, they invested in the next generation of missionaries. They gave sacrificially so that our students could experience the life-changing impact of serving others and sharing their faith in a different culture.
As we prepare to go, we are overwhelmed with gratitude—both to God for His provision and to our church family for being a part of this mission in such a significant way. This is what it looks like when the body of Christ comes together to help everyday people discover an extraordinary life with God.
Please continue to pray for our team as we get ready for this journey. Pray that God would prepare our hearts, open doors for ministry, and use us to make a lasting impact in Trinidad and Tobago.
2022
The Lord of the Storm
Genesis. The book that taught us about Noah, the flood, and courageous faith. But is there more to learn? Why yes, there is! But it’s a topic that we often find a little uncomfortable, and in some instances, tend to avoid. It is the topic of divine judgement. (stylerecap.com) The Bible teaches us about several different judgements. Most notably are:
- The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10)
o The place where Christians appear before God to be rewarded for their life and service to God on earth. - Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15)
o The final judgment of sinners where they are judged for their rejection of Jesus and cast into the lake of fire.
As such, we can learn a lot from the story of the flood and how to prepare for God’s divine judgement. The flood provides an occasion to teach us what is beneath the judgment of God and why it is necessary.
The Necessity of Judgment
Whether we like to admit it or not, it’s human nature to question God. When we look at situations like the flood, we may ask. “Why would God destroy everyone? God is a God of love, so why does it matter what we do and how we behave?” The answer: Genesis 6 shows us that God’s judgment is the result of humanity’s violence and evil in the world. Violence corrupts and destroys creation, essentially making it unrecognizable from God’s original intent when he created it. Thus, if there is no judgment from God, there is no way to stop humanity from destroying itself once it is overcome with violence and corruption. In the case of the flood, it was a vicious cycle that God stepped into out of love to end. God is both the ultimate creator and supreme judge of all. As a supreme judge, God:
- Makes sense of the violence in nature through the lens of what is morally right and wrong.
- Gives us a way to deal with personal wrongs and offer forgiveness to others.
- Keeps us from taking matters into our own hands and allows us to let God fight our battles.
The flood teaches us that there is a God who is an ultimate creator and judge, and that the judge is not us. We have to allow God to judge for us. Now that we know why divine judgment is necessary, it is time to explore its complexities.
The Complexity of Judgment
When we look at Genesis, we see how violent the world was. The world “grieved the heart of God” and caused him immeasurable pain. Judgement, like the flood, is complex because while it ended violence and corruption, it caused God pain. The way we live, what we do, and how we experience life really matters to God. When we destroy God’s plan for our lives, it hurts him beyond measure.
Judgment is complex because:
All judgment is born out of God’s heart.
God has tied his heart to our well-being. He chooses to stay with us and not forsake us. At the cross, Christ wept in agony as he secured our redemption. God suffers when we turn to sin because God loves us and refuses to abandon us.
God does not just give judgment, but he takes judgment upon himself.
God does not just give judgment, he also takes it. His cup is filled with suffering. At the cross, he is the one that took on the weight of judgment so that we would not have to be judged. Tim Keller said, “If he’s just a God of truth, he’s not going to suffer. Right? He just smites people. If he’s just a God of love and he accepts and tolerates everybody, he’s just going to accept people. If he’s a God of truth and love, if he’s a God of holiness and absolute compassion, he suffers. It’s the nature of God. When God saw what Adam and Eve did, when God saw what we did, he knew because of who he was he was going to suffer more deeply than anybody else, and yet he let history go on. 1 “
With this, we now understand why divine judgment is complex but necessary, but what is the solution?
The Solution to Judgment
When we have an infinitely holy and loving God, there must be a solution to judgment. The flood presents a pattern for a solution we can apply to our lives. We learn from the flood that:
It is a picture of salvation through judgment.
Not salvation in spite of judgment, not salvation and judgment, not half salvation and half judgment; it’s salvation through judgment. 2 Noah escaped; God still provided a way out through the ark.
The world needed a fresh start.
Humanity’s violence destroyed the world. It was disintegrating, crumbling, decaying, and God had to stop it. The world needed a new beginning so God decided that Noah and his family would be the ones to help start over.
We need a place of safety in times of judgment.
It all comes back to Noah’s ark. God provided Noah (and will also provide to us) a solution when judgment was coming. We need to be wise, listen to God, and get into the ark.
As Christians, the flood (trouble and judgment) will come. However, it is only when we are in the ark of salvation and remember what Jesus did for us that we will be safe. Once judgements pass, we must live our lives as such or we will be crushed by guilt and despair, hate the world, or become bitter toward God and His people. We must start living today as though the judgment is past and that we are truly free in Christ.
