Modesty and Dress – Part 1
10/29/16 (8/27) Video Broadcast
Can we really find a biblical standard of modesty in the bible? And does it really matter? Discussion of exactly where the line is drawn in scripture, along with the reason why modest dress is very important for both men and women.
Modesty and Dress - Part 1 - Study
Part 1 - Comments and Questions
Modesty and Dress - Part 2 - Study01:29:22
Part 2 - Comments and Questions35:40
Modesty and Dress - Part 3 - Study01:29:34
Part 3 - Comments and Quesetions01:49:28
Modesty and Dress - Part 4 - Study01:58:01
Part 4 - Comments and Questions47:50
Modesty and Dress - Part 5 - Study01:44:59
Part 5 - comments and Questions01:47:57
All right, so we're going
to go ahead and move
forward to our study
portion for today's
broadcast and the big
question is modesty and
dress.
I actually shared a study
on this a few years ago
but did not go into quite
to detail that we're going
to go in this time.
I also learned a few
things along the way as I
was studying this topic
out and I'm very thankful
Yahweh, he has continued
to teach me on this topic
and that is why
studied in depth.
We're going to dive
into the scriptures.
We're going to go deep sea
diving into the scriptures
and try to extract every
possible word that Yahweh
may have inspired to
be written in the Holy
Scriptures regarding
this topic.
Modesty and dress, the
first question we might
ask ourselves is why does
it matter what we wear?
You want to
wear something?
You wear it.
It's you.
It's your body.
You're the one that has
to live with it and so why
does anybody else have
to say anything about it?
Or why would anybody
say anything about it?
What are you doing
Mr. Tom Martincic?
Tell me what to
do with my body.
This is my body and
my life and so why are
you...you think you're so
holy, you just walk, go
here and just tell me what
to wear, that's none of
your business.
You keep your bible
studies away from what I
want to wear and that's
the way some people see it
and, well it does matter.
It's a reflection
of many things.
Did you know it
matters what you say?
Would you believe that?
Does it matter
what your speeches?
I mean, you don't want to
speak things that are rude
and unseemly and
inappropriate and if you
did, probably somebody
could a give teaching on
why kind of speech we
would have and why words
are important and life and
death is in the power of a
tongue and so on.
No one have a problem
with that but did you know
this?
Here's why it matters,
our clothing talks.
That's right, our
clothing talks.
It communicates
and anytime there's
communication going on
we need to make sure that
communication is under the
direction in leadership of
the Holy Spirit.
It does matter what we
wear because our clothing
talks.
You speak words with your
clothing even if you don't
speak words with your
mouth and not only does
clothing speak words it
also speaks about our
identity, about who we are
as a person and there's a
reason why people today
are very self conscious of
their image and the
clothes they wear because
the way we look is
our first impression.
Before anybody knows who
we are, before we say a
word, we're already
speaking with the clothing
that we wear.
It becomes a part of who
we are, our identity, an
illustration of who we are
and what we are about for
instance.
Looking at this gentleman,
can you tell what his
occupation is?
What is his identity?
Of course he's judge.
He's got the gavel there
in his hand and court room
robe there, right?
He's communicating to you.
I'm a man of authority
in a court room.
I've got this garb on,
that's why they wear the
black garb.
He's not in there with
his Hawaiian shirt and his
sunglasses and sucking
on a Hawaiian punch.
No, people call him your honor. This is a dignified position and his clothing is part of what communicates that very thing. How about these men? What are these communicating? They are not saying anything. They're tight lip, not saying a word. What are they saying? We're soldiers. You think of bravery. You think of pride, right? That's what you think of. You see the uniforms. They've got the badges or the medals hanging off there. Uniform things that they have earn through their hard work and bravery and skill, so they're wearing the uniforms. There's a reason why people in military wear their fatigues, not just out there in the jungle, they wear them all kinds of places. They're letting you know, I'm a military man. They're communicating without them saying a single word. Okay, how about this? Biker man. Tough guy, maybe a rebel, right? Humility does not come to mind here for some reason. I'm not hearing a kindness and gentleness and love. Maybe he's a nice guy but his image does not speak to he is bearing the fruits of humility and grace and those kinds of things, tough guy image, right? Don't mess with me I'll knock your socks off, right? Doesn't have to speak a word, he's tight lip, he's not saying anything. Neither one of those guys are saying a single thing, but what are they communicating? Where have they placed their hope? Where we placing our hope? What is our clothing communicate?
