New Moon Meeting: June 2005, 3:10 EST
The Colors of Love

Zahakiel: Let’s start with a prayer, then.

Almighty and loving Father in Heaven,

We thank you for this wonderful opportunity to gather in your name. We thank you for the Holy Spirit, that you have poured out upon us, to lead us into all truth, and to guide us into your Kingdom. Bless our time together, and may you give unto everyone a living knowledge of your will through the words of your servant.

In Yahshua’s name I pray, amen.

Qinael: Amen.
Barb: Amen.
Rachel: Amen.
Pastor “Chick”: Amen.
Crystle: Amen.
Jeanie: Amen.

Zahakiel: I would like, this month, to continue with a principle that we discussed last meeting, and I will take a little time in the beginning to set this month’s topic up by looking at what we have seen previously.

Last month we spoke about relationships, and we saw that by accepting the righteousness of Christ, we were able to enter into a relationship with Yahweh. This is not merely a relationship of a deity to a worshipper, but it is something much more intimate than is generally understood in the world by the term “worship.” To worship Yahweh means to acknowledge Him as the Almighty, the Guardian of our souls, and our Defender against the powers of both this world and our demonic opponents.

But a relationship with the True God, as opposed to either another, or many common conceptions OF Him, is greater than that. The Scriptures speak of “knowledge” in very personal terms. For example, “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from Yahweh.” (Genesis 4:1) And again, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of Yahweh had bidden him, and took unto him his wife, and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called His name Yahshua.” (Matthew 1:23-35)

I have noticed a pattern in Scripture. It is not always consistent, but it is a tendency of the authors: when a husband and a wife are intimate with each other in a lawful union, it is more likely that the word “knew” is used of the event. If it is an adulterous or illicit conjunction, we find such terms as these, “But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die.” (Deuteronomy 22:25) Another one, “And David sent messengers, and took [Bathsheba]; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.” (2 Samuel 11:4) For the most part, and again, this is not perfectly consistent, to “lay with” someone implies only the physical act – but to “know” someone in this particular sense is an indication that there is a relationship there.

When Yahshua returns, we read that many will say to Him, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” And of course we all know what His reply will be to these ones, “I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:22, 23)

You see the difference?

Qinael: Yes.
Pastor “Chick”: Yes.
Barb: Yes.

Zahakiel: Those who boast of their works have attempted to “lay with” Yahshua. They have gone through the motions, and they believe that this means they have a relationship.

Okay, now the apostles make this principle very clear, so clear, in fact, their statements have been misused by the ignorant and lawless – “man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:28) Some say, “You must keep the commandments to be saved.” Some say, “You must speak in tongues,” or “You must be baptized in a certain way.”

And of course, don’t get me wrong. Even Paul realized that such statements could be misused. He qualified his statements by saying such things as, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish the law.” (Romans 3:31) The whole picture is this – we are not justified by actions. We are not made pure by anything we may do or say. If we, by the power of our wills, were somehow able to resist sin for the rest of our lives, we would still not be able to earn Heaven, because “all HAVE sinned [already], and come short of the glory of Yahweh.” (Romans 3:23)

But now, if we “know” Yahshua, if we are connected with Him in a true relationship, we become conformed to His image, (Romans 8:29) and then we let Yahweh perform His righteousness in us. He does not possess us like an evil spirit, but by His Holy Spirit He lovingly, thoroughly, releases us from sinful tendencies. What He truly does is returns us to “logic.” What mentally free creature would knowingly, deliberately do something to hurt himself or someone else? All sin is, is a rejection of truth and logical thought.

The thoughts of Yahweh are the “sane” ones, and we can measure our standing as reasonable creatures by how well our own thoughts match his. Addictions, hurtful or foolish habits, these are all mild forms of insanity, and if any of them pass beyond what society tolerates, individuals who are cursed with them are FINALLY labeled “crazy,” locked up and medicated. By that point, even the world can recognize the effects of sin, although they have other names for it.

It’s true, many forms of illness (mental or otherwise) are the result of actual, physical deficiencies in the body, but if Yahshua could say to the blind “Receive your sight,” is His message able to do less? Are His promises less real because He no longer walks the earth in the body born to Mary?

When we have a relationship with Yahshua, we do the works of the Law. When we have an intimacy with Him, we relate to Him as the Church, which the Scriptures tell us is His Bride. There is a difference between laying with someone and “knowing” them.There is a difference between being “religious,” between playing Church, and being in a committed relationship with the Author and Finisher of our salvation.

