Red and its Association with War, Blood and Judgment

There is a very strong correlation in the scriptures between the color red and the subject of war, blood, and judgment. Specifically the ultimate lesson is that red shows forth the war against sin, the blood atonement of Jesus Christ, and the ultimate judgment of sin.

There are different shades of red. The scriptures show forth this principle in that red, scarlet, and crimson are all used to depict the association between the color red and the subject of war, blood, and judgment.

Specifically we shall consider in the following specific topics:

Red Sea

There is a very strong correlation in the scriptures between the color red and the subject of war, blood, and judgment. This correlation is set forth for us in type in those things that happened at the Red Sea.

The children of Israel had spent over four hundred years in Egypt and much of that time in bondage to the Egyptians. At God's appointed time, he sent Moses to deliver the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. God poured out ten plagues upon the land of Egypt to convince Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go from their captivity. One of the plagues was the plague of locust: Ex. 10:12 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. 15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only. 18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. 19 And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt."

The locust had destroyed every fruit, herb, and every green thing in the land of Egypt. In ending this plague the Lord sent a strong west wind and cast the locust into the Red Sea so that not one remained in all the coast of Egypt. The locust are typical of the sins of the elect children of God. Our sins are a great plague upon us. Only, they were destroyed in the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There is not one to remain to plague us any more: Rom. 8:33 "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

The next time we encounter the Red Sea, the children of Israel are encamped next to the sea and Pharaoh and the Egyptian army are marching against the children of Israel. A pillar of cloud and pillar of fire stands between the two camps. God commands Moses to stretch forth his rod toward the sea and then God sends a great east wind and parts the waters of the Red Sea. The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground and crossed to the other side. When morning came Pharaoh and his mighty host pursued after the children of Israel but God took off their chariot wheels and then commanded Moses to stretch forth his rod again and the waters returned and Pharaoh and his host were drowned in the midst of the sea.
In this encounter at the Red Sea, the Lord delivered the children of Israel and at the same time destroyed their enemies that were marching against them. This is typical of the Lord's war against our enemies, his blood atonement, and ultimate victory and judgment of God.

The crossing of the Red Sea is typical of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Water baptism, the scriptures teach us, is also typical of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ: 1 Pet. 3:21 "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:" Just as water baptism is typical of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ so also is the crossing of the Red Sea. The children of Israel went down into the sea and then they came up out of the sea. They were not hurt of the sea, because there was no death (judgmental waters) in the sea for them. Their enemies were destroyed in the sea. This is in harmony with what we read in 1 Cor. 10:1 "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;"

The crossing of the Red Sea was a type of cross of Christ. At the place of the crossing, an east wind crossed a north-south running sea. In the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, he destroyed our enemies. He destroyed our sins, death, hell, Satan, and the grave. Yet through his death, burial, and resurrection he delivered us, the elect, with an eternal deliverance.

Numerous times after the actual events that transpired at the Red Sea, God reminds us of the significance of the Red Sea in the scriptures:

1. Ex. 15:3 "The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. 4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea."
2. Num. 21:14 "Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,"
3. Deu. 11:4 "And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day;"
4. Josh. 2:10 "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed."
5. Josh 4:23 "For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:"
6. Josh. 24:6 "And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season."
7. Ps. 106:7 "Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. 8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. 9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. 10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left."
8. Ps. 136:13 "To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: 14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: 15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever."
9. Acts 7:36 "He brought them out, after that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years."

In summary, the Red Sea is typical of Christ's war against the enemies of the elect, his shed blood and death on the cross to deliver them from their sins, and his resurrection from the dead so destroying all the enemies of the elect.

Red Wine

In the scriptures, there is a strong correlation between the color red and the subject of war, blood, and judgment. This correlation is manifest in the scriptural use of red wine.

There are four times in the scriptures where red and wine are used together. Three of these times have reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, his church, and judgment:

1. Gen. 49:12 "His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk."
2. Ps. 75:8 "For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them."
3. Isa. 27:2 "In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine."

Reference 1 pertains to a prophecy of the Lord in the book of Genesis: Gen. 49:10 "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: 12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk." Notice that it says that his eyes shall be red with wine. We refer to this today as blood-shot eyes. The verse ties together red wine with the blood of Christ.

