Gird Up Your Loins

In Exodus 12:11, an interesting statement is made relative to the Passover. The Passover is to be eaten with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, your staff in your hand, in haste, for it’s the Eternal’s Passover. There is tremendous meaning to having your loins girded. It helps us to understand the meaning of Passover in our daily lives throughout the year.

"Loins" primarily refers to the waist or small of the back overlaying the kidneys, and secondarily to the upper and lower abdomen region about the hips including the private parts. Literally and figuratively the Bible gives much significance to the loins.

Jacob rent his clothes, put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for Joseph many days, Genesis 37:34. Jeremiah pronounced the Almighty’s judgment upon Moab: every head shall be bald, every beard clipped, with sackcloth on the loins, Jeremiah 48:37. The Eternal will turn someone’s feasts into mourning, their songs into lamentation, and cause baldness on every head, whereupon there will be sackcloth upon all loins, Amos 8:10. See also I Kings 20:31-32; Job 12:18; Isaiah 45:1, 20:2, 32:11.

Moses prophesied that those who rise up against Levi will have their loins smitten through, that they rise not again, Deuteronomy 33:11. Rehoboam boasted that his little finger would be thicker than his father Solomon’s loins, I Kings 12:10. Behemoth’s strength is in his loins, Job 40:16. The virtuous woman girds her loins with strength, Proverbs 31:17. God’s army against Nineveh is told to make their loins strong, and fortify their power mightily, Nahum 2:1. God told Jacob to be fruitful and multiply, for a nation and a company of nations, and kings, would come out of his loins, Genesis 35:11. David’s son that would come out of his loins would build the Eternal’s house, I Kings 8:19.

Psalms 66:11-12 says that the Almighty laid affliction upon our loins, causing men to ride over our heads. Of his enemies David prayed: "Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake" Psalms 69:23. When Isaiah was given a grievous vision of Elam and Media, his loins were filled with pain, Isaiah 21:3. Punished Nineveh is empty, void and waste; the heart melts, the knees smite together, and there is much pain in all loins, Nahum 2:10. At the time of Jacob’s trouble, every man shall be as a woman in travail, with his hands on his loins, Jeremiah 30:6-7.

Elijah was a hairy man with a leather girdle about his loins, II Kings 1:8. John the Baptist had raiment of camel’s hair, and a leather girdle about his loins, Matthew 3:4, Mark 1:6.

Elijah girded up his loins and outran Ahab’s chariot from Carmel to Jezreel. The Eternal’s hand was on Elijah, I Kings 18:41-46. Elisha told Gehazi to gird up his loins, take his staff and go quickly and heal the Shunammite’s son, II Kings 4:29. Later, Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets and told him to gird up his loins, take a box of oil to Ramoth-gilead and anoint Jehu king of Israel, II Kings 9:1-3. God told Jeremiah to gird up his loins, arise and speak unto Judah all His words, Jeremiah 1:17. Jeremiah acted out the type of the linen girdle on his loins, Jeremiah 13:1, 2, 4, 11. And finally, God told Job: "Gird up your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and answer thou me" Job 38:3, 40:7.

Of the Branch (Messiah), the Bible says, "righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins," Isaiah 11:5. The four living creatures Ezekiel saw had loins the appearance of fire, Ezekiel 1:27, 8:2. To Daniel, the angel’s loins looked like fine gold, Daniel 10:5.

We are to take on the whole armor of God, "having your loins girt about with truth," Ephesians 6:13-18. In spite of the fiery trials we have gone through, we are to rejoice in the faith revealed to us, and "gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ" I Peter 1:6-13.

The Israelites in Egyptian slavery had to have their loins girded, ready to travel three days journey into the wilderness to sacrifice unto the Lord. Likewise today, we must have our loins girded spiritually, ready to do the Eternal’s bidding. A certain group of believers of the church of Laodicea, think they have their loins girded and are ready, but actually are naked and bare, not ready for the Master’s return, Revelation 3:14-22. As Israel of old waited with loins girded for the death angel to Passover, and the Lord to lead them out of Egyptian bondage, so we are to wait with loins girded for the Messiah’s return.

Luke 12:31-48 summarizes our requirement: Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching.

How about you? Are your loins girded? At Passover, and throughout the year, we must examine ourselves to see that we are ready to follow the Eternal’s specific instructions. We who have been given knowledge of God’s will must prepare ourselves, and always be ready.

Gird up the loins of your mind, with righteousness, faithfulness and truth. This will be your source of strength, and of kingship. You will build God’s house, out run the chariots, and speak God’s words. Your loins will shine like a golden fire. All this and more glory is yours if you prepare now by girding up your loins. W

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