Summing It Up
We have learned a lot today. Let’s sum it all up in a few points:
- God’s judgment is the result of humanity’s violence and evil in the world.
- God is both the ultimate creator and supreme judge of all.
- As a supreme judge, God:
o Makes sense of the violence in nature through the lens of what is morally right and wrong.
o Gives us a way to deal with personal wrongs and offer forgiveness to others.
o Keeps us from taking matters into our own hands and allows us to let God fight our battles. - Judgment is complex because:
o All judgment is born out of God’s heart.
o God does not just give judgment, but he takes judgment upon himself. - The flood presents a pattern for a solution that we can apply to our lives.
- God is both a God of love and a God of holiness.
- We are all subject to the judgment of God.
- The ark (salvation) is the way that God protects us from judgment.
- The cross simultaneously shows us the judgement of God and the love of God. God demonstrates his love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
[1] Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
[2] Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
2022
How To Build A Life of Faith
In life, we often have times when we think, “My life is in shambles! Why is it not working the way I want it to?!” But, perhaps the more accurate question is, “My life feels like it is in shambles right now; am I rooted in and built on the right thing? (thedentalspa) Is my life built on a firm foundation of faith in Jesus or a pile of sand without any substance?” We constantly hear that faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1), but what does that really mean? Studying Genesis and specifically the life of Noah can give us insight that will help us answer this question.
Genesis 6 begins by showing us the heart of God. God’s heart is broken as He sees the world was full of violence and evil. So, He makes the heartbreaking decision to bring a flood that will destroy the earth. But his destruction is not without purpose. God is going to rebuild humanity through a chosen representative that He will rescue from the destruction of the flood. This is where we meet Noah and the “but” that encourages us there is something positive on the other side of God’s disappoint in the prior verses.
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” – Genesis 6:8
Noah was a man of courageous faith that walked with God. His life is a case study on how faith radically changes our lives. His story represented a hope of deliverance in a whirlwind of destruction. When God wants to offer deliverance, he does it by grace and through people who respond to him with courageous faith. Because of God’s grace on Noah, He told Noah about the flood and that he needed to build an ark. The thing is, Noah did not just believe in God without action, he believed and acted on the words of God. That defines courageous faith.
So, think, “How courageous is my faith?” Is it courageous like Noah’s to act on the words of God when the whole world thinks you are crazy? What does it take to have a radical, unmoving faith like that?
Let’s dive deeper into the life of Noah to learn how.
The Nature of Courageous Faith
Noah walked by faith because just the words of God stating there was going to be a flood was enough to make him tremble and jump into action. However, the other people chose to follow their own wisdom or what they saw in the present, no rain. They only became fearful and jumped into action once everything started to flood-but it was too late. As a result, they suffered due to a lack of faith.
Hebrews, as referenced previously, shows us there are two ways we gather information we choose to believe:
- We believe the things we see
- We believe in things we do not yet see
Tim Keller made a similar observation about faith. He stated, “When you believe God, you begin to let what God says about reality define your reality instead of what you see or feel. You believe what God says, what he tells you.” Therefore, we can define faith as choosing to believe the words of God over what we feel or see in the present. Remember the verse 2 Corinthians 5:7? “For we walk by faith, not by sight,” so we either choose to walk by our senses or walk by faith.
Many define their lives by their current circumstance rather than their future, leading to much stress, anxiety, and fear. This is not faith. God is not a God of chronic stress, anxiety, or depression. Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Real faith is rooted in God’s word and requires us to understand God’s word is our true reality. Therefore, our lives can never reflect truly courageous faith until we let what we see be defined by what God says-but this requires character.
The Character of Courageous Faith
Something happened in Noah that didn’t happen to anyone else. His life was transformed from the inside out. God brought out the full intention and purpose of Noah’s life. His character was completely changed, but in what way? Courageous faith changes us by:
Making us distinct from those around us
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God saw him as just and righteous compared to the people around him. Courageous faith transforms our moral character in a way that causes us to live differently from the rest of the world.
Making us wholeheartedly pursue God
Noah centered his whole life around God. He was in wholehearted pursuit of God. He sought to live out the plan and purpose of God in the world. God used Noah because Noah put God at the center of everything in his life.
The Results of Courageous Faith
When we live a life of courageous faith, it always bears fruit. The following are the results of living a life of courageous faith:
We become heirs of righteousness
Hebrews 11 tells us Noah became an heir of righteousness and salvation by faith. If someone is an heir, they become rich or wealthy based on someone else’s accomplishments. This is a picture of the gospel. Christ absorbed our sin on the cross, endured the wrath of God, and rose again conquering death so that we could receive the eternal riches that only he deserved.