At the close of our discussion about relationships I read out the entire chapter of 1Corinthians 13, where Agape, that pure, Godly love, is described. Here are the qualities of Agape again, for our consideration, and do consider each individually:

Zahakiel: It is...
longsuffering
kind
sharing
selfless
humble
courteous
considerate
calm
trusting
righteous
truth-loving
accomodating
faithful
hopeful
And enduring.
Agape never fails, and it is eternal.

Zahakiel: Agape-love is represented in the Scriptures in many, many ways. Some of its manifestations can only be recognized by those who immerse themselves in the Word, who study it – not for its own sake, but – because it testifies of Yahshua. But truly, Agape is nowhere more clearly demonstrated than the Cross. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies, signs and symbols that point to the death of the Messiah for the sake of others. Every animal slain showed that the wages of sin is death, and that the one who committed the transgression need not pay the penalty if there was One willing to stand in his place.

The beauty of the Victory message is that those who understand this delicate transaction realize that our own sins placed the Son of Yahweh in the grave. If we love Him, if we have Agape for Him, we ourselves would rather die than knowingly do one more thing that had the effect of placing Him there.

The wonder of the Resurrection is that death had no power over Yahshua. He died that others might live. He lived, so that we would learn how to die to self. There is no cheating death, and no cheating sin. All who sinned must die, and if we reckon ourselves dead to that “old man,” the new man that has the Spirit of Yahshua will live eternally. This is to “know” Him. This month, I would like to focus on one particular symbol of Agape in the Old Testament.

When proofreading the book “A Sure Covenant” some time ago, Jeanie came across a statement by pastor that she brought to my attention. The statement follows a quote of Exodus 28:4-6. That passage is this: “And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office... And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.”

The statement [by pastor] was this one, “Now we’re not going to go into the meaning of all these things today, but this is an interesting study, and all of these colors and such have some significance.” So the obvious question becomes, What IS the significance of “all these colors?”

My reply to that will be, they are the “colors of Agape,” the colors of Love.

There are four colors listed there. Blue, purple, scarlet (or red) and white (and for our purposes, white is a color) :)

Zahakiel: In some places, but not all, we find that gold is associated with this pattern, but the “fine twined linen” is always there. The word for linen in Hebrew is shesh, and what it means is “something bleached white.” It is also used as a more general term for something white, such as marble, silk or alabaster. (e.g., Song of Songs 5:15) Here are the other passages in Scripture that mention this distinctive blend of hues: The offerings for the cloth of the Tabernacle in the wilderness: “And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,” (Exodus 25:4) This was used as described in other verses of Exodus. “And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.” (Exodus 28:6) This is from the passage quoted above. The covering of the Most Holy Place: “And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.” (Exo 36:35)

The high priest’s garment contained these colors: “And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.” (Exo 39:24) The construction of Solomon’s temple contained these colors also, as described in 2 Chronicles, chapter 2. So, we see there are many examples. interesting thing is that the combination of these specific colors: blue, purple, and red on a background of white, is always connected to the Sanctuary, always related to the holy ordinances.

Now, one of the things that struck me as most significant when reading Ellen White’s description of Heaven was this passage: “As we were traveling along, we met a company who were also gazing at the glories of the place. I noticed red as a border on their garments; their crowns were brilliant; their robes were pure white. As we greeted them I asked Jesus who they were. He said they were martyrs that had been slain for him. With them was an innumerable company of little ones; they had a hem of red on their garments also.” [Spiritual Gifts. Volume 2, page 53] This information also appears in Early Writings. Here we see red borders on a background of “pure white.”

If any of you are familiar with the parable of the workers in the vineyard, and how we use that to demonstrate the “calling out” of the SDA Church, you already know that Mrs. White often saw things that give us just enough information for a “starting point” when we are about to have something very spiritually important revealed to us in the last generation. Does everyone know what I am talking about?

Qinael: Yes.

Zahakiel: Or better, does anyone not know what I’m talking about? :)

Pastor “Chick”: Amen.

Zahakiel: Well, it may be best if I go over it briefly, since some appear hesitant :)

When discussing the parable in Matthew 20, Mrs. White said: “The Jews had been first called into the Lord’s vineyard, and because of this they were proud and self-righteous. Their long years of service they regarded as entitling them to receive a larger reward than others. Nothing was more exasperating to them than an intimation that the Gentiles were to be admitted to equal privileges with themselves in the things of God.” [Christ’s Object Lessons, page 400]

If you know the parable in the Gospels, there were five classes of workers called to do labor in the vineyard, which represented the world.

Dumah: Amen.

