His Bow

Alton Hardy Howard was born in 1925 in Farmersville, LA. He and his wife had three children and during World War 2 he served in France and Germany as part of the Air Force. He was a business man for Howard Brothers Discount Stores among other ventures.

Most notably he was a Christian man who served as an Elder at the White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, LA (where the Duck Dynasty clan is from).

He is best known as a song writer and hymnbook publisher. His family was responsible for the song books the Songs of the Church in 1971, Songs of Faith in 1986, Songs of the Church 21st Century Edition in 1990, and Songs of Faith and Praise in 1994. His brother was responsible for publishing Church Gospel Songs and Hymns.

Alton Howard was also responsible for writing the song, There’s a Rainbow in the Clouds. The message is simple: Life is tough but God has made himself known and will take care of us.

Look at the passage that was the inspiration of this song: “This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you…I do set My bow in the clouds.” - Genesis 9:12-13

Notice that the bow is mentioned. Not the rainbow. The bow. It is obvious that he is referring to what happens after the rain. The moisture in the sky refracts the light—not enough to obscure it—but the droplets act as a prism creating an optical illusion if we are at the correct angle. This all works in that way because God set it all in motion. So after the first real rain recorded in Scripture, there was a rainbow.

But that first rain came due to destruction on God’s part for the sin in the word. But at the end of the destruction was a sign of hope. A rainbow and a promise: “I will never destroy the earth in that way again…”

And He sat down his bow. The Hebrew word “qeset” is used 76 times. In 72 instances the word is used for an instrument of war or hunting or a figurative symbol of power and authority.

In the case of the flood God has been at war with evil and almost the entire world, but in the aftermath of destruction, he sat down his bow and made a promise not to pick it up again. The worldwide destruction by water would never be employed again. He had set his rain bow down and made a promise.

We serve the same God today. And just as He gave hope through the rainbow, He gave us something—or should I say Someone—better to look to: Jesus Christ represents the grace, love, and patience.

Three times God has poured out his unrestrained wrath on the world. Once at the flood. Once at Sodom and Gommorah. Once at the Cross. The last one was meant to destroy sin for all of mankind. It was for us.

So when times seem difficult and it seems we can’t make it remember - There’s a rainbow in the clouds and a risen Lord in heaven that attest to the grace, mercy, and love of God.

Ben