God Is in the Clothing Business

Today's sermon is titled, God is in the Clothing Business. Dolly Parton sings about a coat of many colors that her mama made for her that she pieced together remnants from the scrap box and made this coat that Dolly was so proud of. But when she went to school, her classmates made fun of Dolly's coat of many colors. In today's world, there's hardly anything as important to a young person as the clothes and shoes he or she wears because that, to a large degree, determines how they're going to be viewed by the peer group. That's not the only thing, of course, but it is a factor. Not only must they be in style, but they must bear the right label for one to truly be in the end crowd. This is one of the principal reasons why it's so difficult for the people of this world to realize they need to change their garments. Now, we're going to read some verses about change of garments, but it's the wrong kind of garments. Just a moment from Isaiah. They are so bent on looking good on the outside that they have forgotten that the clothing that God wants you to put on comes from the inside. The garment that God wants you to put on cannot be bought at Nordstrom's, Dillard's, Target, Walmart, or any other department store. God wants you to wear his clothing label. These clothes can only be obtained through a relationship with the great Creator God, our Father, who is in heaven. A description of the inner man is given in 1 Peter 3 and verse 3. Let's turn there, please, in 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 3. 1 Peter 3 verse 3, Who's adorning? Let it not be that of outward adorning, of plaiting the hair, and the wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. This is the apparel that God wants us to put on a part of it. For after this manner in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God adorn themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters you are, as long as you do well and are not afraid with any amazement.

Likewise, you husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as long and as being heirs together of the grace of God. That is a description of the inner man, what God wants us to put on. God's garments will never grow old. God's garments will always be in style. The same garments that were in style in ancient Israel, as far as God is concerned, were in style during the days of the apostolic church that are in style today, and will be in style through...

you actually don't go through... but in eternity. Do you think that the world will make fun of the garment that God is making for you? Let's notice Matthew 6 verse 25. God states here, Matthew 6 25, that the body is more than raiment. God is more interested in what you put on inside than He is what you put on outside. In Matthew chapter 6 and verse 25, Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body what you shall put on.

Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment? Now notice further here in verse 30. Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe ye, O you of little faith.

So God is in the clothing business, but He's more about what you wear on the inside than what you wear on the outside. What kind of clothes will God make for you? Now let's go to Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 3, the chapter that we are so familiar with in the Church of God of the Two Trees, Satan's deception and able to get Eve to partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and then she gave to Adam, and he willingly ate of it. He wasn't deceived, but she went along. He went along with Eve, and he ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

And after they did that, you look at verse 7, "...the eyes of them were both open, and they knew that they were naked." God had created them naked. Two beautiful human beings, male and female, He made them in His own image. Placed them in this great environment, perfect environment, perfect teacher. We could go on with the various adjectives about perfection. They knew they were both naked. Now, nakedness symbolizes sin in the Bible. There might be a verse or two or three or however many that talks about just, you're physically naked, but in the symbolic sense, nakedness symbolizes sin. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

So what did they try to do? See, once they partook of this tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they realized they had disobeyed God, that they had sinned, and they tried to hide themselves. See, man has three basic responses to sin, to hide it.

That's one response. To blame others, Adam blamed Eve, this woman you gave me, yes, she gave me the fruit and I did eat thereof, and the others to justify. Well, I did it because such and such, such and such, I'm really justified in what I did. Verse 8, And they heard the voice of the eternal God, Yahweh, Elohim, walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, where are you?

And he said, I heard your voice in the garden. I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself. Of course, you cannot hide your sins. No person can hide their sins from God. God knows it all. He sees everything, knows everything, hears everything, and on and on we could go with that. And he said, who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree? Whereof I commanded you that you should not eat.

And he said, the woman, oh, blamed her whom you gave to me. She gave me of the tree and I did eat. So they've hidden. Now they are blaming. And of course, I'm sure there was some justifying connected with the blaming. And the eternal God said unto the woman, what is this that you've done? And the woman said, the serpent beguile me, it's his fault the devil made me do it. It's not my fault. And I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because you've done this, you're cursed above all cattle, above every beast of the field.

Upon your belly shall you go, and thus shall you eat all the days of your life.

Then it gets into more the spiritual symbolism that this serpent was the devil.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, the snake. And generally, most women are afraid of snakes. And between your seed and her seed, it shall bruise your head. Satan inspired the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, thinking that he would break prophecy and that he would be able to thwart the plan of God. And it shall bruise your head. That is the seed of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the one who is going to put Satan away. Well, this angel, the great angel, came down in Revelation 20 and chained him and put him away. Notice Isaiah 58 verse 6.

