Arrayed in His Glory
Wade E Taylor

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”  Genesis 3:8

The “voice of the Lord walking” tells us that Jesus has something to say to us that is beyond what He was saying to us yesterday.  And, He will have something to say to us tomorrow that is beyond what He is saying to us today.  He has a purpose therefore He is seeking those who have an ear to hear a “present word.”

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit.”  Revelation 4:1-2a   

For us to be able to hear and receive, we must first be established on a firm foundation.   This begins with our redemption.

“And the Lord God called to Adam, and said to him, Where are you?”  Genesis 3:9

The Lord knew where he was, but He was seeking a confession.  He is asking Adam where he is in his relationship to the Lord.

“And he said, I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”  Genesis 3:10

Adam and Eve did not lose their innocence and then discover that they had no clothes.  They lost something far more important than a sense of propriety.

They lost the covering of “Shekinah” (not clothes), therefore, they hid because they could not stand the power of the presence of the Lord.  In order to abide the fullness of His glory, we also need a “covering.”  This covering is “Shekinah,” the manifested glory of the Lord that enables us to enter into and abide in the presence of the Lord.

Adams’ confession brought forgiveness, and the beginning of the process that would lead to the restoration of the Shekinah Glory.  An animal was slain, and through the shedding of blood, they were forgiven, and were given a covering, but that which they had “eaten” was still within them.

This was the “right to their own lives.”  Because Adam and Eve chose the “knowledge of good and evil,” they could now choose to do as they desired, apart from their submission to the Lord.  We inherited from Adam this right to be independent.  The Lord will not take this from us, but we can give it up, and come back into unconditional dependence upon the Lord.  For us to do this, requires a specific act on our part in which we vocally take this right to do as we please, and give it back to the Lord.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”  Matthew 16:24

The taking up of our cross means that we submit, and “die” to the right to our own lives and surrender “unconditionally” to the Lordship of Jesus.

When we accepted salvation, we were covered with the “Garment of Salvation.”  But there is another garment - the “Bridal Garment” that is available to us.  Our garment, forgiveness through the blood of salvation, is a free gift.

“These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”  Revelation 7:14b

Through a process of overcoming obedience, our salvation garment is replaced with the Bridal Garment.  This Bridal garment must be “woven” by us.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should array herself in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”  Revelation 19:7-8 ASV

Jesus is seen “walking” because He desires to bring us from simply having salvation to the place where we become His Bride.  Here, we will again be covered with the “Shekinah,” which will enable us to sit with Him in His throne.

This preparation, the weaving of our “Bridal Garment,” is the commitment of our lives to submission and obedience to His will and purpose, as we walk with Jesus.

“To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  Revelation 3:21-22