Greenness in the Bible often symbolizes life, fertility, prosperity, and the flourishing of God's creation. It is a vivid representation of the vitality and abundance that comes from God's blessing. The imagery of greenness is frequently used in Scripture to convey spiritual truths and divine promises.

Symbol of Life and Prosperity

Greenness is frequently associated with life and prosperity in the Bible. In Psalm 23:2, the psalmist writes, "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters." Here, the green pastures symbolize the peace, provision, and rest that God provides for His people. The lushness of the pastures reflects the abundance and care of the Good Shepherd.

Similarly, in Psalm 92:12-14, the righteous are compared to flourishing trees: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain." This passage highlights the enduring vitality and fruitfulness of those who are rooted in God's presence.

Fertility and Growth

Greenness also signifies fertility and growth, often in the context of God's covenant blessings. In Deuteronomy 33:13-14, Moses blesses Joseph with the "choicest gifts of the heavens, with the dew, and the deep waters that lie beneath, with the bountiful harvest of the sun and the abundant yield of the seasons." The imagery of abundant harvests and fertile lands underscores the blessings of God upon His people.

In Isaiah 55:10-11, the prophet uses the cycle of rain and growth to illustrate the effectiveness of God's word: "For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it." The greenness of the earth after rain is a metaphor for the life-giving power of God's word.

Spiritual Renewal and Restoration

Greenness is also a metaphor for spiritual renewal and restoration. In Ezekiel 17:24, God declares, "All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the tall tree and make the low tree tall. I cause the green tree to wither and make the withered tree thrive. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it." This passage speaks to God's sovereign ability to bring about transformation and renewal, turning barrenness into fruitfulness.

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of a green tree to describe His own life and ministry. In Luke 23:31, He says, "For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" Here, the green tree represents a time of opportunity and divine presence, contrasting with the spiritual barrenness that would follow His crucifixion.

Judgment and Withering

While greenness is predominantly a positive symbol, its absence or the withering of green plants can signify judgment and desolation. In Jeremiah 17:8, the contrast is made between the blessed man who "will be like a tree planted by the waters" and those who turn away from the Lord, who "will be like a bush in the wastelands." The withering of greenery serves as a warning of the consequences of disobedience and spiritual neglect.

In Revelation 8:7, during the first trumpet judgment, "a third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass." This apocalyptic imagery underscores the severity of God's judgment upon the earth.

In summary, greenness in the Bible is a rich and multifaceted symbol, representing life, prosperity, fertility, spiritual renewal, and, at times, the consequences of judgment. It serves as a reminder of God's provision, the vitality of His creation, and the spiritual flourishing that comes from abiding in Him.1. (n.) The quality of being green; viridity; verdancy; as, the greenness of grass, or of a meadow.

2. (n.) Freshness; vigor; newness.

3. (n.) Immaturity; unripeness; as, the greenness of fruit; inexperience; as, the greenness of youth.

3418. yereq -- green, greenness
... 3417, 3418. yereq. 3419 . green, greenness. Transliteration: yereq Phonetic
Spelling: (yeh'-rek) Short Definition: green. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/3418.htm - 6k

3. eb -- freshness, fresh green
... greenness, fruit. From the same as 'abiyb; a green plant -- greenness, fruit.
see HEBREW 'abiyb. 2, 3. eb. 4 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/3.htm - 6k

2682. chatsir -- green grass, herbage
... grass, hay, herb, leek. Perhaps originally the same as chatsiyr, from the greenness
of a courtyard; grass; also a leek (collectively) -- grass, hay, herb, leek. ...
/hebrew/2682.htm - 6k

5342. netser -- a sprout, shoot
... branch. From natsar in the sense of greenness as a striking color; a shoot;
figuratively, a descendant -- branch. see HEBREW natsar. 5341, 5342. netser. ...
/hebrew/5342.htm - 6k

