We all wear clothes. Clothes give us protection, they represent our dignity and decorum if some times we are not of that nature too, they represent us to which class of standard lifestyle does we belong. This is the way the world studies a person. The world dosen't see into the heart of a person but it does estimate a person by his outward appearance. Now a days there are even some programs or seminars that are been conducting on such a type of topic to the present and the next generations to follow. Clothes play such an important role in a persons' life. Clothes does played an important role in the Holy Bible too, but not in the perspective of the world but they taught us the lessons of life. In the long back time not like our modren clothing, they used to have robes. Robes does the same thing as like our modren clothing does. It was their custom too. Every body had them either new or old or spoiled. Usually they are from neck to either knees or ankles is uncertain. They are made out of wool. Natural colour of the garment is white, grey and slight yellow. Usually these garments are knitted, so it is time taking and as well people don't have these like normal clothing in number. That is why they are of an important commodity. We are going to see four of these robes that have played a very important role in the Bible as well as in every persons life. The four are of these is 1. The Robe of Atonement. 2. The Robe of Salvation. 3. The Robe of Character. 4. The Robe of Life. Let us meditate upon each one of the Robes. 1. The Robe of Atonement - For the first time in the history of man, he has something to wear upon. Until then the humankind was naked (Ge.2:24) for which they are not ashamed of. Till they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge about good and evil, they didn't know that they are naked (Ge.3:7). Then in the same verse we see they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. In it's continuation in v.21, the Lord God make coats out of skins and clothed them. Let us see the words aprons, and coats as given in (KJV). Aprons, the word does denote meanings like a sash, a girdle, a belt, a loincloth, loin coverings. The loincloth and loin coverings gives us the clear meaning to which parts and to how much extant are knitted fig leaves covering. Now to Coats, it meant, a long under garment with collar cut out for one's head; the main common garment worn by men or women. The above meanings makes us clear that Lord God gave them the best of the coverings. By their act of disobedience, they themselves invited sin and satan into their lives. It was God who became the first high priest to make a sin offering (Le.4:27,28), an Atonement for the remission of sin. Atonement, at it's basic level, the word conveys the notion of covering but not in the sense of merely concealing, it is like the overlaying of wood with pitch so as to make it waterproof (Ge.6:14). God doesn't want His creation to be like a curse but wants them to be of free and be reconciled with God again. This is why God made Robes for humankind out of skins, to cover us, to reconcile us with God. 2. The Robe of Salvation - When humankind was in it's deepest trouble of sin, which they know not. But for God it was the time to deliver humankind from the clutches of satan, sin and death. The words of hope of Salvation can be seen in the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah. In (Is.33:22), the prophet speaks that The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King, He will save us. In (Ps.68:20), David speaks, He that is our God is the God of Salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues of death. Both of the prophets are speaking about Jesus, He is the King (Jn.12:12-15), He is our Judge (Rev.5), He is the Lawgiver; note the word from Psalm 68:20, GOD in block letters, the right meaning of the word comes only once in the Bible in (Ex.3:14), different version's of the Bible have translated the word as God, Lord. The recent studies of the word in various articles and grammars, it's exact meaning is still being researched, but it's the form of covenant name of Israel's God revealed to Moses at Sainai. The revealed God to Moses at Sainai is the Lawgiver. It is in the gospel of John 1:1-3, that says Jesus was with God right from the beginning and without His knowledge there was nothing. In Ex.3:14, Heb.13:8, Rev.1:8, Jesus was the same. This same Jesus became our sin offering being our high priest Himself. In Jn.19:23,24, the soilders divided His clothes and for the outer garment they cast lots. At garden of Eden, when humankind hid themselves because of their shame, God covered their shame with coats (robes) of skin. Here at Golgotha Jesus was been stripped off His clothes (robes), exposing Jesus to shame and humiliation. The robe that covered the sin of Adam and Eve (humankind) the Atonement of Christ, the God who was responsible for that Atonement was now being exposed to shame by stripping of the robes (garments); it was actually we should be ashamed of, but Christ made Himself exposed to shame and humiliation on our behalf and covering us by the Robe of Salvation, making part of the verse of Is.33:22 come true "He will save us" and also dealing with issues of death in (Ps.68:20), on the cross, saving humankind from eternal death. 3. The Robe of Character - At our start we have come to know that the natural colours of the robe is white, grey and slight yellow. There is also a special robe in the Bible which is quiet different from all the other robes of the Bible, the robe of Joseph son of Jacob the patriarch. Why was the robe so special ? Because he was very much loved by his father. As like the robe the character of the person wearing the robe (Joseph) is also of a special character in the whole Bible. Joseph's brothers were jealous about him aslike the sadducees, the pharisees, the teachers were jealous about Jesus because of multitude of following for His teaching and miracles. Joseph was been sold aslike Jesus was been sold for thirty silver shekels by Judas Iscariot. Joseph became a slave aslike Jesus in Jn.13:5-15, being a Master, He washed the feet of His disciples doing the work of a slave. Joseph was made as a overseer over Potiphar's house aslike Jesus too is an overseer on His Father's creation. Joseph was made the ruler of the land aslike Jesus is the King Himself. Not just this Joseph had the fear of God, in his own words in Gen.39:9, how can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ? Jesus in Matt.10:16, says I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. Jesus wants us to wear the Robe of Character until we are in this world. The character that is like a sweet smelling sacrifice which is unique aslike the robe of Joseph. In Col.3:12, Paul states us to be gentle, kind, humble, meek and to be patient in any sort of situations, where Jesus Himself had all these when He was in this world. God wants us to wear the Robe of Character which will at the end of the age gives us the reward of God. 4. The Robe of Life - This is the robe that was given to all those faithful followers of Christ till the end of the time. We can see this in Rev.7:9, where multitude of people from every race, tribe, nation and language were present. In Rev.7:14-17, it was been clarified that who were the great multitude were. In Matt.10:16-18,22, Jesus says to remain faithful until the end, you will be saved. In Matt.5:11,12, it is the reward that is waiting for them, who have endured the insult because of Me (Jesus). These were the people who we can see in Matt.25:34-40, the reward is the Kingdom that was prepared even before the time, the reward is leading them to the life-giving water Rev.7:17, the reward is eating the fruit of life-giving tree Rev.2:7, the reward is the glorious life Rev.2:10, the reward is a new name Rev.2:17, the reward is the power of the Father Rev.2:27,28, the reward is to wear white clothes Rev.3:5, the reward is the name be engraved on the pillar (one who endured till the end is established as pillar) in the Holy temple of God Rev.3:12, the reward is sitting with God Himself on His throne Rev.3:21. Apostle Paul in 1Cor.9:24,25, calls this as a race to win. In Phil.3:12-14, Paul, inspite of knowing his weakness, taking God as his strength wants to make it to the goal to take hold of the prize that he was struggling for. It is God's eternal plan that He wants everyone of us to reach for the reward, the Robe of Life. The time is near for the second coming of the Son of God. Matt.24:36, 25:13, we know not when it is, only the Father knows Matt.24:36. The coming of the Son of God can be seen in Matt.24:30,31 Mk.13:24-27, Lk.21:25-28. Are we all ready to face the Son of God. It's already half way now, the Robe of Atonement and the Robe of Salvation have already taken place, we are only left with the Robe of Character, which we can put on and run towards the Robe of Life faithfully with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Let's join the race. Have a nice day.