The rebellious youth of each generation chooses a different clothing style than the one before. Why? We're different. We're not like our appearance. Got to communicate that we have rejected authority, we're not going to be like you, we don't like you and it often is increasingly immodest and shocking but they're communicating. Non-conformity with the former generation and their standards, they're out of touch, they're not with it. Years ago there was the gothic appearance, it was very popular. Now the saggy pants, audibly silent but speaks loudly of where our values are and as long as the eyes of others are upon us it never stops speaking its message. In fact it sets the context of everything we say. Do we understand that? Clothing talks. Suppose a 50 year old man was a walk up for the podium. He was a pastor, indoor gathering of believers. He puts on his pair of tough guy sunglasses, a bandana, saggy pants, half of his underwear hanging out. Who is going to take the man seriously? His clothes indicate where his mindset is and probably everybody would start laughing at him, right? Our clothing are always a part of our message. It speaks to what we value, the things going on in the heart, the spirit we're following and our attitude. An important question for all of us as believers is what are we communicating by the things that we The clothing we wear does matter and it doesn't just reflect. If one individual who cost upon the name of Yahweh wear? What are we saying? What kind of identity are we portraying?
and yet his clothing is reflecting things that are not spiritual, that are not biblical, that are glorifying self rather than the Elohim who made them, that reflects not just on that person but it reflects on Yahweh's name. They're going to look at that person and say that is one of the people of Yahweh and look at what they're wearing over there. What kind of message are they sharing? It reflects on all of us as believers, doesn't it? Consider what Yahweh said about these particular women here and how he felt about it. In Isaiah 3:16 says, because the daughters at Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, making a jingling with their feet. Therefore Yahweh will strike with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Yahweh will uncover their secret parts. In that day Yahweh will take away the finery, the jingling anklets, the scarves, the crescents, the pendants, the bracelets, the veils, the headdresses, the leg ornaments, the headbands, the perfume boxes, the charms and the rings. The nose jewels, the pastel apparel and the mantles, the outer garments and purses and mirrors. The fine linen, the turbans and the robes, so it shall be instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench, instead of sash, a rope, instead of well set hair, baldness, instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth and branding instead of beauty. These women had one wanton eyes and walking with their outstretched neck, so prideful, so haughty with all their ornaments and jewelry and Yahweh did not like their haughtiness and arrogance. What they were communicating with the things that they were wearing and the gate which with they were walking and the countenance that they were displaying for their face was pride. I've heard it said, you scratch the surface of almost any sin and price probably underneath every single one of them. Yahweh says everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to him, Proverb 16: 5. Proverb 6:16 says, this six thing Yahweh hates, yea, seven are an abomination to him, he starts off right of the back a proud look. A proud appearance, a proud look, he hates it. It's an abomination to him. 1 Peter 5:5 says, yes let all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for Elohim resist the proud that gives grace to the humble. Humility must be our clothing and not pride, not arrogance, not "look at me, look at me", instead humility. Now, one can convey humility in their clothing but still have major pride in their heart. Just because someone wears some kind of humble clothes does not mean they're humble people. They could even be very proud of their humble choice of clothes. Being proud of their humility but if one does truly have humility in their heart they're going to consider the kind of clothing that they're wearing and not wear something that would be self glorifying and prideful and so, there are many people, so many people, even among believers who reveal their heart by their clothing choices and their continence when they get their picture taken. Handsome men, beautiful women are most at risk of having pride in their heart. We did not create ourselves, right? Why don't we glory in our own appearance? Why would we glory in how we look? If we have a pleasant appearance or a handsome or beautiful appearance, who should we be glorifying? The one who bought us with a price, 1 Corinthians 6:20, if you were bought with a price therefore glorify Elohim and your body and then your spirit which are Elohim's. Your body is not your own.
