WHAT IS THIS GARMENTS THING?


‘Behold, I am coming as a thief, blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walks naked and they see his shame’. Revelation 16:15

The honest inquirer wants to know what it really means to be constantly clothed – especially when the injunction is seen as coming directly from the Lord.

Are we to fear this coming happening when we are in the bath? How might a follower of Christ be found naked? Does watching at all times mean staying awake? Does it mean that the blessed follower of Christ would not be asleep in bed when Christ returns?

The context of the verse shows that the final wrath of the Lord had been revealed - the preceding verses clearly affirm that.

A wider context presents the coming of Christ as that of a thief in the night. This image is presented by the Lord in the gospels as well and Apostles like Peter and Paul referred it to while admonishing the saints to stay constantly alert so as not to be caught unawares. Stealth and surprise are the chief weapons of a thief. Is our Lord a thief? Absolutely not! The event was here illustrated and not the personality.

Apostle Paul, in the fifth chapter of his letter to the Tessalonians (II) stated clearly that the day ought not to come upon a faithful servant of the Lord by surprise because he lives daily in his expectation even as he labours on in his vineyard.

The clothing of the disciple of Christ is mentioned several times in the scriptures. While some were referred to as having soiled their clothes, others are admonished to purchase new garments. What then is this clothing all about? Are we to visit the market and obtain white linen fabrics and make garments for ourselves?

The nineteenth chapter of the book of Revelation clearly specified what this clothing is. ‘And to her (the wife of the lamb, the church) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of Saints’.

Dearly beloved, the fine linen depicts our righteousness in Christ. Anyone found not thus clothed therefore is seen as naked. It is also important to note here that scriptures refer to some garments as filthy. Such garments are worn by the self-righteous.

The dual injunction of watchfulness and keeping one’s garment thus fits together perfectly. The coming of Christ cannot be calculated. In fact, embarking on such quest would be focusing more on world events than on the person of Christ.

I would close with these words of Christ, “Blessed is that servant, whom when his Lord comes find faithful and wise. Occupy till he come!”

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