Tuesday, 16 March 2021

What's in a color?

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As we begin the begin of Leviticus, which describes (amongst other things) what goes on in the Tabernacle, let us consider what the priests wore as they served in the Tarbernacle. Nothing is in the Bible by chance or mistake. Every word has a purpose. So when God uses particular colors, we should value His choices.

Exodus 39:3 "They hammered the gold into thin plates, and cut it into threads, to work it in with the blue, purple and scarlet, within the fine linen, the work of a skillful craftsman." Let's take them one at a time. These garments are specifically tailored to represent the tribune nature of God (Father-Son-Holy Spirit). The colors of the outer "garment of glory" are no exception.

Gold - Represents Diety. Pure gold is without impurities. If you put a torch to pure gold, it melts. If there are impurities, they flash up and burn off. This is the refiner's fire. Revelation 3:18a "I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich ..." At the end of Zechariah, the surviving remnant is tested like gold. Zechariah 13:9 "This third I will bring through the fire. I will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them as gold is tested. They will call on My Name and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are My people,' and they will answer, 'Adonai is my God.'" God IS the gold standard.

Blue - Is the color of God's Law (His righteous standard). Numbers 15:38, 39b "Speak to Bnei-Yisrael. Say to them that they are to make for themselves tzitzit ... and they are to put a blue cord on each tzitzit ... so whenever you look at them, you will remember all the mitzvot of Adonai and do them." Blue is the color of the Ephod (middle tunic) which represents Yeshua (always in the middle of everything) Who is the Word (commandments) made flesh. John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Purple - Is the color of royalty. The Roman soldiers who crucified Yeshua knew this, as they taunted Him as King of the Jews. John 19:2 "The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe." Also, in Luke 16:19 the "rich man" is described in the parable with Lazarus as being clothed in purple.

Scarlet - Is the color of salvation. Blood is red, and we are saved by the blood. 1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of His Son Yeshua purifies us from all sin." Is that just New Testament, or in the Torah too? Hebrews 9:22 "And nearly everything is purified in blood according to the Torah, and apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Only the blood of Yeshua provides lasting atonement. Revelation 5:9 "And they are singing a new song, saying, 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals. For You were slain, and by Your blood You redeemed for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.'"

Linen - Is white, the color of the Holy Spirit. Luke 3:22 "and the Ruach ha-Kodesh came down upon Him in bodily form like a dove. And from out of heaven came a voice, 'You are My Son, whom I love - with You I am well pleased!'" Yeshua identifies Himself with the Holy Spirit. John 14:17-18 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him. You know Him, because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not abandon you as orphans; I will come to you."

Yeshua is the reality of all things. So, it follows, Yeshua is the reality of all the colors of the priestly robes. Yeshua is God (Gold), the Commandments of God (Blue), Royalty - King of the Jews (Purple) and Salvation - Only His blood saves (Scarlet), the Holy Spirit (White Linen). Think on these things.