Reference 2 associates red wine with the wrath of God. The latter part of that verse prophecies of the wicked of the earth drinking of the wrath of God.

Reference 3 comes from a passage of scripture that speaks of the relationship of the Lord and his bride, the church: Isa. 27:2 "In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. 3 I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." The church is referred to as a vineyard of red wine.

When we study wine in the scriptures we note that it is associated with the blood of Christ. It is also associated with the wrath of God and ultimately the judgment of God.

First, it is associated with the blood of Christ. In the Old Testament there are many types and shadows of Christ. Included in these types and shadows are the drink offerings offered with the sacrifices:
1. Ex. 29:40 "And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD."
2. Lev. 23:13 "And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin."

There were supposed to be a morning sacrifice of a lamb and a meat offering and a drink offering every day. Likewise there was to be an evening sacrifice of a lamb and a meat offering and a drink offering every day.

When Christ established the communion service, the ordinance was to be of unleavened bread and wine: Matt. 26:26 "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Thus, the unleavened bread represented the body of Christ and the red wine represented the blood of Christ. The symbolism of the Old Testament daily meat and drink offering are carried over in the symbolism of the New Testament communion service. Red wine represents the covenant blood of Christ in the New Testament.

Second, wine is used to represent the wrathful judgment of God:
1. Jer. 25:15 "For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. 16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. 17 Then took I the cup at the LORD'S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:"
2. Jer. 51:7 "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad."
3. Rev. 14:8 "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:"

From the above we make the following observations:
1. Red wine represented the blood of Christ.
2. The blood of Christ was shed to satisfy God's wrathful judgment against our sins.
3. The Lord's covenant people are a vineyard of red wine, for they have been justified by the blood of Christ (the red wine).
4. The wicked non-elect will drink of the red wine of God's wrath when Christ comes in glory.

Rams Skins Dyed Red

In the scriptures, there is a strong correlation between the color red and the subject of war, blood, and judgment. This correlation is illustrated by the covering of the tabernacle in the wilderness of rams' skins dyed red.

This covering of rams' skins dyed red is mentioned five times in the Old Testament:

1. Ex. 25:5 "And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,"
2. Ex. 26:14 "And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins."
3. Ex. 35:7 "And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
4. Ex. 36:19 "And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that."
5. Ex. 39:34 "And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the veil of the covering,"

There is much figurative language concerning the elements of the tabernacle in the wilderness, its furniture, the garments of the High Priest, and the sacrifices and offerings. Invariably there is one or more texts that explain each of these types found someplace in the scriptures. The text that opens our understanding to the significance of the rams' skins dyed red is found in Is. 63:1-5.
Is. 63:1 "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me."

Christ is the "lamb of God" that taketh away the sin of the world. It is he, who poured out his precious blood to save his people from their sins. It is he, who spoke in righteousness and was mighty to save. It is he, who was red in his apparel (blood of the cross) with dyed garments from Bozrah.

It was Christ, who treaded the winepress of the wrath of God alone. He suffered on the cross alone to redeem his people from their sins. He died for the sins of his elect people, thus satisfying God's wrath because of their sins. His death on the cross was the day of God's vengeance, where God took vengeance on our sins. This was also the time of redemption of the elect family of God.

The sacrificial blood of Christ covered the elect family of God:
1. Ps. 32:1 "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."
2. Ps. 85:2 "Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah."
3. Is. 61:10 "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
4. Eze. 16:8 "Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine."
5. Rom. 4:7 "Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered."
6. Prov. 10:12 "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."

Scarlet thread or line

There is a very strong correlation in the scriptures between the color red and the subject of war, blood, and judgment. Scarlet is a shade of red. It was a dye made from an insect or worm. Threads colored by this dye were used in combination with blue threads, purple threads and white linen threads and sometimes-thin gold strips to make the various garments of the High Priest, the curtains of the tabernacle, the veil of the tabernacle and various coverings used in the tabernacle.

