Garments of Salvation

Jewish Bride 1881
by Carbonero

The King of the Universe declares his love for His people in terms of a wedding.

Is. 61:10   I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.  Is. 61:10 

 

5 For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. Is. 2:5

 

Our sinful natures have been replace with garments of salvation. In this passage there are all the signs of a festival with garland and jewels. However the Hebrew word translated here as “garland” is kohen or priest in verb form, meaning to act like a priest, or minister as a priest.

. . . and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Ex. 19:6

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Pet. 2:9 

To often the postmodern church allows the preachers to put these kind of verses off to some perfect future. However every day is the day of salvation. Everyday we are already the bride of Messiah. Everyday our righteousness and praise is to spring forth before the nations. We must stop putting off our joy and rejoicing. For God is rejoicing over us, in the here and now.