Jonathan Haws This week in our family scripture study we focused on Noah and the ark. I want to share some thoughts that have been growing in me as I’ve wrestled with these stories.
For a long time, I’ve struggled with the idea that God would send a flood to wipe out nearly all humanity because they were wicked. The older I get, the harder it is to reconcile that image with the God who weeps in Moses 7—the God who grieves because His children are killing one another. How can the God who weeps over violence be the same God who inflicts it? Many people wrestle with that same question.
As I’ve thought about it more deeply, a different picture has begun to form. What if I’ve been understanding this story too narrowly?
God in the Storm
I have been thinking about how God created the world and understands it intimately—its patterns, its forces, its weather. They knew a great flood was coming, not as an act of aggression, but because They understood how the earth works. They wanted humanity to have a chance to survive. Through Noah, God tried to warn the people, to plead with them, to help them prepare and take refuge.
But many refused to listen. Still, God did not walk away. They remained with humanity. They continued to plead, to exhort, to provide guidance. They stayed alongside, suffering with the people, grieving their stubbornness, until finally, those who were willing could enter the ark and be saved. The ark, then, becomes a symbol of that steadfast presence—a tangible way God remained with humanity through the rising waters, offering refuge and hope even when much of the world would not respond.
God in the Covenant
That brings me to the symbol of the rainbow. In Hebrew, the word used in Genesis 9 is qeshet—a war bow. Ancient listeners would have imagined a weapon, not a delicate arc of color. But the bow is unstrung, resting in the clouds. Ancient warriors would hang up their bows as a sign of peace, a gesture that the war is over and they can rest. Similarly, God’s bow is not drawn toward humanity. It is not a threat or a sign of anger.
To understand its deeper meaning, it helps to remember how ancient peoples viewed the world. They looked at everything—the sun, the storms, the disasters, the joys—and interpreted it theologically. Every event was connected to the divine. The rainbow, then, becomes God’s plea: “Do not misunderstand Me. I am not the author of your pain or suffering. Life is filled with challenges because of the nature of the world we live in, not because I am angry or punishing you. I am here to guide you, to help you navigate life, and to lead you toward joy and safety.”
The bow is relational. It is covenantal. God is showing that the forces of the world are not aimed at destruction but are offered in the context of guidance and support. The covenant is not simply about “I won’t do this again.” It is about God reminding us—and Themself—of who They are: present, patient, merciful, and longing for connection.
God on the Cross
Sitting with this story has reminded me that God’s character is revealed not only in these early narratives, but most fully in Christ. On the cross, God does not send destruction; God absorbs it. God does not retaliate; God forgives. God does not crush enemies; God dies for them. The bow in the clouds, hanging unstrung, anticipates that same posture: divine power directed not toward violence, but toward love.
As missionaries, you will meet people who struggle with stories like Noah’s flood. Many are not rejecting God—they are rejecting a version of God that seems harsh or arbitrary. Your work is to show them a different picture: a God who warns, stays, suffers with, and preserves; a God who provides refuge and calls us to listen; a God who is not our enemy, but our loving, covenant-keeping Parent.
When storms gather in your own lives—discouragement, rejection, exhaustion—I hope you remember both the ark and the bow. The ark is the tangible refuge: God’s presence that stays through the storm. The bow is the relational pledge: God is not hostile, but covenantally engaged and longing for relationship. God is always calling, always pleading, always there.
Keep studying, keep wrestling, and keep loving.
