GOD WILL CLOTHE YOU COLOURFULLY

Also for Adam, and his wife the LORD God make tunics of skin, and CLOTHED THEM – Genesis 3:21

Clothing could be critical. Dressing can be a big matter. There are occasions when our dressing matters a great deal; events at which a casual dress, however clean, would not suffice; or the absence of particular clothing items could deny one entry. God has been concerned about our clothing from the beginning. The Lord didn’t abandon Adam and Eve in their pitiful state of nakedness and shame; rather He made “tunics of skins, and clothed them” (Gen.3:21). The coats or tunics of skin imply the shedding of animal blood in producing the skins. That’s how important clothing is to God. He never wants us to be found naked and vulnerable. However, clothes are not only for covering nakedness, but could signify identity, dignity, and beauty.

Jewish tradition required a mother to make a robe and present it to her son as a departure gift when he left home. It was a unique situation therefore when “Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours” (Gen.37:3). Not the mother, but the father made the coat to identify and distinguish His son. This foresaw the Father’s love for His Son Jesus, and through Him, for all of His eternally-chosen children. God desires to clothe us colourfully. Pertinent questions are: What kinds of clothes? What kinds of colours? Here, we ponder on a few.

Scripture uses clothes to depict vital virtues such as righteousness, salvation, humility, and blessings. David sang, “Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness…” (Psa.132:9). King Solomon, at the Temple’s dedication, prayed that God’s priests be “clothed with salvation” (2Chr.6:41). Isaiah 61:10 refers to being clothed with “the garments of salvation” and covered with “the robe of righteousness.” The apostle urges us to “be clothed with humility” (1Pet. 5:5). In contrast, David spoke of an evil person who “clothed himself with cursing” (Psa.109:18). This then implies that we can be clothed with blessings!

Garments also symbolize character: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col.3:12). We are therefore enjoined: “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts” (Rom.13:14). Finally, we are to be clothed with “the whole armour of God” in order to stand strong as sons of God and advance victoriously as Soldiers of Christ (Eph.6:10-18). God will clothe you colourfully – in coats and colours of salvation, righteousness, beauty, distinction, dignity, humility, character, and strength. God will clothe you fully and colourfully, for His Glory and Praise!