10.18.08
Dress Reform
You may remember as a kid
eating that box of Cracker Jacks. What
did you find in that box, besides the popcorn and peanuts? What were you looking for in that box? You were looking for the prize, right? It was usually a charm or a little toy of
some kind.
There has long been an
infatuation with charms. Charms have
been thought to bring good luck to the person wearing them. It may be a charm around the neck, or a
bracelet, or a rabbit’s foot. Even today
some professional athletes won’t dare start a game without their lucky charm
with them or on them.
Well, the Bible takes a
different outlook on charms. Turn with
me in your Bible to Ezekiel 13:18-20:
‘Thus says the
Lord GOD: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves
and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you
hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive? 19
And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces
of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who
should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”
20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am
against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I
will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like
birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and deliver My
people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. Then
you shall know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel
18:13-20
Charms were associated with
casting spells, immorality, and pagan worship.
There’s something in human
nature that longs to worship. There is
also a lot of superstition. Through the
years, people have turned even good things into objects of worship.
You may remember that Moses
was told by God to make a bronze serpent around a pole, so that the people
could look at the snake and be healed from their deadly snake bites. A plague of snakes had broken out, and people
were dying. God gave instructions on how
to be saved, and those who followed God’s directions survived. They were told to look upon the brazen serpent
and live.
Well, later on this bronze
snake, which they had kept, became an object of wonder—a charm. People believed that it had healing power
within itself, and they forgot that God supplied the power for the healing.
We take it up in the book of
2 Kings 18. Here we have King Hezekiah
having to deal with the people’s superstition regarding this bronze
serpent. Now, what kind of king was King
Hezekiah? Was he a good one, or a bad
one? That’s right, he was a good
king. Let’s read 2 Kings 18:4;
He removed the
high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image[b] and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that
Moses had made; for until those days the children of
2
Kings 18:4-6
These people had turned this
brazen serpent, which actually represented Jesus Christ, into a pagan object of
worship! They had made a god out of a mere symbol.
The Bible forbids
idolatry. You remember when Hophni and
Phineas started thinking that there were magical, charming properties
associated with the ark of the covenant.
They said, “Let’s bring the ark with us into battle.” They thought that this would increase their
chances of winning. They were wrong.
God had instructed them that
they were not supposed to move the ark out of the sanctuary unless He told them
to do so. They LOST that battle, and
what’s even worse, the PHILISTINES got a hold of the ark!
The Philistines also thought
that there were magical qualities associated with the ark. They thought it was the God of Israel. They thought this, because God’s people had
started to believe it. They put it in
the
But the presence of the ark
brought BAD LUCK! The plague broke out
among the Philistines. In the morning,
the image of Dagon was broken in pieces on the ground before the ark of the
covenant. Guess that conversation didn’t
go so well.
Not only the Philistines but
the people of
God still wants His people
today to pay attention to His commandments! His commandments are not just suggestions that
we can add to our lives to be happier.
They are living, active, eternal principles of truth and righteousness. And God COMMANDS us to obey His commandments,
not suggests. They’re COMMANDments, not
SUGGESTments.
The real treasure in that box
wasn’t the gold. It was what was inside
the box. The law of God.
Do we sometimes get
sidetracked with charms and emblems in our lives? We’re talking about jewelry today. Is there really such thing as “Christian jewelry”?
When did people start wearing
jewelry, anyway? Well, it started with
minerals. People began to associate
various minerals with the various gods they worshipped. They worshipped especially the sun and
moon. You see these themes of the sun and
moon show up all over the place back then in the art and sculpture.
In fact, the solar disk was
so popular that it found its way into the Catholic church eventually. The halos that started to appear around the
heads of the saints, and Jesus and Mary, in art can be traced easily to the
solar disks which appeared around the heads of leaders and military heroes and
pagan gods. There is a direct tie.
Not only the sun, but snakes
and dragons were very popular pagan symbols.
You can find figurines of snakes and dragons going way back. They’re still popular today. They’re pagan. They’re not of God.
Of course, minerals are
popular in the New Age Movement as well.
Listen to what Michael McKnight has to say about the power of crystals:
“Metaphysically, the coartz
crystal can be easily programmed to help provide a positive outcome. It can clear away negative energy from the
aura, and realign the chakra. It can
also be used for long-distance healing.”
RUBBISH!
