For quite some time I have dabbled in art. Painting seems to take my mind on a mini vacation. One of the first things I learned in art class was the color wheel. There are three primary colors; red, yellow and blue. Every other color is made with the blending of the three basic colors. Blue and yellow make green. Red and blue make purple. Yellow and red make orange, and so forth. These are hard and fast rules about color.
It is fascinating, then, to find something different in the Bible. Let me explain. Before the foundation of the world God planned to create man and woman with a soul that would carry them into eternity, as opposed to animals who do not possess a spirit. He would endow them with unique intelligence, giving them freedom of choice. So, He planned that if man sinned, He would offer His Son to redeem mankind—the blood of Jesus would transform sin-stained souls into refined white (Daniel 12:10). It would take many, many years. But in the interim God put things in motion until the time was right to send His Son, “the fulness of time.” The entire Bible, then, focuses on this amazing scheme of redemption.
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit were present at creation. Everything was very good for a time, until Adam and Eve violated the command given to them by the Creator, “Do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 3). Their sin put God’s plan in motion, sending His son to live among men, and ultimately be crucified. God said the serpent would bruise the heel of the seed of woman, but the seed of woman would crush Satan’s head (Genesis 3:15). This was a prophecy of Jesus’ cruel death on the cross. Satan bruised His heel with painful crucifixion. But, Jesus’ resurrection crushed Satan’s head. This was where the color red was introduced. The blood of Jesus, would change everything.
God revealed to John the sight of those in heaven who endured faithfully to the end, So he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14b).
When we acknowledge our sin and put Christ on in obedient baptism, His red makes us as white as snow! This is not a work of man, but a work of God. It’s as simple as that.
Today’s verse:
“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18). — By Teresa Hampton
NEW AUDIO DEVOTIONALS BY TERESA HAMPTON:
Our Hands, Feet, Heart, Ears, Mouth, and Eyes
More audios by Teresa are available at http://christianwomanaudiodevotionals.abiblecommentary.com