Zahakiel: They were the early morning workers, then the third hour workers, the sixth hour workers, the ninth, and the eleventh last of all. If we use that statement from Christ’s Object Lessons as a starting point, we find that we can actually graph the progress of the reformation in the New Covenant:

Early morning = Jewish Church
Third Hour = Apostolic Church
Sixth Hour = Reformation Churches
Ninth Hour = Seventh-day Adventism
Eleventh Hour = ...

And this is where we come in :)

If we understand the prophetic significance of Matthew 20, we really see that the last generation of workers can only be those who have come out of an apostate form of Adventism. No other progression of Church ages fits this mold.

So now, here, in discussing the colors we have noted, we find that there is a similar “starting point” in the SOP writings. The martyrs will wear garments that signify their testimony. They will wear red on their robes, a symbol of sacrifice and violence in the Bible.

There are various Scriptures that point this out, and here are a few: “And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.” (Revelation 6:4) If you have read my article “The Unrolling of The Scroll,” you have seen that this takes place at the second seal, which corresponds to the time of persecution under Pagan Rome. Another... “Come now, and let us reason together, saith Yahweh; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) In this passage, Yahweh is addressing the sins of individuals, but of course in the case of the martyrs, they are really put to death for the sins of other people.

Those who are martyred for the true faith have this in common with the Messiah: they died because of the sins of others. That is their testimony, shown in red: “I have been slain for the Word of God.” (cf., Revelation 6:9)

Does everyone understand this so far?

Qinael: <nods.>
Clair: Yes.
Barb: Yes.
Crystle: Yes.
Pastor “Chick”: Yes.
Dumah: Yeah.
Jeanie: Yes.

Zahakiel: Okay, now what of the other colors?

Let’s look at blue.

“And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a bar.” (Numbers 4:12) The instruments of “ministry” under the Law were covered in blue. The blue color in Scripture represents the Law of Yahweh. Here is a more direct statement that points this out. “And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue. And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Yahweh, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring; that ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.” (Numbers 15:37-40)

The Bible says this regarding the Old Testament saints: “But when the fulness of the time was come, Yah sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4, 5) In another passage, it reads, “before faith came, we were kept under the law.” (Galatians 3:23) Now, we have to be very careful, because some take that to mean there was no faith at all before Christ came. But no, we read in Hebrews that even those who lived before the Cross were saved through faith. “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,” “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death,” “By faith [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king,” etc. (from Hebrews 11:4, 5, 27) What this means is that there was not yet given a perfect example of faith, and the Law was an “external” standard of righteousness, to a large degree. Those who were called Yahweh’s “friends,” like Abraham, learned how to make the Law a part of their experience, but it was not expected that everyone who would be saved come up to their particular level of understanding.

Now, of course, to whom much is given, much is required, and since we cannot perfectly keep the law of ourselves, it is only by directly calling on the name of Yahshua, and believing in the Sacrifice already given that we can obtain life. (Acts 4:12) I do not want to go too deeply into this topic, because it is a very big one, but is everyone understanding the basic idea here? Before Christ came, there was a greater emphasis placed on the external “law,” which accounts for Paul’s statements – but this by no means limited the value of faith.

Barb: Yes.
Qinael: <nods.>
Crystle: Yes.
Jeanie: OK.
Dumah: Yes.

Zahakiel: The matter falls thus: the Old Testament believers were specifically instructed to wear an external sign of the Law on their garments, and we in Christ are not. In the resurrection, therefore… just as the martyrs will wear white robes with borders of red, so those who are saved under the Old Covenant (i.e., while “under the Law” as Paul phrases it) will have blue on the borders of their garments to represent their testimony. “I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my Elohim.” (Psalm 18:21)

Purple is the color of royalty.

“And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian…” (Judges 8:26) “And they clothed Him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about His head, and began to salute Him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’” (Matthew 15:17, 18)

Peter tells the Church, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2:9) So then this is our testimony, like the 24 Elders, to be placed on our garments with borders of purple: “[Yahshua] hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10)

Now, this is not to say that the believers under the previous Covenant were any less royal :) We must look at a particular aspect of this. We read in Esther, “And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.” (Esther 8:15) So here we see both blue and purple may represent royalty, thus those saved under either Covenant are of that nation of kings and priests.

The change in color does, however, represent a particular closeness to the Throne. We read, “And these [previous saints] all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise, Yah having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39, 40)

Dumah: I have a question :)

Dumah: I remember in one of the War books you mentioned that Ham, Shem, and Japeth wore these colors.

Zahakiel: Yes.