We find safety in the ark
In Noah’s story, the ark was beaten by flood waves and thereby experienced the judgment of God, but everything inside the ark was protected and safe. In the same way, we can look at Christ as our ark. Christ bore our judgment, yet we were spared and saved by his sacrifice.
Summing It Up
We have learned a lot today. Let’s sum it all up in a few points:
- When God wants to offer deliverance, He does it by grace and through people who respond to Him with courageous faith.
- Courageous Faith = Believing and acting on the words of God.
- We gather information by either believing the things that we see or believing in things that we don’t yet see, therefore we either choose to walk by our senses or walk by faith.
- Courageous faith changes us by making us distinct from those around us as we wholeheartedly pursue God.
- We must focus our lives with God at the center and frame everything else around him.
- The results of living a life of courageous faith are that we become heirs of righteousness and find safety in the ark.
- Reflection Question: Am I rooted in and built on the right thing? Is my life built on a firm foundation of faith or a pile of sand without any substance?
- Reflection Question: If I have faith, is it truly courageous like Noah’s?
- Noah was a part of God’s saving plan for the world, and we can be the same with courageous faith.
2022
The Meaning of the Rainbow
One of the great joys in life is to see the appearance of a rainbow right after a storm. Most of us who see on and stop what we are doing, even if just for a brief second, to admire the magnificence of those vibrant colors stretching across the sky. We take a minute to point it out to our children because that is a sight worth seeing. Of course, we understand that the rainbow occurs because of the sun rays that hit fallen raindrops. But do we really understand the significance and deep meaning behind the rainbow?
Over the years, culture has used the rainbow for their own purposes. For example, in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland sang, “Over the Rainbow.” This song is so popular, most everyone recognizes the classic tune. More recently, the rainbow was adopted as the symbol of the modern LGBTQ movement.
However, when we look at Scripture, we find there is a much deeper message. A message that impacts each of us.
The first mention of the rainbow occurs in Genesis right after the flood that destroyed the entire earth. God set the rainbow in the sky as a sign or a token of God’s covenant with man that He will never destroy the earth again by a flood.
The rainbow is mentioned several more times in scripture.
- Genesis 9:13-16 - after the flood
- Ezekiel 1:28 - as “the bow that appears in the cloud in the day of rain”
- Revelation 4:3, 10:1 - the rainbow appears in reference to the glory of God around the throne
The rainbow is a token or sign of the grace of God. The only two times that the rainbow (actually bow or war bow) is mentioned like this is in Genesis and Ezekiel. The rainbow is associated with the justice and judgment of God. God hates evil and He must punish sin; His glory demands it.
Did you know that the rainbow that we commonly refer to is actually a war bow? I want you to picture an actual bow and arrow – the kind that Robin Hood used to defend the poor. The shape of the bow is an arch just like the rainbow. When God lays the bow in the clouds, He is signaling to us that there is not going to be war, but peace instead.
If you think about the placement of the rainbow, the bow is aimed upward toward heaven, not down toward the earth. The significance of this is God telling us that if I fire an arrow, if I punish sin, I will direct that punishment not toward the earth, but toward heaven.
Charles H. Spurgeon described what it means for the bow to point toward heaven and not down at us. It is as if God is saying, “See, I love you, I’m not going to judge you, and if necessary, I’ll take the arrows of my judgment myself.”
Jesus took the arrows Himself. He took God’s punishment and the penalty of our sins. Just as there is no more flood, there is no more condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.
Jesus emptied Himself of His glory, He came to earth in a form that had no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised, rejected, stripped of all beauty and glory.
He was stripped naked, beaten, whipped, and killed. He did that so that we could be clothed in His righteousness and one day get God’s approval, God’s applause.
There are things that your heart wants more than anything else, glory in the approval of others and in performance, and Jesus gave up His glory so that we could have it.
When Jesus died, the veil was ripped in the temple. It means the glory of God is no longer fatal to you. It can come into your life. This not only solves your issue objectively, but it also solves the subjective problem because now it helps me to want to obey Him and to trust Him.
The beauty of the rainbow points to the beauty of the cross. By going to the cross and giving up His glory, that is the most glorious thing that ever happened. That is the difference maker in your life.
So, the next time you are riding in your car and see a rainbow, you can say to your kids, “Let me tell you what that rainbow means. It is a reminder to God so that he remembers His promise not to destroy the earth again. It is also a picture with the up turned bow that on the cross Jesus was judged for our sins so that we would not have to be.”