In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John saw a rainbow around the throne of God in heaven:Īt once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Writers of the Bible used rainbows to describe the glory of God: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. The gospel of salvation, like a rainbow, is all-encompassing, and everyone is invited to behold it:įor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ isn't only for a select few souls to enjoy. This promise comes from the story of Noah and the Flood.Īfter the flood, God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign of his covenant with Noah to never again destroy the earth and all living creatures by flood.īy arching high over the horizon, the rainbow shows the all-embracing expanse of God's faithfulness through his work of grace. The Christian rainbow is a symbol of God's faithfulness and his promise to never again destroy the earth by flood. 2 Samuel 22 says the Lord is a lamp, turning darkness into light. Psalm 119:105 says God's Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path. Light also represents the direction and guidance of God. Even though they only had enough sacred oil for one day, God miraculously causes the eternal flame of his presence to burn for eight days, until more purified oil could be processed.

In fact, in the Jewish Feast of Dedication or 'Festival of Lights,' we remember the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Temple after being desecrated under Greco-Syrian captivity. The eternal flame of God's presence was to be lit in the Temple in Jerusalem at all times. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and the Israelites in the pillar of flame. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' (John 8:12, NIV) The LORD is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1, NIV) (1 John 1:5, NIV) When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light in him there is no darkness at all. With so many references to God being 'light' in Scripture, representations of light such as candles, flames, and lamps have become common symbols of Christianity: and I will make you fishers of men.' (NIV) Jesus said in Mark 1:17, 'Come, follow me. For example, Christ multiplied the two fish and five loaves of bread to feed 5,000 in Matthew 14:17. They were a staple of the biblical times diet and fish were often mentioned in the Gospels. The Greek word for fish (Ichthus) also forms the acronym 'Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior.'įollowers of Christianity also identify with the fish as a symbol because fish frequently appeared in the ministry of Christ. It is said to have been used by early persecuted Christians as a secret symbol of identification because it could be quickly sketched in the dirt with the toe of your sandal and just as quickly scraped out again. Ichthys is the Ancient Greek word for 'fish.' The 'Christian fish,' or 'Jesus fish' symbol consists of two intersecting arcs tracing the outline of a fish (most commonly with the fish 'swimming' to the left). The Ichthys or fish symbol was used by early Christians to identify themselves as followers of Jesus Christ and to express their affinity to Christianity. The Christian Fish, also called the Jesus Fish or Ichthys, was a secret symbol of early Christianity. Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.' (Matthew 16:24, NIV) Followers of Christianity identify with the cross through these words of Jesus (also in Matthew 10:38 Mark 8:34 Luke 9:23):

Protestant churches tend to portray the empty cross, emphasizing the resurrected, risen Christ. This form is known as the crucifix and brings emphasis to the sacrifice and suffering of Christ. Roman Catholic depictions of the cross often reveal the body of Christ still on the cross. The cross today represents Christ's victory over sin and death through the sacrifice of his own body on the cross. Though various forms of the cross existed, the Latin cross was made of two pieces of wood crossed to create four right angles.

In all likelihood, it was the shape of the structure upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. The Latin cross is the most familiar and widely recognized symbol of Christianity today. Way of the Cross procession makes its way across the Brooklyn Bridge on Good Friday.

The pirate download i am bread