Jesus and MeWhy Did God Put a Rainbow in the Sky?
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About this story
Join Jesus and his little friend for the story of Noah, the ark, the animals two by two and the first rainbow. A gentle Bible story for young children about a God who keeps his promises.
In one line: God keeps his promises, and the rainbow reminds us.
Ask your child
What promise has someone kept for you? What can you thank God for when you see a rainbow?
A short prayer: Dear God, thank you for keeping your promises. When I see a rainbow, I will remember that you love me. Amen.
Read the story
Have you ever seen a rainbow? Come and see! Jesus and his little friend sat on a sunny hill. They had a story to share. Long, long ago, there lived a kind man called Noah. Noah loved God very much. Every day, Noah talked to God. He listened, and he did what was right.
But other people had stopped being kind. They were mean, and they hurt each other every day. That made God very, very sad. His good world was full of unkindness. So God told Noah a big plan. A very, very big plan! God told Noah to build an ark. A great big wooden boat!
God said a big flood was coming. But he would keep Noah’s family safe. So Noah got to work right away. Tap, tap, tap went his hammer! His wife helped. His three sons helped. Shem, Ham and Japheth helped too! Up went the walls. Up went the roof. Tap, tap, tap! Bang, bang!
The ark grew longer and longer. It had three floors and one big door! Noah did everything God told him to do. Every single thing! Then, one sunny morning, Noah heard something. Listen! Can you hear it too? Clip clop, clip clop! Here came the animals, walking two by two!
Two tall giraffes, with long, long necks. Two big elephants, swinging their trunks! Two fluffy sheep. Two spotty leopards. Two little mice, squeak, squeak! Birds flew in, two by two. Bugs and beetles crawled in too, wiggle, wiggle! Two by two, two by two, into the ark they went!
Noah and his family went inside too. Then God shut the door. Pitter, patter. Pitter, patter. Dark grey clouds came, and the rain began to fall. It rained and rained and rained. For forty days and forty nights! The water rose higher and higher. Up, up, up went the ark!
But inside the ark, everyone was safe and dry and warm. The lions curled up. The sheep snuggled close. The ducks tucked in their heads. Noah’s family fed the animals and kept them cosy. God was with them. Then God remembered Noah. He sent a gentle wind across the water.
The rain stopped. Slowly, the water went down, down, down. Bump! The ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Noah opened a window and sent out a raven. It flew to and fro. Then Noah sent out a little dove. But she found no place to rest.
So she flew back to Noah. He gently reached out and brought her inside. Seven days later, Noah sent the little dove out again. Off she flew! That evening, she came back with a fresh olive leaf! The land was drying! Seven more days, and the dove did not come back.
Then God said it was time. Noah opened the door wide! Out came the animals! Hop, skip, gallop, fly! Two by two, two by two! Noah built an altar, and the whole family said thank you to God. Then God made Noah a promise. A big, happy, forever promise.
God said he would never again flood the whole earth. Never, ever, ever! Then God set his bow in the clouds. A beautiful rainbow! Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple! It shone over the ark! Every time we see a rainbow, we remember. God keeps his promises!
Jesus smiled at his little friend. A bright rainbow glowed in the sky above them. God keeps his promises. And God loves you so very much! Next time you see a rainbow, can you say thank you to God?
Thus Noah did. He did all that God commanded him. (Genesis 6:22) I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth. (Genesis 9:13)Genesis 6:22; 9:13 (World English Bible)