Dumah: what significance did that have for them, and will they wear those same colors in Heaven?

Zahakiel: That was explained therein also, that it had to do with their personalities... and it also has significance for what these colors mean in this study :) From Shem would come the “royal” line of the Messiah, the Gentiles (and most of the Gentiles with whom the Shemites had contact were from Japheth) would “wait for His Law.” And Ham... well, ultimately from his line came our best early examples of those who were sacrificed to sin. Nimrod and his people.

Zahakiel: Where we left off, I was giving Scriptures to show that after Christ, that faith was made “perfect” for the believers in general, and not just for particular individuals like an Enoch or Elijah once every few hundred years. And in fact, the Old Testament tells us of these times. We read, “Also I will make Him [Christ] my Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for Him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with Him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and His Throne as the days of heaven.” (Psalm 89:27-29)

Blue represented the Law under the Old Covenant, and you see that it was used to cover the tools of the Levitical ministry. As I have mentioned in previous studies, the only place a “change in the Law” is mentioned is in Hebrews (7:12) and it has to do with the passing-away of the Levitical code when the Sacrifice of Christ was offered. Now there is red mingled with the blue, hence: purple. Now the faith is perfect, and the Law is justified by the Blood of the Lamb, for you remember that the entire Great Controversy is about the integrity of Yahweh’s character and His Law. Those who are saved under the New Covenant, who look back to the shed blood, and not just forward to a coming event, will have purple on the borders of their heavenly robes. And again, of course, all these colors will have a background of pure white. Going back to 1Corinthians 13, we can easily see how the attributes of love are expressed in these shades.

Red: The color of Sacrifice. It contains such elements of Agape as being selfless, longsuffering, sharing, considerate, humble, enduring, and trusting.

Blue: The color of Law. It contains such elements of Agape as being righteous, truth-loving, kind, courteous, and calm.

Purple: The color of Royalty. It contains such elements of Agape as being accommodating, faithful, hopeful, victorious, and, like the Throne of Yahshua, eternal.

Zahakiel: Purple contains elements of both blue and red, both as a color and as a Biblical principle, as you may notice from the way I assigned the characteristics. Accommodating is a lot like considerate, and faithful is a lot like righteous, if we speak of “faithful” as relating to actions. If you go through the Scriptures and look for descriptions of good kings, and advice given to rulers, you will find that these qualities are named as vital for proper royalty.

I pointed out earlier, that sometimes gold is also mentioned along with this color pattern. Gold is the color of refined faith, and will naturally be “in” the testimonies of every redeemed saint. But there are some for whom the gold is also revealed outwardly.

From what I myself have seen, those who were translated without seeing death will have gold in borders on their garments. Long before I had any conception I would be giving this study today, I wrote this of Enoch: “Though he had been taken from among men before the natural process of death had any thought of ending his earthly sojourn, the immortal saint had watched over his people with great interest from the portals of Heaven. His transfigured body shone as brightly as any angel, and on the edges of his white robe was a border of purple and gold, signifying a royal transformation and a pure, refined faith. He did not return the gaze of the angels who looked at him, however, for his eyes were fixed on the face of his Redeemer and Friend, who continued to address the crowd within the Throne Room.” This is in the first chapter of The Terran Conflict.

Again, some of those saved will have gold in the borders of their garments, and some will not. The 144,000 will be the “royal” priesthood that will not see death, and like Enoch, these will wear purple and gold in the World to come.

Zahakiel: Now, here is a key matter, and really the heart of why these colors represent Agape... We have seen how they contain aspects individually, but here is one place in which they all appear together; two verses we have seen before: “And they shall make the ephod [worn by the high priest] of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.” (Exodus 28:6, 39:24)

The martyrs have perfected sacrifice; the Old Testament saints who are saved have perfected the Law through faith. The New Testament believers have drawn near to the Throne of Grace, as instructed in Hebrews 4:16. The 144,000 have experienced tribulation to the degree that their faith is as “gold tried in the fire.” (Revelation 3:18) They will have done so by following the “royal law of Scripture,” (James 2:8) and thus will be spared from the sting of death and clothed in purple and gold. But it is Yahshua, and Yahshua only, who has always represented the full measure of Agape.

Yahshua’s heavenly garment, when He stands as our High Priest, has all the Colors of Love.

Let me show you an application of how these colors may be used for a Bible study, and I am certain that the Spirit will instruct us in other ways as well, but I will begin to close this topic for today with an example. I’ll read a brief part of the passage from Proverbs 31 about the ideal wife (and remember, we are still in the main topic of “relationships”: “She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.” (verses 21-23) Now, what colors are listed there? Well... what colors are NOT listed here? :)

Qinael: Gold and white (unless silk is also one of those).