Isaiah 58 verse 6. In Isaiah 58 verse 6, sort of an enigmatic kind of scripture that sort of seems out of context here. The subject matter, in one sense, is fasting, day of atonement. In Isaiah 58 and verse 6, it is not this the fast that I've chosen to loose the bands of wickedness. So to loose the bands of wickedness, to overcome sin, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke. Of course, you could look at that at the physical, geopolitical, political point of view of oppression and wickedness and that kind of thing, but the import here is spiritual. Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry and that you bring the poor that are cast out of your house when you see the naked that you cover him? Well, of course, you can do that physically, but at the same time, God is in the clothing business in the spiritual sense, and so should the Church of God and all of us be in the clothing business in the spiritual sense, when you see the naked that you cover him and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh. Well, how do you hide yourself from your own flesh? Well, you know, Romans 8-7 says, the carnal mind is enmity toward God, not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. When Adam and Eve saw themselves as naked, they tried to hide themselves. They tried to cover the flesh themselves. See, only God, through our repentance and seeking him, can cover us in the ultimate sense, in the spiritual sense. Now we go back to Genesis chapter 3. We left off there with verse 15, where God has promised a Redeemer to come on the scene. That is the first Messianic prophecy, the first promise of Messiah in the Bible. It, along with Deuteronomy 18-15, are two of the best-known Messianic prophecies. So we're back now at Genesis chapter 3.

In verses 17, 18, 19, he cast them out of the garden. Verse 20, Adam called his wife's name Eve because she's the mother of all living. Under Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothe them. So they had tried to sew thick leaves together to hide from their own flesh, to blame God. Adam said, well, the woman you gave me, Eve said, well, it was a devil, he deceived me, and they tried to hide from their own flesh, from their sin, from their carnality. God cast them out of the garden, but he clothed them when he cast them out, and you see the clothing here. Now, perhaps this clothing them with animal skins points to the fact that sacrifice and the shedding of blood is necessary.

It doesn't say that specifically, but God clothed them. But we know that sacrifice, the shedding of blood, is necessary for sin to be covered and forgiven. Now, let's notice Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 7. Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 7. In Hebrews chapter 9 verse 7, "...but into the second went the high priests alone once every year," once again rehearsing part of what took place on the Day of Atonement when the high priests went into the Holy of Holies, the second place, "...not without blood, which he offered for himself for the errors of the people, the Holy Spirit, this signifying that the way into the Holies of all was not yet made manifest," that is, made manifest, known to the general populace. Even many of the prophets and angels peered into this great salvation that was to come. It was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing, which was the figure for the time, then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make them, that did the surface perfect as pertaining to the conscience, the knowing within. It could not purge the inside, the mind, the heart of sin, which stood only in meats and drinks and different washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation. But Christ being come as a high priest of good things to come by greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building. God doesn't dwell in buildings now made by hands. He dwells in each of us who have repented and exercised faith in the sacrifice of Christ, been baptized, received the laying on of hands, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood.

He entered in once into the Holy Place. That Holy Place is in the heavens where God's throne is located, to purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. I'll back up and read 13 through 14. For if the blood of... well, I want to start in 12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the Holy Place. Having obtained eternal redemption, he bought us back from sin and death for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling, the unclean sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh, it made them ceremonially clean and they could approach unto God through the offerings of the blood of bulls and goats, but it could not purge the conscience. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, notice the eternal Spirit? See, when we are resurrected into the family of God, this is sort of a side point that I'm making now, but so important to the understanding. One of the things when the Great Heresy hit the Church of God with regard to the nature of God, it tried to make the argument that we are created beings and we never be on the God plane, but the angels are created beings. They are spirit beings. They're not on the God plane because they are not begotten and then born of the same essence as God in Christ. The eternal Spirit, that which is existed in eternity without father, without mother, without end or beginning of days. The eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purged your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. See, we are begotten of the eternal Spirit, and when we are resurrected, we are spirit beings and of that eternal Spirit, that Spirit that has existed in eternity, not created but born into the family of God. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? We can also learn from this that God is the only one who can clothe us with the clothing that really matters.

