I always loved rainbows growing up. They didn't have any symbolic meaning to me. I was just awe struck at the beautiful creation in the sky. They amazed me and I was always excited to see one. It was not until I met a woman I was in a relationship with 28 years ago that I learned the colors of the rainbow were symbolic for the gay movement. This love we had was real, but it is different as the Lord is the love of my life. After the Lord rescued me from identifying as a gay woman for 22 years and captured my heart; I learned the true meaning of the rainbow.
I need to be sensitive to the Lord's heart and Spirit and remain true to God's word during these challenging times by living out my story telling the world who Jesus is. My mind is set on things above with aiming to please and live for Him.
Everybody knows June is gay pride month and the the colors of the rainbow are used as a worldwide view of twisted truth and confusion. Sadly while the world is celebrating their movement, I am rejoicing in the Lord of the radical transformation I once lived.
History of the Gay Rights Movement and the Pride Rainbow Flag
I believe it's important to know and understand the history. The gay rights movement is rooted in the Stonewall Inn riot in New York City on June 27th, 1969. It was the turning point after the police raided the bar that served the LGBTQ community. At that time homosexual activity was illegal and the bars were controlled by the mafia who paid off corrupt police officers. However police raids still took place at gays bars and on this night the LGBTQ community fought back, which revolutionized a new activism movement for equal rights and liberation. The first gay parade was on June 28th, 1970 at the Stonewall, which sparked more gay activists in other major cities across America and more countries joined and has grown bigger since then. You can read more here.
The Rainbow Pride Flag that is used to this day was designed by Gilbert Baker, a San Francisco gay activist and artist in June of 1978. He was encouraged by his friend Artie Bressan, a film maker of gay documentaries who also directed porn on the side, and Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official of California to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, to come up with a symbol for gay freedom. At this time the gay movement was using a pink triangle as their symbol. But Gilbert wanted something more positive from a dark period when Adolph Hitler also used it as a symbol, forcing Jewish people to wear who they believed to be homosexuals. Originally Gilbert designed the flag with 8 colors and meanings, hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic/art, indigo for serenity, and violet for spirit. After Harvey Milk was shot and killed the demand grew for the Rainbow Flag. The pink was dropped for unavailability, and later the turquoise was taken out to bring out more visibility of remaining colors. This resulted in the 6 colors we have to this day, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet known as the Rainbow Flag signifying the LGBT. Gilbert's flag has become a symbol recognized throughout the world for equal rights and liberation. Since then others have designed flags to recognize their identities to include LGBTQTIA+ (covering people of all genders and sexualities). The Pride Rainbow Flag is recognized all over the world for the gay rights movement and liberation.
It is sad that the enemy has taken something God gave us as a beautiful promise, and turned it into a symbol which is against the Face of God. Instead let this be a move of God to speak life in truth and love. Love always rejoices in the truth.
The Real Meaning
The covenant of grace and the promises of God. Jesus represents the door open on the ark built by Noah for anyone to come in and be saved from destruction and death by God's mercy and lovingkindness.
God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations; I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I make a cloud appear over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in a cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Genesis 9:12-15 NASB
An open door to the ark as a symbol to the door of salvation
I am the door; If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
John 10:9 NASB
As a symbol of Christ Himself
And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with human experience. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 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. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. and when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of the one speaking.
Ezekiel 1:26-28 ESV
At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
Revelation 4:2-3 ESV
This is the rainbow that God designed, the sign of His promise in the way of everlasting life. The only two things in this world that will remain eternal are the lives of other souls and the word of God that is forever fixed in heaven; all else will pass away. We need to take the meaning of God's rainbow back and tell others about our Creator while defending the faith. No eye can see the unlimited amount of colors in the spectrum of God's rainbow. The beautiful glorious God of colors in this world.