Clothing is first used as a covering for our bodies in the book of Genesis in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned and their eyes were opened to their nakedness they sewed fig leaves together to try to cover their bodies.
So right from the very beginning, clothing symbolizes the need to cover our sin and shame. God saw the shame of Adam and Eve and their attempt to hide their nakedness and God killed an animal and made garments for Adam and Eve from the skin of the animal.
This also showed the seriousness of sin as it took the death and shedding of blood of an innocent animal to cover Adam and Eve’s shame, fore-shadowing the sacrifice of Christ.
Throughout human history, clothing styles and colors have been measures of a person’s status, wealth, position, and gender. The Bible contains various examples of clothing used to emphasize different things. Royal robes were worn by kings separating them from commoners as found in Esther 6:8. Sackcloth is mentioned and was worn during times of grief or tragedy to symbolize the inner pain someone was feeling. Harlots dressed in a certain way and could be recognized b ...
