Jewelry and
God's People
The Idolatry Of Jewelry
The Idolatry Of Jewelry
by Pastor G.Reckart
“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning
of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But
let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great
price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted
in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: (1Peter
3:3-5).”
“In like manner also, that women
adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with
broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women
professing godliness) with good works (1Timothy 2:9-10).”
1 Timothy
2:8-10 and 1 Peter 3:1-7 are both examples of the not only-but also idiom. The not
only-but also idiom portrays relative emphasis. It is used to show how two concepts relate to
one another and emphasizes the one over the other. Many times in scripture when the Bible says
not this, but this, it is not prohibiting the “not”, but emphasizing the
importance of the “but” over the “not.”
The way this
is demonstrated is by adding “only” after “not,” and “also” after “but.” In most of the not-but passages doing this brings clarity and the intended meaning
to the text. While this idiom has Hebraic origins, there are
a number of verses that demonstrates this use of language still prevalent in
the time of Christ and the Apostles. It
has been argued that the New Testament text cannot be used to support a Hebrew
figure of speech; that figures of speech rarely translate from one language to
another.
This, however, is simply not true. E.W. Bullinger in his book Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, says,
“In the New Testament, while the
language is Greek, the thoughts are Hebrew; so that the Hebrew methods of
comparison are frequently adopted…”[1] So, the Hebrew idiom that was prevalent in
the Old Testament remains alive in the New Testament.
“Labour not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting
life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father
sealed.” John 6:27
Certainly one would not imagine that Jesus is
prohibiting laboring for natural food.
This would contradict the Biblical command to work for food (2
Thessalonians 3:10-12). He is simply
stating that our emphasis ought to be on spiritual food more than natural
food. The idiom here would say, “Labour not (ONLY) for the meat which
perisheth, but (ALSO) for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life”
“Then said he also to him that bade him,
When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy
rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
13 But when thou makest a feast,
call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:” Luke 14:12-13
It would be absurd to understand Jesus’ words
to mean that one is prohibited from inviting friends, family, or rich
neighbours over to your house for a dinner or a supper. We would all be in violation of that each
Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner held in our homes.
Jesus is not saying that we must invite someone
who is poor, maimed, lame or blind every time we have a dinner, but he is
simply saying that we should not have dinners and suppers and never invite the
less fortunate. It is saying that we
should not invite family ONLY, but the poor ALSO.
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” The idiom here would say, “My little
children, let us not love (ONLY) in word, neither in tongue; but (ALSO) in deed
and in truth.” 1 John 3:18
[1] E.W. Bullinger,
Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, (London,
New York: Eyre & Spottiswoode; E. & J.B. Young & Co, 1898),
532 See: http://www.scribd.com/doc/10488338/Figures-Of-Speech-Used-In-The-Bible-Bullinger,
retrieved December 12, 2009
These
Scriptures forbid the following:
Plaiting the
hair.
Wearing of gold.
Wearing pearls.
Wearing of gold.
Wearing pearls.
Wearing costly array or apparel.
So, it does not forbid: silver, platinum, wood, brass, aluminum or many base materials that jewelry is made from? Is Reckhart going to add to the word of God and prohibit more that what the bible does?
They
encourage the following:
The ornament
of a meek and quiet spirit
Being in subjection into their own husbands
Adorn themselves in modest apparel
Adorn themselves with shamefacedness and sobriety
Women professing Godliness
Women with good works
Being in subjection into their own husbands
Adorn themselves in modest apparel
Adorn themselves with shamefacedness and sobriety
Women professing Godliness
Women with good works
Obviously
what is prohibited and forbidden may not be included under that which is
encouraged!
Indeed, but those items are not prohibited.
The question
here is: why would the Apostles command us not to do these things if there was
no sin in doing them?
He did not forbid them.
The answer must be, that the Apostles saw these as
worldly evils that have no place in the life of a Christian. A study of jewelry
through history, gives us insight, on why these Apostles saw evil and sin in
this practice.
We shall look for Reckart's proofs.
