Adam and Eve were created and in the gardenAdam and Eve wore the glory of God until they sinned.  They attempted to make an outfit from fig leaves.  When God saw them, he killed 2 animals to make their clothing from the skins. (You can also bet that they were not the clothes that some people think they must have today) This was the first blood sacrifice (Genesis 3).  God made a way to redeem man back to Himself through the blood sacrifice.  God is as is Satan, a spirit, but God has the ability to produce life giving blood and atoning blood to His children.  Lev.  17:11 tells us that “the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the Alter to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Note however that God did not give this blessing to the devil. 

We don’t fully understand how blood can have a voice and such power but this is one of the amazing creations of God which allows us to reproduce. Satan does not have this ability.  Satan cannot produce a family.  He strives always to steal God’s family.  But because God created us to have fellowship with Him as a family, He was concerned about the clothing of His children. Don’t we try to give our children the best we can give them?  This does not mean, however, that we give into their every want.  There is a difference between want and need, and there is a difference between balance in our kids life.  We need to give them what God wants them to have…not what the Jones’ have.

In Ezekiel Chapter 28 we find a description of Satan in verse 14 – saying “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you, you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones, you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you “. Some scholars claim that this passage refers only to the king of Tyre and not to Satan, but consider this.

Satan  
(1) He was in Eden where he tempted Adam and Eve, as an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14) the “shining one” (which is what serpent signifies).
(2) His appearance and attire were bedecked with multi-colored jewels and gold of   splendor that cannot be described.
(3) His supernatural instruments included wind instruments, string instruments, and Percussion instruments.  Wind instruments are those that are blown with the mouth, string instruments are those you pick with your fingers, and percussion instruments are those you beat with  your hands.  BUT there are four types of instruments and the other is the brass instruments.  Satan did not have those!  Why?  Why was that type of instrument not given to Satan?  The pipes are associated with the wind instruments, the viols with the strings, and the timbrels with the percussion instruments…but as we can study and learn about…the brass instruments were not given to the devil.  There was one instrument NEVER GIVEN to the devil/Lucifer and that was the brass or the horns.  In the Old Testament there were silver trumpets prepared for the calling of the camp and the journey of the assembly. (Numbers 10:1-2) The most common trumpets, however, were the natural trumpets made from the horns of the animals, called shofars in the Hebrew.  These consist of the ram’s horns, which are the small circular horns of a ram and the larger horns of the antelope.  God never ever gave Lucifer the horn as one of his instruments since God RESERVED THE VOICE OF THE HORN FOR HIMSELF.   For example, in the Old Testament when God’s voice was hears, it was often compared to the sound of a trumpet by those who heard it (Exodus 19:16). At the return of Christ, He will return with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16). To John the voice was like a trumpet, and yet it was the voice of a heavenly being speaking to him.  When God created Lucifer, He LIMITED HIM IN SEVERAL AREAS.  (Stones ahead is one of them)
(4) He was a specially created being.
(5) Only angelic beings are so described in Scripture.
(6) He was present with God.
(7) He walked in the midst of the fiery stones. Stones is an area where the devil was limited.  Most times we pass right over this and don’t even give it a thought.  The angel, according to Ezekiel 28 had nine stones as his covering.  However, twelve precious stones caverned the breastplate of the high priest, meaning that Lucifer was three stones short of a full load.  He was created with three main instruments, but God reserved the trumpet for Himself.  This was so that when the trumpet sounds, we will know the heavenly sound, which cannot be duplicated or imitated by the enemy.  Now the adversary is keenly aware of the power of musical instruments in worship.  Satan was originally created as an anointed cherub, a special angel assigned to guard the presence of the Lord.  Cherubim protected the gates of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24) and two golden cherubim sat on the lid of the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:18-20).  Ezekiel saw cherubim carrying the throne of God in Ezekiel chapter 1.  Ezekiel revealed insight into the pre-fall history of Satan and what his assignment was in heaven.

Ezekiel 28:12-16:

Eze 28:12  Son of man, lift up a lament over the king of Tyre, and say to him, So says the Lord Jehovah: You seal the measure, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

Eze 28:13  You have been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the ruby, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the turquoise, and the emerald, and gold. The workmanship of your tambourines and of your flutes was prepared in you in the day that you were created.

Eze 28:14  You were the anointed cherub that covers, and I had put you in the holy height of God where you were; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

Eze 28:15  You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you.

Eze 28:16  By the multitude of your goods they have filled your midst with violence, and you have sinned. So I cast you profaned from the height of God, and I destroy you, O covering cherub, from among the stones of fire.