The peoples of this world have rejected God's clothing. Let's go to Deuteronomy 29 in verse 5. Peoples of this world have rejected God's clothing. They have a different tailor. Their tailors pattern and cut and sew and make garments different from the garments of God. In Deuteronomy 29 and verse 5, we'll note here, Deuteronomy 29 and verse 5, and I have led you 40 years in the wilderness.

Your clothes are not worn out. They're not waxen old upon you. They didn't have to have a change of garment even on the outside. Their clothes didn't wear out, their shoes didn't wear out. Great, great miracle within itself. Your clothes have not waxen old and your shoes are not waxen old upon your feet. So God indeed is in the clothing business and he can make it. They had apparently one garment.

It lasted 40 years. One pair of shoes lasted 40 years. The garments that people wear in the Bible are symbolic of who they are and what they represent. Now let's notice Isaiah chapter 1, a little bit more about symbolism and what various things represent in the clothing sense. In Isaiah chapter 1 and verse 18, come now and let us reason together, says the eternal. Two or three times you'll read in the book of Acts where Paul met with them on the Sabbath day and he reasoned with them out of the Scriptures. One of the ways whereby man gains knowledge is through reasoning, putting two and two together, but you must reason from a correct premise. Isaiah writes here, come now let us reason together.

The first part of the chapter he has shown them where they have gone astray.

Though your sins be as scarlet, so red can represent sin, they shall be white as snow. And white in the Bible represents sinlessness, purity, cleanness. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Therefore wool represents forgiveness. They shall be as wool. They shall be removed as far as the east is from the west. The price for the forgiveness of sin, the price for the wool, is the life of the Son of God, Jesus the Christ. Let's notice now 1st Peter chapter 1, 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 14. 1st Peter 1 verse 14, As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance, we've been called to something totally different, something totally new. We have been instructed to come out of this world, that let our apparel be the man of the heart, the hidden man, that is what God really wants us to put on. But as he which is called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conduct, because it is written, Be you holy, for I am holy.

Holy means pure, undefiled. And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons, judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. For as much as you know that you were not redeemed, you were not bought back with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conduct received by a tradition of your fathers, but with a precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish, without spot, who verily was forordained.

He was known beforehand. This plan of salvation, we've talked about that last week, how ancient it is, before time began, who verily was forordained before the foundation of this world, but was made manifest in these last times for you. Who by him to believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God. Now you notice 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 with regard to how do we get the wool, how do we get the forgiveness, what was the price for this material if you want to speak in physical terms. In 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 15, know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ. How are your bodies the members of Christ? Because you are joined to God and Christ through the Holy Spirit. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. 1 Corinthians 12 13. But continuing here, know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ. Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of an harlot? In other words, join those members to that which is defiled. God forbid. What know you not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body. For he said, he shall be one flesh, Adam and Eve, when they come together or any man and woman when they come together. But he that has joined unto the Lord is one Spirit with God. We're all joined to Jesus Christ the Father and members one of another. In fact, it says that we are members one of another. 3. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. What know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you which you have of God and you are not your own for you are bought with a price. What was that price?

Blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's. He owns us in every sense of the word and in baptism we said that we would surrender and submit to him. Now we're going to see that fine linen, fine white linen, is symbolic of purity, sinlessness, and righteousness. There were two main places in the ancient world that produced linen. Egypt was a principal place, sort of a conundrum as it were because Egypt symbolizes sin and death, but a lot of linen was produced in Egypt and also in Palestine in the area of Israel. In the ancient world linen was made from flax.

Flax is a plant. You've heard of flax seed oil which is very important in treating many things. It's known as perhaps a miracle kind of food. It's interesting to note the parallel between the making of physical linen and the process we must go through to be clothed with spiritual linen. So in the making of physical linen, they would go out and cut the flax, and so we might say, well, in order for us to repent we must hear the Word, and that's one of the commissions of the church is to go forth in the world and preach the gospel.

When the flax was cut, then it was placed oftentimes on rooftops to dry out so the moisture would be out of it and it would be a dry stick stalk. And then the flax was submerged in water. They would have to tie weights on it, put it down in the water, and of course after we hear the Word and are convicted, if we repent and have faith, we can be baptized. So the flax was submerged, and then in this process the woody parts of the flax would rot away, leaving these fibers, long strands of fibers, and in some cases short. And so the superior fibers were dried and combed repeatedly so that the best of the fibers could then be used to make linen, and then the inferior fibers were burned as wicks. So if you have that analogy going in the spiritual sense, of course those who have on the fine white linen, when Jesus Christ returns, will be resurrected and will participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb. Others will be burned as the inferior fibers were burned as wicks. There are several Hebrew words that are translated into English as linen, and we will mention one of these. The Hebrew word is pronounced boots, and it's spelled B-U-W-T-S pronounced like boots you might wear.

