Clothed with Fine Linen and Purple

“She shall make tapestry for herself; She is dressed in fine linen and purple” (Proverbs 31:22, KJV).

I’m happy to tell you that it is righteous and godly for a woman to dress herself and her home in beautiful things! Our Lady of Proverbs 31 made tapestries with her own hands. These tapestries were probably beautiful embroidered bedspreads and cushions for her bed and home. They were luxurious and delightful to the eye. They displayed her creativity and her love of beauty. Her own clothing was fine linen and purple, which were the fabrics of royalty (Genesis 41:42; Revelation 19:8, 14; Judges 8:26; Luke 16:19), amazing to touch and gorgeous to look at.

Today I attended a ladies’ Bible study, and we were discussing Ruth and Boaz. I was delighted to read how Ruth prepared for the night when she would ask Boaz to be her kinsman redeemer (ie. to marry her).

Naomi told her, “Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes” (Ruth 3:3, NIV). I was intrigued to see that this godly woman tried to dress in a beautiful way to attract Boaz.

Perfume and cosmetics were used by many godly woman.

“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart…” (Proverbs 27:9, NIV).

“Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the maidens love you!” (Song of Solomon 1:3, NIV).

“Who is this coming up from the desert
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and incense
made from all the spices of the merchant?” (Song of Solomon 3:6, NIV).

“Before a girl’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics” (Esther 2:12, NIV).

Most amazing is to see how God adorns His own bride, the redeemed for whom He gave His own Son:

“I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10, NIV).

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27, NIV).

“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2, NIV).

I want to encourage you, as a beautiful and righteous wife, as a representative of your husband wherever you go and as an example in this world of Christ and the Church, to look beautiful! Yes, your clothing shouldn’t be revealing, but it can also look lovely, as our Proverbs 31 woman. It’s okay to wear cosmetics and perfume, as Ruth and Queen Esther. It’s good to dress your home and your bedroom with creativity and beauty, “with coverings of tapestry.”

Homework:

1. Take a look at your closet this week. Would your husband admire your wardrobe? Remember, the Proverbs 31 woman wore “fine linen and purple,” the clothing of queens. Ask your husband what changes he would enjoy.
2. Read 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:1-5. How can we be both modest and beautiful? (Feel free to leave comments below!)

May we dress as beautifully as the bride of Christ!