No doubt you have heard it said about Ephesians 6:11-18 that “Paul is describing a Roman soldier’s armor.” If the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, then why do so many teach that we are to put on a Roman soldier’s weapons? It may be mistaken perceptions, or more likely just unsound teaching.
Ephesians 6:11-18 and the High Priestly Armor
Let’s see if the Armor of Yahweh applies more to the Garments of the High Priest, who is anointed for battle, than to a Roman Soldier’s Armor!
Ephesians 6:11-13 – “Put on the whole armor of Yahweh, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood [human beings], but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of Yahweh, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Paul starts by admonishing us to put on the whole armor [also spelled armour] of Yahweh, then goes on to describe each part of that armor, quoting from the Older Covenant scriptures, especially Isaiah, with commentary from his epistles in the Newer Covenant.
Ephesians 6:14 – “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”
Paul says righteousness will be the belt of our waist, and faithfulness the belt of our loins, quoting from Isaiah. In other words we are to wear the breastplate of the High Priest (Isaiah 59:17) and to be girt about with Yeshua who is our righteousness (Isaiah 11:5) and with Yahweh/Elohim who is the faithful one (Isaiah 25:1, 49:7, 61:8, 63:7, 65:16, etc.). Deuteronomy 7:9 confirms that it is Yahweh/Elohim who is the faithful one – “You can know that Yahweh your God is indeed Elohim, the faithful God” as does Psalm 71:22 – “I will praise you with a lyre for your faithfulness, my Elohim.”
Ephesians 6:15 – “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace . . .”
Isaiah 52:7 puts it this way: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news [the gospel], proclaiming shalom.” In other words, we are to be messengers – swift of feet – who are bringing the gospel of peace.
Ephesians 6:16 – “And take the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. . .”
2 Samuel 22:31 and Psalm 18:30 say: “Yahweh acts in a faithful manner; . . . he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.” Psalms 59:11, 84:11, 115:11 and also describe Yahweh as our shield. Psalm 91:4-5 puts it this way: “His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall. You need not fear the terrors of the night, the arrow that flies by day . . .” Terrors of the night alludes to a sneak attack by enemies in the darkness of night – i.e. from the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:17 – “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Yahweh . . .”
The original Hebrew of Isaiah 59:17 literally reads – “And his desire to Yeshua [H3444] is a kowba [H3553] upon his rosh [H7218]” – i.e. His desire to save is a helmet upon his head. Isaiah 59:17 goes on to say “he clothed himself with garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in a mantle of zeal,” which is another way of saying take up the sword of the Spirit and/or the word of Yahweh. Using that word/sword makes one’s mouth “like a sharp sword” and “like a sharpened arrow” (Isaiah 49:2) or a righteous weapon (2 Corinthians 6:7). [See also 1 Thessalonians 5:8 and Revelation 2:16]
Ephesians 6:18 – “And pray at all times in the Spirit, with all kinds of prayer and supplication.”
In summation, Paul admonishes us to pray at all times and in all ways. While not found in Isaiah, it can be found in many other places, including:
• Psalm 72:15 – “Pray for him continually; yes, bless him all day long.”
• Luke 18:1 – Then Yeshua told them that they “Must always keep praying and not lose heart.”
• Luke 21:36 – “Stay alert, always praying.”
• Romans 12:12 – “Continue steadfastly in prayer.
• Colossians 4:2 – “Keep persisting in prayer.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray regularly.”
The Whole Armor of Yahweh Described
The description of the Whole Armor of Yahweh is about the clothing of the High Priest, not Roman soldier gear. Does this mean that those who put on the whole armor will be wearing actual High Priestly garments? I think not. The clothing of the High Priest is reserved for the High Priest. The only person wearing the actual High Priestly garments will be Yeshua!
However . . . We are to be a kingdom of priests according to Exodus 19:6; Revelation 1:6, and Revelation 5:10. In other words, all priests are also . . .
• To wear righteousness as a breastplate (Isaiah 59:17) and a shield (Jeremiah 46:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:8).
• To be girded about with Yeshua who is our righteousness (Isaiah 11:5) and who is the faithful one (Isaiah 25:1).
• To be messengers – swift of feet – who are bringing the gospel of peace (Isaiah 52:7; Nahum 1:15; and Romans 10:15).
• To yield the shield of faith –Yahweh is described as a “shield to all who take shelter in him” (2 Samuel 22:3, Psalms 18:30, 59:11, 84:11, and 115:11).”
• To wear the helmet of salvation, to let Yeshua be a helmet upon their heads (Isaiah 59:17).
• Scripture admonishes us to pray at all times and in all ways which is another way of saying take up the Sword of the Spirit and/or the Word of Yahweh.
Human Weapons of Warfare
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 – “The weapons of our warfare are not human weapons.”
Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places! Therefore, we are highly admonished not to wear human armor or use humanly created weapons when confronting evil, but to wear the whole Armor of Yahweh.
David Refuses to Wear Human Weapons
1 Samuel 17:38-39 – “Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. . . Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off.”
1 Samuel 17:45 – “I come to you in the name of Yahweh Tzva’ot.”
When David went against Goliath, he took off the human weapons that King Saul gave him. David then went against Goliath in the Name of Yahweh, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. In other words, David went against Goliath in the whole Armor of Yahweh!
We would also do well to wear our priestly garments, in other words, the whole Armor of Yahweh to stand against our enemies, just as David did against his enemy.
Other Clothing To Wear
1 Corinthians 15:53 – “For this material which can decay must be clothed with imperishability, this which is mortal must be clothed with immortality.”
Colossians 3:12 – “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience . . .”
Corinthians and Colossians tells us our clothing must be imperishable, immortal, and imbued with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. And that kind of “clothing” can be found anywhere people are walking in the gifts of the Spirit and wearing the whole Armor of Yahweh!
Conclusions
Exodus 19:6 – “You will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
Ephesians 6:11 – “Clothe yourselves with the full armor of Yahweh.”
Yeshua/Yahweh/Elohim acts in a faithful manner. Yeshua is our Helmet of Salvation. Yeshua is our Shield of Faith. Yeshua is our Breastplate of Righteousness. Yeshua is the Living Word of Yahweh – the Sword of the Spirit.
Paul consistently quotes from Isaiah in Ephesians 6:11-18. Isaiah wrote around 700BC, six hundred years before Roman Soldier Armor (or Rome) even existed!
Paul consistently states that the Armor of Yahweh, according to Isaiah, is the clothing of the High Priest – not the armor of a Roman Soldier. The High Priest is the one who is standing in the gap through intercessory prayer against the accuser of the brethren. Yeshua, our high priest, comes back making war wearing his High Priestly Garments (Revelation 2:16; 2:27; 14:19-20; and 19:21). [See also Psalm 2:9; Isaiah 63:3]
The whole Roman Soldier Armor paradigm is unsound teaching.
The Powerpoint Slides
The Real Armor of Yyahweh-slides
Related Link
This link has some excellent pictures of a High Priest’s garments.
http://www.redeemerofisrael.org/2015/05/clothing-of-high-priest.html
Rapture Parallels, Patterns, Pictures, and Types 