Is there any significance to colors in the Bible?

Six verses are then devoted to God's establishing the sign of the covenant (vs.12-17). The rainbow was this sign, not seen during the flood, but after it was over. God set His bow in the cloud. the scientific explanation of the rainbow is that the raindrops act as the prismatic medium that causes a refraction of the rays of the sun. The pure white light is thus divided into seven distinct visible colors, always seen in the same order, each color of the spectrum having a beauty of its own. This is a lovely picture of God's glory, for "God is light," and each color is symbolical of some particular aspect of God's many attributes, -- supremacy, power, authority, grace, righteousness, holiness, love and others that are implied in the various shades of every color also. Therefore all the glory of God is involved in His promise that He will not again judge the world by means of a universal flood. This beautiful display following judgment is also anticipative of the fact that after God judges the world by that Man whom He has ordained (Acts 17:31), the glory of His grace will again be displayed in wonderful blessing to mankind. The book of Revelation therefore is not merely a book of judgments, but "the revelation of Jesus Christ," for all the beauty of the glory of God will be displayed in Him who conquers every enemy and shines forth in His eternal brightness for the purest blessing of mankind.

Six verses are then devoted to God's establishing the sign of the covenant (vv. 12-17). The rainbow was this sign, not seen during the flood, but after it was over. God set His bow in the cloud. The scientific explanation of the rainbow is that the raindrops act as the prismatic medium that causes a refraction of the rays of the sun. The pure white light is thus divided into seven distinct visible colors, always seen in the same order, each color of the spectrum having a beauty of its own. This is a lovely picture of God's glory, for “God is light,” and each color is symbolical of some particular aspect of God's many attributes, — supremacy, power, authority, grace, righteousness, holiness, love and others that are implied in the various shades of every color also. Therefore all the glory of God is involved in His promise that He will not again judge the world by means of a universal flood. This beautiful display following judgment is also anticipative of the fact that after God judges the world by that Man whom He has ordained (Acts 17:31), the glory of His grace will again be displayed in wonderful blessing to mankind. The book of Revelation therefore is not merely a book of judgments, but “the revelation of Jesus Christ,” for all the beauty of the glory of God will be displayed in Him who conquers every enemy and shines forth in His eternal brightness for the purest blessing of mankind.

Of all colors gold is by far the most often referred to in Scripture, and generally too in reference to the metal. "Yellow" is used in a few cases, all but one of which use a Hebrew word denoting a golden color. It is the glittering, brilliant color, visible for the longest distances, and speaks surely of "the brightness of God's glory," the manifested glory of God in pure truth and righteousness, and thus, as we have seen, a clear symbol of the Son of God. We can therefore understand how we find this so greatly abused through the deceit of Satan; and gold, because of its great value, is in Scripture often connected with idolatry. But such imitations tell us that here we have something that men consider well worth imitating. Therefore let us seek more earnestly to know the great value of this wondrous manifestation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Returning now to the red end of the spectrum, we might remark that red is a color greatly used in Scripture. Its main significance seems to be in its attracting character: it is outstanding, and claims attention. Hence we have seen that it illustrates the attracting and attractive love of God. This too is simple of application when we think of "the precious blood of Christ": it has peculiar attraction for the repentant sinner. On the other hand, red is sometimes used in an evil sense, - "sins red like crimson," "the great red dragon," etc.; and such instances of course show the attractive character of what is contrary to God, imitations by which men are deceived. It is also used in connection with judgment, the Lord Jesus Christ "red in His apparel, treading the winepress alone" (Isaiah 63:2, 3). Here He draws men to Him, but for judgment. What may be to one the welcome warmth of the love of God, yet proves to another the consuming heat of His judgment. Solemn, yet evident lessons commonly taught by the heat of the sun. In all here said, let us notice that the feelings are prominently involved.

Colours are symbolical; blue, purple, scarlet - heavenly, royal, and glorious; fine twined linen, purity of nature.

The colors used were blue, purple, scarlet and white. Blue is the color of heaven, purple that of royalty, scarlet the color of blood, and the white tells of righteousness. The ten curtains of fine twined linen which surrounded the tabernacle typify the holy, spotless humanity of our Lord. How the colors tell out the blessed story of the gospel, that heaven's King came down to shed His blood, we need not to follow in detail. The loops of blue and taches of gold which unite the curtains tell of Him likewise.

The connection of the scarlet colour with the earth is also seen in the fact that, in the descriptions of the Tabernacle, the word scarlet is always a translation of two Hebrew words, one of which means "worm", and is elsewhere so translated (e.g. Psalm 22:6). It would be difficult, if not actually impossible, to determine now the exact shades of the three Tabernacle colours, but, by thus describing the scarlet as "worm-scarlet", the Holy Spirit has surely emphasised its connection with the earth and its contrast to the blue of Heaven. Here then we have the two contrasting colours, the blue of the sky and the scarlet of earth - the one signifying the heavenly, and the other signifying the earthly - the one speaking of the Divine, and the other of the human, of Adam, of flesh and blood.

The curtains which formed the tabernacle itself are described fully in the book of Exodus. They were of "fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet, with cherubim of cunning work." The first was pure white, with which the blue, purple and scarlet were interwoven in patterns of cherubim. We may remember the Lord's own garment, seamless, woven from the top throughout: and also Joseph's "coat of many colors." The white is of course absolute purity, the complete reflection of the perfect ray of light. Blue is the heavenly color; purple, the royal; scarlet (or crimson) the sacrificial. These characters in the Lord combined to form the cherubic patterns which show Him as the One maintaining the majesty of the throne of God; for the cherubim belong ever to the throne. The Lord then is here before us in the diverse glories that His life down here exhibited. King of God's kingdom; heavenly, come down to earth; highest, and lowliest; absolute purity, self-sacrificing for the guilty. Never shall we get beyond this wonderful display of grace and goodness in which Deity has made itself familiar to us: that path in which extremest suffering only pressed the grapes into that precious "wine, that cheereth God and man." Such then is Gershon's occupation: and because that wonderful life is taken up from earth, and exists but as a remembrance, therefore is He indeed "Gershon" — his life an "exile," though but temporary, from his true home, where Christ is.

We also see a rainbow about the throne. All of its divided colors speak of distinct beauties and glories of the God of creation. Yet it is said to look like an emerald which is green. This is the central color of the spectrum and speaks of the fruitful, refreshing principle of the grace of God. It is wonderful to be assured of this before God's awesome work of judgment must begin (Isa. 28:21). It is His great pleasure to do the work of pure grace as He has done in the salvation of countless numbers through the value of the sacrifice of His beloved Son. Judgment is His extraordinary or “unusual” work, that in which He has no pleasure, though it is a necessary work.

"And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 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." (vv. 2, 3.) This is God seated on the throne. The jasper is called "a stone most precious" (Rev. 21:11), and the idea suggested by both gems is that of dazzling glory. It is a session of judgment; for "out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices." (v. 5.) Still it is encircled with a rainbow, the token of God's "everlasting covenant" with creation. (Gen. 9:16.) When Ezekiel beheld God about to give up Jerusalem to desolation, he saw "the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain." (Ezek. 1:28.) So here, again, God shows that in judgment He remembers the covenant He has made with the earth. The emerald may be emblematic of the preciousness of the covenant in His sight, or its greenness may indicate the refreshing rest brought to the eye when wearied with the vision of the impending judgments.