The rainbow is not only a beautiful natural phenomenon but has also been a symbol of hope and promise throughout history. In the Bible, the appearance of a rainbow carries significant meaning and is associated with divine messages. Each color of the rainbow holds its own symbolism and serves as a reminder of God’s faithfulness. In this article, we will explore the biblical meanings behind the seven colors of the rainbow, delving into their significance and the messages they convey.
1. Red: Symbolizing Sacrifice and Redemption
Red is the fourth color of the rainbow and has many symbolic meanings, not only in the natural world but also in the Bible. It represents passion and love. It can also represent anger, danger, war, strength and power.
When used in the Christian context, red is often associated with Holy Spirit, sacrifice and the blood spilled by Jesus on the cross. It is also symbolic of redemption and how God gives us blessings according to His grace.
The disciples received the Holy Spirit as tongues of fire. ‘“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”’ (Matthew 3:11)
Red was a common color in numerous sacrifices made in the Bible. These offerings were often made to ask forgiveness for people’s sins or to give thanksgiving. ‘The priest shall then offer all of them and offer them up in smoke on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.’ (Leviticus 1:13)
Jewish people also celebrate Yom Kippur by wearing red clothing. The priest would sacrifice a goat as a sin offering substituting for all of Israel. The blood would be sprinkled into the Holy of Holies by the tabernacle.
Jesus’ blood was spilled on the cross for our sins, proving His unconditional love for us. ‘But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.’ (Romans 5:8)
God’s grace is widely represented by this color. Red has been used in weddings and wedding culture to represent God’s grace over us.
Jesus followed His father’s plan and spread His love across the world so we could be received back into Heaven post-mortem. By doing so, red can also be indicative of God’s transformational power to redeem us from our sin. ‘Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.’ (2 Corinthians 5:16)
This color can also be seen when looking at Bible verses about faith, hope and love because Jesus’ sacrifice proves that He loves us unconditionally.
2. Orange: Symbolizing God’s Protection
Orange is a lesser-known color found in the rainbow. The shades of orange symbolize God’s protection to us through His constant presence.
Verse Highlight: Exodus 39
Exodus 39:3 mentions a specific orange woven into the clothes for Aaron. The orange garment is named after the city of Ir Shemesh. Orange comes from the Hebrew word for sun, which is the center of our galaxy. Most likely, it is a bright shade of yellow. We can trace this to the Latin word (Latin: aurantius).
The orange heart chakra represents courage and is connected to physical wellbeing and emotional strength. Daring or bold people usually have orange as their favorite color.
The fruit, orange, is associated with feelings of warmth, security and family. With this in mind, it makes sense that it would fit right in with the rainbow—and God’s promise of constant protection and presence in our lives.
What are your fears?
Do you trust God to protect you from those fears?
Even though we are Christians, we cannot escape the fears of this world. We have fears about our health, our future and our relationships. But Jesus said in John 10:28 that no one can snatch us from Him.
The Lord our God is always with us, protecting and loving us.
Cultivate Your Protection Heart
If a heart chakra resonates with you, then embrace your courage to be audacious in Christ. To grow your protection heart:
- Surround yourself with positivity. Encourage yourself with daily affirmations of God’s love on a Post-it note or a wallpaper on your phone.
- Ask for support when you feel like you can’t handle something alone. Beyond humans, remember that God has already overcome the world for you (John 16:33).
- Express gratitude to anchor your security in Jesus Christ.
- Rid yourself of any negativity. Anytime you feel threatened by something negative, ask God to help you let go of it.
3. Yellow: Symbolizing God’s Glory and Light
Yellow is a color that comes up often in the New Testament. In the story of Jesus, yellow often reflects the fullness of His glory and the radiance that shines for all to see.
The Transfiguration of Jesus
In three Gospels (Matthew 17:1-13, Mark 9:2-13 and Luke 9:28-36), there is an event in Jesus’ life that is referred to as the Transfiguration. On a mountain, Jesus revealed His true glory to Peter, John and James. The disciples observed the face of Jesus shining like the sun while His clothes turned white to a brilliance that no one on earth could replicate. This dazzling white is said to be the color yellow in one translation of the Bible.