Idols were
decorated with gem stones, rings, bracelets, neck chains, ankle ornaments, leg
ornaments, chains, nose jewels, hoods, veils, earrings, nose rings, and
carefully painted faces. Anyone may examine these idols in museums to verify
these facts. The worshipers of these idols made themselves like unto these idols.
The priest were also covered at the command of God with gemstones, gold and chains (Exodus 28). How many veils do you see worn by godly women in the Old Testament? Just do a word search on vail (s) and veil (s). Simple really.
Rebekah wore earrings and nose rings (Genesis 24). Joseph wore a gold neck chain (Genesis 41:42). God put chains on the neck of Israel (Ezekiel 16:11). These are all example of the blessing and favor of God upon his people. Just because the pagans abuse items does not mean that they are sinful in every context.
There are many things in scripture that are abused and lead to evil, that Reckart does not forbid. One of them is money. Do I need to go through scripture and quote all the verses where money is spoken of in a negative light?
With cosmetics and jewelry,
they changed themselves from the image of God into the image of idols.
This does not prove that all usages of Jewelry are evil. The idols are also pictured as doing many things that are acceptable to do: eat, have sex, marry and the list could go on and on. This proves nothing.
The
prohibition of idolatry alone would suffice to declare that wearing jewelry and
face cosmetics are wrong.
How does Reckart reconcile the bejeweled priesthood (Exodus 28)? How does Reckart reconcile the bejeweled brides of scripture (Isaiah 61:10; Jeremiah 2:32)?
Apostolics
have suffered mockery, abuse, and persecution, because we follow the Scriptures
and do not wear jewelry.
No, It was because we ignorantly misunderstood these passages.
Many feel we are making a lot to do about nothing. Is
idolatry nothing? Is rebellion against the Apostle's Doctrine acceptable? Is
idolatry and all associated with it not sin? Should we adorn ourselves after
the likeness of idols, and decorate our bodies after the image of male and
female gods?
No one would suggest that we rebel against the Apostle's doctrine and Reckhart knows that. The issue is, what was the Apostle's doctrine on this matter?
The answer is, no. Not everything associated with idolatry is sin. 1 Corinthians 8 makes it perfectly clear that "an idol is nothing in the world and there is no God but one." On this basis eating meat sacrificed to idols is not a sin. A great parallel between jewelry and meat sacrificed to idols is Paul's use of Psalm 24:1: "The earth is the lord's and the fullness thereof (1 Corinthians 10:26-28)." Even though the meat had been used in idol worship it still belonged to the lord; likewise the gold and jewels, though they have been used in idol worship, were created by God and still belong to God. The idol is none existent and did not create the gold. Reckart can argue all he wants that we adapted the use of jewelry from the idols, but the idols got it from God. We should refuse to let their misuse keep us from its proper use. No, we should not adorn ourselves after the likeness of idols and for the purposes of idolatry. I am by no mean insinuating that we should deck from head to toe with jewelry. 1 Timothy and 1 Peter both teach moderation.
The
Scriptures above come to us from two notable Apostles, Peter and Paul. Both are
in agreement that those professing Godliness should not wear jewelry.
This is an absurd misuse of those texts as I stated above.
The
Apostolic Messianic Fellowship will follow these Apostles. Those still in
bondage to idolatry, will make excuses why they will disobey Peter and Paul and
wear jewelry anyway. Those who are Pentecostal will make the argument that it's
a matter of opinion or personal conviction, while Apostolics believe it a
matter of Scripture and Godliness.
I, too, believe that it is a matter of scripture and not opinion, which I why I reject Reckart's teaching on this subject. Actually Reckart is the one that is in bondage to idolatry, he is the one who still has conscience toward the idol. He is the one who exalts the idol to something when it is nothing. There is only one god and the idol is not him. The God of the bible created the gold, silver and precious stones. To argue that God created jewerly but did not intend for man to wear it is again to miss the point. To argue that is to ignore many passages of scriptures concerning the priests. The 24 elders wear golden crowns (Revelation 4:4). Jesus has a golden girdle (Revelation 1:13) and a golden crown (Revelation 14:14).
