Question:
In this world where color and race seem to matter so much to everyone, I was just wondering where in the Bible does it say what color Jesus and God are?
Answer:
First, God is a Spirit, so He is neither white or black. John 4:24 says, “GOD IS A SPIRIT: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” A spirit does not have flesh and bones. Luke 24:39 says, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for A SPIRIT HATH NOT FLESH AND BONES, as ye see me have.”
So God the Father and God the Holy Spirit do not have bodies of flesh, even though God the Father is seen appearing in human form in a vision in the Scripture. Daniel 7:9 says, “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.” He appeared with white hair, but it does not tell us any skin color. In the case of the Lord Jesus Christ, He took upon Himself human flesh — Jewish flesh. John 1:14 says, “And THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Hebrews 2:16 says, “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but HE TOOK ON HIM THE SEED OF ABRAHAM.” So we know that upon earth, Jesus would have looked like the average Jew looks — a dark-complected skin with dark hair.
We are given a look at Jesus in His glory in the end times, and it clearly tells us with what color He will appear. Revelation 1:13-15 says, “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the SON OF MAN, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. HIS HEAD AND HIS HAIRS WERE WHITE LIKE WOOL, AS WHITE AS SNOW; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.” Not only is Jesus’ hair seen as being white, but also his head.
Why do people fuss over skin color? One reason — pride. Our problem is deeper than our skin. OUR PROBLEM IS INSIDE. Matthew 12:34 says, “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” No one upon earth is truly like God. Isaiah 55:8,9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
What we should all desire is hearts that are clean. Psalm 51:5-7 says, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: WASH ME, AND I SHALL BE WHITER THAN SNOW.” Isaiah 1:18 says, “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.”
A person may be various shades of color on the outside, but on the inside is where it really counts. Matthew 23:27,28 says, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for YE ARE LIKE UNTO WHITED SEPULCHRES, which indeed appear beautiful outward, BUT ARE WITHIN FULL OF DEAD MEN’S BONES, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, BUT WITHIN ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”
The real question is “What color is a person’s heart?” That one does make a difference.