Look at Exodus 28. We'll see here that when a person was performing official duties, they were to be clothed with linen, which symbolized being ceremonially cleaned to be symbolized as righteous in the sight of God, at least in the fleshly ceremonial sense at that time. We're going to Exodus 28.

Exodus 28 and verse 40. Exodus 28 and verse 40. And for air and sun you shall make coats, and you shall make for them girdles, and bonnet shall you make for them for glory and for beauty. These are the special garments that were made for those who did a service in the tabernacle and later the temple. You shall put them upon Aaron your brother and his sons with him and shall anoint them and consecrate them and sanctify them. It's analogous to what we do today with an ordination. That they may minister unto me in the priest's office, and you shall make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness, to cover their flesh. From the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach. This word here is from a root word signifying separation. That you're separated from uncleanness. You're separated from anything that defiles. You have on white linen. Now look at 1 Samuel forward 1 Samuel 2 18. I find this verse here very inspiring and in another way challenging. I never had this emphasized to me when I was a young person, but here you recall the story of how Samuel came into this world. His mother Hannah had not had a child and she yearned for a child and she went to the temple. She went to Eli and she promised that if she would have a child, that as soon as that child was weaned, that she would dedicate him to the service of God. And so it happened when he was weaned that Hannah brought Samuel to serve, to minister in God's service. I notice this particular verse in 1 Samuel 2 and verse 18. But Samuel ministered unto the eternal, being a child girded with a linen ephod.

Moreover, his mother made him a little coat and brought it to him from year to year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice when they came up to the feast. And Eli blessed Elkanai, that's the husband and his wife, and said, the eternal give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord. And they went into their own home and the Lord visited Hannah so that she conceived and bared three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the eternal. So Samuel began to minister in God's service as a child, and he was clothed when he is doing this ministration with the linen ephod. David was clothed with a robe of fine linen and all the Levites that bear the ark when they brought the ark up from a certain person's house to put it into the tabernacle that David had pitched on Mount Zion. So when people offered or perform official spiritual duties, they were clothed with the linen which symbolizes purity, righteousness. Those who approached unto God must be ceremonially clean under the terms of the Old Covenant, and that process was through clothing and the offering of the blood of bulls and goats.

Today we are reconciled through repentance and faith in the sacrifice of Christ. The word linen is used then as a symbol, an emblem, of moral purity.

Notice now Revelation, and we're going to come back here and read this twice, but we'll read it now. In Revelation chapter 19, once again, the word linen is used as a symbol or an emblem of moral purity, of righteousness. In Revelation 19 verse 6, And I heard, as it were, a voice of a great multitude, and the voice of many waters, and the voice of mighty thundering, saying, Alleluia! For the Lord God, omnipotent raineth, let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor unto him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. What does she have on? And to her was granted that she should be a raid and fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he said unto me, Right, blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of God. There are garments and colors, also noted in the Bible, that represent royalty. So linen, fine white linen, represents, symbolizes moral spiritual purity. Notice Esther 815. Esther sometimes hard to find somewhere back there in the Old Testament. Is Esther? I think it's probably after Nehemiah somewhere along in there. Okay, in Esther chapter 8, after Nehemiah before Job, in Esther chapter 8 and verse 15. Esther 8 verse 15. And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold. So blue, white, and gold. And with a garment of fine linen and purple. So here are the four royal colors. So the colors basically, historically of the church. And in fact, the name that we chose for the athletic teams that ambassador was the Ambassador Royals. And they were, the uniforms were white, purple, and gold. And that basically has been the the church's colors. The auditorium that was built in Pasadena, many of the colors, were these colors here. A fine linen and purple in the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. Now on the other hand, people of the world have also used these colors as symbols of royalty and riches. Now we go to Revelation, all the way back now to Revelation 18 and verse 16. Revelation 1816, describing the Babylon, commercial Babylon, the Great. In the first few verses, verse 4, we're admonished to come out of her. In Revelation 1816 and saying, Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen. So you can take linen and use it for the wrong purpose. It's used here to show that in the physical sense, the world has tried to dress itself to the hilt, as they might say. And we'll read just in a moment about that in Isaiah. Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet and deck with gold and precious stones and pearls for in one hour so great riches has come to nothing. And every shipmaster and all the company and ships sailors and as many as trade by sea stood afar off and cried because their livelihood it seemed going up in smoke. I'm looking here to see where I have this verse. I think I will turn there now to Isaiah chapter 3. Here's where the the world is at the present time. You can go by the checkout counter, various checkout stations at the department stores, especially the grocery stores, especially places like Walmart, Target. You'll notice all those magazines that are lined up there.