You don't belong to yourself. You or as almost slave in market and your master bought you and gave his life for you, he bought you with the most costly thing there is, his own blood. Give in to Yahweh the glory to his names and worship Yahweh in the beauty if holiness. If we could really understand how Yahweh sees things. To him holiness is beautiful, that's was beautiful to him is holiness, the beauty of
it. If we could only understand what is truly beautiful, uprightness is lovely. Humility and the fear of Elohim are praise worthy.
Charm is deceitful, beauty is passing but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised. We need to seek out Yahweh's heart in these
matters. We want Yahweh's message to come through us in our communication with the world we live in, especially the world we live in today and the kinds of clothing choices that we make. We want to see Yahweh's message full of, they say preach everywhere and when necessary use words. In our present age we have innumerable clothing choices, more so than any time in the history of men. There are more varieties of cuts and styles and colors of clothing on our planet right now than there ever has been in the history of mankind, and because of modern machinery most of it is very affordable compared to how things were a couple hundred years ago or in biblical times and so with our clothing choices it seems to me that we are to avoid the things that communicate the wrong message because words are powerful. Communication is powerful. Yahushua said the words I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life in John 6:63. What kind of spirit are we reflecting in our communication and our words, whether be words coming from our mouth or words that are speaking through the kinds of clothes that we wear? Now, the unique thing about clothing is you can walk into a room, say nothing and immediately you start communicating with everybody in the room. You don't have to say a word, your clothing choices give the context and speak to what you were saying. Now, I'm telling these things because I want us to understand, it matters, it does matter what we wear, something that doesn't matter, what you wear as long as you like it, not true. We need to first consider whether or not it communicates the right message, does it communicate carnality and glorification of self. Self supposed to be dead, right? I mean, it says you are dead and your life is here with Messiah and Yahweh. Wrecking yourself as dead but alive unto Messiah, it's no longer you who live, it's Messiah lives in you and so self is dead. We're not carnal, we're not earthly, we're not of those things. Our kind is Yahushua, our kingdom is not of this world. The riches we seek are in not of this world's riches. Scripture says do not love the world nor the things It's not the fading treasures of this age, that are in the world. it's the heavenly things and so does our clothing If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is communicate that we love and enjoy the things of not in him. For all that is in the world, the less of the this world or does our clothing communicate our kingdoms not of this world and you can tell a lot by what someone wears.
flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life
is not of the father but as of the world and the world is passing away and the less of it but he who does the will of Elohim abides forever. Beautiful words here. If we have a love for the world, I think our
clothing choices may indicate where our mind is and what we love and so, are we sharing in the less of the flesh with our clothing? Are we sharing in the lust of the eyes with our clothing? Are we sharing in the pride of life with our clothing? Are we communicating a message of conformity to the world or we communicating a mark stand against conformity to the world?
Are we turning the world upside down with the message of the good news or have we been turned upside down by the world? Our clothing is expressing our aroma, our attitude,
our spirit, whether we are impress with the world and all of its trappings or not.
Dress then is this communication, an expression of the spirit that we are walking in. Have you ever heard the expression body language?
There are many different ways of even saying the word, "what", right? There's, "what?" There is, "what?" There is "what?" and then just, "what?" There's many different ways of saying a single word in our language and so our communication is more than just the verbs or words coming out of our mouth and it's important in our inflection.
