Audio Download

The Spiritual Significance of the Color Green – Part 1

[Study Aired November 28, 2025]

I am revising this study of the color green because I  have learned since this was first written in 2007 that there are two sets of three primary colors. As we have seen thus far, the generally accepted three primary colors are blue, red and yellow. I have just discovered that those three primary colors when combined create the color black. The other set of three primary colors produces white or pure light when combined. This new set of primary colors is red, blue, and green. These three primary colors when combined produce white, or pure light. Red and blue are common to both sets of three primary colors. When you replace yellow with green in the three colors which produce black, that simple change causes red and blue when combined with green to produce white or pure  light. Therefore the first set of primary colors, red, blue and yellow, which when combined produce black, signifies this dying natural realm. The second set of three primary colors which when combined produces white or light signifying the realm of the life-giving spirit.

Here is how this link: https://science.howstuffworks.com/primary-colors.htm, expresses all of this from a natural perspective:

Two Color Theories: Additive and Subtractive Colors

“If you’re talking about painting, then yes: Red, yellow and blue are the primary colors. If you’re talking about physics and light, though, your primary colors are red, green and blue.” (End Quote)

Since we are all still in these “earthen vessels” we will continue this study with the understanding that replacing yellow with green takes us from the dying mind of the natural man to the life-giving mind of the spirit.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

It is in this natural realm, where red, blue and yellow, the primary colors of our old man, combine to produce darkness and black, that we are striving to become a new man where red, blue and green combined will produce the pure life-giving light, the color white, of our new man. We are twice exhorted to “put on the new man”:

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
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.

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Gal 5:17  For the flesh [Red, blue, and yellow] lusteth against the Spirit [Red, blue, and green], and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

The flesh is called ‘the first man Adam’ (1Co 15: 45), a beast (Rev 13:1). ‘The first man Adam’ is also called “a living soul” which innately possesses “the breath of life”.

Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

When I first checked with Strong’s numbers to see what Hebrew word was translated as ‘breath’ in Genesis 2:7, I fully expected that it would be ‘ruach’ because I had discovered earlier that the Hebrew word ‘ruach’ was translated as breath in this verse:

Ecc 3:19  For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath [H7307: ‘ruach’, spirit]; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

Just two verses later this same Hebrew word is twice translated as ‘spirit’:

Ecc 3:21  Who knoweth the spirit [H7307, ‘ruach’] of man that goeth upward, and the spirit [H7307, ‘ruach’] of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

‘The breath of life’ in Genesis 2:7  is not translated from the Hebrew word ‘ruach’. The word ‘breath’ in Genesis 2:7 is translated from the Hebrew word H5397, ‘nashamah’, and this is how Strong’s defines this Hebrew word:

H5397

נְשָׁמָה

neshâmâh

nesh-aw-maw’

From H5395; a puff, that is, wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect or (concretely) an animal: – blast, (that) breath (-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.

Total KJV occurrences: 24

This word appears in the Hebrew 24 times and is translated as ‘spirit’ but twice. The vast majority of entries are translated as ‘blast, 3; breath, 12; breathe, 2; breathed, 2; breatheth, 1; inspiration, 1; souls, 1, and spirit, 2. This Hebrew word ‘nashamah’ has only to do with a breathing creature, and nothing to do with the realm of the spirit.

As always we must remember that every word of God’s Word has both a positive and a negative application, just as Christ, the cloud which led Israel out of  Egypt, was both light and darkness:

Exo 13:21  And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Exo 13:22  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, [from] before the people.

Exo 14:19  And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
Exo 14:20  And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

In brief summary, blue in scripture signifies the things of the heavens, both the heavens which are clean and pure and the heavens which must be cleansed:

Heb 9:23  [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.

Red signifies the things of the earth, both those which are called but not chosen and those which are chosen yet are still in ‘vessels of clay.’

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure [Christ in us] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Our final primary color, yellow, signifies both our dead and dying condition as flesh and our living and our growing condition after being dragged to God by His Spirit. Read the study notes to see the scriptures which bear on each of these statements.

https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?s=the+color+yellow

Green is the coming together of blue with yellow when we are dealing with the three primary colors of the natural realm. But the primary colors of a three sided glass prism are red, blue and green, and the color green which dominates the plant kingdom of the living but not oxygen breathing creation is produced through the system of photosynthesis. This is what Google said when I asked, “What is photosynthesis”:

“Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in glucose, a type of sugar, while releasing oxygen as a by-product. This process occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where the pigment chlorophyll absorbs light, mainly in the blue and red wavelengths, and uses that energy to drive the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and water (H₂O) from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis is commonly represented as 6CO2+6H2O→C6H12O6+6O2, indicating that six molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water are transformed using light energy into one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen. Photosynthesis is fundamental to life on Earth, forming the base of the food chain, producing the oxygen in the atmosphere, and providing the energy source for nearly all ecosystems.” (End Quote)

Applying the Romans 1:20 principle of “the invisible things of God are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made”, to what we have just read we find that sunlight must be absorbed by our old man and that the “by product” of our old man absorbing the light of The Sun of Righteousness is the beginning of the birth of our new living, oxygen breathing new man. Here is this process explained in the New Testament:

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Death is defeat and life is victory. Death is the inevitable product of this natural realm and life is the inevitable product of the realm of the spirit.