Basically, they focus on how to be young, beautiful, sexy, and by all means lose weight, and how to look really good and useful, and all of that having to do with the latest hairdos, styles, diets. But the emphasis is how to be attractive, how to be sexy, that kind of thing. In Isaiah 3 verse 16, as you read this, some people, I've had people when I read this to get offended by me reading it. It's in the Bible. I did not write this, and it's sad. It is sad. Now, the first part of Isaiah 3 talks about leadership, and basically the men have abdicated leadership, and of course, leadership never operates in a vacuum. And so, women, and of course, there have been this great movement in America, and now it has reached sort of a pinnacle that is unbelievable with regard to feminism and transgenderism and homosexuality that are designed to destroy the God-ordained family structure. And to a large degree now, the women, and to a large degree, it's been by default, as I say, have moved into the void along with children to fulfill this void in leadership.

Verse 4, I will give children to be their princes, babe shall rule over them. The people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbor.

The child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honorable. I mean, everyone's fair game, and we're gonna lay it all out before you. People magazine and whatever else, National Enquirer, the Tatler, and whatever else you can come up with. Verse 12 is, for my people children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead you cause you to err and destroy the way of your paths. The eternal stands up to plead and stands to judge the people. As I said, I did not write it, but it's in the Bible.

We're talking about clothing and what God wants us to put on. Here's the description that we're about to read of what the world is doing. And we're admonished to come out of this world, to be not partakers with the world, and not have to undergo what is going to come upon Babylon, and to come out of her.

Verse 14, the eternal will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof, the leaders, for you have eaten up the vineyard. The spoil of the poor is in your houses. What mean you that you beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor, says the eternal God of hosts. Well, this past week was sort of the 50th anniversary of Lyndon B. Johnson's war against poverty. And the much-to-do was said about it through the week of the various newscasts. Also, the statistic came out that there are far more people on poverty today than when President Obama took office. And so President Obama's also going to announce new initiatives with regard to fighting poverty. And of course, as some said, one of the big issues of this week has been whether or not going to extend the unemployment benefits long term. They've been up to a year to 13 months. And a lot of people, you're better off to be on unemployment than you would be to go get a job at McDonald's or Home Depot or someplace like that. And so the point was being made, we don't just need the extension of unemployment benefits, we need jobs because you can't live off the dole forever. And not that unemployment is the dole in every case. What mean you beat my people to pieces, grind the faces of the poor, says the eternal God of host.

Of course, one of the main differences between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party is if you go back pre-World War II, the South voted Democratic FDR, Laudida, and Truman. But then came the Civil Rights Movement, and it was basically Democrats who led the movement, and so the South shifted and then began to support Republicans. And so it used to be said when I was a boy, well, the Republican Party is the rich man's party, the Democratic Party is a poor man's party. You know, I remember those early days when I was long like six, seven years old, the WPA, the Work Progress Administration, in which the government was funding the building of gymnasiums for schools, rural schools, roads, bridges, building the infrastructure, my daddy getting on the old bicycle and riding, I don't know how far he had to ride, been to work for two dollars a day, which is a pretty good wage, considering. I know that was only after the crops were laid by, but anyhow, this matter of the poor, and of course a lot of people will say, well, they need to get off their death, they're just lazy, and blah blah blah. So we've had that go back into, back into, battled in the political parties through the decades, but this is what the Bible says. But in verse 16, moreover, the Eterna says, because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretchforth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet. And so you look at those magazines there as you check out, or you just look at people as across the street, or as they're going into X-door. Therefore, the eternal will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion.