It all goes back to the
ancient pagan belief that there are enchanting powers locked within
minerals. These charms were often
associated with spirits and demons and pagan gods. People don’t really understand the history of
where jewelry and jewels come from.
The definition of charm is:
“an enchanting magical attraction.”
When you say someone is
“charming” you are saying that they have enchanting drawing qualities.
People are very
superstitious. You find charms and
emblems and jewelry all over the place in modern movies. Lord of the ________, what is it? Lord of the Rings, right. The belief that there are magical powers
associated with certain emblems and minerals.
Now, let’s go to the
Bible. We will see the connection
between idol worship and various forms of jewelry.
First of all turn with me to
Genesis chapter 35. Here we have God
calling Jacob. Let’s look at verse 1 and
following:
Then God said to
Jacob, “Arise, go up to
2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were
with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify
yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us
arise and go up to
Genesis
35:1-4
The people buried their
earrings and their jewelry under the terebinth tree. Do you think that they went back and dug it
up? NO!
It was part of their idolatry—a part of their waywardness from God.
Some of us would do well to
find an oak tree and dig a hole, and make an offering!
Not only the
God wants us to be
modest. This principle not only applies
to jewelry, but to the way we dress
as well. We shouldn’t dress seductively,
or immodestly. We should never come
across like we are flirting or trying to get people’s attention. We should be chaste and pure in our behavior
and in our dress. We shouldn’t wear
skin-tight clothes, or clothes that leave little to the imagination.
When Moses was up on
Later on, when God is
directing Moses on how to build the tabernacle, He calls upon the people to
bring all their jewelry that they got in
And Moses spoke to
all the congregation of the children of
Exodus
35:4-5
We see the people’s response
in Exodus 35:21-22:
Then everyone came
whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they
brought the LORD’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all
its service, and for the holy garments. 22 They came,
both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings
and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man
who made an offering of gold to the LORD.
Exodus
35:21-22
All the spoil they got from
Would God say the same thing to His church today?
Everything that happened back then has its parallel
today. 1 Corinthians
It’s for our admonition. GOD IS SAYING TO US, “PURIFY
YOURSELVES—STOPLOOKING LIKE THE WORLD!”
That’s the message of reform that the Lord is saying
to us this morning. Do we really revival
and reformation seriously?
Does it really matter what wear? In Revelation 12 and 17 we have two very
different women, representing the pure church and the apostate church. The difference between these two women is what they’re wearing.
The pure woman of Revelation 12 is clothed with the
sun and moon and stars. She is natural
in her beauty.
The harlot woman of Revelation 17 is described like
this:
I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which
was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned
with gold and precious stones
and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the
filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a
name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Revelation
17:3-5
The church, just like the pure woman of Revelation 12,
is to be modest and decent, with no hint of fancy, artificial adornment.
In like manner also, that the women adorn
themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided
hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which
is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.
1
Timothy 2:9-10
God doesn’t look on the outside. It’s the obedience in the life that the Lord
I looking for. The ornament that the
Lord is looking for is very different than the world’s ornaments. Turn with me to 1 Peter 3:3-4:
Do not let your adornment be merely
outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with
the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very
precious in the sight of God.
1
Peter 3:3-4
A gentle and quiet spirit. That’s the adornment God wants us to
have. It’s what’s in the heart.
Remember—God made the minerals! He adorned the high priest with all kinds of
precious stones. But God didn’t tell
anyone else to get decked out.
And God is not against gold. What will the streets in heaven made out
of? Gold. And the gates will be made of pearls. Gold and pearls are beautiful. The question is—should we hang them on our
bodies?
How was Lucifer adorned? Ezekiel tells us that “every precious stone
was your covering.” LOOK WHERE IT GOT
HIM!
Another reason not to wear jewelry is to follow Jesus’
example. Jesus was meek and lowly. The issue here is PRIDE.
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its
filthiness.
Proverbs
30:12
People justify themselves. They come up with all kinds of excuses to
justify their putting holes in their noses and wearing minerals.
The Lord says He has a problem with the hautiness of
the daughters of
Moreover the LORD
says:
“ Because the daughters of Zion are
haughty,
And walk with outstretched necks
And wanton eyes,
Making a jingling with their feet,
17 Therefore the
Lord will strike with a scab
The crown of the head of the daughters of
Zion,
And the LORD will uncover their secret
parts.”
