What other biblical instances highlight the use of "gold, blue, purple, and scarlet"? Setting the Fourfold Thread The same four colors—gold, blue, purple, and scarlet—appear again and again in Scripture, linking tabernacle worship to moments of royal glory, sacrifice, and salvation. Gold: The Radiance of Divine Glory • Exodus 25:11 – “Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it.” • Exodus 28:6 – Gold threads were actually woven into the high priest’s ephod. • 1 Kings 6:20–22 – Solomon overlaid the Most Holy Place with “pure gold,” echoing the tabernacle pattern. • Matthew 2:11 – Wise men “presented Him with gifts of gold,” acknowledging the newborn King. • Revelation 21:18 – The heavenly city is described as “pure gold, as pure as glass,” confirming the enduring value God places on this metal. Blue: The Hue of Heaven • Numbers 4:6 – The ark’s first covering was “a cloth of solid blue,” shielding the mercy seat. • Numbers 15:38–39 – A “blue cord” on every tassel reminded Israel “to remember and follow all My commandments.” • Esther 8:15 – Mordecai emerges in “royal garments of blue and white,” signifying vindication. • Ezekiel 1:26 – Above the expanse, Ezekiel sees “a throne that looked like sapphire,” a deep celestial blue. • Revelation 21:19 – The second foundation stone of the New Jerusalem is sapphire, again pointing to heaven-colored blue. Purple: Royalty and Redemption • Exodus 26:1 – Tabernacle curtains contained “blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.” • Judges 8:26 – Midianite kings wore “purple garments,” marking them as rulers. • Proverbs 31:22 – The excellent wife clothes herself with “fine linen and purple.” • John 19:2 – Soldiers mocked Jesus, “dressing Him in a purple robe,” unintentionally proclaiming His kingship. • Revelation 17:4 – The harlot’s “purple” attire counterfeits true royalty, warning against false glory. Scarlet: The Color of Sacrifice and Rescue • Exodus 26:1 – Scarlet thread ran through the sanctuary curtains. • Leviticus 14:4–6 – Cleansing of lepers required “scarlet yarn,” connecting color to purification. • Joshua 2:18 – Rahab’s “scarlet cord” signaled deliverance when Jericho fell. • Matthew 27:28 – Soldiers “put a scarlet robe on Him,” highlighting the price of redemption. • Isaiah 1:18 – “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow,” a literal promise of cleansing. Weaving the Colors Together • Exodus 28:4–6 – The priestly garments combine all four materials, uniting glory (gold), heaven (blue), royalty (purple), and sacrifice (scarlet) every time Aaron entered God’s presence. • Revelation 17:4 – In counterfeit fashion, the end-time harlot mixes “purple and scarlet” with “gold,” illustrating how sin mimics but distorts God’s ordered beauty. • Revelation 21 – The New Jerusalem restores the pattern in perfect form: streets of “pure gold” and foundations gleaming with heavenly hues, proving God’s design comes to literal fulfillment. Every appearance of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet brings the reader back to the tabernacle pattern, underscoring God’s unchanging character, His rightful kingship, and His plan to cleanse and dwell with His people forever. |