Did you know that what we wear is important to God? We see this even from the very beginning of the Bible. When Adam and Eve sinned, they tried to provide clothing for themselves by sewing fig leaves together (Genesis 3:7). However, providing their own clothing was never going to be enough. Instead, God made coats (tunics) out of animal skins and He put them on Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). These garments were hand-made by God Himself!
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul says that as believers we are to “put on” or “clothe ourselves” with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27). When we do this, we wrap ourselves in all that He is. Our whole lives become focused on Him, rather than ourselves.
Communicating Christ
Clothing is important for another reason. Research has shown that clothes are a form of non-verbal communication. So when we clothe ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ, we radiate who He is, rather than who we are. This is worth thinking about. I wonder what I’ve been communicating today? Have I been fully wearing Christ in my words and actions and as I’ve gone about my day?
Wearing the right clothes
There’s a very powerful Old Testament picture that demonstrates the significance of wearing the right clothes. And it also highlights the seriousness of being tempted to wear the wrong clothes.
While God called the whole nation of Israel to be priests (Exodus 19:6), the tribe of Levi were singled out as having special duties in the tabernacle. As such, they were assigned special clothing by God. There are three aspects that are particularly relevant for us today.
1. God’s choice of clothes
Firstly, God stipulated that the priests and Levites had to wear special clothing whenever they worked in the tabernacle. They could not come anywhere near God’s holy presence wearing their own clothes. They had no choice in this matter.
Just as the priests could not enter God’s presence wearing their own clothes, we cannot continue to proudly wear our own beliefs and opinions, or try to justify ourselves. When we accept Jesus’ Lordship over our lives we lay down our ‘rights’ and take off our old ways of thinking and acting. God provides us with new, beautiful clothing that is made by Him – garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).
2. God’s choice of colour
Secondly, the God-designed clothing for the priests was to be made from blue, purple and scarlet coloured yarn.
From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. They also made sacred garments for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Exodus 39:1 (NIV)
Back then, the dye to make these colours was difficult to obtain, making it rare and expensive. And interestingly, the priest’s clothes were exactly the same colours as the sanctuary curtains.
Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker.
Exodus 26:1 (NIV)
The priests’ clothes and the tabernacle curtains were exactly the same colours because the priests were not meant to stand out in any way. Everything in the tabernacle was patterned after heaven and was to fully focus on the One who sat on heaven’s throne. God’s presence had to be number one.
How often do we do things just so we will be noticed? But that’s not God’s kingdom pattern. We are God’s royal priests. And as His priests, we are to point to God, not to ourselves; to declare His praises and not our own.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV, emphasis added)
3. God’s choice of fabric
Both the priest’s clothes and the curtains were to be made from fine linen. This was spun from flax rather than wool. In fact, no wool, or any other material that caused perspiration was allowed to be used in the priest’s clothing (Ezekiel 44:17).
Perspiration results from human effort, and nothing in the tabernacle was to be accomplished by human self-effort.
Do you need to change your clothes?
Did you notice that each of the above points regarding our God-designed clothing are directly opposite to things that are celebrated in our current culture? Society would say that you have a right to express your opinion; that the way to gain anything is by self-promotion and self-effort.
But the Kingdom of God has a totally different set of values, and a totally different set of clothing. Each of us who have made Jesus the Lord of our lives, wear different clothes to those around us. Let’s not be tempted to pick up any of our old clothing. And if we have, let’s bring it back to the cross, ask His forgiveness and leave it there.
In these days, it’s so important for us to be clothing ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ in everything we do and say. And as we do, we are communicating Christ and radiating all of who He is into the world around us.