In this passage, we see Jesus’ light and glory shining with such intensity that His clothes are saturated by this radiant hue. This particular passage defines yellow as being the very radiance of God Himself.
Revelation
In Revelation 1:12-16, we see another illustration of Jesus’ light. The Son of Man has hair as white as wool, His eyes blaze like fire and His feet are bright like molten bronze. His voice is like the sound of rushing waters.
In this instance, we see that Jesus’ entire body emanates a glow that lights up beyond just His feet and hair. And this brilliant color perceived in chapter 1 was so intense when seen by John that he could not even look at it without feeling as though he was dead. Also in Revelation, we learn that yellow is a color synonymous with gold.
Summary
Although we don’t know for sure if a rainbow with yellow was present at this time, its symbolism is powerful. In these passages, yellow symbolizes God’s glory, power and divinity. It can also indicate rich value because it’s so closely tied with gold.
When we see yellow emanating from God or Jesus as described in these passages, we understand it to be a direct reflection of their divine nature as light and King. Learn more about other colors in the Bible by downloading your free chapter of The Complete Guide to Colors of the Bible.
4. Green: Symbolizing Life and Growth
Green is also the color of life and growth and represents the restoration of our spiritual life. It is the most common color in nature and symbolizes new life, growth and rebirth.
The symbolism of green is mentioned in 54 verses throughout the Bible. In the New Testament, it’s also mentioned as a symbol of fresh start after the flood. In 1 Peter 2:24, he mentions how He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Though we deserve destruction because of our sin, Jesus’ sacrifice has made us new and gave us a fresh start. The rainbow is a reminder of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
Not to mention that many of us believe we are saved from our sins by following God’s commandments. But really God wants us to change our hearts from within, instead of just following rules. He wants to restore us to our original purpose and design, which are also represented by green.
After all, He did make us in his image:
This means He wants us to live as He lives – spread love and kindness, be compassionate, be patient with one another and forgive one another. We are supposed to live like Him.
Even our spiritual growth is represented by the color green:
5. Blue: Symbolizing Heaven and Divinity
Blue is often associated with the heavens and represents divinity and eternal infinity. In the Old Testament, blue dyes were made from plants, such as indigo, and sources like lapis lazuli. The color was used in the High Priest’s clothing and it was considered the color of royalty.
Today, blue is mostly associated with the appearance of God in our world, as well as the love and mercy He has for His people.
In some cases, blue is also associated with the Virgin Mary. However, in this context, it’s used to depict Mary’s modesty and purity.
Orange and blue in a Christian context are used to represent heaven meeting the earth. This is mostly because orange is said to be one of God’s favorite colors.
Blue chakras create a sense of calmness and serenity. This is mostly seen in meditation practices where people wear blue clothes to help them relax.
Blue is also known for its ability to soothe us and even create feelings of safety. So it’s no wonder that a study by Fast Company reported that men associate blue with confidence and stability.
It’s no surprise that companies use it to communicate security, which is why many brands related to safety, such as Allstate and Intel, use it as one of their logo colors.
Blue can also be used to create a sense of safety in an at-home environment. Internet service providers use blue in their communication materials to make customers feel calm and relaxed.
Biblical References
The Bible has many verses about the color blue. One of the earliest examples comes from Exodus chapter 24 verse 10:
They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky.
Another mention comes from Numbers chapter 4 verse 6-12:
Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather,[a] spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.
The color appears in other verses in both cases where Moses is giving instructions on creating an altar or tabernacle.
6. Indigo: Symbolizing Wisdom and Spiritual Discernment
Indigo is the sixth color of the rainbow, also denoting wisdom and spiritual discernment, or being able to determine what is right or wrong. The indigo hue in the Bible actually appears once, in Isaiah 40:11, which says, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”
The phrase “he gathers the lambs” can symbolize indigo’s meaning of protection while “he carries them close to his heart” can symbolize spiritual discernment. The last part, “gently leads,” emphasizes that God offers guidance and uses the Holy Spirit to guide those who follow Him. The Lord offers this guidance and wisdom to those who are willing to receive it.