There is a difference between being
Pentecostal and being Apostolic!
I won't be sidetracked with this silly and arbitrary distinction.
We believe and follow the Scriptures as our
rule of conduct, our procedure of practice, and governing our acts of faith. A
true Christian will not wear jewelry.
Peter exhorts women, in the matter of wearing jewelry, to adorn themselves like the holy old testament women that trusted in God did. Ask holy Rebekah who trusted God's providence in giving her to wife to Isaac (Genesis 24).
The Apostles
lived in a pagan world, exactly as we have today. By pagan, we mean those who
still worship and follow the customs of idol worship. There are few idols of
the ancient world still worshiped today. The idols and gods of our day come
from Hollywood movies, television, and the music industry. Worshipers will
dress like these idols, talk like these idols, act like these idols, fix their
hair like these idols, paint their face like these idols, wear the jewelry
these idols wear, dance before these idols, shout and scream before these
idols, mutilate their bodies unto these idols, burn incense and surround
themselves with smoke and fire before these idols, wear the clothes these idols
wear, and follow the sexual apostasy of these idols. The television, movie, and
music industry, have largely replaced old gods and idols, but nevertheless as
idols, substitute the true God, and the holiness example with depravity. These
all play a vital part in demonstrating the debauchery with which jewelry is
worn in idol worship.Although God
forbid mutilating the body, marking it with holes, cuts, and tattoos, they do
it anyway. Should we allow these evils among us?
“And they rejected his statutes,
and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he
testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after
the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged
them, that they should not do like them (2Kings 17:15).”
The heathens
of the world would like to bring their 5,000 year old idol traditions into the
Church of the living God. It is remarkable to note, that God did not design or
permit the Priest in the Old Testament to wear finger rings, earrings,
bracelets, or ornaments around the neck, as worn by the priest of pagan idols.
While they did not "wear finger rings, earrings, bracelets, or ornaments around the neck, AS worn by the priests of pagan idols," they were practically covered in gold and jewels. If Reckart had honestly presented the facts, he would have pointed this out. The best that he can prove with this argument is that both wore gold and jewels, just in different ways and with different purposes.
The Priest of God were representatives of God. Therefore, we may rightly claim,
that God denied the Priesthood resembling the false priest and idols the
heathens served.
But Reckart cannot deny that God's holy priest wore gold and jewels (Exodus 28).
The Priest and people of God did not wear these ornaments,
because they were ways used to serve idols. In the same manner, Christians and
Jews dressed in Godly apparel, and this was holiness unto the LORD.
Maybe Reckart should note what else was HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD: And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD (Exodus 39:30). The priest wears a golden crown with the words "HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD" on it, which destroys the false concept that holiness demands the absence of gold and jewelry.
It follows
succinctly then, that Jesus Christ did not wear bodily ornaments in the form of
finger rings, earrings, bracelets, or neck ornaments, in his office of the
Supreme High Priest.
But He would have worn all the other gold and jewels of the priesthood.
Jewelry
carries with it not only the history of idols but the idea of amulets
containing magic spirits. An amulet is an item that is alleged to contain
spirit powers that protect the person wearing it. The magic power is a demon
spirit or a devil-god, in whose image the amulet bears testimony.
Amulets had
incantations performed over them, so that all who wore replicas of them,
received the protection of that spirit or god. Thus, wearing these symbols,
gave testimony an individual was a believer and worshiper of those protective
spirits and gods. At no time, did the true God ever borrow these magic rites
and symbols unto himself and his Chosen people. No one can separate the
association of magic, spirits, and other gods from jewelry. The meaning is
quite clear. God's people do not pick up the traditions of idolatry to decorate
their bodies.
This is absurd beyond words. If the association of magic, spirits, and other god's cannot be separated from jewelry, then what was God thinking when he decked Israel with jewelry (Ezekiel 169-14)? Did God sin? I will not take the time to show the myriad of places that Gods people wore jewelry, and the myriad of places that jewelry has a positive connotation.