18 In that day the
Lord will take away the finery:
The jingling anklets, the scarves, and the
crescents;
19 The pendants,
the bracelets, and the veils;
20 The headdresses,
the leg ornaments, and the headbands;
The perfume boxes, the charms,
21 and the rings;
The nose jewels.
Isaiah
30:16-21
God never intended for us to ADD HOLES to our
bodies. He gave us just the right
number. The Bible says that our bodies
are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).
We should not mutilate ourselves, or put holes in our bodies.
Just because something is popular in our
culture doesn’t mean that God approves of it, or that it is good for us.
Body piercings originate from pagan practices
of self-mutilation. Even today, in
different parts of the world, and sometimes right here, people go to great
lengths to cut themselves and pierce themselves.
The Bible forbids it: “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead,
nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:28
God told His people not to do these things,
because that is what the pagans did around them.
What did the prophets of Baal do to
themselves in order to get the attention of their gods? They cut themselves and mutilated themselves
(1 Kings 8:29). And in Mark 5:5 the
demoniac was described as “cutting himself” before Jesus healed him. Cutting oneself is of the devil. The devil wants us to pierce our bodies,
because it defaces the glory of God in us.
We are made in God’s image, and anything that will marr or mangle that
image the devil will try to get you to do.
God’s people aren’t supposed to be like the
world. In Deuteronomy 14:1, 2 God’s
people are told, “You are the children of the
LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves . . . For you are a holy
people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for
Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of
the earth.”
We are not to deface God’s temple.
Another reason for not wearing jewelry is so
that we will not be a stumblingblock to others.
1 Corinthians 8 tells us that we should not allow our own habits to be a
stumblingblock to other people. We
should think about the impact we have on the people around us. Especially young people, who are very
impressionable.
Young people struggle as it is with
self-esteem. We who are older need to
model for them the modesty and simplicity of dress and adornment that the Bible
speaks of. We need to show them how to
do it. If we
don’t, they will fall prey to the advertising
industry, which will convince them that beauty is all about the outside of your
body.
In the days of the sanctuary system, when the
Day of Atonement came around, it was a sacred time. Leviticus 16 tells us that the people were to
“afflict their souls” during this time.
It was a time of soul-searching and humility before a holy God.
Even Aaron the high priest was told to take
off his royal vestments—his ephod and urim and thummim. He was just to wear the simple white linen
cloth. The Day of Atonement was a time
to lay all of man’s glory in the dust, and to accept the righteousness of God
in place of our sins. This was the only
time that the high priest was told to take off his jewels and ornaments.
We, my friends, are living in the time of the
Day of Atonement. Our High Priest, Jesus
Christ, is right now in heaven interceding for you and me before the
Father. We are to be afflicting our
souls, casting off our sins, getting rid of everything that pollutes,
everything that damages, everything that is out of place in our body temples.
This is a time of reformation such as has
never been since the beginning of the world.
This is a time for the revival of primitive godliness, of humble
surrender to everything that God wants.
We should follow the example of our Lord
Jesus, as described in 1 Peter 2:21-24:
For to this you
were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that
you should follow His steps:
22 “ Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did
not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to
sins, might live for righteousness.
Again, in 1 John 2:6: “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He
walked.”
The pride of this world is soon passing
away. The Lord Jesus will soon appear in
the clouds of glory. Then there will be
no place for pride.
In that day a man will cast away
his idols of silver
And his idols of gold,
Which they made, each for himself to
worship,
To the moles and bats,
21 To go into the clefts of the
rocks,
And into the crags of the rugged rocks,
From the terror of the LORD
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
Isaiah
2:20-21
They will also be girded with
sackcloth;
Horror will cover them;
Shame will be on every face,
Baldness on all their heads.
19 ‘ They will throw their
silver into the streets,
And their gold will be like refuse;
Their silver and their gold will not be
able to deliver them
In the day of the wrath of the LORD;
They will not satisfy their souls,
Nor fill their stomachs,
Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.
Ezekiel
7:18-19
Now is the time to bring our minerals and our
jewelry to the altar of God. Now is the
time to bury our immodest practices beneath the oak tree. That the times of refreshing may come upon
us, as the sweet Holy Spirit takes us over in His love and His power.
May God give us courage to give to Him the
things He asks of us. May God grant us
peace as we become more like the meek and lowly Jesus.