Bibledoorajar joins the Queen in noticing the apparel worn by those serving Solomon's Ministers

     In the dark movie, Alice's Restaurant, there is a scene where a husband and wife talk following the untimely death of a loved one. They discuss the sad circumstances of the death and ponder their influence on the person. The wife says, 'I guess our beauty wasn't coming through'. The husband responds, 'maybe we haven't been so beautiful lately'. So, seeking happiness, they put on wedding apparel of their choice and get married again in an old church building they own. Friends from the restaurant were invited, and the couple was sure they were inviting their very best support system. After all, they had shared so much at the restaurant over the years. Things would be great following the big celebration. However, when all the dressed for the moment guests were gone, and all the drink gone, the couple realized they were still alone. They still had no family to minister to or from whom they could receive ministry. They were still wondering how they had dressed for life. The movie ends with the couple just as alone and just as depressed as ever. It is a sad movie, but it does cause one to ask, am I dressed for a good life and what kind of beauty do I want others to observe in me? What kind of family do I want and what will be my ministry to them?
     The Queen of Sheba was very impressed with the apparel that was worn by those who served Solomon. Importantly, they were dressed with the type of apparel that Solomon would ACCEPT. Lesser garments had been "put off" and garments appropriate to honor the king had been "put on". I am sure the Queen had attendants who wore fine clothing, but there was something about the apparel in Solomon's court that was so exquisite, so lovely, that the queen was very impressed. Clearly, all the people there had wanted to be finely dressed when the king appeared.
     The Bible is clear about the apparel that God will accept from those who serve Him. Under the Old Covenant, Isaiah encouraged the sorrowing people of Jerusalem to be beautiful AGAIN and dress themselves in a way that holy ones would want to worship with them. He prophesied about a coming suffering Savior who would give them beauty for ashes and a crown for their heads. The Lord would cover them with clothes of salvation. All blemishes and difficulties would be concealed by this wonderful clothing. Their coat would be a coat of goodness and they would be like a bride dressed in jewels joining her bridegroom (Isaiah 52; 61). But alas, most of God's people were not able to see Him when He came at His first appearing and refused the new apparel. But praise God for 120 Jews who did; and praise the Lord for those who heard the call to share the good news of new apparel with the Gentiles.
     The Church, too, is to be clothed in fine linen of righteousness (right ways, Rev. 19). This means we need to quit "patching" our old clothes and allow God to give us brand new clothes. God gives the new clothes by his grace and His people take care of them through their obedience. His grace, our obedience-what a powerful milieu in which God can work! There is no doubt about it, Christians are being clothed for victory and we must always draw our strength from the Lord Himself. We seek for our clothes to match those of Christ who is dressed in pure white linen. Everyday, we choose to dress to please the King. In Matthew 22, we see how important it is to be dressed correctly and to maintain the right garments. In the passage, the king appeared and was dumbfounded. He asked people how they had gotten into the ceremony without putting on the right wedding clothes. No way! He told his attendants that the people improperly dressed must be bound and cast out.
     In the movie, Alice's Restaurant, none of the characters were dressed appropriately. In the end they were all bound by the enemy and found themselves in a place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth". They could have blinded the enemy with the right clothing, but there was not enough "right ways" to stop him and he won the battle. This was not a destiny that God had planned. our King wants better for people.

     "Lord, please  help us maintain our linen clothes; we have no interest in weeping and gnashing of teeth!" Help us share our Source for our finery with others. In Jesus Name, Amen".