As born again Christian, born and raise in a family of pastors, I believe that the Bible uses figurative language to relay its message to the people of God. Recently, I have been reading the Bible, and the color green seems to be mentioned in most of the verses I am reading. Therefore, I have prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to help me understand the question, what does green symbolize in the Bible?
One popular symbol of green in the Bible is Fertility and healthy vegetation. According to Genesis 1:30, the Bible implies that after God was done with creation, He said that He has given green plants for food to everything that has the breath of life. Also, God made a garden called the Garden of Eden, where he put his creation and told them to feed from the green plants and trees. Additionally, if the plants in a garden are flourishing and green, the land is considered to be fertile. Therefore, as a color of nature, green represents fertile lands where healthy plants are growing and producing a good harvest.
In this article, I invite you to join me as we delve into the topic of symbolism and meaning of the color green in the Bible. We will also uncover answers to questions such as how many times this color has been mentioned in the Bible and the Hebrew and Greek meanings of the color green. We will also get to learn what it means to dream with the color green, so read till the end.
Is the color green mentioned in the Bible?
Yes, the color green is mentioned in the Bible. God uses different colors to represent different things in the Bible. Therefore, when you are reading the Bible and come across the color green, it is good to ask God to help you with the Holy Spirit to help you understand the meaning of this color. There are many verses where the color green is used metaphorically to deliver different meanings to those who read the Bible. Some of these verses include;
In Genesis 1:30, the Bible implies that God gave every green plant to his creation to feed on it.
In Psalms 23:2, the Bible implies that David said that God would make him lie on green pastures and lead him beside quiet waters.
In Isaiah 15:6, The Bible implies that Isaiah said that the waters of Nimrim are desolated, and the grass has withered. He says that there is no green thing.
2 Kings 19:26, the Bible implies that the inhabitants were dismayed and put to shame, just like the green grass has been scorched before it even grew.
In Jeremiah 11:16, the Bible implies that God called your name a green olive tree which is beautiful as it bears fruits and forms.
How many times is the color green mentioned in the Bible?
The color green is mentioned in the Bible (King James Bible) 44 times. The color green has been mentioned in the Bible to symbolize different things. In the Old Testament, the color green is mentioned 40 times. It is the first color to be mentioned in the Bible in the book of Genesis 1:30.
In the New Testament, green is mentioned 4 times to mean a healthy plant in the books of Mark 6:39, Luke 23:31, Revelation 8:7, and Revelation 9:4. In the Old Testament, green is mentioned in Hebrew, while in the New Testament, it is mentioned in Greek.
What does the color green mean in Hebrew?
The Bible uses different Hebrew words to describe the color green. They all show different meanings. Some of these words include.
Raanan from H7488
Out of the 40 times, the color green is mentioned in the Old Testament, 20 times are those that use the word “Raanan,” meaning flourishing, fresh, or verdant. This word shows the plants that are fresh with the color green.
Yereq from H3417 and Yaraq from H3418
Yereq is the first word used to describe green in the Bible in Genesis 1:30 to mean grass or vegetation. According to some scholars, Yaraq is also a Hebrew word that has been used in the Bible to mean grass or vegetation. It has the same meaning as Yereq, though the two words are used in different books or verses of the Bible. Yereq is used in Genesis 9:3, Exodus 10:15, Isaiah 15:6, Exodus 10:15, Numbers 22:4, Psalm 37:2, and Isaiah 15:6. In these verses, Yaraq shows the grass and plants that are green in color.
Desheʼ from H1876
According to theologians, Deshe’ is a Hebrew word used to show the color green in the Bible. It means a tender shoot that is springing from the ground. When a plant is sprouting from the ground, it usually has a bright green with a slight yellow. It is believed that this is the kind of green that is being described. It is used in Psalms 23:2, where the Bible implies green pastures.
What does the color green mean in Greek?
In the New Testament, the color green is chlōros. From the studying of etymology (study of origin words), we learn that chlōrós is a Greek word, where the English word “Chlorophyll comes from. According to some scholars, Chloros has been used to mean pale or horse of death. In Revelation 8:7, the Bible implies that after the angel blew his trumpet, all the green grass was burned, and there was nothing left on earth. Therefore, Christians believe that green in Greek means the pale greenish color, which shows that the plants are dying or withering; hence, it is compared with the hideous paleness of death.