It was a
practice among heathens to make cuts in their body, mark their flesh in various
manners, and to wear jewelry that once belonged to a dead loved one. Passing
these pagan charms, magic relics, or jewelry down in the family, became a
tradition. One had to mark themselves after the manner of a dead loved one, in
order to wear what the departed had worn in life.
“Ye shall not make any cuttings in
your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD (Leviticus
19:28).”
Obviously we should not cut ourselves or print marks on our body for the dead. But God's people, at His command, did cut the flesh; it was called circumcision. God's people did cut their flesh, but they did not do it in the way the heathen did, or for the purpose for which the heathen did.
Cutting the
flesh includes the making of holes in one's ears and nose.
How about the love slave who would have his ear pierced through with an aul (Exodus 21:6)? They cut and pierced their flesh, but just not for the reason the heathen did. Reckart must also address Rebekah's piercings in Genesis 24.
Making marks
includes tattoos or other scars where the creation of the human body is
distorted and altered from the image of God, in which likeness it was created.
As such, these rings, earrings, bracelets, and neck ornaments, became
heirlooms. Many would rather repeat the sins of an ancestor, than to admit
their ancestors were in violation of the First Commandment.
Thou shalt have
no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth (Exodus 20:3-4).
Agreed.
If the people
of God were forbidden to have other gods, and to make any form of a graven
image representing these idols or their magic powers, then the original wearing
of jewelry is a practice of idolatry. If God's people did not wear them, and if
the Priest did not wear them in the Tabernacle, they of necessity came from
man's inventions of idols, or of some other man-made fetish or devil-god.
There are
Scriptures that prove the wearing of jewelry was considered pagan and a
violation of the ways of God. Jacob made his wives give him all their jewelry.
He buried them under an oak tree. He knew if his father saw Rachel and Leah in
this idolatry, he would receive a rebuking. Much more, he knew he was going
back to Bethel, and the God of his fathers did not approve of the wearing of
earrings, jewelry, and possession of idols, magic charms, and amulets:
If his God did not approve of wearing earrings and jewelry why did he give them to Israel (Ezekiel 16)?
“And let us arise, and go up to
Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of
my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob
all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which
were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem
(Genesis 35:3-4).”
Obviously these were being used in false worship, but not all earrings and jewelry was ( Genesis 24; Ezekiel 16).
Bethel is
translated "House of God." The vision of the ladder and the angels,
is a direct Revelation of Jesus Christ (St. John 1:51). It behooved Jacob then,
to present his wives to God at Bethel, in a holiness condition, that had no
connection to paganism or idolatry. He took their strange gods and the earrings
which had to have an idolatrous connection, and buried them forever. Now they
could go to Bethel and home to Jacob's father Isaac, as women of God. There is
no record that these matriarchs ever desired to have these idols back, or went
back to wearing earrings and other jewelry.
There are plenty records of God's people wearing jewelry after this event.
I know of no one who would deny
that these were the Church, the elect, the called out ones, of that day. There
was no reason for Jacob to make his wives give up their jewelry if it was not a
sin. If these women could give up these pagan inventions for God without the Holy
Ghost, what should Christians do today with the Holy Ghost? Our bodies are the
Temple of God (1Corinthians 3:17). Has anyone ever produced the Scripture where
the Tabernacle in the Old Testament had any form or likeness of jewelry upon
the exterior of it in any fashion?
No, but we are also priest, and the priest certainly had jewels on the outside (Exodus 28).
The ring to
the left was found in Babylon. It is that of the serpent of Eden. The serpent
with tail in its mouth, came to form the circle of finger and earrings. The
circle in jewelry symbolism, means eternal. Wedding rings come from this
idolatry and still carry the meaning of "forever" today. Wearing a
ring is to adorn a symbol of satan, even if the serpent is removed, to hide the
meaning behind the symbol.
This just reveals the novice approach of Reckart to this issue. The wearing of the ring by the prodigal son in the Gospels was surely not a symbol of satan, it was a symbol of the acceptance and favor of the Father.
