According to wikipedia, White became a popular option in 1840, after the marriage of Queen Victoria to Albert of Saxe-Coburg, when Victoria wore a white gown trimmed with Honiton lace. Illustrations of the wedding were widely published, and many brides opted for white in accordance with the Queen’s choice.
Prior to that, white was not a common or popular color for brides to be clothed in. At times red, black and any other color was thought to be in “style” for the day. But in the last 150 years “white” has been wore by the majority of brides as a symbol of their “purity and virtue.”
Oddly enough, just before going down this train of thought about being dressed in white, I had checked a word’s Strong’s meaning in one of the Bible verses of the day I follow,
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/php.4.8.KJV
I soon discovered that “virtue” in the Bible, used only 7 times, has more than one Strong’s number and meaning. This one in Philippians is G703 – From the same as (G730 male – as stronger for lifting); properly manliness (valor) that is excellence (intrinsic or attributed):- praise virtue.
2 of the last 3 uses of “virtue” in the Bible is when the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus,
Luke 8:46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
Mark 5:30 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
Most modern translations use the word “power” instead of virtue in this verse because the Greek word “dunamis” is G1411- force (literally or figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself):
The last use of “virtue” seems to tie it’s meaning to an attribute of divine power, purity and godliness,
2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Now back to why I began to write about being dressed in “white” in the first place. Since last week, as I looked again at the ritual of the Day of Atonement and how God told Moses to teach the priests to properly conduct themselves in His Presence, something had caught my attention. The high priest, throughout the year was dressed in bold blue colors with colorful jewels on his breastplate set in gold. A beautiful turbin adorned in gold was on his head. Gold bells were set in the hem of his garment. All this was decreed by Father God as the official dress of the high priest throughout the year, except for one day.
On the “Day of Atonement,” the one and only day of the year that the high priest could enter into the “Holy of Holies” where the Ark was kept behind the veil, God told Moses these are the only clothes he could wear.
Leviticus 16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
The Scriptures teach explicitly the significance of linen when used as clothing; it is the righteousness or righteous acts of saints. Put another way, it represents personal holiness and suggests that the person clothed in linen is in a condition suitable to approach God. In fact, one of the synonyms for a priest is one who “wears the linen ephod.”
Linen in the Bible was made from the “flax” plant and is still made from it today. Modern white linen clothing is not cheap but the attributes of it make it very desirable. The scientific name of flax is Linum usitatissimum. Usitatissimum means “most useful,” a plant used for both food and fiber.
Today is the first day of “Sukkot” the “Feast of Tabernacles” and is another of the Sabbaths and Holy convocations decreed by Father God that His people should observe each and every year. Oddly, it’s a 7 day feastival that last for 8 days. It’s a time the Jewish people were to draw near to God and rejoice in His Presence, being thankful for all the crops and blessings that were “ingathered” in the fall harvest time of the year. It was their “Thanksgiving Day” that lasted for 8 days instead of like our 1 day. Even though it’s “holy convocation” it was the most joyous celebration and time of the year. It is the time God said, “come before me with grateful hearts and with thanksgiving for all I’ve provided for you.”
Leviticus 23:33-36 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. 35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
It was also a time God called Israel to remember their time in the wilderness. They were to and observant Jews today still set up “booths,” huts made from leafy tree branches to remember more vividly what the meaning of this time is about. NOT for their rebellion in the wilderness but for their deliverance from the bondage they were under in Egypt. It was to remember how God set them FREE with a “Mighty Hand and An Outstretched Arm.” as I describe in my testimony. Today, Jesus is STILL in the Setting People FREE Business and is STILL looking for those that will come back to give Him “Thanks and Praise His Holy Name” from a grateful heart.
Luke 17:15-17 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
The admonition Jesus gives is in chapter 17, verse 17. 17 is an interesting Bible number. If you search out the days in the Bible that were on the 17th day of the Hebrew calendar month, you will see that they are days of judgments, good and bad ones depending on your standing with God. It was a “good judgment day” for the leaper that was healed and cleanessed from such a horrible disease.
Noah’s flood started on the 17th day of the month, Genesis 7:11. Noah’s flood ended on the 17th day of the month, Genesis 8:4. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers when he was 17, Genesis 37:2. Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for 17 years, Genesis 47:28. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon reigned as king for 17 years, 1 Kings 14:21. Jehoahaz, son of Jehu reigned as king of Samaria for 17 years, 2 Kings 13:1.
