What prophecy did Jesus give related to the color green? What do the four horse colors of Revelation's horsemen symbolize? Who is the prophetic harlot in scarlet? What is the Great White Throne Judgment and why is it one of God's greatest acts of mercy and love?
The King James Bible mentions, by name, at least twelve colors. Eight of these (66.6%) have a direct link to Biblical prophecy! They are black, blue, crimson, green, purple, red, scarlet and white. The book of Revelation mentions colors in its prophecies a total of 31 times, a full half of all the color references in the New Testament. This places the book as the third most "colorful" in the entire Bible behind Exodus (98 times) and Leviticus (34).
The colors of prophecy found in Revelation, covered in this article, are white, scarlet, purple, red, black and green. Other prophecies involving red, crimson, blue and green, not found in Revelation, will also be discussed.
The Red Heifer
The first of several prophecy colors we will cover is red. The red heifer is the only Biblical example where the coloration of a sacrificial animal is specified likely due to its special use.
The red heifer was used in ancient Israel to ceremonially purify something such as those who were near or touched a dead body (Numbers 19:11, 16). The animal was to be physically perfect, meaning without any blemishes or defects (verse 2). It was burned completely and its ashes collected and stored.
". . . dipped his fingers in the blood and sprinkled it seven times in the direction of the tabernacle; then the carcass was burned in his presence - hide, flesh, and blood . . .
"Another man, ceremonially clean, then gathered up the ashes of the consumed heifer and stored them in a clean place outside the camp, that they might be used in preparing water of purification." (1906 Jewish Encyclopedia article on the red heifer).
How is this animal with a red color linked to Bible prophecy?
Scripture seems to indicate that a third temple (or temporary structure) of some kind, possibly cleansed by red heifer ashes, will be erected in the End Time. It would be used by the "son of perdition," the Beast of Revelation possessed by Satan (Revelation 13, 19), to declare he is god and therefore deserves worship.
Do not let anyone deceive you by any means because that day will not come unless the apostasy shall come first, and the man of sin shall be revealed - the son of perdition,
the one who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is an object of worship; so that he comes into the temple of God and sits down as God, proclaiming that he himself is God. (2Thessalonians 2:3 - 4, HBFV).
The Destruction of Tyre
Blue, of all the Bible's colors, is only rarely linked to prophecy. One of the incredibly few times it is directly involved is in regard to the destruction of Tyre where it represents the city's vast wealth and prosperity.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus (Tyre), and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up. And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus (Tyre), and break down her towers . . . I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more . . .
Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee . . . These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work . . . (Ezekiel 26:3 - 4, 21, 27:7, 24, KJV).
The destruction of Tyre occurred over several phases. Babylon's Nebuchadnezzar warred against Tyre's mainland presence for 13 years and destroyed it (Ezekiel 26:7 - 11, 29:18). Later attackers, especially of its occupation of a nearby island, were the Persians, Alexander the Great in 332 B.C., the Seleucids, and the Romans under Pompey in 64 B.C. (New Commentary on the Whole Bible).
Destruction and Crimson
Crimson, as one of the eight prophecy colors, is mentioned by name only five times in Scripture. One of these occurrences shows up in Jeremiah's prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem. It symbolizes not only prosperity but also the unrepented sins of God's people.
"And you, O desolate one, what will you do? Though you dress with crimson, though you put on ornaments of gold, though you make your eyes large with paint, you shall make yourself beautiful in vain; your lovers will despise you; they will seek your life." (Jeremiah 4:30, HBFV).
Jerusalem and its temple, in 586 B.C., were looted and burned to the ground by Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar. Many of the city's inhabitants were killed while most of the rest were taken captive.
Jesus' Green Tree Prophecy
Jesus, as he was being led to Golgotha, met women mourning his impending death. He briefly stopped, in the midst of his suffering, to offer a prophecy involving the color green.
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children . . . "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.'
"For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall take place in the dry?" (Luke 23:28, 30 - 31, HBFV).
Jesus' prophecy involving the color green, possibly symbolizing his own life and ministry, clearly points to Rome's destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. This destruction came to the city due to its sin and unwillingness to accept Jesus as its Savior (Matthew 23:37 - 39, Luke 19:41 - 44, 21:20 - 24). The phrases "fall on us" and "cover (hid) us," however, still have a future fulfillment as they will be uttered in the end time by those also unwilling to repent (Revelation 6:15 - 17).
