Introduction
Did you know that God has a favorite color? Yes, he does! Which color is it? Blue! This color is the primary embroidery on Jewish prayer shawls (Hebrew: tallit), the interwoven threads of their fringes (Hebrew: tzitzit; H6734), and the modern Israeli flag. There is even more symbolism of blue in the Bible, especially about God. Blue is the color of the sky and the pavement of sapphire around God's feet (see Exod. 24:10). The prophet Ezekiel tells us that God's throne itself is blue, made from the finest of Lapis lazuli (see 1:26; 10:1). Blue was the color of the Law of Moses and the Levitical priesthood, similar in manufacture to the purple dye of royalty. Blue furnished the temple curtains and covered the furniture and sacred utensils in transit. Blue dye (Hebrew: techelet; H8504) came from Hexaplex trunculus, a non-kosher sea snail.
A Kingdom of Priests
For God to meet the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt, he told them to make the tent of meeting. They decorated it with blue, crimson (some translations read "scarlet"), and purple threads alongside furniture and golden utensils. God wanted his priests, descendants from Aaron's son Levi, to wear blue ephods to undergird the breastplate with a stone for Israel's twelve tribes. The outer cover and retaining cables were always blue. Because the yarn came from wool and the ephod and curtains were from twisted linen (see Exod. 25:4; 39:1-31), God banned the Israelites from the other eleven tribes from wearing wool and linen together (see Lev. 19:19; Deut. 22:11). Such a mixture was only for the temple and its holy things.
However, God did tell all of the Israelites to attach fringes to the four corners of their garments with blue thread interweaving with white ones. Symbolically, the tiny threads of blue reminded them of God and to obey his commandments (see Num. 15:38). Israel served as God's kingdom of priests, a royal priesthood to the nations. They were a light to the nations (i.e., Gentiles; from Latin gentilis, "people"). However, the Levites were the priests of Israel, meaning they alone could stand in God's presence and minister to him. The "royal priesthood" concept did not imply all Israelites could be civil and religious leaders. Perhaps this was the reasoning of Korah when he said, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?" (Num. 16:3). God decimated Korah and his co-conspirators in their rebellion against Moses and Aaron (see Num. 16:23-50).
Scarlet Harlot, but No Blue
Much of Revelation revisits Old Testament themes, meaning the past informs us of the present and the future. One of the things we Christians overlook is the colors provided in the description of the great harlot of Babylon. In contrast to the pattern and the golden utensils for the tent of meeting and the Jerusalem temple, which featured blue, crimson, and purple, the great harlot only possesses scarlet and purple with a single golden cup (see Rev. 17:4). Why does she lack blue? Because blue is the color of God and his moral law (see Luke 9:35; Rom. 1:4). This symbolism refers to the sky, representing the sacred covenant between God and all creation. Moreover, red is the color of earth and humankind (Hebrew: adam, "man;" H120; adom, "red;" H122; adamah, "earth;" H127; cf. Gen. 2:7); purple is royalty and kingdom (see "Lydia of Thyatira;" cf. Esth. 8:15; Dan. 5:7), and gold represents wealth (see Gen. 2:11-12).
All of the laws of morality and nature make up the sky, pointing to the ultimate reason, logic, and definition: Jesus as the divine Word of God (Greek: Logos; G3056; cf. John 1:1). Therefore, the great harlot is a church-like community of people that appear to be Christian, but they disobey God like every other unrepentant sinner. The devil's anti-church follows his anti-messiah (i.e., antichrist), a corrupt antithesis of the church as the bride of Christ (see Luke 5:34-35; Eph. 5:31-32). For this reason, Paul of Tarsus called the antichrist the "man of lawlessness" (2 Thess. 2:3). Scripture presents the pseudo-church as a harlot because she pretends to be faithful to God's law while committing adultery, idolatry, and fornication.
Royal Priesthood, Revisited
Simon Peter wrote in his first letter, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (2:9). In this context Peter included the Christian Gentiles in Israel's royal priesthood. This idea does not mean the church exists without leadership, as God condemned Korah and his followers for rebelling against Moses and Aaron. Priesthood means that Jesus calls all believers to represent him and minister to the world. As Gentiles, we are wild and lawless branches the Holy Spirit grafts into the olive tree of Israel (see Rom. 11:17-24). We enter into the body of Christ, made real through the incarnation of the only-begotten Son in human flesh and blood. Traditionally, many Christian artists illustrate Jesus in blue and red clothes to emphasize his divine and human natures. The church likewise encompasses the blue of heaven and the red of the earth, combined with God's wealth of gold and royalty of purple. We represent the kingdom of heaven in the world, citizens who transcend the temporal boundaries of politics and culture.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the significance of blue in religious symbolism, particularly in Judaism and the Bible, is profound. It represents the divine, the sacred, and the eternal. From the azure hues adorning prayer shawls to the celestial imagery of God's throne, blue embodies a connection to the heavens and the divine presence. Its use in religious rituals and artifacts underscores its importance in conveying reverence, purity, and spiritual depth. Through the color blue, we find a tangible link to the transcendent, reminding us of God's boundless majesty. Blue is a timeless reminder of the covenant between humanity and God, woven into Christian doctrine and praxis. Its enduring presence resonates across cultures and generations, inspiring awe and reverence for the sacred mysteries that lie beyond our earthly understanding.
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the universe; for you teach us in your Word to offer prayers and supplications and give thanks to all people. We humbly ask you mercifully to receive our prayers. Inspire the universal church continually with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord, and grant that all who confess your name may agree in the truth and live in harmony and godly love. Amen.
Bibliography
The Book of Common Prayer. Huntington Beach, CA: Anglican Liturgy Press, 2019. p. 110. https://bcp2019.anglicanchurch.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/BCP2019.pdf.
Boonstra, Shawn. "Colors in Bible Prophecy." Chattanooga, TN: It Is Written, Inc., 2010. Video, 00:04:15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGGT5nNvuic.
Ngo, Robin. "What Color Was Tekhelet?" Washington, DC: Biblical Archaeology Society, 2023. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/what-color-was-tekhelet.
Sagiv, Gadi. Jewish Blues: A History of a Color in Judaism—Jewish Culture and Contexts. Philadelphia: Univ. of Pennsylvania Press, 2023.
"Tekhelet: The Mystery of the Long-Lost Biblical Blue Thread." Brooklyn: Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center. https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/530127/Tekhelet-The-Mystery-of-the-Long-Lost-Biblical-Blue-Thread.htm.
Tumino, Melissa. "The Ultimate Guide to the Biblical Meaning of Colors." Think about Such Things (blog). June 29, 2020. https://thinkaboutsuchthings.com/biblical-meaning-of-colors.
Tverberg, Lois. "What's So Wrong with Mixing Wool & Linen?" Our Rabbi Jesus (blog). July 2, 2013. https://ourrabbijesus.com/articles/whats-so-wrong-with-mixing-wool-linen.
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