
The sun’s rays embrace eveyone in this skyline I shot somewhere in my travels years ago.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. (Psalm 97:6, ESV)
The sun, clouds and sky are more than a natural phenomenon. They are messengers of God’s righteousness. They are speaking to us. They declare God’s righteousness—his equity, fairness, and justice.
How do we see God’s righteousness in the sky? Paul tells us God “did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17, ESV).
The rain and sun reveal our Father’s righteous equity: “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45, ESV).
So each time we see the sun shining or the rain falling on everyone, regardless of their character, conduct, religion, ethnicity, language, or country of origin, it is a call to righteousness and love. We should hear Jesus say, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:43–45, ESV).
How have you seen God’s righteousness in the heavens?
“How have you seen God’s righteousness in the heavens?”
Moses said, “God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent: hath He said and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken and shall He not make it good?”Numbers 23:19. David agreed and stated, “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of Thy righteous judgments endureth forever.” Psalm 119:160. Poetically, he also wrote, “Truth shall spring out of the earth and righteousness shall look down from heaven.” Psalm 85:11.
How does righteousness look down from heaven?
It does so in splendor, a visual reminder of a promise made to mankind and all created flesh. In Genesis 9:13-16, God declared emphatically:
“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
“And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
“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.
“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.”
Therefore, I testify that when I gaze upon a rainbow, I see our Father’s righteousness looking down from heaven upon me, truth displayed through fine, delicate drops of mercy, as He remembers and honors His promise to us forever.