Even our inflection matters if even the way we say something matters, well the context of who we are matters. Communication is very powerful, it's very important that we are communicating the right message and that's what is at, the heart of modesty. 1 Timothy 2, I desire therefore, that the men
pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting, without wrath and doubting, interestingly and like manner also. That the women adored themselves in modest apparel with propriety and moderation, not with braid hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing but which is proper for women prefacing reverence toward Elohim, with good works. Now, this often translated Godliness here. But look up the word in Greek, it really doesn't mean that, it means reverence towards Elohim. What Paul is saying here is that a woman's clothing must match that which is proper for a woman professing reverence toward Elohim, with good works, don't forget the works part, not just the clothing but the works going with it and if you profess that you have reverence towards Elohim then your clothing choices should match the very thing that you are professing, doesn't seem too difficult to understand. Now, some people have claimed dwell, I've read studies, well the context of Paul's life are only in a relation to public worship assemblies. Some of the women were going to public worship assemblies and done to outdo each other in their dress styles and that's why the whole problem existed. Other cases and other places if it's not public worship setting then wear what you want to wear and so, that's how they see it. Now, that's easily very, very easily refuted because look at the verse eight there where it says in like manner, verse nine, like men are also. Like men are to what? To what the men are told to do and one of the men told to do, pray everywhere, all right, pray everywhere, it means not just in worship assembly but everywhere and if it's truly in like manner also, then this would be everywhere, right? The context indicates the very opposite of what some have said, it's not just the worship assembly, it's everywhere and without wrath and without doubting. Don't be angry about having to wear something different than the world does and walk in faith, don't worry about it. What people say about you doesn't matter, they don't fit in with the world, walk in faith not in doubt, everywhere. Now, another attributes, to not be ashamed, right? Don't be ashamed of what you wear either because it's not like what the world wears, it's maybe less elaborate than what the world wears. For us to be going at every place, lift up holy hands, people are looking at you going, what's that guy got going on? Lifting up his hands, well that's an act of humility. It's an act of boldness and without wrath and without doubting, without wrath toward whom, anybody? But particularly he's talking about here, very opening 1 Timothy, was therefore exert first of all the supplication's prayers in to session and giving of thanks. Be may for all men, for kings and all of authority that we may live a quiet and peaceful life and all, reverence toward Elohim, righteousness.
In other words rather getting angry what those in authority were doing, pray for them. Skipping down at verse eight desire therefore men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting, women not to adore themselves in man's apparel without getting angry about it and without a failure to walk in faith regarding it.
Everywhere, now the word translated modest is very interesting because when you say modest today, most people think, "oh they're going to cover up your body parts there, you're not modest". Well, it's true but looking deeply here at the word, interesting word cosmos. Cosmos meaning well-arranged, seemly,
well-arranged, interesting, quite an interesting words, only used twice and all the time it's used is here, cosmos, a bishop or an elder must be blames, the husband of one wife, temperance over minded of good behavior.
Cosmos, modest and elders must be modest.
It's also obviously talking about their character and not even their clothing. But the two are related, here are some other
lexicon entries, a Freiburg has a person's discipline, well-arranged, strictly well-arranged, a person's discipline, honorable, respectable, of dress characterized by respectability, modest and sensible. Eliyah's Lexicon has well-ordered, regular, moderate, it's a regulate practice, a person's well-orderly, well-behaved, regular discreet, quiet, decorum, decency, order. UBS has well-behaved, respectable, befitting, modest, Danker [ph], in accordance with standards related to decency, respectable of apparel,