Jesus was declared Righteous by Father God and was raised from the grave on the 17th of Nisan. Passover is always on the 14th. It doesn’t float around on different days like on the calendar of the Catholic and most other churches according to the vernal equinox. The Catholic church tried to “Christianize” the Wiccan holiday of the vernal equinox celebrating Ostara, the Spring Maiden and Horned God, putting distance from itself and the way God declared Passover be observed in His Holy Word in a clear and concise way. Nisan 17, in itself alone is a testament of God setting apart a “certain day” of His calendar year to be “noticed.” The odds are astronomical that this could happen by accident.
God’s Word clearly teaches, He NEVER accepts a “mixture” of good to out weight bad as an offering to Him. Any deviation from what He has declared and decreed makes it an abomination to God. In our human thinking, making something bad, better is better but God says “only a little leaven, leavens the whole lump” making it worthless.
Even our salvation is tied to this principle. We should work at cleaning up our lives and walk in a way that is pleasing to God, reaching for the goal of the high prize as the Apostle Paul says. That in itself, no matter how much progress we make towards that goal is sufficient to stand in God’s Presence. All our righteousness is like filthy rags in God’s sight. ONLY through the Righteousness of Jesus and the cleansing Power and Virtue, “dunamis” G1411 of His Precious Blood are we clean enough in God’s Eyes.
The blood of a bull and a goat were needed and placed on the Mercy Seat to atone for the high priests sins before he could expect to seek the forgiveness of the children of Israel’s sins until Jesus shed His Perfectly Sinless Blood after walking out a Sinless Life before the Face of God.
This 9 minute video describes how the high priest carried out his duties on this solemn day and it’s direct relation to Jesus’ atonement for us that are washed by His Blood.
As with 17 and the 17th day, “White” has been set apart by Father God to represent the “cleanness” of a person, that is required by God for them to come into the fullness of His Presence. This is not to say that God has nothing to do with us unless we are spotlessly white and clean because no one would ever be saved by the drawing of His Holy Spirit and the Blood of Yeshua Jesus. When a person receives the Spirit of God, when they become a “Born Again with God’s Spirit” Christian, there is always very much uncleanness in that person. The Grace and Mercy of God comes into that person anyway by His Spirit to begin the “sanctification” process. If this were not so, no one could be saved. Sanctification is an ongoing process in the life of every Christian. We will never reach the total degree of purity and cleanliness God desires in us on this side of Heaven. I believe His main desire for us is that we are willing and desire to work with His Holy Spirit to work towards that goal, for His Glory.
Every year, as we look back and see the things in our lives that God has delivered us from, blessed us with and all the other wonderful things He does for us, it should cause us to set apart this special time of the year that He has chosen to remember these things.
We should desire above anything else in this world, that we are walking towards the goal of being worthy of wearing the white apparel Jesus Himself tells us to work towards and desire,
Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
Revelation 3:4 ‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
Revelation 7:9, 14 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 19:13-14 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
In the simplest way of thinking, Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles is something God has desired all the way back in the Garden of Eden. God wants to spend “Quality Time” with His children. He Always has and Always will be a Good Good Father in that way.
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound 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.
New American Commentary says:- The anthropomorphic description of God “walking” (mithallek) in the garden suggests the enjoyment of fellowship between him and our first parents. The adverbial phrase “in the cool of the day” (NIV, NASB, NJB) or “the breezy time of the day” (NJPS, NAB) translates the Hebrew phrase “wind [rûah] of the day.” The NRSV’s rendering makes the time more explicit, “at the time of the evening breeze” (also REB). “Walked with God” is a favorite expression in Genesis, depicting the righteous conduct of Israel’s heroes, including Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. Yet now the man and the woman are hiding from God in fear. God’s presence is also noted by his “walking” in the camp and sanctuary of Israel. Later Israel recognized that God demanded holiness and obedience if he were to continue to “walk” among his people. It was part of the sad deception that the man and woman who wanted so much to be “like God,” rather than obtaining the stature of deity, are afraid even to commune with him.
God does tell us to “be Like Him” but in this way,
Leviticus 19:2 “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.
1 Peter 1:13-19 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
In The Word 