Exhortation, Second Sunday After Epiphany

Every church season has a color, and the color for Epiphany is green. Why?

In Scripture as in life, green is a color of life. The righteous will flourish in old age, says the Psalmist; they shall be full of sap and very green. Solomon tells us that the one who trusts in riches will fall, but the righteous will be like a green leaf.

When the prophets describe Israel under judgment, they say nothing green remains, just as there was nothing green in Egypt after the plague of locusts. But after another devastating plague of locusts, Joel predicts that the Lord will restore Israel: the pastures of the wilderness will turn green.

Green is the color of gardens and pastures. Yahweh offers Adam every green plant for food, and Jesus the good shepherd makes the 5000 sit down on the green grass to eat bread and fish. Israel’s land is full of spreading green trees and winding vines.

Jesus is the light coming into the world that dispels the purple gloom of Advent and brings in the brilliant white of Christmas. He is the seed planted into the world, which produces the flourishing green of Epiphany as He is manifested to the world.

Adam was given every green plant for food, but he seized forbidden fruit. Israel was given a fruitful land, but they set up shrines for idols under every green tree. We have been brought to green pastures and still waters, but we abuse the Lord’s privileges. If we want to flourish fresh and green, we need to confess and repent of our idolatries and trespasses.