The description given to this anointed cherub begins by describing nine gemstones that formed his covering.  These nine stones are also found on the breastplate of the Old Testament high priest, whose golden breastplate held twelve stones identifying the twelve tribes of Israel.  The prophet then described how the cherub had been created with timbrels and pipes, and Isaiah added that Lucifer had viols as part of his musical gifting (Isaiah 14:11 KJV)  I suggest to you that this angel was created to lead the praise and worship of the angelic hosts before the throne of God PRIOR TO THE CREATION OF MAN. 

As a created being he was perfect until his fall.  In Isa. 14:12-15 he is called Lucifer meaning “light bearer”.

In Dykes dictionary I found a description of what Lucifer wore – it appears he was like a High Priest of Heaven before he sinned.  He wore a breast plate like the High Priest of the Aaronic priesthood only his breastplate had only 9 stones but the Aaronic High Priest breastplate had 12 stones.  The third row was missing in Lucifer’s breastplate.  The 3 tribes missing from Lucifer’s breastplate were Asher, Ischar, and Gad. Each tribe name had meaning and their meaning was Asher meant out of you could produce a royal seed, Ischar meant crouch or carry your burden, and Gad means overcome in the end.  It appears God put limitations on Lucifer from the beginning because he could not produce a seed, he could not carry your burden and he will not overcome in the end.

The High Priest wore a pure white garment underneath with a diamond shape in the weaving.  A Priest in Jerusalem at the Temple Institute said this was symbolic of a part of the human body – babies have a soft spot in their heads this shape and doctors tell us that there is a valve in the heart this shape.  Do you think God had them weave this particular design in the garments of the High Priest as a statement that the High Priest was the head of the nation and he was to proclaim the heart of God to the people?  Just a thought. Maybe so. Possibly another study!

The High Priest wore this seamless garment of white only when he went into the Holy of Holies – no jewels or crowns to make him become prideful like Satan, but when outside the Holy of Holies he then put a blue garment over the white – the blue signifying heaven and then the red apron like garment over that which held the breastplate.  A crown upon his head was worn.  The breastplate with 12 stones was significant – the 12 stones stood for the 12 tribes of Israel – and each tribe had a symbol of their own – such as the tribe of Judah was the lion. The tribe of Benjamin was a wolf.  

The collar in white was made extremely strong and heavy around the neck.  The High Priest was never to tear or rip this neckline. Exodus 39:23 “And there was an opening in the middle of the robe, like the opening in a coat, with a woven binding all around the opening, so that it would not tear.” In Lev. 10:6 Moses said to his sons Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people.”  So if the Priest ripped his clothes at the neck he had lost his Priesthood and wrath would come upon the people. In Malachi we find that the Aronic priest hood, which was supposed to pass from father to son, had fallen into sin and rebellion.  Rome was controlling the Priesthood.  Some Priesthood were even bought and not transferred from Father to Son as the Aronic Priesthood had originally been.

Around this time a priest was in the Temple and an angel appeared on his right hand.  The Jewish tradition was that should this happen it meant that you were going to die.  But Zechariah did not die but probably was in fear as angel Gabriel told him that he and Elizabeth were going to have a son after the order of Elijah and then Zechariah asked God for a sign. God gave him one. He could not talk until after the son was born.  According to Jewish writings it was believed that Elijahs belt or girdle was stored under the chamber of the alter of incense and that probably Zechariah took this after the angel told him about his son who was coming after the order of Elijah.  This could explain why people kept asking John the Baptist are you the prophet?  Are you Elijah? John the Baptist never performed miracles, as did Elijah.  Maybe it was the girdle about his waist that caused them to think he was Elijah. It is interesting that John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness since he was a legitimate priest, since his father was a priest and his mother was from the family of Aaron.  Maybe he preached in the wilderness because he was a legitimate priest and those in Jerusalem were not.  John the Baptist was about six months older than Jesus and as the tradition of that day you did not become a priest until you were 30 years of age.  John was not in the Temple preaching he was down at the muddy Jordan River when Jesus came to him to be baptized.  In fact they were at Bethabara, the same place that Joshua crossed the Jordan River and the waters rolled 15 miles one way to the city Adam and 15 miles the other way to the Dead Sea.  Jesus rolled away out sins and cast them into the sea of forgiveness.

We know that Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist and that when he saw Jesus he said “behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”  Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a stable. (6 months later than JTB) He was placed in the trough where the sheep were fed and wrapped in clothing that was used to wrap the baby lambs. He was born in a stable near the animals and it was in Bethlehem that the shepherds had a field to raise sheep for the Temple.  Could the shepherds watching their flock by night have been the shepherds of the sheep raised for the sacrifice at the Temple?  I don’t know but I do know that where Jesus was born was a place significant to the sheep in every way.  He was to become the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world and John recognized this when he saw Jesus approaching and proclaimed Him to be The Lamb of God.  
Jesus was immersed in water and when He arose a dove ascended just as when a High Priest would wash and then be anointed with oil.  So Jesus went into the water and then the Dove representative of the Holy Spirit anointed Him.