The spirits
of demons embodied in jewelry usually take the form of rebellion. This is the
first attitude a person will manifest, who has the jewelry spirits upon them,
when told it is not Godliness or Holiness to wear it. Those with the Holy
Ghost, and who love truth and Godliness, do not have those possessing spirits,
and off the jewelry comes with joy. Those controlled by the jewelry spirits
will argue, fight, quit church, and refuse to take their jewelry off, in honor
of their body being a Temple of God. They have the opinion that God will have
them with jewelry, or they will find another Church where the spirits there,
accept it. These individuals believe they can reject the Bible record, history
of jewelry, and the admonitions of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and still be
saved?
Just because someone has the courage of their conviction does not mean that they have a demon spirit of rebellion. What if I commanded Reckart to stop wearing something that the bible did not tell him to stop wearing, do you think that he would argue with me about it? Would this mean that he had a demon spirit of rebellion?
"To your knowledge?" That just means that Reckart does not know. This is a flawed argument from silence.
They picked up this custom during the four hundred years of exposure to
Egyptian idols, while in Egyptian slavery. Jacob made his wives take their
jewelry off. We need more husbands like this today, and more wives who will
take it off without demanding a divorce. Israelites took back up the wearing of
jewelry before they came out of Egypt.
Need I remind Reckart that they wore the jewely out of Egypt by the command of God (Exodus 3:18-22).
"...but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians."
Exodus 3:22 ESV
It was with these ornaments, that Aaron
made a golden calf. It was with this jewelry, that the Jewish nation was almost
wiped off the earth in God's anger (Exodus 32:9-10). Earrings were worn by
Ishmaelites (Judges 8:24). Holes in a person's ears was a sign of slavery
(Deuteronomy 15:17).
Having the ear pierced with an aul was not a sign of slavery, it was a sign of service. They had served their course of slavery and was freed, but chose willingly to stay and serve out of love for the master. It was more a sign of freedom than slavery.
“For the LORD had said unto Moses,
Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up
into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy
ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. And the children of
Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb (Exodus
33:5-6).”
There are many things is scripture that Israel laid aside in times of backsliding. This was a time of repentance and morning and sacrifice. I ask the reader and Reckart to go through the Old Testament and show all the things that Israel backslide and played the harlot with.
The Jews
removed their jewelry for a number of years and then went back and picked it up
again. With jewelry comes a proud look and a haughty attitude. This Jezebel
spirit (2KIngs 9:30) caused Israel to be cast off to Babylon. God became very
angry at the Jewish women who went back to the ways of false gods and idols.
Read what God said he would do about it:
“Moreover the LORD saith, Because
the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and
wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their
feet: Therefore the LORD will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the
daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts. In that day
the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their
feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, the chains, and the
bracelets, and the mufflers, the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and
the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, the rings, and nose jewels,
the changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the
crisping pins, the glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails
(Isaiah 3:16-23).”
With out going into detail about what all these individual items were, I will point out two apparent items that God is going to take away from Israel, that Reckart very clearly does not.
1. God is going to smite with scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion and give them baldness. Does Reckart demand the women in his church to be bald?
2. God is going to discover their secret parts, which mean He is going take their clothes and make them naked. Surely Reckart does not preach this as a standard?
The beauty of
holiness is the fresh and pure creation of God without decorating it with that
which comes from worship of idols. Look at the world; look at the perverts of
television, movies, and music; look at those marketing jewelry, these all bear
testimony that God is not in it. When we raise holy hands before the LORD,
there will be no jewelry on either hand or wrist. When we give our body, mind,
and soul, unto the LORD, there is no longer a place for jewelry to testify of
idols. This is Godliness. This is Holiness. This proves the Temple of God has
no agreement with idols (1Cor. 6:16).
This
information explains why converts to Christ and members of the Apostolic Faith
are urged not to wear jewelry. The Pastor will not baptize anyone wearing
jewelry or those who intend to put it back on after baptism. No Minister may
preach in our services, that wears jewelry. Membership in the Church is open to
all, but we believe the Spirit will lead and guide all to give up jewelry.
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