The Harlot in Scarlet
Revelation's harlot in scarlet is the prophetic woman who, wearing clothes with purple and scarlet colors, rides a fantastical beast with seven heads and ten horns.
“Come here; I will show you the judgment of the great whore who sits upon many waters . . . and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns, full of names of blasphemy.
And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and was adorned with gold and pearls and precious stones; and she had a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominations and the filthiness of her fornication;
And across her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:1, 3 - 5, HBFV).
The harlot is called Babylon the Great as Babylon represents man's first collective attempt, after the flood, to rebel against God (Genesis 11)! It was at that time when Satan the devil reasserted his power over humanity through deception, an authority he still holds to this day (Ephesians 2:1 - 2, 6:12, 2Corinthians 4:3 - 4).
The harlot with scarlet and purple colors represents a wealthy but rebellious and sinful system that heavily influences the earth through the consent of its leaders. Through her power she has, and will continue to be, a relentless persecutor of true Christians (Revelation 17:6, 18, 18:3). It will take Jesus' return to finally remove her influence over humans (Revelation 17:1, 14).
The Four Horsemen Colors
Before the "Day of the Lord" prophecy begins to unfold (starting in Revelation 7:1), Jesus opens up four seals that herald the appearance of the four horsemen of the apocalypse! The prophetic, and highly symbolic, colors of the four horses that are ridden are white, red, black and pale green.
riding horses of different colors.
The first of four riders, possessing a bow and a crown, rides a horse with the color white.
And I looked, and behold, there was a white horse; and the one who was sitting on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:2, HBFV).
Jesus himself reveals what this first horse colored white represents.
Be on guard, so that no one deceives you. For many shall come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ'; and they shall deceive MANY . . . And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. (Matthew 24:4 - 5, 11, see also verse 24).
The white color of this horse symbolizes religious deception at an unprecedented scale. Many false teachers and false teachings will be promoted all with the goal of deceiving humans.
The second horseman rides a horse who is the color red. He represents war and the bloodshed that naturally follows (Revelation 6:4, see also Matthew 24:6 - 9).
The third horseman, who rides a horse which is black in color, represents famine along with the hunger and starvation it will bring (Revelation 6:5 - 6, see also Matthew 24:7).
The fourth horseman rides a horse that is pale according to the King James (Revelation 6:8). The Greek word from which the KJV gets "pale," however, is chloros (Strong's #G5515). Chloros is translated elsewhere as the color green (see Mark 6:39, Revelation 8:7, 9:4). The Holman Christian Standard Bible correctly translates the verse as follows.
And I looked, and there was a pale green horse. The horseman on it was named Death, and Hades was following after him . . . (Revelation 6:8, HCSB).
Why a horse with a color of pale green? The rider is named Death, the only one of the four given a name. He will have authority to kill 25% of earth's population. Pale green represents death as people with lighter skin usually appear the color pale (greenish) within 15 to 25 minutes after life ends. This change is caused by blood leaving the skin surface due to the circulatory system shutting down.
Great White Throne Judgment
One of the most inspiring and hopeful colors of prophecy is white.
Then I saw a great white throne and the one Who was sitting on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and no place was found for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:11 - 12, HBFV).
The White Throne Judgment is also referred to as Judgment Day and the second resurrection. This color, as in many places in the Bible, symbolizes God's perfect and righteous character.
Who are the "rest of the dead" resurrected after the Lord's millennial reign (see Revelation 20:7)? They are all those from Adam to Jesus' return, including all those aborted or otherwise died in the womb, who never had a full chance at salvation. They, during their life on earth, either never heard the gospel or heard it but never comprehended it enough to have a full chance to repent of their sins.
At this judgment all those resurrected (117+ billion!) will have their minds open to understand God's truth and repent. They will then (possibly) be given time to overcome and build righteous character (for 100 years?, see Isaiah 65:17 - 20) so that they, too, can receive eternal life! The color white, in this case, reveals one of the greatest acts of God's perfect mercy and love he will ever perform!
Conclusion
The colors of prophecy reveal to us the mind of God and the perfect power he possesses to manifest his will at any time. They show his correction and love for humans, along with his willingness to do whatever it takes to fulfill his glorious plan for man.