White Robes

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment...I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." (Revelation 3: 5, 18 KJV)

Besides receiving a "harp" and a "crown," the Lord's redeemed people will also receive glorious "robes" and a "heavenly wardrobe." It is part of their glorious destiny as heaven's eternal kings and priests.

The Lord's people will truly be "decked out" when they are washed and dressed in heaven's "white robes." On the other hand, the wicked, in their eternal state of loss and woe, will be stripped of all clothing, both for the soul and for the body.

"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61: 10 NIV)

The fulfillment of this promise is two-fold in the lives of the people of God. Their first experience of this glorious change of apparel occurs when they, as sinners, turn to God in faith and repentance, and through a confession of Christ as the only Lord and Savior, and are thus "born again" (John 3: 3-5) and "washed in the blood" (I Corinthians 6: 11) of Jesus,(I Peter 1: 2 & I John 1: 7) in a life-changing experience between the soul and God. The final fulfillment will not occur till after the resurrection, after the coming of Christ and not till after the promised "glorification" of the converted. (See Romans 8: 30)

Many scriptures speak of this glorious change in conversion, in the "birth of the Spirit," under the metaphor of "going from rags to riches" (and rich apparel) as far as how God sees the soul.

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64: 6 KJV)

This is the condition of the soul of the lost sinner who has not found forgiveness and atonement for sins with the Lord. All his "good deeds" are "as filthy rags." He may think that he will be saved by his "good deeds," or by his "righteousnesses," but they are in God's eye nothing but "filthy garments," like the "fig aprons" that Adam and Eve made to "cover their nakedness" and "shame" before the Lord.

"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....Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." (Genesis 3: 7, 21 KJV)

Did Isaiah have these words of Moses (in Genesis) in his mind when he said that we, and all our goodnesses, "do fade as a leaf"? The "fig leaves" that Adam and Eve made could not "hide" their guilt and shame before the eyes of Lord God. So, the Lord, in a prophetic rite, "makes them coats (fully clothing them, as opposed to their own self-made "aprons," or mini skirts, which only convered their private parts) of skin."

Blood was shed in the making of the "coats" but no blood was shed in the making of the "fig aprons." The "fig aprons" represent a man's own "good deeds," wherein he trusts, for atonement, while the "coats" represent the "righteousness of Christ imputed to" the believer. (See Romans chapter 4) Wrote Paul:

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus 3: 5 KJV)

So, Paul and Isaiah are in perfect agreement. A man will not be saved because he was a "good" person, for none can "measure up," but a man is saved because Lord God allowed Jesus' goodness to be transferable to the "account" of the beleiver in Jesus. Praise be his holy name! Allelujah!

Saints are spiritually clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and this will be symbolized in the glorious robes that the saints are destined to wear.

"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 KJV)

"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." (Luke 15: 22 NIV)

Both these cases allude to this "glorious change of raiment" that the saints experience, now in their regeneration and conversion experience, and then more fully and completely in the day of their coronation and reward.

Filthy garments removed from the wayward prodigal who has forsaken his father and has squandered all the good his father has given to him, and then clothed with the best robe! Wondrous and happy story! Every Christian knows this grand feeling of being washed, and of having his filthy garments taken away, and replaced with the robe of Christ's righteousness.

"Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?" (7: 13)

"And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them." (7: 15)

Again, we know how the saints obtain their whitened and pure robes. They are made so by the application of the "blood of the Lamb," which blood removes every stain of sin.

"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21: 2 KJV)

These words tell us of the final glorification of the believer, when he has new external robes and garments for his glorified and celestial body, and enjoys all the rights and privileges that come with those garments. Oh how the believer will be "decked out" in glorious beauty throughout eternity.

"The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved." (Psalm 93: 1 NIV)

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple." (Isaiah 6: 1 NIV)

"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad. Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir." (Psalm 45: 6-9 NIV)

These verses view Lord God as the King of kings. As such, everything regal is applied to him. God is "clothed with majesty" and with "glory." His garments, like the garments of rich kings, were well perfumed, and glorious to behold, with their robes of various colors, colors of royalty, and colors fit for righteous judges and for holy priests.