Jesus was to become our High Priest but first there had to be a sacrifice.  We know from the Bible that Jesus went about doing good and saving, healing and teaching and was accused of breaking the law.  But it appears to me that He may have broken some of the traditions written by man.  But if Jesus was coming not out of the Aronic Priesthood, but out of the Priesthood of Melchizedek – then he was not breaking the law.  He said he came to fulfill the law.    In Hebrews 7:1-  “For this Melchizedek king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness”, and then also king of Salem meaning “king of Peace”, without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually”. Melchizedek was the only person in the Old Testament who was not only Priest but also King.  Jesus is our High Priest and will one day be our King.

About the time Jesus began His public ministry – things in the Temple started to change.  The lottery box that the Priest drew from always came up in his right hand but it never did again.   They tied red thread around two goat’s necks and around the handle on the Temple door.  It was said that when the scapegoat went over the cliff – then the thread on the Temple door would turn white and this was the Day of Atonement meaning their sins had been forgiven – but after Jesus’ public ministry began – the thread on the Temple never turned white again.  Also, the Doors at the Eastern Gate opened and closed by itself.  The Jewish people knew something was wrong.  God was transferring the priesthood to His Son, Jesus Christ.

Now as I said before the High Priest’s white garment had an extremely strong neck that never was to be torn.  It was a seamless garment.  Now when Jesus came before Caiaphus the High Priest after he was arrested, Caiaphus would have known Ex. 39:23 “”and Lev. 106 & Lev. 21:10 “He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garment, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes”.   Caiaphas knew that tearing garments was done when one was in deep sorrow, but the High Priest could not do this.

So at the trial of Jesus before Annias and Caiaphas Jesus kept silent as prophesied in Is. 53:7 He didn’t answer until Matt. 26:63 “But  Jesus kept silent.  And the high priest answered and said to Him. “I put you under oath (adjure) by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God”  Jesus answered “It is as you said, Nevertheless, I say to you hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven”  This was a prophecy that Caiaphas would have been familiar with it is Ps. 110:1 and this probably upset Caiaphas, but more so would be that Caiaphas probably knew Ps. 110:4 “The Lord has sworn and will not relent “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”.  Caiaphas  knew then that this tall Nazarene must be the Messiah.   We read in John 11:49-53 “And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.  Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.  Then from that day on, they plotted to put Him (Jesus) to death”.  I believe Caiaphas knew that Jesus was the Messiah – the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.  In Matt. 26:65 says, “Then the High Priest tore his clothes saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!”  Now the High Priest had relinquished his priesthood and knew that the wrath would be upon his people.  

Who now is the High Priest?  Jesus paid the sacrifice – the sacrificial lamb and became our High Priest – after the order of Melchizedek not an Aaronic priesthood.  It is interesting to note that Jesus’ seamless garment was not torn – He has not relinquished His priesthood.  It was as prophesied gambled for (cast lots) but not torn.    Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb, wrapped in 100 lbs. of oil and spices and wrapped around His body.  When the disciples went into the empty tomb, His clothing was there but He was gone.  When seen by Mary He was clothed.  WHERE DID JESUS GET HIS CLOTHES?

I suppose more important than where Jesus got His clothes, would be what He said to Mary.  Probably the two angels brought Him His clothes.  Mary thought Him to be the gardener.  Now a gardener in that day would have worn a headdress, a long flowing robe tied about the waist with a belt, and probably britches underneath.  This costume was made very similar to that of the High Priest, as he would go into the Holy of Holies.  When Mary saw Jesus she did not recognize Him.  Maybe her eyes were blurred by her tears, or maybe the sun was in her eyes, or maybe His hair had turned white from the stress He had gone through during His crucifixion (because in Rev. His hair is white), but for whatever reason Mary did not recognize Him.  When she did he told her not to touch Him for He had not yet ascended unto His Father.  When He appeared before the disciples He allowed them to touch Him.  Something happened between Mary seeing Him and the time He was with the disciples.  I believe He ascended to Heaven and cleansed the Temple there, which had sin because of the sin of Lucifer.  Heaven had to be purified so all the saints could go there.  We know Jesus is now in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father and preparing a way for our entrance.  I don’t believe He is in Heaven building our mansions, because John 14:1 says, “In my Fathers house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, and I go to prepare a place for you….” It appears the mansions have been there, He is just making a way for us to enter.

We one day will enter wearing white linen and receive our crowns to lay at the feet of our Savior.  When we return with Him at the Second Advent, we are still wearing our white linen, like the High Priest because that is what we are.  Jesus wears His white linen but there are differences.  We have glorified bodies, without pain or wrinkle, Jesus still bears the scars of His crucifixion – this is so during the Millennium and at the end of the Millennium – Satan cannot tell anyone Jesus never died – He can reveal His scars, which Satan can’t refute.  His scars testify that He is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.