God Says "I've Got You Covered" (Part 2)

In Part 1, we looked at what God said about being covered with the robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Now we will look at what God is covering us with which is different from what we cover ourselves with. It is the fine linen, clean and white.

Rev. 19:8 ...for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in the fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

The marriage of the Lamb has already taken place so we don't have to die and “go up yonder in the blue” to be with Jesus and put on our long white robe. Our marriage with God was completed when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and received the Holy Spirit. We have already come into union with Him and don't have to wait for anything or anyone. By this marriage, God has already planted the seed in us, which is Himself, which is the Word.

...his wife hath made herself ready - How does the church do this? We make ourselves ready by:

- studying the Word, the seed that is already planted in us

- worshipping God in spirit and in truth

- putting on the mind of Christ and letting this mind be in us

- girding of the loins of our minds

- walking in the light

We must make ourselves ready by taking action and believing. The woman (the church) has been given a gift, a right, a privilege of the fine linen. She did not earn it herself by just doing "good works", but it was given to her because she was ready! She had prepared herself. And because of this preparation, He gives us the most beautiful gift of all - His righteousness.

We are adorned, set in order with a cover or robe of superior quality which is pure, free from disease/moral corruption/offensive treatment; free from spot or blemish. God has put on us the fine linen, clean and white, which is that robe of righteousness.

But why linen?

Linen is a fabric woven from yarn made of the fine fibers of the stalk of the flax plant and noted for its strength, coolness, and luster. In ancient times, the flax stalk grew quite tall and was cut or pulled out by the roots near full growth, dried for a time in the sun, then pounded vigorously to separate the fine fibers, washed and bleached, and then it was ready for the weaver.

This flax plant had to go through a process before it's fibers could be used by the weaver to produce a finished fabric called linen. But not until it went through the preparation stages of being dried, pounded, washed, and bleached was it ready to be used to make the linen.

Doesn't that sound like the preparation process that God uses with us?

- to be cut or pulled out by the roots from the religious system?

- dried for a time in the sun to drain the untrue teachings of the religious system out of us so that the living waters can be poured in?

- pounded to remove everything that is not like God?

- washed & bleached in the blood of Jesus?

This preparation is needed before we can be fully ready for God to produce the woven tapestry of our lives. To weave means to unite in a coherent whole; to make by intertwining.

Nothing can cover us like God can with His fine linen, clean and white. He gives us the best of everything!

In Part 3, we will look at how the blood of the Lamb cleanses us by “washing our robes” and washing away sin to make the soul clean and white in the sight of God.

Hope you'll move to Part 3. Thanks for stopping by,

Rachel