Wednesday, May 29, 2013

From Filthy Rags to a Robe of Righteousness



“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 his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”-Isaiah 61:10.


When I think about Joseph’s coat, it had two distinct differences that normal coats did not have.  Joseph’s coat was very expensive because of its many colors.  In that time, coats were not colorful.  They did not have the technology or the resources to produce colorful clothing.  When they did produce a colorful coat, it was very expensive.  Joseph’s coat also had long sleeves.  In that time, they did not wear long sleeves because they spent most of their time working outside.  Israel intentionally gave Joseph a long sleeve coat because he did not want him to work in the fields like his brothers did.  I believe this coat is similar to my coat of righteousness.  God gave Jesus a robe of righteousness.  On the cross, Jesus took off this robe and swapped it with my filthy rags.  Jesus put on my filthy rags and robed me in his righteousness.  In doing so, my new robe of righteousness has two distinct qualities like Joseph’s coat.  For one, my new robe is very expensive.  Jesus paid a heavy price, so that I would be in good standing with God.  My new robe of righteousness also has long sleeves.  It has long sleeves because Jesus has already done it all.  It is a robe of rest.  He declared, “It is finished!”  The only thing I have to do is believe.  I understand that God has clothed me with the robe of righteousness.  I am right with God.  My good or bad works has nothing to do with this gift of righteousness.  This gift was given to me because of Jesus.  It’s all about the finish work at the cross.  This gift is not about how good I am, but how good was the person who bought it for me.  The Lamb of God did not just take away my sin, but he gave me his righteousness.  I am completely covered by the blood of Jesus.  He is my burnt offering.  He covers me from head to toe with his blood and righteousness.  I am righteous by his blood.  God has clothed me with the robe of righteousness which was paid for by the blood of Jesus.  It’s not my own righteousness, but it’s the righteousness of Jesus Christ.