A Bow of Many Colors Over the years, scientists have learned it takes three criteria—three laws of the universe— to produce a rainbow. Absent any one of them, you get nothing.
First, the law of refraction. When sunlight enters an airborne water droplet, its trajectory bends inward slightly, like a dogleg.
Second, the law of total internal reflection. When the bent sunlight reaches the backside of the water droplet, it is reflected. Oddly, in other words, the back surface of the water droplet— though transparent to the eye—acts like a mirror.
Third, the law of dispersion. The bent, internally reflected sunlight exits the droplet’s front surface, whereupon it fans out into all the colors of the rainbow, in this exact order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
Of course, this tree-step process works only if sunlight and airborne water droplets exist at the same time—which happens only during a very narrow, very precise window of time, namely when a rainstorm (airborne water droplets) is just letting up and the sky is just beginning to clear (sunlight).
Only when all of the above preconditions are satisfied does a magnificent bow of many colors suddenly sweep across the sky. Scientifically speaking, it’s a sign of optimism (beter weather ahead), enormous beauty, and the exquisite inner working of the cosmos.
REFLECTION
Any parent knows how painful it can be to discipline misbehaving child. God is no different. Time and again, throughout human history, God has had to punish us for our rebellious and wicked behavior. Each time, he was left bereaved.
For example, he flooded the earth to wipe it clean of our wanton depravity. Afterward, he promised Noah he would never do that again.
According to the Bible, God selected rainbows to be the universal reminders of that promise, a sign specifically designed to appear after thunderstorms, just when the clouds are parting and the sun is coming out again.
THE CREATOR SPEAKS
I HAVE PLACED MY RAINBOW IN THE CLOUDS. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with the earth…Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life.
Genesis 9:13,15
From: “LET CREATION SPEAK” 100 Invitations To Awe and Wonder Michael Gulillen, PhD
Submitted by Cathy Kirk