- Clothed (Dictionary): To endow especially with power or a quality, to cover with or as if with cloth or clothing, to express or enhance by suitably significant language.
- Clothed (Bible): Put on, clothed, shame, majesty, to put on oneself (as a garment), excellent things, lifting up, pride, proudly, raging.
The Bible explains the meaning of “clothed” primarily as the endowment of power “from on high”. Many have applied the word “providence “to explain clothed. Providence is an old word. The Greek word had in its time, like the English, a somewhat higher sense than “prudence” or “forethought.” Men spoke then, as now, of the “providence” of God. There was a tendency to clothe the emperors with quasi-divine attributes which led to the appearance of this phrase— “the providence of Caesar”—on their coins and on medals. But the Lord Jesus gave the best understanding of clothed:
Matthew 6:28-30: 28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you, O men of little faith? 28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you, O men of little faith?” (NASB)
There is a special way that God clothes His creation. It is a beauty that we cannot duplicate. We can paint pictures, take photos and describe the creation with words, but the real thing is a beauty available only by God’s power. It is the application of true and pure love and joy by our heavenly Father!
Scripture and the creation abound with our Gods’ wonder and majesty. Everywhere we look we see God’s providential hand from the microbe to the massive red giant stars!
Jesus used the word “clothed” when He addressed the believers after His resurrection:
Luke 24:46-49: ” 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (NASB)
Jesus was speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit. This happened on the day of Pentecost. The coming of the Holy Spirit was also foretold to the Disciples:
John 14:16-17,26: ” 16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you… 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (NASB)
So, for the Christian, being clothed or anointed by the Holy Spirit is to understand truth. The infilling of the Holy Spirit is foundational in our daily walk with Jesus. Without the anointing of the Holy Spirit we become the ’blind leading the blind!” I recall an old hymn that talks about our Christian walk:
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Because we are clothed with God’s power, we need to recognize our Holy Spirit gifting which leads to fruit to glorify Father God. Peter understood this and advised believers to live in spirit clothed with humility:
1 Peter 5:5-7: ” 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (NASB)
So, we see that Father God wants us clothed by Holy Spirit anointing! Let us be diligent in everything we do as we walk out our empowered life!
Thank you, Father God, for your deep compassion on your children and our wonderful clothing.
