Pardon my French! The title to this post literally means "Holy Blue!" and is an outdated expletive in French. Please excuse me if I have offended any French readers sensibilities... but I couldn't resist!
You see my friend, Richard, pointed out that the colour blue is also associated with holiness. As this is an important point, I decided to write a new post rather than hide a response away in the comments section.
In my own studies into the significance of this colour, I found the same thing. Especially in relation to the holy things in the tabernacle.
When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it. Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles. (Nu 4:5-6)
Here the ark, the representation of the holy presence of God, was covered with a cloth of blue. If you read on, you discover that all the holy things were to be covered in blue when they were transported.
The writer to the Hebrews says that these items were just copies of the heavenly realities that are fulfilled in Christ. They are thus pieces of a heavenly reality made manifest on the earth.
Blue is therefore an appropriate colour for these holy things, for it is after all the colour of the heavens above. It symbolises something of heaven made present on the earth.
This adds an important significance to the "blue thread" of God's eternal purpose that runs all the way through Scripture: it is the Father's heart to make heaven manifest on the earth.
This is how Jesus taught us to pray - that his kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven. This is the vision that Daniel interpreted - a rock cut out of a heavenly mountain that grew until it reproduced that same mountain on the earth.
This is not a contradiction of seeing blue as representing the word of God, but it does align it (as I thought) more with the prophetic ministry of the word, rather than the teaching ministry. For it is the essence of prophetic ministry to see into the realities that are in heaven and lay hold of them, bringing them into the here and now.
Indeed the concepts of heavenly holiness, the word of God, and the river seem to be closely linked - not just by colour-coincidence...
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Eph 5:25-27 NIV)
Perhaps this also is the significance of the tassels of blue on the corners of the robes. As we walk in line with the word of God, with every step we take, the colour of heaven is touching the earth.
2 comments:
Chris
I like your comment As we walk in line with the word of God, with every step we take, the colour of heaven is touching the earth.
Takijng this comment I have found that the garment has great significance. Please, in no way am I trying to make a theology, doctrine or anything else, just taking the word of God and studying it.
In Matthew 9:20-22, we find the story of a sick woman receiving healing simply by touching Jesus' clothes. Contrary to popular belief, the woman with the "issue of blood" did not touch "the hem of his garment" (Mark 5:25, Luke 8:43, Luke 8:44 also make an account of this), she touched the tzitzit - braids or tassels.
Unlike a mere "hem" tzitzit Tzitzit have major significance.
When she pressed through the crowd, she was not content to just pat Jesus on the back. She was a desperate woman, who had spent all of her money on cures that did not work [remember this woman had this issue for 12 years]. It was a bold step for her to push through that crowd of people, for according to Levitical law, it was forbidden for her to be out in public with her condition, for she was considered unclean (Lev. 15:25). However, she was at the end of her rope. She had nothing to lose. She had heard of the One who could heal and she anxiously sought Him out. But why did she want to touch the hem of His garment?
These braids were a point of contact, she needed to help her release her faith to receive a miracle in her life, as they represent, first, the Word of God, which is always the place where we can find healing for all the needs in our life and second, the fringes also represented the authority of Christ [you have already drawn our attention to these points]. She had heard that many people were healed by Christ, that He taught with authority, and when He spoke, people were healed.
I have found that a garment has other significant values, like authority, Saul and David, Covering, Ruth and Boaz, Great value, Christ on the cross and the soldiers casing lots.
Gone off track a bit anyway
Have a great day
Richard
Thanks, Richard. Another great comment.
I like the link with healing - that is one of the ways heaven (where there is no sickness, pain or tears) comes to earth.
Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (Lk 10:9)
Post a Comment