Even before the covenant ceremony took place, there must have been a lot of preparation and excitement. A covenant is a life-changing event. It makes ‘me’ into ‘us’ with all the many adjustments that must go with it.

Close your eyes and envision for a minute, two people looking at each other, ready to declare lifelong devotion. Each one takes off his cloak and lovingly places it around the shoulders of the other.

The first step of the covenant ceremony was to exchange cloaks. Why do suppose they did that?

Today, we don’t actually wear cloaks, except maybe to the opera. But think about what we do wear. If you see a policeman in uniform, you understand something of the identity of the one wearing the uniform. If you see a nurse or a doctor in scrubs, you understand something of their identity. It was just the same in ancient times. The cloak, or outer garment of the person expressed something of the identity of that person to every person who knew him. So, the cloak was symbolic of the identity of the one who owned and wore it.

Trading cloaks was not done lightly or without meaning. This symbolic act demonstrated that each person was willingly and knowingly taking on the identity of the other person. The cloak, or mantle, or robe was symbolic of the actual person because that is what you saw as the outer covering. By trading cloaks, they were saying, ‘When they see you, they will also see me. I am giving you all of myself, my total being and my life. I pledge this to you.’

In a marriage, don’t we do the same thing? Although we don’t usually think of it in this way, when you marry someone, you immediately begin to represent your partner. When people see you, they also see your partner. Your victories are his/her victories and your shames and defeats are his/her shames and defeats. Your lives have now changed. You are no longer ‘me and you,’ but now, ‘us’. Whatever either of you do and are is now entwined with the other.

In the Bible, God made a covenant with Abram. Even though they could not physically exchange garments, God still gave Abram his spiritual mantle when He told him,

… I am thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1)

Later, you can see the beginning of the covenant procedure between David and Jonathan in the book of 1 Samuel. Even though it does not say that David gave Jonathan his own cloak, yet is understood that it took place simply by the context and nature of the covenant ceremony.

3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, … 1 Samuel 18: 3,4

How did Jesus accomplish this part of the ceremony? We know that he was the author of the New Covenant, so how was this part done? Isaiah spoke of our own mantle of filthy rags (the mantle of humankind) when he said:
6 But we are all as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6

Later on, Zechariah saw a prophetic vision of the actual act of exchanging mantles in heaven before the throne of God. Listen to this passage:

1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, … 3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. Zechariah 3:1-3

Joshua, is another form for the name of Jesus, and Jesus is also known as our high priest:

17 …that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God… Hebrews 2:17

So, what Zechariah saw in his vision was a prophetic vision of Jesus standing before the throne of God, clothed in our filthy rags which he had taken upon himself as he hung on the cross. Before he died on the cross, Jesus cried out with a loud voice,

46… My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matthew 27:46

This must have been when he took on the sin, the filthy rags of mankind. He was so wretched and disgusting, that a holy God could not look upon him. This separation from God, not the physical torture, was the most awful. Jesus, who experienced the presence of God 24/7 was now bereft and alone. He took our cloak of unrighteousness right out of this world.

But, then in Zechariah’s vision, look what happened next: The Lord said,

4… Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. Zechariah 3:4

This was the exchange of cloaks, the exchange of identities, forever making it possible for each person who accepts the covenant to come into the presence of God. Jesus traded our filthy rags for a cloak of righteousness, making us inheritors of the grace of God. Hallelujah!