3 symbolic meanings of the color green in the Bible
Symbolic to Fruitiness
According to Jeremiah 17:7-8, the Bible implies that blessed is the person who trusts in God. He is like a tree that is planted by the waters, whose roots have spread to the streams and does not fear when it is sunny or dry because its leaves will remain green, and even in drought, it will still bear fruits. Therefore, the idea of fruitiness is described in this verse. God assures that those who trust in heal will be like the green plants that are fruitful.
Symbolic to Eternal life
According to Psalms 1:3, the Bible implies that a righteous man is like a green tree planted by the streams of water that yields fruits in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Also, Christians believe that because Easter occurs during springtime, green symbolizes resurrection since it is the color of spring. This color is used to symbolize the resurrection and eternal life that God will give those who are righteous. In eternal life, the righteous shall not die but live forever in the Kingdom of God.
Symbolic of Peace and Harmony
According to Psalms 23:2, the Bible implies that David was saying that God will lay him on green pastures and lead him to quiet waters. Green pastures and quiet waters are used to symbolize the peace and harmony of God. God can bless his people with a peace that is beyond human understanding.
What does the color green mean in different cultures?
Many people see the color green as a color of nature, ecology, or even a color in the traffic lights. However, different cultures have different meanings of this color.
One culture is Western Culture, where green is believed to mean nature, spring, freshness, environmental awareness, wealth, or luck. They also believe that green represents the green-eyed monster, which according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it means jealousy. Therefore, western culture believes that green means jealousy.
According to Britannica, in Mexican culture, green is a national color that represents independence. Additionally, according to Buzz, in South American Culture, they believe that green represents death. In Indonesian culture, the color green is traditionally forbidden. This is because they believe the color green represents infidelity and exorcism.
Another culture is the Middle East, where green is believed to represent wealth and fertility. In this culture, green means the lands are fertile and flourishing with wealth, which is green plants and trees. It is also said to be the color of Islam in Middle Eastern culture. Also, In Eastern Cultures, green is believed to represent new life or youth.
Spiritual meaning of the color green
Spiritually, green is associated with the essence of nature and life. Since with life comes death, it is therefore believed to represent the cycle of life. Some of the spiritual meanings of the color green include; one it is said to spiritually mean Prosperity. The color green is said to be spiritually associated with God’s blessings of success for his people. Therefore, if you keep seeing the color green in your life, it shows that God is about to bless you with a financial breakthrough.
Additionally, green is spiritually said to mean Peace and Harmony. This is seen in the book of Psalms 23:2, where David says that God will make him lie down on green pastures and lead him beside quiet waters. Christians interpret this as that David was meaning that God would give him peace and Harmony. Green is also associated with the heart Chakra which controls peace and love. Therefore, it is believed that when one keeps seeing green things in their life, it shows that God is letting them know that they will have peace and they are loved.
Another spiritual meaning of green is believed to be growth. Spiritually, this color is said to encourage the people of God to focus on their growth. This is because green is associated with nature and all the earthy growing plants. Therefore, green is said to help individuals work on their spiritual, physical, or even emotional growth. Therefore, if you keep seeing the color green, it shows that God will enable you to have growth in life. If you run a business, it may mean that your business will grow and prosper.
What does it mean when you dream about the color green?
In the Christian life, dreams are believed to have different meanings since Christians believe that dreaming is one of the ways God sends his messages to his people. Therefore, when one dreams with the color green, it is believed to have different meanings depending on the shade of the color and the object it is connected to. Some of the meanings, according to theologians, include;
New Start and Growth
Christians believe that when one dreams of a green field or a green shooting plant, it may be because the dreamer is about to get personal development. This is linked to the growth and new start of a growing plant.
Healing
Some people believe that when a sick person dreams of green trees, they are about to receive healing. They also believe that it indicates that the dreamer is working through emotional damage from past traumas that they are trying to overcome.
The Environment and Nature Connection
It is said that dreaming about green may be because the dreamer feels at peace with nature around them. This shows that the dreamer needs to reconnect with nature and spend more time outside to receive peace of mind.
Success and Prosperity
In some cultures, green symbolizes success or richness. Therefore they believe that when one dreams with the color green, it means that the dreamer feels financially secure and successful in the near future.
Jealousy and Envy
Some cultures believe that the color green stands for jealousy. Therefore, they believe that having a green color in your dream is an awakening call to stop comparing yourself with others and to start focusing on your goals and successes.
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.