Bible Dictionaries
Rainbow

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: ἶρις

(Strong's #2463 — Noun Feminine — iris — ee'-ris )

whence Eng., "iris," the flower, describes the "rainbow" seen in the heavenly vision, "round about the throne, like an emerald to look upon," Revelation 4:3 , emblematic of the fact that, in the exercise of God's absolute sovereignty and perfect counsels, He will remember His covenant concerning the earth (Genesis 9:9-17 ); in Revelation 10:1 , "the rainbow," RV, the definite article suggests a connection with the scene in Revelation 4:3; here it rests upon the head of an angel who declares that "there shall be delay no longer" (ver. 6, RV marg., the actual meaning); the mercy to be shown to the earth must be preceded by the execution of Divine judgments upon the nations who defy God and His Christ. Cp. Ezekiel 1:28 .

Bibliography Information
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Rainbow'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​ved/​r/rainbow.html. 1940.