Scarlet was also used in the ceremonial cleansing of the leper and of the cleansing of houses plagued with leprosy:

1. Lev. 14:3 "And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; 4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: 6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: 7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field."
2. Lev. 14:48 "And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. 49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 50 And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water: 51 And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times: 52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: 53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean."

The leper and the plague of leprosy is typical of the sinner and the plague of sin in the scriptures. The house plagued with leprosy is typical of the condition of the house of God needing to be cleansed from sin.

Most people recognize in this ceremonial cleansing the significance of the living bird and the sacrificed bird. The sacrificed bird is typical of Jesus Christ. The living bird that is let free is typical of God's elect people. However, what most people do not see is the significance of the cedar wood, the scarlet, the hyssop and the running water. While our current study is on the significance of scarlet, yet running water is typical of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38, 39). Cedar wood is typical of the kingdom of God and hyssop was used to sprinkle the blood (a work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration). Scarlet is typical of the cleansing blood of Christ. The following New Testament verses show forth these principles:

1. Heb. 9:19 "For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."
2. Rev. 1:5, 6 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
3. Titus 3:4-6 "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;"
4. 1 Pet 1:1 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."
5. Col. 1:12-14 "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"

In the above, we see the Holy Spirit applying (hyssop) the blood of Christ (scarlet) in regeneration to the elect child of God. In this work, we see ourselves translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of his dear Son (cedar wood). Jesus Christ (sacrificed bird) through his sacrificial atonement has sprinkled his blood on the elect child of God (living bird) and he goes free from the judicial guiltiness of sin.

When the Israelite spies sent by Joshua were sent to spy out the city of Jericho, a harlot by the name of Rahab hid the spies on the housetop as the men of the city sought after them to kill them. Rahab's house was by the wall of the city and she let down the spies by a scarlet line so that they might escape. The spies made a covenant with Rahab that she and all that were in their house would be spared from the destruction of Jericho. The scarlet line was a token of that covenant. The judgment of God was on the city of Jericho to destroy it. Yet, through a covenant, Rahab and her household were spared from the judgmental destruction of Jericho.

The above is typical of the elect children of God. We are spared from the judicial destruction of God's wrathful judgment against sin because of a covenant that God made before the world began: Rom. 8:29, 30: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." There is no longer a charge that can rightfully be laid against us before God: Rom. 8:33, 34 "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

The blood of this everlasting covenant covers (scarlet line) every one of the elect family of God. Is. 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Our sins are covered by the scarlet blood of Christ and now we are judicially as white as snow.

Finally, when Tamar had twins of Judah we read of their birth: Gen. 38:27 "And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. 28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. 29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. 30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah."

In judgment, human reason would have the sinner to be judged first. However, we, as the elect of God, have an elder brother. Our elder brother bore our judgment for us. Afterwards he arose from the grave, victorious over sin, Satan, death, hell, and the grave. He is the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29) and the firstfruits of them that slept: 1 Cor. 15:20 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." In the proper order Christ is as Pharez and we are as Zarah. We have the scarlet thread on our hand.

Red Dragon, Scarlet Colored Beast, and Scarlet Arrayed Woman

There is a very strong correlation between the color red and the subject of warfare, blood, and judgment. Most of the scriptures using the color red point us to the warfare of Jesus Christ against the enemies of the elect family of God and the ultimate victory he gained over those enemies when he shed his blood on the cross and the eternal judgment of righteousness for that elect family. However, there is picture also of a great evil in the world that is correlated to us through the use of the color red:

1. Rev. 12:3 "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
2. Rev. 17:3 "So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration."
3. Rev. 13:1 "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."
4. Rev. 13:11 "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."

Included in the above quotes is the great red dragon (Satan), the seven head, ten horn scarlet colored beast (secular multinational power), mystery Babylon the Great (false church or bride of Satan clothed in scarlet), and the false prophet. This quaternion of evil have some things in common. They all have a blood lust to kill. They all are seeking to destroy the true worshippers of God. They all are seeking world domination and worship of Satan, whom they disguise as God. Thus, as the color red suggests, they war against the Lord and his faithful disciples, they shed the blood of the saints, and ultimately their judgment is to be cast in the lake of fire:

1. Rev. 20:10 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
2. Rev. 20:13 "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
 

The Red Heifer

There is a very strong correlation between the bible color red and the bible subject of warfare, blood, and judgment. This correlation is manifest in what the scriptures have to say about the sacrifice of the red heifer.

