What Does God Wear? How Does He Clothe Believers?

I was reading Psalm 104: Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain (verses 1-2). God wears interesting clothing:

Honor

Majesty

Light

I thought I’d study further. Does God wear other “clothing”? I realize that God is everywhere, is a Spirit, and He doesn’t need nor actually wear clothes as we think of them. But, the idea is there. God clothes Himself with honor, majesty, and light. Think of it! What an image!

So, I did a search. This is what I found:

• The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved (Psalm 93:1). Majesty, Strength.
• For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke (Isaiah 59:17). Righteousness, Salvation, Vengeance, Zeal.
• I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire (Daniel 7:9). A white garment
• And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light (Matthew 17:2). Clothes that are as white as light
• And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps (breast) with a golden girdle (Revelation 1:13). Full-length garment with golden belt

When Jesus was on the earth, He wore a nice coat: Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did (John 19:23-24).

These clothes were forced on Jesus when He paid the price for our sins:

• And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe (Matthew 27:28).
• Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! (John 19:5)

Through faith, God clothes believers in:

• I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem (Job 29:14). Righteousness and judgment
• I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy (Psalm 132:16). Salvation
• 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). Salvation, righteousness

The parable of the Prodigal Son speaks of God the Father welcoming a repentant son: But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet (Luke 15:22).

Every born-again person can expect the Lord to take care of our physical need for clothing. Jesus said to His disciples, Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Luke 12:27-28).

In heaven, those who’ve trusted Christ for salvation will wear white linen robes.

• He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels (Revelation 3:5).
• And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? (Revelation 7:13)
• And to her (the Bride of Christ, the church) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Revelation 19:8).

God is clothed in beautiful, holy clothes and attributes. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, the believer is taken care of while he’s living. In heaven, he wears a white linen robe of righteousness, so that He can be part of the Bride of Christ. God actually clothes us with His righteousness when we accept His Son’s payment for sin, by faith.

The clothing of God and the believer is a powerful lesson about salvation. God is light and clothed with light. He imparts His holiness to the person who accepts the gift of righteousness based on the merits of Jesus Christ on the cross. What a beautiful picture!

With Joy

As Christians, we’re supposed to live joyfully. We have every reason to! God did so much when He saved us.

Yet, so many Christians plod through life, looking at all the negatives with a woe is me attitude. “Poor me! The Christian life is hard! Look at how they persecute me. Look at all the bad people. I have such a fight to do right. No one suffers like I do.” And all along, the Bible urges us to be joyful in the Lord. The men who wrote the Bible were persecuted, martyred, and imprisoned. Still, they were joyful.

I’d like to share with you just a few of the verses about joy. As you read them, think about how they apply to your life. (Emphasis mine.)

• Peter, on the day of Pentecost, quoted the Psalmist David, Thou (God) hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance (Acts 2:28).
• After persecution and not being accepted in the city, the disciples shook the dust of the city off their feet. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost (Acts 13:52).
• The Apostle Paul knows, through the witness of the Holy Spirit, that bonds and afflictions await him. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:23-24).
• Paul blesses the Christians in Rome: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:13).
• Paul thanks God for faithful Christians in Corinth, even in the midst of trials, Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation (2 Corinthians 7:4).
• Paul prays for the Philippian church with joy in his heart. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy (Philippians 1:4).
• Paul prays that the Christians in the church at Colossae would be strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness (Colossians 1:11).
• Peter speaks of the early church’s faith in Jesus, Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).
• Peter wanted the new church to have the right picture when it came to persecution: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy (1 Peter 4:13).

All of us can use an infusion of joy. It comes from a right relationship with Jesus Christ, accepting what happens as His will, and looking at the bigger picture. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4:14b). Our sure hope is about eternity—a place in heaven forever. This life is short. We want to live it to please God and share Jesus with others.

People notice when Christians are joyful in their day-to-day living. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance (Psalm 89:15). When Christians walk . . . in the light of God, they show it on their faces. Even when they go through trials (as we saw in some of the verses above) Christians can have joy, because they know that trials are temporary. What matters most is eternal.

Sometimes we need to be reminded of that perspective.

From a jail in Philippi, the Apostle Paul wrote:

Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice.

(Philippians 4:4)