Colors just as numbers have meanings in scripture. Colors just as numbers often have more than one meaning depending on the context. This is seen even in regular words in English. An example is the word B-O-W pronounced bow (bo) or bow (bow) depending on its usage. In scripture bow (bo) is seen as the short form for rainbow or as a bow and arrows. Bow (bow) is used for someone who bows down before someone such as Jesus Christ or a king or something such as an idol. In secular usage this word has even more meanings such as a bow (bo) in a girl’s hair or the bow (bo) (curvature) in a board or the bow (bow) (front) of a ship. Some examples of numbers are two means division or union or witnessing such as the two witnesses. Three means resurrection, four is the world or the gospel, and five means grace.
Colors in scripture just as numbers are more than meets the eye. It is not just when a word of an actual color is given, but the color of objects such as precious stones (gems) or metals. Many times a color and its corresponding numbers will match such as in Revelation or the priestly precious stones they wore mentioned in Exodus.
The first color we will look at is green. The word green is seen 41 times in scripture. Green represents life. We see this in nature as spring arrives it brings forth the green grass and green leaves on the trees. Only green trees bear fruit. When grass or a tree dries up, it loses its color and also dies. We see green representing good food for life. (Genesis 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.) We see the removal of green as removing life. (Exodus 10:15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.) The Jews were to offer green ears of corn as a meat offering to the LORD. (Leviticus 2:14 And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.) Satan’s followers always try to copy God and offered to their idols (gods) in groves under green trees. (II Kings 17:10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:)
We see green in emeralds. Emeralds are by the throne of God as God is life. (Revelation 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.) Lucifer originally had an emerald among his precious stones on him. He originally had life before he rebelled. (Ezekiel 28:13) Emeralds were the fourth stone and first in the second row on the priests breastplate. (Exodus 39:11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.) Emeralds are seen in the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;) Notice that on both the priests breastplate and the foundations of the wall of New Jerusalem, the emerald representing life is the fourth stone matching the meaning of the number four as the gospel through which if we believe it and receive Jesus as Saviour, we will have eternal life.
We see how the colors work together such as how yellow (deity) + blue (separation)= green (life). Separation for God leads to life.
Blue represents separation or division. Blue is the most popular color in the world. This color is seen on the priest’s robes as they were separated for service for God. Blue is seen as one of the colors for the curtains in the tabernacle. (Exodus 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.) Blue is also seen in the temple separating the holy of holies from the rest of the temple. The holy of holies was where God lived. (II Chronicles 3:14 ¶ And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.) A cloth of blue covered the ark of the covenant, the table of shewbread, the golden lampstand and altar and all of the instruments of ministry used in the tabernacle as they were set apart or separated for God. Things here on earth, especially dealing with the Jews was a shadow of things in heaven. (Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.) I believe the curtains and the vail and their colors are the same as in heaven with the cherubim around God’s throne. I believe the blue is separation of God from the rest of creation because he is holy, the purple represents the royalty of God as King, and the scarlet and crimson represents our sins washed away by the shed blood of Jesus. We see blue in nature as separation or division. The blue sky separates us here on earth from outer space. The blue ocean separates the continents and the people living on them. The word blue is found 50 times in scripture. The number 50 represents the Holy Ghost. The word blue is only found in the Old Testament. This is because we no longer need priests to go to God for us, but if one is saved they are a priest and have direct access to Jesus and God. Each of the three heavens were divided by a layer of blue water. Water is universally recognized as being blue such as we sailed the ocean blue. Most of the first layer between the first and second heaven was destroyed at the start of the Genesis flood. There is also a frozen layer between the second and third heaven. This is seen in (Psalm 148:2 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.) I believe the glass sea seen by John in Revelation is this sea which separates the second and third heaven. I believe he described it as glass since it is probably frozen. (Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.) I believe when the new earth has no more sea, it will literally have no more oceans, but I believe this sea separating the two heavens will also be gone as now there will be no more sin to keep us from having direct access to the third heaven where God’s throne is located. (Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.) I believe this sea is seen in the molten sea in the temple. (I Kings 7:23 ¶ And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.)
The sapphire is blue and is seen in the priest’s breastplate and in the New Jerusalem. (Exodus 39:11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.) (Revelation 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;) Notice that the color blue matches with the number of the same meaning as two has. It is found as the second stone in the second row of the priest’s breastplate and as the second stone in the foundation of New Jerusalem. Both blue and two represent separation and division.
