Where do you go to clear your head? When you just need to think? My favorite escape has always been outdoors. When I’ve got something on my mind, stepping outside almost always brings me clarity, or next steps to take. Breathing in the outdoor air and looking around reminds me that I’m part of something way beyond what I can see (Ephesians 3:20; Isaiah 55:8-9).
Seeing is essential to color. You can check out how our eyes work here How the Eyes Work | National Eye Institute (nih.gov) and how we see color here PANTONE® USA | How Do We See Color?
I started wearing glasses when I was about eight years old. When I’d complain about them, which I did a lot, my dad would tell me, “Don’t worry, when your older doctors will be able to fix your sight so that you don’t have to wear those anymore.” About twenty-five years later, I underwent laser eye surgery to correct my vision. It was one of the scariest and most exciting experiences all in one shot. Both eyes were done during the same procedure, and each took about four minutes. The scary came from being able to smell my eyeball burning and knowing there was no turning back. The excitement was that I could see better right away. Amazing was waking up the first morning and looking out at the trees – I could see individual leaves with such clarity! And the color was so vivid! I walked around in awe for weeks.
There is so much that can be discovered about color in general, the effect that colors can have on our bodies, the meanings, or symbolisms of colors in the Bible, and the list goes on. Green is and always has been my favorite color, but I never thought of it with the understanding that I have now. Let’s see if you follow my reasoning as to why I see Jesus in green.
At some point, there must have been loads of color sprouting, bursting, and blooming as the Lord created and planted on the earth; but green is the first color referenced in the Bible in Genesis 1:30. It just so happens that Jesus is the “first fruits” of those who will die and then rise for eternal life (1 Cor. 15:20). It could be coincidence but … nothing is coincidence with God (Isaiah 46:9-11; Luke 12:7; Matthew 10:29). According to “Strong’s Concordance” – Kings Bible Concordance – (thekingsbible.com) – there are forty-one verses with the word “green,” and many of those verses are in reference to vegetation. The Hebrew meaning for “green” is “flourishing” or “verdant” Colors in Hebrew: A rainbow of possibilities! – Rosen School of Hebrew (rosenhebrewschool.com). Scripture tells us that all of creation reflects God’s glory (Romans 1:20).
We know that it is chlorophyll that gives plants their green color, but how many of us realize how chlorophyll works? You can check that out here Chlorophyll | National Geographic Society. Now, have you ever realized how alike the molecular designs of chlorophyll and hemoglobin (the red of our blood) are? This article is informative Lord Over All | His Creation.
There is a plethora of information available on how colors affect our moods and emotions – and yes, there are differences between the two. You can check that out here What Are Moods? | Psychology Today. For my purpose, I found a great description of the scriptural meaning of green here Meaning of Color Green in the Bible (biblestudy.org). In the last paragraph, did you catch that green is “… exactly in the middle of the visible spectrum” (Emphasis added.) Scripture tells us that Jesus is our Mediator – our middleman, “between God and Men” (1 Timothy 2:5).
Another great description of the scriptural meaning of green is here Biblical Meaning of Colors – Color Meanings (color-meanings.com). I love the mental image this gives of resurrection green in spring. Spring makes me think of vegetation growing and flowers blooming, and that brought me to think about the True Vine – Jesus (John 15:1).
So, can you see Jesus in green too?
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