Released Part 5: Get Dressed with Righteousness:The Ring, The Robe, The CrownAs we continue this series let us look further at how God wants us to be clothed. God definitely requires that we travail in prayer, that we stay well-balanced, fearless and watchful. God demands that we operate on the offense versus on the defense. He requires that we examine ourselves, stay prayerful so that when attacks come and we sense that a storm is coming that we be prepared to respond according to God's word. Spiritual warfare requires the ability to put one's flesh under subjection and not respond according to the flesh. It is important that we wear the fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 versus the flesh.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also [l]walk by the Spirit.
In several versus of scriptures God uses clothing to describe our position in Him. When one is considered naked, one is considered of the carnal nature, uncovered, unprotected, exposed, vulnerable and even empty. There are many scriptures to compare when it comes to the similarities and differences between nakedness and being clothed.
The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved. Psalms 93:1
The word majesty in Psalms 93 is the word ge'uwth in Hebrew it means a rising up (of column of smoke), a swelling (of sea)majesty (of God), pride.
This shows that God wears a physical picture of awe that can only be explained as bigger than what the human mind can imagine.
God manifested Himself to the Hebrews in the book of Exodus in a cloud by day and fire by night. God showed His power by being the light they could follow at night and the cloud that covered them by day, He allowed the Hebrew people to get to know Him as protector. He let them know that he was not only Jehovah Jireh-The Lord God our provider, but also as the omin-potent, Omin-present and all knowing God that He is. In Exodus chapter 16:7, God shows His glory by causing quail to appear to feed them.
Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty. Psalms 104:1
God Himself is clothed with majesty, strength and honor. Majesty in psalms 104:1 is the word Hadar in Hebrew. It means ornament, splendour, honour and glory. God is ornamented in appearance and He is decorated with a light that shines so bright that it caused Moses's face to shine brightly as well.
When Moses asks God to show him His glory this is God's response: Exodus 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. God did not allow God to see His face, it was too much to behold. Just being in the presence of God, illuminated His face till the point that the people could not stand to look at it.
And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him. Exodus 34:35
The word Shone in Hebrew in this pericope of scripture is the word qaran which means to shine,to send out rays or to display or grow horns, be horned. The horn in the bible is usually used to sound the alarm for war, worship, new seasons and Holidays which also is a form of worship. When war or enemies approach a city, it is the job of the watchman to sound the alarm to let the city know to prepare for war.
The people could not stand the brightness that shone from Moses as a result of communing with God. There are several scriptures in the Bible that refer to the glory of God. Every time his glory appears men are impelled to fall to the ground or to repent out of fear and respect of who God is.
Ezekiel 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so [was] the appearance of the brightness round about. This [was] the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw [it], I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Revelations 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
The word splendor points to God's ability to evoke joy and an overwhelming feeling of peace while in His presence. When one encounters the presence of God, one experiences splendor at no cost. Exchanging one's life for the splendor of the King is not a cost, it is a spiritual investment. Not only do you experience joy and peace, one also is promised eternal life. Synonyms for the word splendor are grandeur, lustre, brillance, and magnificence. When we make God our magnificent obsession we encounter the greatest splendor that surpasses or understanding or knowledge.
In the beginning when God created man he created a seed. This seed was most important to God. He invested in us the life of His Son Jesus Christ. When Adam and Eve sinned they sold all of mankind into the slavery of sin. In order to buy us back God required a perfect sacrifice. There was only one person to fulfill this job description, Jesus Christ. It is through the blood of Jesus Christ that we have victory. It is through his death that we can have a restored relationship with God. Revelations 12, gives us a prequel to Genesis. God basically shows Satan his future and Satan's goal is to kill every good seed that God has planted because he knows that his time is short. Have you ever known some one who wanted you to be miserable, just because they were miserable? Well that is Satan. It is his design to cause mankind to experience misery on earth and for eternity. As a result of God investing in His seed, He won't destroy the earth because He is waiting for His seed to shine forth, complete their earthly assignments and be who He has designed for them to be. Though God knows that their are a few bad seed out there; he is willing to suffer with them until all His seed has been harvested. Satan went after Eve and he thought because he had tricked her that the story was over. However Eve was had an assignment to reproduce and though from her womb would come good and bad seed, hidden with in her seed was THEE SEED, Jesus Christ! Satan wanted all the glory! He wanted to steal the throne from Christ, but God had a plan that the enemy could not triumph over. Anything the enemy sends is the antithesis of who God is. Before Adam and Eve sinned there was no sin, mental disorders, illnesses, depression, anxiety, or fear. Sin ushered in an intensity of emotions and lack of control over one's desires. God had to send His son Jesus and Jesus had to send the power of Holy Ghost to dwell inside of us so that we can have access to the fruit of the spirit and something to combat the horrible nature of mankind after the fall.
Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
They knew that they were naked because their souls had just been introduced to a side of them that could not be harnessed by their own strength and ability. Here we see a picture of what happens when we are born into this world. When we are born into this world we are born naked. We do not become covered until some one covers us. Babies are vulnerable and also need protection. That is what happened when sin or disobedience to God entered into the seen. Now that they knew that they were naked, desires that once had been sleep were now fully awake, they recognized a need to be covered. Adam and Eve had exchanged the glory of God for the glory of Satan which was abandonment, deception and misery.
As we look at these scriptures we see the difference between being covered by God or by Satan.
1. Psalms 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
What is God asking you to wear instead of?
Satan wants you to wear mourning, ashes, spirit of heaviness and depression. God wants you to wear beauty, joy and praise. His goal is for YOU is to be a tree of RIGHTEOUSNESS that He may be glorified. When we look like God, we make God look good. We look good when we look like Him. We look like Him by wearing His glory or presence. One can access the presence of God by getting to know Him daily, through prayer, studying His word and making the choice to listen for His voice and obeying it.
2. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. Psalms 132:16
Satan wants you to walk in bondage, sin, infirmities, weaknesses and your own strength. God wants you to be clothed with salvation!
3. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto
him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Zechariah 3:4
Satan wants you to wear Filthy Garments and God wants you to wear clean garments.
4. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. Job 29:14
Satan wants you to wear sin. God wants you to wear righteousness!
5. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10
Satan wants you to rejoice in evil, be depressed, live in rejection and naked. God desires for us to be joyful, clothed with salvation, righteousness and Christ!
Parable Example
But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate Luke 15:22-24
Satan wants you to live in a pig's pen. God desires for you to be reconciled to Him and to be at your rightful place beside Him. God's response when we exchange our filthy garments for his clean ones is to throw a party and celebrate! Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
There are several scriptures where reconciliation, covenants and relationships were established. The ring, crown and brilliant clothes are a symbol of Authority and restoration to one's rightful place.
Joseph-Genesis 41:42- And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
Esther-Esther 2:17-And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Esther 8:2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
Esther 8:15-And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
Purple is the color of royalty and it is similar to the color of robe Jesus wore during His crucifiction.
And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put [it] on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,And said, Hail, King of the Jews! ............and they smote him with their hands.And Pilate wrote a title, and put [it] on the cross............. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. (read St. John 19)
Jesus wore a mockery of who He really was. He wore something that was the opposite of the splendor described in the beginning of this blog. Jesus who had once known what it was like to be equal with God, was dying the death of a criminal. Unrecognized by the Jewish people, Jesus wore His prophecy. He wore a picture of the opposite of what God had to offer them. Sin offers thorns, but God offers roses. If Jesus did not endure the cross, he could not have obtained His true crown. Before Joseph was restored He had endured false imprisonment, rejection, false accusation, and disappointment. Before Esther received her crown she endured the test of purification. Before Mordecai received His robe, ring and crown, he faced false accusation and possible execution. Before Jesus received His rightful place again in heaven, He endured the cross.
20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:18-23
5 Have this attitude [e]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be [f]grasped, 7 but [g]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [h]on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
8 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life [a]in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, [b]weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of [c]sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is [d]alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies [e]through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you [f]must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery [g]leading to fear again, but you have received [h]a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8:1-17
The crown we seek is found in Christ! God wants us to be dressed with righteousness because we become a Son of God and that is our inheritance in Christ Jesus. When we are covered with God's glory, then we walk according to the Spirit. When we walk by the Spirit we look more and more like Jesus every day. The image of Christ is to die to our flesh and be an example of who Christ was and is through us in this earthly realm!
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2. Timothy 4:8
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter 5:4
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.1 Corinthians 9:25
Prayer: Lord help us to recognize who we are in Christ Jesus. As long as we have Christ and we stay the course, we know that we have a crown that can not be burned or destroyed awaiting us in heaven. God has chosen us to be His own and one day as the song says, "I shall wear a crown!"
I Shall Wear A Crown
James Cleveland
(Verse 1)
Watch ye therefore
You know not the day
When the Lord shall
Call your soul away
If you're Fighting
Striving for the right
Ye shall wear a robe and crown
I shall wear a crown (2x)
When that trumpet sounds (2x)
Oh, I shall wear a crown
I shall wear a crown
I shall wear a golden crown
Soon as my feet strike Zion
Gonna lay down my heavy burden
Put on my robe in glory
Shout and tell my story
Move over hills and mountains
Unto the chrystal fountain
All of God's sons and daughters
Will be drinking that ole' healing waters
I'm gonna move on up a little higher (4x)
We shall wear a golden and crown
May Your Day Be Filled With the Love of Christ!!!!
#Get Dressed!
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