The eternal will discover their secret parts, and at times I've been more descriptive, I will not be today. In that day, the eternal will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet and the calls and their round tires like the moon, the chains, the bracelets, the mufflers, the bonnets, the ornaments of the legs, the headbands and the tablets and the earrings, the rings and nose jewels. Now we're going to read something in just a moment that seems a bit contradictory to this, because when God entered into covenant with Israel before he entered into covenant with them, he cleaned them up and dressed them up and he put on them some of these very same things. But with so many things, it has to do with motives. Why are you doing it? Are you doing it to attract in the wrong way? Or are you doing it for the right reason? The bonnets, the ornaments of the legs, the headbands, the tablets, the earrings, the rings and nose jewels. I do not understand how you have your nose punctured in a... put something in it. I've seen quite a few in recent times here in East Texas, one on the tip of their tongue and on their lips and all of that. The glasses and the fine linen, the hoods, the veils, and it shall come to pass and instead of a sweet smell there shall be a stink. Instead of girdles a rent, instead of welled set hair baldness, instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth and burning instead of beauties.

Your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty in the war and her gate shall lament and mourn and she being desolate shall sit up on the ground. And in that day, as we merge into the Millennium, when God stands up to judge and this judgment takes place and people are humbled and become meek and have a quiet spirit, there really shouldn't be a chapter break.

In that day, as the Millennium begins, as humankind, those that are left, repents. And in that day, seven women shall take hold of one man saying, we will eat our own bread where our own apparel only let us be called by your name to take away our reproach. In that day shall the branch of the eternal be beautiful and glorious in the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and calmly for them that are escaped of Israel.

And it shall come to pass that in that which is left in Zion and he that remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem. When the eternal shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by one by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning.

And last night I listened to a sermon by Mr. Armstrong. It was a feast sermon probably 1984. 1985 was the last feast in which he spoke. Now if you were to hear that sermon, your toes would curl a bit and he laid it on the line, similar to what we have here.

Now let's notice Daniel. God is in the clothing business. That's the wrong use there, the wrong motive. And of course I am so pleased of the progress. I think we've made progress here with regard to our dress, our clothing, and how we appear before God. And sometimes people just forget, but I think we've made a lot of progress and we're doing well, I believe, with all age groups and so on and all genders.

But let's go now to Daniel chapter 12. In Daniel chapter 12, and at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince, one of the archangels, which stands for the children of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble, which never was since there was a nation, even to the same time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.

The resurrection takes place. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. And we're seeing such an explosion, and we read about it in the news every day, some new technological advance that, as they might say, blows the mind and even the imagination.

Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, there stood other two, the one on the side of the bank of the river, and the other on the side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, how long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that lives forever, that it will be three and a half years.

So we see, once again, the role of linen. Those who brought the message were clothed in linen. God clothed Israel with the garments of purity, as he entered, and before he entered into the Old Covenant, married's relationship with her.

Look at Ezekiel, back a few pages now to Ezekiel 16. I've got a lot to pack into these last 12 minutes here. In Ezekiel 16, very important, I hope you take note. In Ezekiel 16, verse 10, I clothe you also with bordered work. See, this is Israel before God entered into the marriage relationship with her. The first part of the chapter talks about how he found them. Verse 3, say, Thus says the Lord God unto Jerusalem, your birth and your nativity is the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite, your mother a Hittite, and as for your nativity in the day that you were born, your navel was not cut. Neither were you washed in water to supple you.

You were not salted at all nor swaddled at all. In other words, they were covered in afterbirth. God came along, cleaned him up, and he did much of this. We're not going to read all of this. Verse 10, I clothe you with bordered work, shod you with badger skin. I girded you about with fine linen, and I covered you with silk.

I decked you with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon your hands and a chain on your neck. I put a jewel on your forehead and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown upon your head. So you see, it's not the thing, usually per se, it is the motivation and the purpose and the reason. Thus you were decked with gold and silver, and your raiment was of fine linen and silk and bordered work. You did eat fine flour and honey and oil, and you were exceeding beautiful, and you did prosper into a kingdom. And your crown went forth among the heathen for your beauty. You're renowned, not crown. For it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon you says, the eternal.

See, God is in the clothing business, cleaning you up. In this case, he cleaned them up both outside and inside to some degree. But it was not perfect that that system, it was not possible that that system make them perfect, as we read from Hebrews chapter 9. But you did trust in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your renown, and poured out your fornication to everyone that passed by. Yes, it was, and that's sort of like the world is today, US, physically. Even in a recent, and I've never seen or heard of this till I saw a headline, there's some program that is named Girls on television, in which they have apparently quite a bit of nudity, and even the Screen Association was taking them to task for what they were doing.

