To most Chinese, the Lunar New Year is traditionally a red-letter day. To them, red signifies joy and blessing and hence it is prominently displayed during this season. Red banners and red lanterns herald the New Year. A scarlet banner woven with red thread and decorated with coloured tassels is draped over the front door of most homes, supposedly to ward off evil.

According to an ancient Chinese legend, red was the colour dreaded by Nian, the ferocious ugly monster, which preyed on innocent victims and destroyed their houses on New Year’s Eve. Because of this the New Year season has become a time when houses are adorned with a profusion of red objects, including flowers, decorations, cushion covers and calligraphy scrolls, and also to generously give out hong bao (red packets) as tokens of goodwill.

Since God alone is the source of all good things (James 1:17), it is thoroughly superstitious and vain to imagine that colours have any special properties to protect, bless or influence the outcome of events in our lives. However it is interesting to note that the colour red has various symbolic meanings in the Bible which can be useful to highlight some important truths of the Gospel.

1. Red Speaks of God’s Creation of Man.

When God created man, He gave him the name Adam. This was not only the name of the first man but also of the whole human race (Genesis 5:2). According to Matthew Henry the Hebrew word adamah originally meant ‘red earth.’ This was probably what the first man was made from (see Genesis 2:7; 3:23). With a different vowel the word adam becomes adom which means ‘red.’ (cf. Edom, the other name of Esau, Genesis 25:25, 30).

Although he was created from the humble red-coloured ground, man was destined to occupy a very exalted place in God’s creation: To exercise dominion over the world while enjoying close fellowship with his Creator (Genesis 1:26)! Unfortunately this was marred by man’s wilful rebellion against God, and soon the red blood of Abel, the first murder victim, was crying out to God from the ground (Genesis 4:10). (Note: the Hebrew word for ‘blood’ is dam, which is related to the word ‘red.’)

2. Red Speaks of the Devil.

The Devil is the ‘great red dragon’ (Revelation 12:3) who had also rebelled against God not long after he was created as the ‘anointed cherub that covereth’ (Ezekiel 28:14). A skilful master of deception, he took the form of a serpent and tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. When she in turn gave the fruit to Adam and he ate of it, their eyes were opened to their nakedness. Both of them probably turned red with shame and embarrassment and they immediately sought to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:7).

Throughout man’s history that red dragon has continued to persuade and tempt Adam’s descendants to disobey God and join his ongoing rebellion against Him. This rebellion will reach a climax in the end times when the scarlet Beast (the Antichrist) will rule over the whole world and demand to be worshipped by all people (Revelation 17:3, 13:1-8)!

3. Red Speaks of the Sins of Man.

Man’s sins are just like crimson stains in his life which cannot be removed by the strongest stain-removers (Isaiah 1:18). No matter what remedy man has tried to get rid of his own sins – like self-reform, discipline and education – they have persisted on in his life and have even enslaved him!

Although red stands for warning and danger (cf. Leviticus 13:19,24,42,43,49; 14:37), man has been helplessly drawn to sin by his own corrupt, sinful nature. As a result of this he suffers the awful consequences of falling for the pleasures of sin. "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder." (Proverbs 23:29-32).

Red also speaks of the sins of covetousness and pride which eventually lead to his downfall and humiliation. "They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills." (Lamentations 4:5)

Dear Reader, if you are not saved yet, your soul is in much greater peril than you can ever imagine. All the sins you have committed will send you hurtling to your doom (Romans 6:23). Please do not ignore this urgent red alert!

4. Red Speaks of the Righteous Judgment of God

Although the sins of man have continued to multiply in this world seemingly without any restraint, the present period of grace will soon come to an end. God, the righteous Judge, will then bring judgement upon the sins of the whole world, and none will be able to stand before Him.

The prophet Isaiah had foretold this awesome event: "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. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 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." (Isaiah 63:1-3; cf. Revelation 19:13)

Just as the first plague of Egypt turned the waters of the Nile red with blood (Exodus 7:17-19), God’s end-time judgements will turn all the waters of the earth and the moon blood-red (Revelation 16:3,4; 6:12)!

5. Red Speaks of the Salvation of Sinners.

God has mercifully provided one way for sinners to escape from His coming judgment, and this is through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Born from the line of the ruddy-complexioned king David (1 Samuel 16:12; Matthew 1:1), Jesus the God-man died on the cross to bear the judgment that was due for the sins of His people. He then resurrected from the dead and is now ascended up to heaven where He lives forever to intercede for them.

Red speaks of the redemption of sinners that is found in Jesus. The red streams of blood that flowed from His cross at Calvary had been foretold in various ways: e.g. in the various purification rites and sacrifices that were made by the priests of Israel:

"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: And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water." (Leviticus 14:4-5)

"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: 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: 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…" (Numbers 19:2-4)

Dear Reader, if you seek redemption from the Lord Jesus, you must personally appropriate it from Him alone. Ask Him now to take away all your sins and to make you a child of God (John 1:12). You will then be spared from the awful destruction that will come upon sinners.

An illustration of this can be found in the life of Rahab the harlot. Although she was from Jericho, a sinful city that was already doomed to destruction, she and her family were saved because she trusted in the promise that was given to her: "Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee." (Joshua 2:18,21 cf. 6:23-25)

The scarlet thread that Rahab bound to her window points us now to the precious blood of Jesus Christ. "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" ( 1 Peter 1:18-19).

To all who are saved by Him, Jesus will show Himself to be the beautiful rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Everyone who loves Him will testify, "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand." (Song of Solomon 5:10) Will you turn to Jesus Christ and be saved today? —CS