What is the biblical meaning of a red cardinal?
Introduction
Birds are beautiful creatures. They play significant roles in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
For example, turtledoves or young pigeons were used in the Old Testament to offer burnt offerings to God.
In the New Testament, the appearance of a white dove in heaven followed the baptism of Jesus Christ and a voice from heaven affirming He is God’s Son.
Today, birds play significant roles in our lives and serve spiritual purposes. However, most people miss this.
The red cardinal is a special bird species with a significant spiritual symbol, deep-rooted in the Bible.
Beyond looking elegant in their bright red color, red cardinals have profound spiritual meanings everyone must understand to appreciate God’s love and decode spiritual truths and messages.
This article seeks to show you that there’s more to this medium-sized songbird.
Biblical meanings of Red Cardinal:
The blood of Jesus
The most striking feature of a red cardinal is its bright red plumage.
Red is a powerful color in the Bible that Christians do not joke with because of its significance. Red signifies the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.
The blood of Jesus that was shed cleanses and purifies sinners.
It transforms one from being filthy to clean and holy.
In the spirit realm, every soul has a garment. How clean this garment is represents how sinful or holy they are.
Those with dirty or stained garments are unholy. This implies that they cannot approach God, the Father.
They are cut off from Him and condemned. However, those putting on white garments are holy saints of God. This set of people can approach God and live with Him in heaven.
But we are all sinners (Romans 3:23-24). We are guilty.
We will pay the price of our sins: death (Romans 6:23). However, God so loved us that He gave us Jesus Christ, His only Son, to die in our place.
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and death brought salvation to us.
His blood washes our garments of sin and makes us as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).
His blood brings redemption and reconciliation with God. But not for all.
Only those who accept Him will be saved.
Therefore, the red cardinal is a reminder that Jesus’ blood was shed for your sins. And it is time for you to repent and allow Him to wash you so you can be reconciled to God and delivered from death. 
The beautiful thing about the blood of Jesus is that the salvation or cleansing it brings comes with many other perks.
For example, Revelation 12:11 states that Jesus’ blood brings victory against every seen and unseen battle we are fighting.
This means that seeing the red cardinal signifies that we experience victory over our enemies. Also, Jesus’ blood has healing virtue.
It clears off infirmities, diseases, and sicknesses, including incurable and terminal ones (Isaiah 53:4, Matthew 4:23).
So, a red cardinal symbolizes you will soon bid your sickness farewell because the blood of Jesus will heal you.
Baptism of fire
John the Baptist said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).
Jesus Christ promised His disciples that He will send the Holy Spirit after His ascension.
His Spirit will empower those who receive Him.
In Acts 2:1-4, Jesus’ promise was fulfilled. His disciples were gathered in the Upper Room, where the Holy Spirit came upon them.
“Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:3-4)
Those born again must be baptized by water and the Holy Spirit or fire (John 3:5).
Water baptism symbolizes the cleansing from sin or dying to sin and resurrecting with a new life in Christ.
On the other hand, Holy Spirit baptism represents the empowerment to live righteously. 
Fire is red and fierce. It consumes impurities and makes items like gold pure. Therefore, seeing the red cardinal signifies that you will experience empowerment from above and be full of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit plays a significant role in the life of a believer.
He directs and guides like the compass helps a captain navigate the stormy waves of the sea (Isaiah 30:21). Therefore, seeing a red cardinal is a sign of direction. It shows you are being led by God and will not fail.
The Holy Spirit also gives understanding.
John 14:26 says He teaches all things. Therefore, if you are in a state of confusion and dilemma and a red cardinal perch on your window or a tree in your garden, see it as a sign that understanding and wisdom have come to learn, innovate, and create.
God’s love
It is no longer news that red symbolizes love. However, the red cardinal does not represent the romantic love we mostly attribute the color red to.
Instead, it represents the divine love of God demonstrated in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
God’s love toward humanity was demonstrated when He gave His one and only to save sinners from sin and death, even though they do not deserve His grace and mercy.
Seeing the red cardinal signifies the power of love, which can only be wielded by giving sacrificially.
So, the message is that you cannot say you love when withholding anything you feel is precious to you. The test of love is the willingness to put others before you.
Therefore, the red cardinal is a reminder to appreciate God’s sacrificial and unconditional love toward you and me.
It is also a call to extend love to anyone who needs it, not those we choose.
So, we must learn that loving those from whom we cannot gain anything and our enemies is the most authentic expression of love (Matthew 5:43–44).
