Revelation 3:4

Revelation 3:4

                                                                                                                      

Revelation 3:4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

Reference

Revelation 3:1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars."'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Revelation 3:2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

Revelation 3:3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

        I.            Yet you have still a few names in Sardis

Midst of many dead people and about to dying people, Jesus find some people were active. They are not lost their spirit. They keep on doing the work for the Lord. Here Jesus mentioning these people only. He told to the church “yes you have still a few names in sardis”  holding my laws and commands and they are following.

      II.            people who have not soiled their garments

Other people were gone behind the worldly pleasures. They gave importance to  their life style, because of that they total lost their spiritual life, that’s why they considered as dead people. But few of them not involved the worldly things and they safeguard themselves. Because of that only Jesus telling here “not solied their garments”.

Here there is a mystery behind the garment. Why Jesus mentioned the garments? This is the symbolic reference. In bible there are many meaning behind in this garments. We will see which is related to this verse.

1.       Honoring

King Pharaoh honored Joseph’s explanation of his dream.

·        Genesis 41:42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in GARMENTS OF FINE LINEN(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) and put a gold chain about his neck.

2.       Glory

·         If we read the Exodus 28 the hole chapter talking about the Priest dress 

·         Exo. 28:2 “make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for GLORY and for BEAUTY” ().

·         Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the GLORY, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;

3.       Holyness

·        Exodus 19:10 the Lord said to Moses, "Go to the people and CONSECRATE them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments

Exodus 19:11 and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

·        Exodus 40:13 and put on Aaron the HOLY garments. And you shall anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve me as priest.

4.       Righteousness

·         Psalm 132:9 Let your priests be clothed with RIGHTEOUSNESS,

·         Job 29:14 I put on RIGHTEOUSNESS, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban

·         Revelation 19:8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"--for the fine linen is the RIGHTEOUS deeds of the saints.

·         Isaiah 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 like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

    III.            they will walk with me in white

Why Jesus told here the color white

·         The General Meaning of the color White

§  Cleansed of sin, pure, loving nature

§  White is dictated by the Health of the person (hospital all wearing white dress),

§  it also reflected their social status and wealth of the person  (high status people, politicians)

·         Hebrew words

The color white in scripture is translated from the Hebrew words 'laben' or 'chivvah' meaning white. 

·         Costly

The pristine white color was difficult and expensive to produce and therefore worn by the wealthy.

·         The Symbolic and Religious Meaning of the color White

The symbolic meaning of the color white was purity and virtue

·         Bible reference

§  Rev 4:4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.

§  Rev 6:11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

§  Rev 7: 9 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

§  Revelation 3:5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

    IV.            for they are worthy

·         Those who receive the white garments from my hand those people only eligible to enter into my paradise, others will not.