A Libation to Jehovah
... and as he was immersed in the past, the grim present, the perils that threatened
his life, the savage, gaunt rocks without a trace of greenness that girded him ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/a libation to jehovah.htm

A Coffin in Egypt
... uninterrupted on us! When the leaves fall, we see more clearly the rock which
their short-lived greenness in its pride veiled. When the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/a coffin in egypt.htm

How the Dust of that Place Prevailed against Fire. [After 642 AD ]
... spot of ground greener and more beautiful than any other part of the field, he had
the wisdom to infer that the cause of the unusual greenness in that place ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap x how the dust.htm

Psalm XXXVII.
... a deep root, like that of many trees during winter, the frost passes away, the summer
(that is, the Day of Judgment) will come; then will the greenness of the ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xxxvii.htm

How Sowers of Strifes and Peacemakers are to be Admonished.
... Moreover, all who are separated by discord from the greenness of loving-kindness
are dried up: and, though they bring forth in their actions fruits of well ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter xxiii how sowers of.htm

July the Sixteenth the vine and the Branch
... JOHN xv.1-16. I need the Lord. What can a branch do apart from the vine? It may
retain a certain, momentary greenness, but death is advancing apace. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/july the sixteenth the vine.htm

Epistle Cviii. To Syagrius, Bishop.
... to consolidate all other virtues by the bulwark of its own perfection, whosoever
grafts himself into its roots neither falls away from greenness, nor becomes ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle cviii to syagrius bishop.htm

Book xi. Epistle i. To John, Abbot.
... And these pastures in truth we find, when, freed from the winter of this life, we
are satisfied with the greenness of eternal life, as of a new Spring. ...
/.../gregory/the epistles of saint gregory the great/book xi epistle i to.htm

The Flower
... Grief melts away. Like snow in May,. As if there were no such cold thing. Who would
have thought my shrivell'd heart. Could have recover'd greenness? It was gone ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/lxi the flower.htm

The Timber
... Where not so much as dreams of light may shine,. Nor any thought of greenness,
leaf, or bark. And yet"as if some deep hate and dissent,. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cxxii the timber.htm

Greenness (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The quality of being green; viridity; verdancy;
as, the greenness of grass, or of a meadow. ...Greenness (4 Occurrences). ...
/g/greenness.htm - 7k

Feeble-handed (3 Occurrences)
... Kings 19:26 And their inhabitants 'are' feeble-handed, They were broken down, and
are dried up, They have been the herb of the field, And the greenness of the ...
/f/feeble-handed.htm - 7k

Roofs (13 Occurrences)
... Kings 19:26 And their inhabitants 'are' feeble-handed, They were broken down, and
are dried up, They have been the herb of the field, And the greenness of the ...
/r/roofs.htm - 10k

Tender (66 Occurrences)
... Kings 19:26 And their inhabitants 'are' feeble-handed, They were broken down, and
are dried up, They have been the herb of the field, And the greenness of the ...
/t/tender.htm - 33k

Dried (66 Occurrences)
... Kings 19:26 And their inhabitants 'are' feeble-handed, They were broken down, and
are dried up, They have been the herb of the field, And the greenness of the ...
/d/dried.htm - 26k

Roof (55 Occurrences)
... Kings 19:26 And their inhabitants 'are' feeble-handed, They were broken down, and
are dried up, They have been the herb of the field, And the greenness of the ...
/r/roof.htm - 24k

Grass (92 Occurrences)
... gras: (1) chatsir, from a root meaning "greenness"; compare Arabic Khudra, which
includes grasses and green vegetables (1 Kings 18:5 2 Kings 19:26 Job 40:15 ...
/g/grass.htm - 43k

Greet (46 Occurrences)

/g/greet.htm - 19k

Verdure (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Green; greenness; freshness of vegetation; as,
the verdure of the meadows in June. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/v/verdure.htm - 7k

Greenish (2 Occurrences)

/g/greenish.htm - 7k

Greenness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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