Num. 19:2 "This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: 3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face: 4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: 5 And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even. 8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin."

The water of separation, which had as one of its principle components the ashes of the red heifer, was used in the ceremonial cleansing of the tabernacle, its instruments, the priesthood, and the children of Israel and their uncleanness. The descriptive requirements of the red heifer sound very similar to the descriptive requirements of the other animal sacrifices offered under the law. There was one big difference, however, the red heifer is female and the other animals sacrificed were male. We know that the male animals sacrificed are typical of Christ. However, of what is the red heifer typical?

There is a biblical doctrine known as "substitutionary atonement." Almost all the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament teach this principle. This doctrine teaches that Christ suffered and died as a substitute for his bride, "the elect family of God." The experiences of Isaiah the prophet illustrate this doctrine: Is. 6:5 "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." In this example, the live coal from off the altar cleansed the uncleanness of Isaiah. Of course, the live coal is a figurative representation of Christ on the cross and there redeeming the uncleanness of Isaiah.

Christ was sold for thirty pieces of silver. The Old Testament prophecy of this said the following: Zec. 11:12 "And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD." Note that the Lord said, "a goodly price that I was prised at of them." The Lord said that it was a goodly price, yet, the price of a male servant at thirty three years of age is listed as being fifty pieces of silver: Lev. 27:3 "And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary." However, the price of a female servant at that age is thirty shekels of silver: Lev. 27:4 "And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels."

We conclude that Christ was valued at the price of a female servant, which the Lord said was a "goodly price." Christ did not go to the cross to suffer and die for any sins that he committed, for he committed none. He went to the cross to suffer and die for the sins of his bride, the elect family of God. He went there as their substitute in the wrathful judgment of God. Under the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, the substitute paid the judgmental penalty for the guilty part. As an example, if Joe had committed a theft and was sentenced to five years in prison and Bob substituted for Joe and served the five years, then the penalty against Joe would be considered in the eyes of the law to have been satisfied. Joe committed the crime and the penalty against Joe was satisfied. While the American judicial system does not allow for substitution, yet in God's system of justice substitution is allowed if a worthy substitute is found. Christ is that worthy substitute.

Now we come back to the red heifer. The red heifer represents the bride of Christ (God's covenant people). Christ's substitution for his bride had the same judicial effect as though she had suffered the penalty herself. The result is that she is declared righteous for her sins debt has been paid. I can look upon the red heifer and see God's covenant redemption for the sins of his people and see that my sins have been atoned for.   

Ride the Red Horse            

Rev. 6:1 "And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."

In the 5th chapter of Revelation we read of a book sealed with seven seals that only the Lamb could open. In the 6th chapter we see the Lamb as he opens the first four seals and we see four horses and a rider or riders on the four horses. In Zechariah chapter 6 we see a somewhat similar set of four horses and the meaning of the horses is given to us in verse 5: "And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth."

Therefore we can conclude that the four horses in Revelation as well as the four horses in Zechariah represent the “four spirits of the heavens.” Also we will note that bible colors are also associated with specific bible subjects.

The color white is associated with righteousness:
1. Judg 5:10 "Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way."
2. Song 5:10 "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand."
3. Is. 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
4. Dan 7:9 "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire."
5. Dan. 11:35 "And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed."
6. Dan. 12:10 "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand."
7. Matt. 17:2 "And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."
8. Rev. 17:9 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;"
9. Rev. 19:8 "And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

The color red is associated with war:
1. Nahum 2:3 "The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken."
2. 2 Kings 3:22 "And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: 23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil."
3. Josh. 24:6 "And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season."

The color black is associated with sin:

1. Job 30:30 "My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat."
2. Song 1:5 "I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. 6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept."
3. Jere 8:21 "For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me."
The “pale” horse in verse 8 we are told is associated with Death and Hell. Based on the above we are brought to understand that the four spirits that the four horses in Revelation represent are the spirits of righteousness (white), warfare (red), sin (black), and death and hell (pale).

