Once in my life, I heard someone say that God hates when people pray to Him naked. That piece of information was planted and rooted in the subconscious of my mind until I heard a sermon recently that stirred my mindset in a different direction. I like to call it illumination, the light of God shone on that grey area that has been there all this while. Even more beautiful are the confirmations and promptings I got as I studied the bible after that. Three times, I have gone through the bible but I did not exactly pay attention to the Holy garments of the priests as directed by God in Exodus and Leviticus. Seeing the Lord confirm His word from His servant by His written word is beautiful.
Leviticus 16:4 shows us the word of the Lord through Moses to Aaron the priest – “He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments”. These Holy garments were required of the priest as they accessed the Holy presence of the Lord our God. This verse highlights Holy twice which is a point to the importance of the word in the whole verse. It wasn’t a matter of wearing just any garment but a matter of wearing Holy garments and only God was and is capable of making anything Holy because He is Holy. If God was only concerned about the covering of our nakedness, He could as well give access to all of the Israelites at that time into the Tabernacle. The Holiness and state of of our spirit man is what the Lord looks upon, Do you know why I say so? Let us journey to Eden when and where it all started, where God was closest to man. Man had sweet communion with the Lord because he was covered in the Glory and light of God. Man was Holy and perfect, unsoiled with sin hence he could commune with God without interference. The devil understood this, worked hard to break that communion, and introduced sin into the picture.
Now this is what sin did, sin soiled the glorious garment that God put on man, this is why the first thing Adam and Eve noticed after they sinned was their nakedness- (Genesis 3:7). They were naked all this while yet still communed with God. Thereafter sin came and exposed them to the vices and corruption of this world; sin brought upon them death – spiritual death. It is this spiritual death and decay our Lord God cannot stand to see. The spiritual death that befell man exposed him and her to the knowledge of their nakedness as well as the knowledge of the good and evil of this world – Exodus 3:22. Now this is the nakedness God cannot stand, it is this spiritual body drenched in sin that our good Lord cannot stand to see. Think about it- when we die only our spirit man goes to be with God, the flesh which is our physical body returns to the dust from which it was formed.
As we read through scripture, we see how God sought for men and women who were righteous, the bible doesn’t say that God searched for men or women who were the best dressed physically. Our spiritual raiment and garment are what the Lord looks upon. Let’s explore scripture a little:
When the Lord revealed His intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah to Abraham, Abraham pleaded on behalf of his nephew who lived there. In response to Abraham’s love and plea for Lot his nephew, “The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”- Genesis 18:26. This negotiation continued until Abraham and the Lord reached an agreement to preserve Sodom if ten righteous men were found there. Sadly, there weren’t up to ten righteous men or women there. Furthermore, God sought a man worthy and righteous to construct an ark of preservation for the world and only Noah was found righteous. Only Noah walked with the Lord at his time and age – Genesis 6:8-9. Finally, in our little bible study, prophet Zechariah tells us what he saw in a vision about Joshua the priest – Zechariah 3:3-10. The Lord showed prophet Zechariah the filthy garments of Joshua who was a priest ministering to the Lord on behalf of God’s children. I am almost certain that Priest Joshua went into the Holies of Holies with pristine priestly garments as commanded by the Lord. I mean the Jews were religious people, they worked hard to follow the laws so closely- we see that all through the New Testament. Therefore, I do not think wearing clean, “Holy” garments to minister before the lord would have been a challenge for minister Joshua. Sadly, priest Joshua wore the most pristine garments on earth but spiritually his garments were filthy before the Lord, he was as good as naked before the Lord! What was the reason for this filth? Zechariah 3: 4 gives us insight into the answer.
Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.
Zechariah 3:4
Iniquity was the root cause of the filthy garment of Priest Joshua’s garment therefore the angel had to take it off to clothe Him with clean garments. All of these happened in the spirit realm hence, it was revealed to the prophet Zechariah in a vision. I hope that up to this point, you understand what I mean by spiritual nakedness. This is the nakedness that our God can not stand to see when we pray. This is why He sent His only begotten son so that He who had no sin took upon Himself our sins and through Him, we are made the righteousness of God – II Corinthians 5:21. Apostle Paul further admonishes us to take upon ourselves Jesus Christ; in Romans 13:14 He says, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”
Jesus Christ is our everlasting garment of salvation, light, and Glory who shields us from exposure to evil and judgment from God. What does it mean to put upon ourselves the Lord Jesus Christ?
- It means to take His yoke upon ourselves, simply put – it means to become friends with Him, learn of Him, and decide to live for Him – Matthew 11:29-30
- It means to take off the old nature, the old man so that we do not fulfill the desires of our flesh as Apostle Paul points out in Romans 13:14
Why is the state of our garment so important you may ask? One thing comes to mind – The effectual and fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much – James 5:16-17. The state of Abraham’s garment was what gave Him hearing before the Lord, the state of his garment gave his prayers and intercession potency. The state of Noah’s garment qualified him to build the ark and saved his entire family.
Therefore, my dears put upon yourselves the lord Jesus Christ so that when you pray all that God sees is His righteousness upon you .May the good Lord help us to keep upon ourselves the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Insightful perspective. Thanks for sharing this pastor Abimbola.