interesting. Another word of saying a woman's clothing art to be well-arranged, seemly, well-ordered, befitting, respectable. That means women's clothing shouldn't be ragged and sloppy looking but well-arranged. Intentionally wearing dirty, wrinkled, ragged clothes that are unkempt expresses a disorderly life, it's chaotic and without proper discipline. Yes, wear something decent, appropriate, well-ordered, not disheveled but well kept. Now, if someone's poor and that's all they've got, that's all they've got. James 2:1, who forces my brother and do not hold the faith that our master Yahushua, Messiah the master of glory with partiality. For if it should come into your assembly a man with gold rings and fine apparel and there should also come into poor man in filthy clothes and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "you sit here in a good place" and say to the poor man," will you stand there, or sit at my footstool" have you not shown partiality among yourselves becoming judges with evil thoughts. We should not judge one who is wearing the kind of clothes they have because that's what they've got. That's all they have. But if all possible we should not be disheveled or unkempt or dirty in our clothing. Our lifestyle is not chaotic or disheveled or unkempt because Elohim is not the author of confusion but of peace. Therefore the clothing that we wear must represent him properly. We are representing him after all, right? Going back to 1 Timothy 2, there's must apparel and it says with propriety, with propriety. Now this is the word, actually I think actually it fits the word modest a little bit more correctly but looking here, it's eidós, mean a sense of
shame or honor, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others and respect. Interesting, the origin perhaps from one, the "ei" is the negative particle in Greek and 1492, the idea of down cast eyes and this comes from 1492 eidó
should say, to see, to perceive with the eyes, to perceive my eidó senses, to perceive not as to assert, discover to see, turn the eyes and mind the attention to anything. It has to do with not seeing and this is the sense that you are having like downcast eyes, it
says there. One is making eye contact in our culture is not to be very proper but in hebraic thought a woman making strong eye contact is thought to be flirtatious in their eyes. Scripture talks about this in Proverb 6:25. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart nor let her allure you with her eyelids. Of course we saw Isaiah's 3:16, because the daughters Zion are haughty, walk with out-stretch necks and wanton eyes. Walking and mincing as they go. Rather than eyes, they look at men a bold sensitive alluring and wantonness. There's supposed be a connection with downcast eyes, a sense of bashfulness. The Danker-Lexicon has in equality of pleasing unobtrusiveness, respectful shyness, reserve and a reticence in 1 Timothy 2:9, as a synonym for reverences. Someone's reflecting a sin of reticence or reserved
or reticence is not going to be flaunting themselves with elaborates but will have the kind of adornment that reflects a humble attitude that believers are supposed to have. Now today women do the very opposite in our culture. They wear lots of mascara and eyeliner and all these things in the eyes that accentuate eyes but the word translated propriety has to do with not seeing with the eye. Its self auscultation is done in righteousness character trade. It is Yahweh that we are tiring to glorify and not ourselves. Then we have the word translated moderation. It's from 49:97.
It means the soundness of mind, self control, sobriety, in control of your impulses, right,
soundness of mind.
The words also found here in Act 26:25 says, I am not mad, most noble Festus but speak the words of truth and reason, the opposite of madness. 1 Timothy 2:15 says, nevertheless you will be saved in child bearing if they continue in the faith, love and holiness with self control, the opposite of being out of control and crazy. It's also translated discrete in this It's from this word right here 4997. It's from 4998. A sound mind saying when one sin is curbing one's desire and impulses, self controlled and temperate.
particular passage. It says the older women likewise they'd be reverent in behavior, not slam doors, not giving to much wine, teachers of good things, Titus 2:3, that they admonish the young women to love their husband to love their children to be, the exact same word, discrete. Chaste homemaker's good obedient to their own husbands, that the word of Elohim may not be blasphemed. These are the character traits of the clothing that we're wearing, interesting. The clothing we're wearing actually has character traits about it and of itself. If we were to summarize the description of what kinds of clothing is proper for women professing reverence toward Elohim. What is proper? What is modest? One minute here. Be first of all, what is proper? Feminine, humble, that's what's proper. You're clothing should be feminine and should be humble. Should reflect what's proper for you, for a woman. Modest reflected of good behavior, a sense of bashfulness, not with wanton eyes to allure,
humility rather than flaunting oneself,
well-ordered, not disheveled and not unkempt. Respectful shyness, reserve a sense of
reticence, self control. I'm in control of myself and temperate behavior,
sober mindedness, curbing carnal impulses and desires.
Discrete, reverential toward Elohim and with faith and without wrath and so these are the attributes of the kinds of clothing. First, the attitudes and then the clothing that matches that attitude must match up, right? That's what's He's talking about so looking back at our text.
It says this, skipping back a few slides.
Well, we're not there yet. Hold on just a minute.