The first color mentioned in the scriptures which is formed by a combination of two of the primary colors of this material realm is the color we will deal with in this study. It is the color green. Here is where our color green is first mentioned in God’s Word. There is always much to learn where a word first appears in God’s Word:

Gen 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Gen 1:30  And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat : and it was so.

So the color ‘green,’ a color created by mixing blue with yellow, is first mentioned as connected with the food eaten by those who are created on the sixth day and who cannot yet eat the “strong meat” of the Word of God. Green is associated with “the green herbs” which are created via the process of photosynthesis.

Let’s take a look at Strong’s definition of this Hebrew word for ‘green’:

H3418
yereq
yeh’- rek
From H3417 (in the sense of vacuity of color); properly pallor, that is, hence the yellowish green of young and sickly vegetation; concretely verdure, that is, grass or vegetation: – grass, green (thing).

When we speak of a person being in ‘a vegetative state’ we are saying that they are alive but without their mind.

Dr. James Strong LL.D., S.T.D. shows no sign of being given spiritual insights, but in spite of his spiritual blindness, he was gifted at knowing and understanding the Hebrew and Greek languages. So, look at the definition he assigns to this word translated ‘green’ in the English language. “The yellowish green of young and sickly vegetation.” This is a very  accurate portrayal of the spiritual meaning behind this word as we will see.

The connection of the corruptible, dying, color yellow with this color green, is undeniable:

Psa 37:1  A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
Psa 37:2  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass , and wither as the green herb.
Psa 37:3  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Isa 15:1  The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;

Isa 15:5  My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives [shall flee] unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.
Isa 15:6  For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.

What we have just been told is that “green things” are destroyed and “laid waste” by “the workers of iniquity.” Locusts and canker worm eat green things:

Joe 2:25  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Now what are we told of those who only “eat every green herb” spoken of in Genesis 1:30?

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

All the theories of evolutionists notwithstanding, the truth of God’s Word is that before the flood of Noah “every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life,” was given nothing but “every green herb for meat.” Since “man shall… live… by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of God,” what is being revealed to us here is that until we are “baptized and risen with Him” (Rom 6:1-4), and this is speaking of the True baptism of God’s word, we live only on herbs and are not capable of receiving the meat of God’s Word.

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection:

When we are babes we are all “weak in the faith, eating herbs” which are green. So, both milk and herbs are all we can accept at first, so “every green herb for meat” is all we are given. If we do not go beyond milk and herbs, we will not be fit to be ruling with Christ in His kingdom:

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

There are the six milk doctrines of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. They are also the food eaten by those who are “weak in the faith.” The last of these six doctrines is the doctrine of “eternal judgment.” Eternal judgment is nothing less than the doctrine of universal salvation.  I can remember when I once considered this “green herb… first principle of the doctrine of Christ” as a T-bone steak. In reality even the doctrine of universal salvation is at best “green herbs” eaten by those are “weak in the faith.”

The second time we see this word ‘green’ it is under completely different circumstances than when we first saw it in the garden of Eden. The second time this word appears is after the flood of Noah. Here is what we are told Noah’s flood typifies in God’s Word:

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 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:

The flood of Noah is a figure of our baptism. The sad truth of Hebrews six is that most Christians never really get past baptism. They cannot, therefore, eat anything stronger than “green herbs.” What does God word say awaits those who are baptized into Christ’s death? What is given to those who do leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity? What was the difference between the diet of mankind  before and after the flood?

Gen 9:1  And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Gen 9:2  And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Gen 9:3  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Is there anything that is now not meat for us? Let’s look at an Old Testament example of those who were “weak in the faith, eating herbs” as contrasted to those who had gone beyond the milk and herbs of God’s Word:

Num 14:8  If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

After we get past being able to eat only green herbs and milk, only then “everything that moves” becomes a source of nourishment for God’s elect. Our greatest fears and enemies become victims of our desire to partake of the “strong meat” of the Word of God. Until that time, the things we use as nourishment, are also used by locusts as nourishment:

Exo 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.
Exo 10:13  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.
Exo 10:14  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.
Exo 10:15  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.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? If you are into God’s Word, this will all sound familiar. In our next study we will cover many more of the scriptures with this color ‘green’ with its spiritual significance. Here are just a few such verses which we will examine at our next study;

Luk 23:31  For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Rev 9:4  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

Green is positive inasmuch as the blue is performing its irresistible work in the flesh as it conforms the actions of this clay vessel to the actions of Christ.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world [yellow]: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [blue], that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Let’s close this part of our study of this color with the understanding imparted to us in our opening verse:

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Green is not blue. It is rather blue as it works with yellow. Green is weak and sickly flesh as it is being worked with and eventually destroyed by the pure, fiery, clean burning, blue flame of the Word of God. “You cannot do the things you would” but “Christ in you” will do the things He would.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

[Here is the link for the next study in this series.]