Purple represents royalty. Even today, it is a common color of kings and queens. A purple robe was placed on Jesus just before his crucifixion as they mocked him as king. They will someday bow down before that King. Jesus is the King of kings. (John 19:2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,). The rich man who is in hell wore a purple robe. Purple was a hard color to obtain and was used by the wealthy. (Luke 16:19 ¶ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:) The priests robes were blue and purple showing in a sense their royalty as the leaders of the people and the purple of Jesus Christ. The amethyst is purple and seen in the New Jerusalem as the twelfth stone and as well as in the priest’s breastplate. (Exodus 28:19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.) (Revelation 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.) Notice the amethyst as purple is the twelfth stone in the foundation matching the meaning of the number twelve which means governmental perfection. Jesus as King of kings (royalty) will rule the millennium with governmental perfection.
Yellow means deity or God’s glory. We see this in the yellow gold found as streets in heaven. The ark of the covenant including the mercy seat was covered with gold. The yellow sun represents God’s Son Jesus who is the Sun of Righteousness. (Malachi 4:2 ¶ But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.) The topaz which is yellow is the ninth stone in the New Jerusalem foundation wall as seen in (Revelation 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.) and also a stone on the first row of the priests breastplate as seen in (Exodus 39:10 And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.). Nine is the number of the fruit of the Spirit and God is first hence it is found in the first row of the breastplate.
Black represents death. This is still seen today as people often wear black at funerals in mourning for the dead. Darkness is black and is the removal of light which is Jesus and thus represents death. Hell is described as outer darkness as the people rejected the life of Jesus and chose death. There was darkness over the whole earth when Jesus was crucified as he was the light of the world. (John 8:12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.) We are called out of darkness to the light. (I Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:) Satan and his angels are rulers of the darkness of this world. This world leads to death. (Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.) We are not to be children of darkness, but of light. The black horse of the third seal in (Revelation 6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.) represents famine which often leads to a painful death. Black also represents evil. It is seen today in the Goth community as it rebels and in those who are Satanic worshippers where black is their favorite color. Black is the absence of light. (Jesus)
Red has multiple meanings. We see it represented by blood and especially by the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross at Calvary for all of us so that we might be washed clean and have eternal life. The red horse of the second seal in Revelation 6:4 represents war. Much blood is shed in war. Satan is described as a red dragon. (Revelation 6:4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.) He has also brought much bloodshed and his rebellion will lead to war in heaven. (Revelation 12:7) The red heifer of Numbers 19 represents cleansing and purification and is representative of the cleansing by Jesus.
Scarlet and crimson which are shades of red often represent sin. (Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.) Revelation 17:3-4 speaks of a woman on a scarlet beast wearing scarlet. This woman martyred the people of Jesus and is represented by the Roman Catholic Church today as seen by the cardinals in their red robes and their history of killing true Christians.
White represents purity. This is seen today when brides wear white at their wedding. We as the bride of Christ will wear white to the marriage supper of the Lamb. We saw how the blood of Jesus can make our sins as white as wool. Notice lambs are white of which Jesus is the Lamb of God and our passover Lamb. (John 1:29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.) (I Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:) Jesus sits on a great white throne. Born again believers will all wear white and return to earth with Jesus on white horses. (Revelation 19:4 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.) (Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.)
We all know the rainbow was God’s promise to Noah and all mankind that he would never flood the whole earth again. (Genesis 9:11-16) The colors of the rainbow represent the gospel of Jesus Christ. (red [sin], orange [judgment], yellow [God], green [life], blue [separation], indigo, violet [Christ]) The colors read as follows: Through Adam, sin entered into the world. Judgment was passed by the Lord whereby man would not have eternal life and therefore because of Adam’s sin, God needed to be separated from mankind, until Christ came as a man, bore our sins and shed his blood on the cross and rose again to be our Saviour and King. [The phrase above on the meaning of the colors in the rainbow comes from the book Color in Scripture by D.L. Higginbotham.] A rainbow is seen behind the throne of God. (Revelation 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.) The LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) movement tries to destroy the gospel of Jesus. They also remove one color in their rainbow to only have six whereas God has seven in his. Seven is spiritual perfection. Six is the number of man. Satan is always less than God and can never match up with him. The next time we see a rainbow in the sky, let us never remember the distortion by Satan and the devilish LGBTQ Pride movement and their false meaning, but let us remember the true meaning, of not only the covenant God made with Noah not to flood the earth again, but also the presentation of the gospel, to thank God for our salvation and to encourage us to tell others about Jesus.
Brass which is reddish-orange seems to represent judgment. Orange is seen in fire where the ultimate judgment of the unsaved will be when they spend eternity in the lake of fire. This is seen in certain items in the tabernacle and temple. Other colors such as brown and grey are mentioned. Many other things in scripture such as silver, tin, lead and other metals or the color of other items such as various precious stones or wood, hay and stubble all have various meanings beyond the scope of this sermon. The colors and order of the precious stones found on the priest’s breastplate and the foundations of the New Jerusalem as well as those in the rainbow all have meaning and significance as to their order, but that is also beyond the scope of this sermon.
In conclusion, colors just as numbers are very significant in scripture and many of their meanings are still seen today.