Zahakiel: I would count silk as the background of white; and gold is sometimes there and sometimes not anyway. But one of the primary three is missing.

Crystle: And blue.

Zahakiel: Right. Blue is missing… and why? It is because (and remember this was written under the Old Covenant with a greater emphasis on the Law) this is describing a wife, and not a husband.

The Almighty is the Lawgiver. “For Yahweh is our Judge, Yahweh is our Lawgiver, Yahweh is our King; He will save us.” (Isaiah 33:22) Now, when Yahshua came to earth He told us, “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (John 5:22) The Son, as the Husband of the Bride/Church, is the Lawgiver in this paradigm. The Bride is not the lawmaker, nor justified BY the law, as we were discussing above.

You notice that the Old Covenant saints wear blue as a sign of their testimony, but the Proverbs verses are describing the things that justify the Bride, and that is the difference. We are justified by the silk/white of Yahshua’s purity. We are justified by the Sacrifice of His blood for us. We are justified by the connection we have to Royalty… but we are NOT justified by the Law. The Law is a part of our testimony, when we declare that the character of the Lawgiver is just. It all points right back to relationship.

Purity, sacrifice and drawing near. Yahshua wears all the Bride’s colors as well; He has had her experience. We must enter into His experience now, and become one with Him. “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12:5) And again, “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” (1Corinthians 6:17)

But watch out, now... There are some who would steal the colors of the Bride and put on a nice dress and say, “Here I am, come unto me!” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come,” yes. (Revelation 22:17) But as the apostles warned, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

Zahakiel: And even as there were many spirits in their day, so now in our day there are both many spirits, and many “Brides.” At least, they did not have that particular problem. Take a look at this... This is a very well known passage to CSDAs, but I believe most of you will see something very new in this passage as a result of this present study. I will post it all, and let me know when you are done reading it:

“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.’

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’” And skipping down a bit, but discussing the same Babylon… “And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble…” (Revelation 1-4, 11, 12)

Say when.

Qinael: Done.
Jeanie: Done.
Dumah: Ok.
Clair: Done.
Barb: Done.
Crystle: Finished.

Zahakiel: And one last passage: “The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!’” (verses 15, 16)

The false Bride has all these colors also. She looks very nice to the eyes of flesh. She claims to rely on the Sacrifice; she claims that she knows the King. She says, in fact, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” (Rev 18:7) She has white, even gold, an outward purity. She has the red and purple of the true Bride, but the difference appears when you look deeper. The true Bride is blue within.

The Scriptures say of us, “I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Almighty, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) The true Bride has the Law and the Testimony. The false bride is trying to “lay with” the Husband rather than “know” Him, as we saw in the beginning. The true Bride wears those colors by right, and has not stolen them, nor bought them from the merchants of the earth.

Notice from the passage, “The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her…” The false bride got her colored garments, all her golden ornaments, from the world. Not so with the One who waits for the Son!

We wait for the Son.

We have the Law written on our hearts, and we have a Royal testimony to present to the world. We have a pure righteousness, for Christ has given us HIS righteousness, and we are seeing daily that our gold is being tried in the fire, to eventually find its way unto the borders of our garments in the World to Come.

It is my prayer, and my faith, that each one who understands these colors as Yahweh has provided them for us... and applies them to his or her life, will stand on the sea of glass on that day, and sing “a new song before the Throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” (Revelation 14:3)

Are there any questions before we close?

Jeanie: None.

Dumah: No… it sounds wonderful... I think I missed the best part though.

Zahakiel: Oh, you came in just as we were getting to the colors.

So if no one has any questions, let’s close with a prayer.

Holy and mighty Father, Redeemer and King,

We thank you always, continually, for the gifts you have given unto men. We thank you that by the infinite Sacrifice, you have shed grace on all, and have given us the faith by which we may grasp the opportunity provided for salvation. We thank you for the abiding presence of your Holy Spirit, by which you have written the Law in our hearts... that our testimony to the world may be a true one, and not some false garment. We thank you for your presense, for your patience, that you have toward us all those elements of Agape-love, and that you have taught us how to show that love back to you, and to our fellow man, fulfilling the Law, and all your commandments.

Dismiss us from this meeting in your service and in your grace, in Yahshua’s name. Amen.

Pastor “Chick”: Amen.
Barb: Amen.
Crystle: Amen.
Qinael: Amen.
Jeanie: Amen.
Clair: Amen.
Dumah: Amen.