God gave Israel a bill of divorcement because she followed after strange gods, and he took away. Look at Hosea chapter 2. Forward now to Hosea, the first book after Daniel, and Hosea chapter 2.

First part, the first few verses, talks about God putting her away because that is Israel, because of her spiritual harlotry. Of course, it was also physical, and physical usually precedes spiritual. In verse 7, and she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them, she shall seek them, shall not find them. Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me than now. So we're going to repent, we're going to turn back to God. For she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal, false God. Therefore will I return, take away my corn. Of course, from corn you get green or bread. Jesus Christ is the bread of life, and my wine that we take it passed over, symbolizing the blood of Christ in the season thereof, and will recover my wool, my forgiveness, and my flax from which Lenin is made given to cover her nakedness. And now I will discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of my hand. Then it goes on talking about that, then it turns to restoration.

Those who enter into the marriage relationship under the terms of the new covenant must be clothed spiritually. Notice Matthew 22. Matthew 22. Stay with us now the last six or so minutes here. In Matthew chapter 22, this is the parable of the invitation to the marriage of this man's son. Of course, it's talking about God and Christ. In Matthew chapter 22 and verse 12. Start in verse 8. Then said he to his servants, the wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore in the highway, and as many as you shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests. And of course, the net is being cast out, and the Church of God is trying to invite everybody to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And many that come through the door, they don't last but one service, and many last for a few more, and many last 15 years or more. So those servants went out in the highways and gathered together all as many as they found, bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the King came to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. And he said unto him, Friend, how came you in here not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Then said the King to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, take him away, cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. See, the inferior fibers are burned, or many are called, but few are chosen. We must be clothed by our Heavenly Father. Notice Isaiah 61 verse 10. Isaiah 61 and verse 10. This is a beautiful verse here, the way it's phrased. Isaiah 61 verse 10. And the sons of strangers shall build up your walls. I'm reading from 60, not 61.

61 verse 10. I will greatly rejoice in the eternal. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks herself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. We must be clothed by our Heavenly Father. The question for you and me is, are we clothed with the garments of salvation? Are we being clothed by God, or are we being clothed by the department stores of the world? Are we caving into the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life? Are we guilty of Isaiah chapter 3 verses 16 to the end of the chapter? In the times that we live in, we're warned that many will deny the power of God. They will not use the power of God's Spirit to overcome this world. We've been given that power to overcome the world, so we can be clothed in fine linen, so we can be ready when the bridegroom knocks on the door. So we will have on our wedding garment. How did Christ overcome Satan in a great test after he had fasted 40 days and nights through the Word of God? He threw Scripture back into the face of the devil. The words I speak, they are spirit and they are life. In Paul's writings, almost every command centers on something that has to do with taking off or putting on. Sometimes the old clothes are laid aside gladly, thankfully. Sometimes we resist and we go to the dressing room screaming and kicking. Notice now in Colossians chapter 3, and we'll need a follow-up sermon on these things that are given here. I did not intend to cover this today, anyhow, but for you to think about what we are to put on. Colossians chapter 3, it tells us to put on and to put off. First of all, we're going to read the put on. You can read the first part for the put off.

Colossians 3, 10, have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Wherefore there's neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision, uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, but Christ is all in all. Put on, therefore, the elect of God, holy and beloved bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave him, so also do you. And above all things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you're called in one body and be you thankful. And now to Revelation 19 to conclude. Yes, God is in the clothing business. He tells us if we don't have on that garment to go out into the byways, the highways, into the arena of life and turn to God with our whole heart so that we might be clothed with the fine linen, which is the righteousness of the saints. In Revelation 19 and verse 6, once again, And I heard, as it were, the voice of great multitude, the voice of many waters, the voice of mighty thundering, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God, omnipotent, reigning. Be glad and rejoice, for the married supper of the Lamb has come, his wife has made herself ready. To her was granted that she should be a raid in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he said unto me, Right, blessed are they, which are called in the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of God, and I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See that you do it not, I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus, the record, the mature, the witness of everything that Jesus taught and said.

Worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. He that set upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness. Thus he judged and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written, and no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture, dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in white linen, white and clean. That's the garment I want to wear. That is God's label. Yes, God is in the clothing business. Is God your tailor?