What is He saying here? He's talking about the resurrection body. He's saying that the priesthood of Zadok - I will give them garments of glory, garments of beauty, and they will enter My presence because of that. When they're in My presence, they will be in that glorified state; but when they leave that, and go out to people, they will just look like they're normal again. Amazing isn't it? The garments of linen are the garments God provides. The garments of wool cause sweat. They're anything about the flesh, or effort (self-effort).
He's using a language of the spirit. He's using prophetic-picture language, to describe two kinds of people: those who are not allowed near Him, those who will not have intimacy, those who will not enter into His glory, those who will not approach the throne, those who will not be able to come anywhere near to Him… but they will be still His people, and have a role to serve; as against those who are faithful - they enter His presence. They will come near to Him; they fellowship with Him. He empowers them; they're given a resurrection body, that enables them to enter; and then when they go out, they're like Jesus - they appear in an ordinary body. The linen represents the glorious resurrected body, and the garments, that the overcomers will receive.
Those who are called to be priests to God and are faithful - they will be given those garments, they will have access. They will put on those garments, to enter His throne room. At the moment, you can't do it. You can't go into the throne room. You can go by the spirit. You can go in your spirit. You can access God, and His presence - by your spirit, and spiritual senses; but right now, your physical body is earthbound. He's talking about clothing given to us - a new body, that enables you to access like that (whoosh) into heaven, and then walk out and be in the earth; to manifest in glory, and in the presence of God; then walk out, and be in the earth, and go anywhere. It's extraordinary - and that's exactly what Jesus did! Jesus did exactly this thing, after the resurrection!
Luke 24:36 – “As they said these things, Jesus stood in the midst, and said: peace be to you; and everyone was afraid and frightened, because they supposed they'd seen a spirit. He said: why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your heart? Look, here's My hands and My feet, see? Touch. Handle. See? A spirit doesn't have flesh and bones like you see; and as He said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.”
So notice there, that Jesus could suddenly appear, and it looks like He has got a normal body, like ours; and then just vanish, and He's into the glory realm, into the realm of heaven. That is what this thing is talking about. That is what you stand to have or miss. That is the reward.
What do the sons of Zadok do?
Ezekiel 44:23-24 – “They will teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy. They will discern between the clean and the unclean; and in controversy, they will stand as judges”.
Those who have this priesthood will be able to manifest anywhere. They will have responsibilities to teach people, instruct people, train them in the ways of God; and also, to stand in controversy, and have the power to bring an answer and resolution to it. So that brings us then to Jesus then, His warning and His counsel about garments, His warning and His counsel about garments...
Let's have a look at a Jesus warning, and counsel... He is warning! He warns of two conditions:
1) No garments at all
2) Defiled garments
He's talking to the Laodicean church, which was a very self-satisfied, very lukewarm.
Revelation 3:17 – “Now you say: I'm rich, I have become wealthy, I have need of nothing. But you don't realise that you're wretched, poor, miserable, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, you may be rich; to buy white garments, you may be clothed, and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see.”
Jesus is talking to the church, and He says:
1) You say you have need of nothing. That means you're lukewarm; there's pride, and you're blind - you can't see your true condition.
2) Your true condition is you're naked. That means you are exposed in your lifestyle.
Revelation 16:15 – “I come as a thief in the night. Blessed are those who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he be naked.”
To ‘keep your garments’ meant: you stay connected – an intimate relationship with Jesus; and you produce fruit in your life as a result of it - your life demonstrates fruit. There are many scriptures on that…