Rainbows

In Genesis 9 we read the story of Noah and how God set the rainbow in the sky as a sign of his covenant with all living creatures of every kind on the earth. To most of us it is a sign of hope. Folklore around the world has some interesting myths about rainbows.

The rainbow looks like a giant bridge or gate and has been called the "Gateway to Heaven." Many people believe the rainbow is a ray of light falling to earth whenever Saint Peter open the gates of heaven to let another soul in. In Hawaii, Polynesia, Austria, Japan and among Native American tribes the rainbow is the path souls take on their way to heaven and has been called a bridge or ladder to higher or other worlds. The Russians call the rainbow the "Gate to Heaven". Other myths say the bow is a stream of water that souls in heaven drink from. In Germany, the paler secondary rainbow, sometimes seen above the primary rainbow, is said to be the work of Satan attempting to outdo God.

In Norway, a giant name Heimdal stands on a rainbow bridge, connecting heaven and earth. Heimdal's hearing is so acute that he is able to hear the sound grass makes as it grows. He guards Asgard, the home of the Norwegian gods. The Valkyrie Maidens flying through the air on winged chariots carry dying Norse heroes over the bridge to Valhalla, a state of peace and bliss existing in Asgard. An old Norse story calls the rainbow Asbru, the bridge of the Gods.

In Greenland the rainbow is the hem of God's garments. The Samoyeds (a Siberian Mongolian people) and the Cherokees say it is the hem of the Sun God's coat. The ancient Welsh believed it to be a goddess' chair. In Croatia it is God's seat.

In a German creation myth the rainbow is the bowl God used to hold his paints while coloring the birds. The Mojave tribe of Arizona say the rainbow is a toy or charm the creator needs to stop a rain storm. The Luyia people from Kenya say that God created the rain and all the water in the world comes from it. To stop the rain when it is not needed God made two rainbows, the narrower male rainbow and the wider female. The male rainbow cannot stop the rain by itself. When it is followed by the female rainbow the rain stops. Currently there is a severe drought in Kenya. I wonder if the female rainbow worked too hard!

Some Native Americans believe the rainbow is made from the souls of wild flowers that grew in the fields and forests of the prairies. The Navajo people believe gods travel on the rainbow because it moves so quickly. No matter how fast you run you cannot get to the end of a rainbow. They feel the rainbow is a bridge between this world and the other side. They also say it is a goddess who appears during ritual chanting to heal the sick.

Some Buddhists believe the seven colors of the rainbow relate to the seven planets and the seven regions of the earth. They also say the rainbow is the highest state of samsara (perpetual wandering of life)before the light of Nirvana or heaven. In Arabia the rainbow is a tapestry draped by the hands of the south wind. It is also called the cloud's bow or Allah's bow. In Islam the rainbow is made up of four colors: red, yellow, green and blue related to the four elements.

I found many other myths but I think these are plenty. I am happy to believe that God was putting down his bow and would never destroy the Earth by flooding again. Unfortunately, He did not say he would not let levees break. The folks suffering from the destruction of the Gulf Coast hurricanes need to grab onto the rainbow of hope. Let us pray that they will find it!