Meaning of Colors in the Bible Explained

If you’re looking for the symbolic meaning of colors in the Bible, you’ve come to the right place. We talk about the biblical meaning of over 11 colors.

It’s no secret that the world’s most famous book uses a vast number of symbols to convey its complex messages and ideas, and color is no exception. 

If you’re wondering about the meaning of colors in the Bible, look no further.

Each color has its own biblical meaning. You can deepen your understanding of scripture and delve deeper into the Bible’s pages by understanding them.

The Significance of Primary Colors in the Bible

Although each color of the spectrum has its own biblical meaning, the primary colors are fundamental in the Holy Bible.

Blue in the Bible

Blue represents heaven (Exodus 24:10) and the healing power of God. In the story of Christ healing the woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years, the color of the hem was blue (Luke 8:40-48). 

Blue is also the color of the sky – a constant reminder of the heavenly realm, and it also is found to mean purple (Ezekiel 23:6).

Besides heaven, the color blue indicates the Holy Spirit and truth. As for the lighter shades of blue, these were often used to represent the Virgin Mary.

Red in the Bible

Red is the color of blood, and as such, it’s no surprise that the biblical meaning of red is generally to signify blood somehow.

There’s a lot of blood imagery in the Bible (John 6:55) – most prominently, of course, in the Crucifixion and subsequent purification through resurrection.

But the color red can also represent earthliness. The Hebrew word for “scarlet” also has the same root meaning as the Hebrew word for “earth,” opening up to several parallels. 

The decorations in the Tabernacle, which has a lot of symbolism in its use of color, used a lot of red. Adam was created from the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7), signifying that he was an earthly being.

Sin is often referred to using the color red or scarlet. This makes sense because all earthly beings are susceptible to sin. But through the Lord’s holy power, they can be purified and made holy and pure again.

Yellow/Gold in the Bible

The color yellow and gold are often used interchangeably throughout the Bible, allowing for rich interpretations. 

Yellow symbolizes faith and Glory of God, anointing, and joy. Still, the Bible has two Hebrew words for yellow. The first is charuts (Psalm 68:13) and tsahob (Leviticus 13:30). The latter refers to the color of hair or the skin of a sick person.

Gold is well-known as a precious metal, high-valuable and sought-after. There’s an obvious connection to God’s love, which is also highly precious, valuable, and sought-after (John 3:16). Jesus Christ is precious, as are His promises (1 Peter 2:7).

Gold in the Tabernacle

When giving instructions for building the furniture in the Tabernacle, God gave precise instructions about the use of gold. Every piece of furniture was designed to point to Christ and His power. 

In the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant was made of acacia wood (to symbolize Jesus’s humanity) and overlaid with pure gold (symbolic of His divinity). 

The same materials were used to make the lampstand (pure gold) and the table of shewbread and incense altar (acacia wood overlaid with gold). 

Similarly, the mercy seat and two cherubim were also made of pure gold (Exodus 25:10-21).

Gold Representing Idols and False Gods

A prominent meaning of the color gold in the Bible is also to indicate false gods and the allure of the world. 

When Moses was on Mt. Sinai, the Israelites created and worshipped a calf made of gold. Nebuchadnezzar had a statue representing the kingdoms of men. The head of the statue was made out of gold, representing the sinful kingdom of Babylon.

With this symbolism comes the warning that the wealth of this world will never satisfy the soul (Ezekiel 7:19). Literal gold will leave us wanting more, but the symbolic gold of Christ’s love will bring us full circle.

The Significance of Secondary Colors in the Bible

Here’s the biblical color meaning of the secondary colors.

Purple in the Bible

Purple is created by mixing red (the color of the flesh) and blue (the Word of God and His healing power). 

Then, it’s no surprise that purple in the Bible represents royalty (Judges 8:26) because it was an expensive dye in ancient times. Purple also describes Jesus as the King of kings (Revelation 19:16), which is why it is the official color of Advent.

Beyond that, purple also represents the holy priesthood. Through the Word of God and the Lord’s healing power, we can gain access to God’s wisdom and power and take up the sacred priesthood. 