As God is arrayed, so will his people be arrayed, for they "shall be like him," in quality, though never in quantity. The garments of Christ, and the garments of the saints, will truly be odiferous! There is no clothier or clothes designer who can match the Almighty in his wardrobe creations!

The church is the bride and wife of Christ (Ephesians 5: 25-30) and is thus a "queen" and there are many prophecies in holy scripture that speak of her being "installed" as "queen" and of her "taking her place" at the right hand of Christ, her glorious king and husband, in the day when she is coronated with Christ.

"In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will be a seat of honor for the house of his father. All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars." (Isaiah 22: 20-24 NIV)

This is chiefly a prophecy of Christ, who, according to the Book of Revelation, is the one who "opens and no one can shut," and "shuts and no one can open" (Revelation 3: 7), but it may also be applied to every believer in Jesus.

To be clothed with "royal robes" (Acts 12: 21 NIV) and "royal apparel" (Esther 5: 1 KJV) is to receive the power, and honor, and authority that comes with those special garments, to sit in specified "seats of honor."

"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." (Esther 8: 15 KJV)

This answers the question as to whether the robes of the saints will be only white, and no other color. Yes, blue and purple are royal colors, but white is also a royal color, but the two of them together, in elegant forms, is often the case with royal robes.

"And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying." (II Samuel 13: 18, 19 KJV)

"I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD. But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was." (Ezekiel 16: 10-15 KJV)

"Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him...The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people...Therefore the LORD will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts. In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels, The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty." (Isaiah 3: 10, 11, 13, 17-24 KJV)

These two passages seem to present a problem. Lord God, in blessing his people and exalting them to greatness, as a nation and people, gave them abundant food and plentiful "goodly apparel" and "gay clothing," or "fine clothes," we might say today, in contrast to the "shabby clothes" and "vile raiment" of the poor and unclean person. (James 2: 2, 3 KJV & NIV) But, then, later, he condemns them for the very wearing of these expensive clothes, and costly jewelry, andother various bodily adornments. Why?

The cause was that, like Satan, whom Lord God originally made "beautiful," so too did Israel, "fall in love with" her own beauty, and instead of crediting God for her beauty, and for her adornments, and remaining thankful and humble, she, like Lucifer, became Narcissistic, and boastful, and proud, and walked around with pride in her beauty and adornment, which she, like Satan, credited herself for.

People today do the same things. People today take vain pride in their expensive garments, in their flashy jewelry and in their "symbols of success," and they become more and more vain and selfish.

For the lost sinner, all these garments and ornaments will all be forever taken away from him one day. However, for the forgiven sinner, he can expect to wear humbly forever the most glorious of jewels, and clothes, and crowns, and other precious ornaments about his head, and neck, and his hands and feet. Oh the rings and the chains too that will be about the neck of the queen who sits at the right hand of Christ!

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry." (Jeremiah 31: 3, 4 KJV)

So, though a man may never wear a single jewel in this life, nor ever wear a garment better than sackcloth, yet he will surely be "decked out" gloriously forever!

"But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts." (Luke 7: 25 KJV)

"And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen... And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue." (Exodus 28: 1-5, 31 KJV)

Thus are the "priestly robes" and garments described. The Lord's people will wear kingly robes, and priestly robes, and yes, even judicial robes.

"Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way." (Judges 5: 9 KJV)

It does not seem fitting that the saints will sit to judge in black robes, as it the custom in some countries, but rather in white robes, depicting the purity of their adjudications. They will be clothed in white and ride upon white horses, just as Christ who leads them, for they are judges as well as kings and priests. (See Revelation chapter 19)

"I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters." (Revelation 1: 12-15 NIV)

"And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." (Matthew 17: 2 KJV)

But such also will be the glorious appearance and apparel of the saints when they are "made like" unto the glorified and resurrected Christ. (See I John 3: 2 KJV)

"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed." (Revelation 6: 9-11 NIV)

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands." (Revelation 7: 9 NIV)

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22: 14 NIV)