Symbolism In The Bible

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As one of the deepest and most profound pieces of literature, the Bible contains in its pages a number of critical symbols, taken from both the Old Testament and New Testament. Fire, for example, can be seen as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, as evident in the story of Moses and the Burning Bush. Fire in the context of candlelight is also symbolic of many elements in both the Christian and Hebrew traditions. An equally important symbol in the Bible is that of the lamb, the most innocent of creatures. In most scenes of sacrifice, it is a lamb that is slaughtered. This symbolism is taken one step farther when one considers that Jesus himself is often known as the Lamb of God. He was a true innocent, sent to Earth to do no wrong; he was to merely take responsibility for the sins of his followers and die on the cross for them. The role of the lamb as the innocent pervades the Bible, stretching from the Old to the New Testaments.

Colors in the Bible

Colors are also very symbolic in the Bible, and they can be seen in nearly every book and chapter. From the first pages, the notion of colors as symbols is present:

• The red of the apple in the Garden of Eden is a symbol of sin and corruption, as this was the original sin that man has paid for throughout all of eternity.
• Purple is the color of royalty, seen throughout the Old and New Testaments and carried throughout the history of man.
• White, however, is the most common symbol, and has come to represent many things. It reflects purity, as it is an uncorrupted color that shows not imperfections. It symbolizes the light of heaven and that of the Holy Spirit; whenever the notion of final judgment is mentioned, or an Angel of God appears, it is traditionally accompanied by a bright white light.

The symbols in the Bible are vast and diverse, but have each come to mean so much more than their strict literal translations from this Christian book.