This can also be taken to mean that those in the priesthood and righteous rulers who abide by God’s laws can gain a certain level of access to divinity in their decision-making and insight, despite still being of the flesh.

Orange in the Bible

Orange is made by mixing red (the color of the flesh) and yellow (trials) to create the color of fire. 

This represents the fire of God, deliverance, and praise from on high. Through trials, man can become purified through Christ’s fire and be delivered, earning praise from all that is holy and transcending his earthly flesh.

In addition, orange represents the prophetic ministry and change. Think of the color of changing seasons and the harvest.

Read next: Butterfly Color Meanings

Green in the Bible

The color green is made by mixing yellow (the color of trials) with blue (the color of the word of God and His healing power). 

Green symbolizes immortality, eternal life, new growth, renewal, and resurrection since it’s the color of vegetation. As Psalms 1:3 puts it, “the leaf shall not wither.” 

It’s no coincidence that springtime is a season rife with greenery and new growth, and it’s also the time we celebrate the Resurrection during Easter (Jeremiah 17:8).

Other Biblical Color Meanings

Here are some other colors in the bible and their meanings.

Black in the Bible

Of all biblical color meanings, black holds the darkest significance despite being an incredibly beautiful color.

The symbolic meaning of the color black represents suffering and death in all its many forms. This includes mourning (especially in Job 30), famine (Revelation 6:5), judgment due to sin (Jude 13), death (Lamentations 4:8), an omen of evil (Zechariah 6:2), and the grave (Job 10:21-22).

Black absorbs, rather than reflects, light. God’s love and power are often represented by light in the Bible. 

Black, then, is the opposite of light. Rather than reflecting God’s love, black turns away from it. This can be taken to mean that suffering often causes people to turn away from God or lose sight of His love. It can also mean that God’s love brings joy, the opposite of strife and suffering.

That’s why many people believe that when you dream in color, and black is the dominant color, one should expect a bumpy road ahead.

Brown in the Bible

Brown symbolizes the earth. It was often used as the color of a monk’s robe in the Bible, representing humility and devotion.

It is also used to represent God’s association with the commonplace and the ordinary. His humanity.

Brown is associated with wood in many passages, which is linked to salvation (like Noah’s Ark and the Cross).

Brown also symbolizes acceptance and compassion, as seen in Genesis 30: 24-42 in the story of Jacob.

White in the Bible

The Bible is similar to a lot of literature in that white is the color of light. It is used to represent righteousness, purity, and the light of God (Daniel 7:9), which is why white is a common color in the church. 

The color white is without stain, similar to repentance. Through the righteousness of Christ, we can be washed clean through God.

“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

White is also used to depict God’s complete victory over the powers of evil (Revelation 19:11).

Rainbow in the Bible

The rainbow most commonly appears after the flood in Genesis 9:13, a signal to Noah of God’s love and promise never to cover the Earth in purifying water again.

But the rainbow colors also show up in Ezekiel during the vision of the Throne Room of Heaven and in Revelation (over the Throne Room and over a mighty angel). This is taken to represent redemption, blessings, and the full glory of God realized.

More Colors in the Bible

• Turquoise: Tranquility, patience, the New Jerusalem, and God’s healing (Psalm 65:9).
• Gray: Wisdom, dignity, honor, and humility.
• Amber: Presence of God, fiery passion, wisdom, and God’s anointing (Ezekiel 1:4).
• Pink: New life, Father’s heavenly care, and Rose of Sharon.
• Silver: Salvation and the Word of the Lord (Psalm 66:10).
• Lilac/Orchid: Care and Father’s concern over the Lilies-of-the-field.
• Bronze: Testing by fire, endurance, and judgment of sins (Exodus 30:18).

The Significance of Colors in the Bible

The Bible is filled with symbolic meanings throughout Its books, from colors to numbers.

Relating to colors, they are often used to illustrate the various characteristics of God’s nature and promises.

That’s why it’s crucial to comprehend the symbolism of colors to gain a deeper understanding of Scripture.

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