What Is The Red Quarter In The Bible?
The concept of the red quarter is an intriguing one that pops up in a few places in the Bible. If you’re pressed for time, here’s the quick answer: The red quarter refers to God’s judgment and wrath against sin.
In this comprehensive article, we will explore the meaning of the red quarter, where it shows up in Scripture, and what it signifies about God’s interactions with humanity.
Defining the ‘Red Quarter’
The Term ‘Quarter’
The term ‘quarter’ in the Bible refers to a region or area within a larger place. Just as we might talk about the different quarters or neighborhoods of a modern city, the Bible sometimes divides larger regions into different ‘quarters.’
One example is how the tribe of Judah divided the land they conquered into four quarters during the settlement of Canaan (Joshua 15:1-12). The tribe gave each clan a quarter or district as their inheritance. So ‘quarter’ in the Bible refers to a smaller division within a larger area.
Associations with Red
The color red in the Bible is often associated with sin, danger, and judgement. Here are some key examples:
- Isaiah 1:18 refers to sins being as “red as crimson.”
- The Red Sea in Exodus symbolized danger and divine judgement for the Egyptians.
- The book of Revelation depicts the Antichrist as a “red dragon” (Revelation 12:3).
- Red is also connected to warfare and bloodshed (Nahum 2:3).
So the ‘red quarter’ likely carries connotations of sin, judgement, or tribulation.
Connections to Judgement and Wrath
The main passage speculated about a ‘red quarter’ is Isaiah 63:1-6. In this prophetic text, a divine figure comes from Edom in red-stained garments after judging and wreaking vengeance on the nations.
Edom was a nation east of Israel remembered for violence against Israel (Amos 1:11-12). The ‘red quarter’ here symbolizes God’s wrath and judgement on sinful nations. His red-stained clothing represents being splattered with the blood of his enemies.
So in this key passage, the phrase ‘red quarter’ connects to divine judgement and vengeance on the wicked. It is likely referring to Edom’s location as the region from which God’s wrath proceeds.
Some commentators relate this to Revelation 19 as well, where Christ returns with a red robe dipped in blood to judge the earth. So the ‘red quarter’ fits into a wider Biblical theme of red symbolizing coming judgement and the wrath of God against sin.
Appearances of the Red Quarter in Scripture
The Plagues Against Egypt
The ten plagues against Egypt recorded in Exodus 7-12 involved various disasters and judgments from God against Pharaoh for refusing to let the Israelites go from their slavery. The first plague turned the Nile river and other waters in Egypt to blood.
This set the stage for the other plagues to follow. The red color here symbolized the death and suffering that would come, foreshadowing the shedding of blood from the 10th and final plague – the death of the firstborn sons.
The Day of the Lord
The prophet Isaiah refers to the “day of the Lord” as a day of reckoning and judgment, oftenassociated with red, blood, and wine: “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31).
The redness here connects with divine retribution. The book of Revelation also describes the sun becoming “black as sackcloth” in the 6th seal judgment (Revelation 6:12).
The Great Winepress of God’s Wrath
The most vivid reference to the red quarter concept in Scripture is the winepress image in Revelation 14:17-20. An angel gathers the wicked for “the great winepress of God’s wrath” to be trampled, with blood flowing out up to the horse’s bridles for 1,600 stadia, about 184 miles.
This gruesome symbolism points forward to God’s fearsome anger against unrepentant evil and corruption at the end times. The red quarter here represents a river of bloodshed in divine judgment.
Theological Significance of the Red Quarter
God’s Righteous Anger Against Evil
The Red Quarter likely symbolizes God’s righteous wrath against egregious sin and evil. As a just judge, God cannot let wickedness go unpunished. The shedding of blood in the Red Quarter foreshadows the future judgment that will one day come upon evildoers who refuse to repent (Revelation 14:9-11).
Yet God takes no pleasure in punishment itself (Ezekiel 33:11); His desire is that people turn from evil and receive forgiveness.
Foreshadowing Future Judgment
The Red Quarter represents a microcosm of the final judgment described in Scripture when God will defeat all evil and establish His eternal kingdom. The separation of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46), the judgment of the nations (Joel 3:2), and the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15) are foreshadowed by the judgment poured out in the Red Quarter.
Yet God’s motivation is to ultimately bring about perfect justice, not petty vengeance.
Appeals to Repentance
While containing elements of wrath and judgment, the Red Quarter also represents God’s mercy in giving people an opportunity to repent before it’s too late. God allows evil to remain for a season so that more people may turn to Him (2 Peter 3:9).
And judgment always begins with God’s own people first (1 Peter 4:17). So the Red Quarter serves as a wake-up call, appealing to all to examine their lives and turn from wickedness before facing God’s fearsome judgment.
Conclusion
In closing, the concept of the red quarter in Scripture points to God’s just wrath against sin, foreshadows coming judgement, and serves as a stark reminder for people to repent. Though often overlooked, it is an integral part of God’s self-revelation in the Bible that both warns and urges readers toward righteousness.