While indigo is associated with wisdom and spiritual discernment, it’s hard not to connect it with royalty as well. In biblical times, only royalty and the rich could afford textiles dyed with indigo. This made it a rare color and a status symbol for royalty.
In the modern day, indigo actually shares similarities with violet, considering that there are many people who will argue that one is a shade of the other. With that being said, indigo in any form still stands for wisdom and spiritual discernment.
In terms of its relation to the seven deadly sins, you can connect envy with the color indigo as it has a direct association with pride.
“The Indigent”: Indigo dye was first used in India and was known as “indigod,” which means from Indian.
“Blue-blooded”: To have blue blood meant you were royal or of noble birth. This is because your skin was so pale that your blue veins were visible through it.
“Out of the blue”: Something unexpected happened or appeared suddenly and without warning.
“Into thin air”: The idea that something disappeared or was taken from you without a trace.
7. Violet: Symbolizing Royalty and Reign
The last color in our list of Bible rainbow colors is violet.
While not a very prominent color in the Bible, we see violet appear a couple of times.
The most popular use of violet comes from the story of Queen Esther, where she is required to undergo a 12-month purification process involving sweet spices, myrrh and other precious oils before going to meet the King.
Esther uses the word “violet” here to refer to the special ointment prepared from her purification process. By using this word, Jews believe that Esther was emphasizing her special status, showing the king she was a queen before she even took the title.
With the color already associated with royalty in general, it’s no wonder we see it used in such a way here.
Violet is also created when mixing red and blue, making it the symbol of both worlds. It represents water that is transformed into the wine of redemption. Violet can also be used as an expression of divinity and humanity in one person or how God’s mercy meets human weakness.
In general, violet represents emotions and thoughts that we are not aware of. According to people who study aura colors, violet is seen in people who are predisposed to believing in magical acts.
It’s also associated with people who understand and believe that they can accomplish things through sheer force or divine intervention.
It’s also considered important for individuals to have violet in their aura as it means they are moving toward divine purpose. Through this purpose, they are encouraging others around them to embrace their own divine purpose.
Purple is associated with loyalty and reign. With this color appearing only when we receive light from all three primary colors, it has a royal feel. Additionally, with Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai by walking through a cloud of purple smoke, purple becomes symbolic of spiritual balance and fulfillment of destiny.
Unlocking the Messages: Understanding the Combination of Colors
The rainbow is a sign of God’s covenant. It is His promise to protect and bless us. The combination of the seven colors conveys a message. It reminds us to keep faith and trust in Him. Here are the 7 colors of the rainbow and their biblical meanings:
Red: Love and Sacrifice
Red is a color synonymous with love. It is associated with sacrifice, passion and courage. In the spiritual aspect, red is also related to life and blood.
Orange: Healing and Health
The color orange represents the harvest. It is also a sign of healing and health, making it a great color for celebrating World Cancer Day.
Yellow: Light and Warmth
Yellow is a color that represents spiritual warmth, wisdom, happiness, joy and sureness. It is comparable to sunshine which enlightens one’s path.
Green: Hope and Life
Green is one of the most dominant colors in nature. Its appearance emphasizes hope and life. Through green you can restore your inner peace and refresh your soul by experiencing life at its finest.
Blue: Power and Protection
Blue symbolizes strength, power and protection. It gives off a calming effect which can also represent heaven or God himself. This proves that God is with us in every step of the way.
Indigo: Inner Reflection and Introspection
Indigo represents inner reflection, introspection and increased awareness. It gives off energy to gain spiritual knowledge.
Violet: Royalty and Authority
Violet symbolizes royalty, nobility, luxury, ambition, wealth, as well as extravagance. Aside from that the Bible considers this color as multi-faceted.
In conclusion, the rainbow is not just a mesmerizing display of colors but also a powerful symbol in biblical interpretations. Each color holds a unique meaning and reflects different aspects of God’s character and promises. As we marvel at the beauty of a rainbow, let us also remember the deeper symbolism it carries and the hope it offers us. May the vibrant colors of the rainbow remind us of God’s faithfulness, love, protection, and promises throughout our lives.