Spiritual leadership
Interestingly, the red cardinal shares the same name with a leader in the Catholic church, the cardinal.
A cardinal is a key spiritual leader in the Catholic church appointed by the Pope to play crucial responsibilities, including electing and advising the Pope, representing the Vatican in diplomatic missions, holding administrative roles within the church, etc.
Red cardinals also have crests on their heads like a crown, symbolizing leadership and rulership. So, seeing the red cardinal could mean you are destined to be a leader.
Maybe you have been given a leadership position in the church or other areas of your life, and you are second-guessing your ability to lead; seeing a red cardinal is a sign that you have been bestowed with all it takes to become a strong and successful leader.
In the Bible, Gideon asked God for a sign to confirm if they had truly been appointed to captain the army of Israel, and God showed him.
Therefore, God shows signs to leaders to give them courage and the assurance of His presence and help; red cardinals are one such sign.
In the cardinal family, the male birds have more red shades on their feathers than the females.
This is a spiritual sign of authority given to men in their homes. The Bible states that men are the head of the family.
They must lead their wives and children. Fatherhood comes with physical and spiritual needs.
Men have been given the capacity to raise their children in the ways of the Lord and lead their wives to achieve their dreams.
Angelic visitation
The red cardinal also signifies an angelic visitation.
Seeing it means that God’s divine presence is with you.
Angels are heavenly messengers God sends to warn, inform, rebuke, and reveal God’s plan and purpose for our lives.
Stories in the Bible prove that God sends His angel to His elects.
For example, he sent the Angel Gabriel to bring good tidings about the supernatural conception of Jesus to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38). The same Angel Gabriel visited Daniel to interpret a vision to him (Daniel 9:20-23).
So, when a red cardinal appears, know that God is trying to do something in your life, depending on the season you are currently in.
He might lead you in the right direction, reveal mysteries, and interpret dreams. Simply pay attention and open your heart.
The red cardinal can also be a message that we must learn to be humble and work on our temper.
The male cardinals are usually aggressive when defending their territory.
They even attack another male that intrudes on their space. However, Jesus told His disciples to be gentle as a dove (Matthew 10:16).
We must learn to love everyone, including our enemies or those who intrude on our privacy or personal space.
In one of His lessons, Jesus encouraged us to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43–44).
This goes against human natural instinct and reaction toward hostility and attack. But we must learn to resist the enemy and pay evil with evil. Therefore, a red cardinal symbolizes the need to work on one’s temper.
To successfully do this, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit so we can bear the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Hope in darkness
The red color of the red cardinal symbolizes light.
Light represents hope and an end to misery, shame, and disappointment.
Seeing the red cardinal is a sign that light has come to illuminate your path.
You will no longer walk and stumble in life. But your path will be straight and easy because the direction has come.
Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
The night is always dark, silent, and lonely. But mornings are bright, fun, and full of warmth and energy.
Light shines in the morning.
John 1:5 says, “The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it and is unreceptive to it” (AMP).
The red cardinal also signifies knowledge and understanding.
Ignorance is darkness and mental blindness. However, God’s Word brings light and understanding.
“The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130)
Melody
“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” (Song of Solomon 2:12)
Red cardinals are known for their melodious and clear whistling songs.
Songs are used to glorify and worship God.
They are also used to express emotions and tell stories.
Music brings joy and happiness.
It sparks memories and ignites feelings.
Music calms you down and makes you connect with nature.
This is a profound meaning of the red cardinal because it is a powerful songbird. Therefore, seeing it or hearing its melodious sound is a sign that you are about to rejoice and lead for joy. It shows that your life will go from bitter to sweet experience.
We are often faced with challenges that steal our focus away from the good things worthy of thanksgiving from God.
These situations blind us to God’s goodness and block our minds and mouths from singing the song of praise, hope, faith, and worship to God.
If you have sunk deep into your problems and it seems your life is dull and gloomy, the song of the red cardinal reminds you that you will soon sing a new song about God’s deliverance.
Allow your heart to echo lovely songs to God.
Before you know it, your belly will not be able to contain the joy you feel.
You will be forced to open your mouth and praise God.
It is also a reminder that you should always sing to the Lord.
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David Akeju is a Christian writer who believes in the transformational power of God’s Word. His articles and books have been published on global platforms, and thousands of lives have been touched. He works with pastors and ministers, churches and ministries, and brands.