While I am not an experienced horseman (I have spent less that 5 min. on the back of a horse in my lifetime), it seems to me that there are at least two very important things that you want to do when you ride a horse. You want to stay on the horse without falling off and you want to complete your task(s). Staying on your horse and completing your task would seem to make for a successful ride on a horse.

We will now look at possible riders of the horses. It is easy to see where Adam rode all four horses, however, he didn’t ride them successfully. Adam began by riding the horse of righteousness, for God made man upright in the beginning. Adam, in a sense, went forth conquering and to conquer as he was given dominion of the fish of the sea, and the fowl of the air, and the beast of the field. He gave names to all the creatures that God had made. He was doing okay in riding this horse for a short time, until the serpent engaged him in warfare, first, indirectly (thru the woman) and then directly. When Adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil he fell off the horse of righteousness. He went immediately to the black horse of sin. He, however, could not complete the task of the rider of this horse as he could not balance the scale of justice or keep from hurting the healing ointments. Thus Adam failed to stay on the horse of righteousness and he failed to perform the assigned tasks. Subsequently, none of Adam multiplied can successfully ride the horses as Rom. 3:10 tells us, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Since we all fell under the law of sin and death, we cannot, in our natural state, ride the horse of righteousness.

There remains only one who can and did ride all four horses successfully. That one is the Lord Jesus Christ. According to the scriptures, Jesus was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. He was born of a virgin and thus was born without sin, being conceived of the Holy Ghost. He kept the law to a jot and a tittle. He fulfilled all that was written of him. He rode the white horse of righteousness successfully. He also rode the red horse of warfare as he was engaged in the greatest of all wars. He fought successfully against sin, Satan, death, hell, and the grave. He successfully withstood the assault of the devil and his angels in all the temptations and trials hurled at him. He did this by taking the great sword of God’s word and yielding it against all our enemies. He did all this while successfully continuing to ride the white horse of righteousness. Next, he mounted the black horse of sin, not that he ever sinned (he never did), but the scriptures say that he was “made to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” On the cross, Jesus took our sins upon himself and became sin for us. He rode this black horse successfully as he maintained the balance of God’s justice (a measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny), satisfying God’s justice on our account. He also “hurt not the oil and the wine,” that is the healing ointments as he healed us from our sins thru his atoning sacrifice. As he mounted the black horse, he also mounted the pale horse and suffered the wrathful judgment of God to atone for our sins. God executed his judgment of our sins on our sin-bearer, Jesus Christ. Thankfully, our Saviour successfully rode all four horses on our behalf and has made us righteous thru his atoning sacrifice.

As a side note, we see that the balances are associated with the balance of justice in the following verses:

1. Job 31:6 "Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity."
2. Ps. 92:9 "Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity."
3. Pro. 11:1 "A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight."
4. Dan. 5:27 "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."
5. Pro. 16:11 "A just weight and balance are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work."

Similarly, the "oil and the wine" are used as healing ointments in the following passage: Lk. 10:34 "And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him."

"And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." This same one who has through his sacrificial atonement on the cross redeemed his people from their sins, now goes forth with judgments, both timely upon the elect and the non-elect and eternal upon the non-elect. God's four sore judgments are set forth in the reference to the sword, hunger, death, and beasts of the earth: Ezek. 14:21 "For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?" The execution of both timely and eternal judgments will be brought out abundantly in the remainder of the book of Revelation.

In summary, when the first seal of the book of salvation was opened we see the Lord as the Lamb of God going forth in the Spirit of righteousness fulfilling the law and the prophets to a jot and a tittle. When the second seal was opened we see the Lord going forth in the Spirit of warfare, defeating our enemies: Satan; sin; death; hell; and the grave. When the third seal was opened we see the Lord being made sin for us on the tree of the cross who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. When the fourth seal was opened we see the Lord suffering death and hell for us in our room and stead on the cross of Calvary and in so doing God's wrathful judgment of sin was satisfied. In addition the Lord having accomplished and satisfied God's eternal judgment on behalf of the elect, we see him going forth with timely judgments upon the elect and the non-elect and with eternal judgments upon the non-elect.