The Great Exchange
I sang this song “His Robes For Mine” with a choir in 2019, and since then the words of the song have had an impact on me. The lyrics of the first verse are as follows:
“His robes for mine, O wonderful exchange
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.”
The Bible uses metaphors frequently, and the clothing metaphor used in this song is particularly apt. Jesus exchanged His robe of divinity for the likeness of man and became our substitute for sin. This is the new covenant in His blood; because of that great exchange and redemption, when the Father looks at us now, He sees us in the righteousness of His Son.
The clothing metaphor is used both in the Old Testament (OT) and in the New Testament (NT). Clothing is seen as an image of one’s standing before God in the OT. When Adam and Eve sinned against God they lost their original righteousness; they perceived that they were naked and hid themselves from the Lord. Adam and Eve’s futile attempts to cover themselves with fig leaves show how it was impossible for them to use their own self-righteousness and human attempts to bring themselves into a right standing before God. God clothed Adam and Eve with the skin of an animal. God had to do for Adam and Eve what they could not do for themselves. The account in Genesis 3 shows us a merciful God covering the naked sinner with the garment of righteousness and salvation through the substitutionary sacrifice of an innocent victim – this was a precursor to Jesus’ death for mankind and sacrifice in the NT. Other examples of the use of a clothing metaphor to show one’s standing before God in the OT include the account, for example, in Genesis 35:2 where Jacob instructed his household to put on clean clothing prior to making a covenant with God.
Similarly, the clothing metaphor is used in the NT as well. When the prodigal son returned home, the father told one of his servants to bring the best robe, ring, and sandals for his son (Luke 15:22-24). In having the best robe placed on him, the father was telling the prodigal son as well as all observers about the full restoration of sonship for his son. It was a demonstration of complete approval, love, and mercy as well as protection – major benefits of sonship. The apostle Paul explains in Galatians 3:26-29 that every believer has clothed themselves with Christ or has “put on” Christ. The believer who identifies himself with Jesus Christ through faith is divinely clothed with Christ which describes Christ’s life, presence, and righteous nature enveloping the believer. The clothing metaphor as representative of one’s standing with God is carried into Revelation where this metaphor finds its fullest expression. “ ‘Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Revelation 19:7-8)
In summary, the clothing metaphor used throughout “His Robes For Mine” is a powerful one for me. In the great exchange, Jesus paid the ultimate price for me, and this necessitates the rightful response – and I quote from the song:
“Bought by such love, my life is not my own
My praise, my all, shall be for Christ alone.”
By sister Rebecca Ang