Here we go. The women should adorn themselves in the appropriate behavior. Well-ordered with these attribute, propriety, moderation and then it says not with braided hair
or gold or pearls or costly clothing but which is proper for women professing reverence with Elohim, with good works. In other words, these things here, braid hair, gold, pearls costly clothing are the opposite of what He is describing. That was He is saying. It's the opposite of what is being described. All these attributes we see here. The very opposite of that, not with braided hair, gold, pearls and costly clothing, not with those things, that's what He is saying. I can't make it say something different for I didn't write the mail. I'm sorry, if this has offends you. I'm sorry it offends you but it's what it says.
you. Now, I'm not trying to make a legalistic list here, in a sense that there's a list to do's and don'ts and this is a complete list. There is an attitude. A fragrance, a spirit of Yahweh that's seeking to manifest itself through you and to the things that you wear and one is adornment should not really necessarily be so much on the outside as it is on the inside, right? Sure we believe it. Sure we do but what's on the inside should be matching up with what's on the outside. They're both relevant here. What is Peter saying regarding these things? He said, very much, very similar thing. He said, "In this manner and in former times, the holy women who trusted in Elohim, adorned themselves." This was their adorning, being submissive to their own husbands. That was one thing that they are adorned with, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Adon in Hebrew. Whose daughters you are if you do good and you're not afraid with any terror? Of course, He has instruction for husbands too but this is their adorning.
This is their adorning. This is the attitude. Their adorning was their attitude, right? That's what the adorning was and so you're adorning, you can have all the right clothes but your attitude stinks and doesn't really match up so they both need to be there. Not just one, not just the other but both, right? Okay. Now, some people say, "Well Tom, this is just Paul. Paul's opinions, Paul's got his ideas. He had a hang up with women anyway. Tell him to shut up and go sit in the corner and don't say anything." No, it's not Paul. Listen. Please understand. You are highly valued in the eyes of Yahweh. I'm going to talk about that in a minute but there's so much difference between what a believer is supposed to be in general, not just women but men too. One's adornment is a gentle and quite spirit according to 1 Peter 3. That look-at-me kind of attitude, look at me kind of clothing that we see today is not proper. Scripture is scripture. I didn't write the scriptures. The scripture is scripture and whether Yahweh inspired the words that come through Paul or to Moses or Isaiah, it doesn't matter. It's the inspired words of Elohim and Paul. Peter actually said, "Consider that the long suffering of our master's salvation and also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him." Yahweh gave him wisdom. It has written to you also and all His apostles speaking in them of these things and what's something's hard to understand which untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction as they to do the rest of the scriptures. Now, by saying that He is calling Paul's writings scripture, right? If I say, they killed him like the rest of the believers then the one they kill would have to be a believer. I mean, it's just in 1+1=2 and so if Peter himself,
the one that Yahweh said had things revealed to him when other people did not have things revealed to them then He called Paul's writing scripture then
what do you call Paul's writings? All scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness that the man of Elohim maybe complete thoroughly equipped for every good work. Yahushua says, "Scripture cannot be broken." It can't be broken. If scriptures written to Paul or Isaiah or whoever it is. It doesn't matter to me or it doesn't matter if Yahweh inspired the words then we need to listen to it. If you don't believe these words hold weight then just tear out the whole thing. Take Paul's letters, ripped them out of your Bible because they are any good. Once you can throw one thing in the question, once you can throw one thing out and you say that
doesn't lined up with what I believe then the whole thing is not and then you're forming your own let Yahweh define Himself and even if it means I Elohim, what you want Him to be rather than whom He have to do something a little uncomfortable or not easy to do, I still want to do it. is reveling Himself to be. If you get to pick what the scriptures are then you can play smorgasbord religion and have it your way and pick through and pick and choose what you want and form your own deity but my goal is the foundation of everything I believe is I'm going to
I'm not claiming I will perfect at it but I still want to do it. When he says this thing about the adorning and such, I think we need to listen to it. It's his word. It's really Yahweh's words to us. He just used the pen of Paul to give the message to us. Yahweh's words matter. Whether they're through the pen of Paul and what he says about adorning is not to oppress anyone. It's not to bring grief to anyone. It is so that we have an understanding of what Yahweh wants regarding our clothing and our clothing communicates. It does matter. Our clothing communicates who are about, what were about, what we're impressed with and we need to heed to those words. We don't love the world. We don't the love the things in the world. We want the love of Yahweh, our Father to be in us. That's what we want and I'm confident that's what you all want as well. Alright, what is proper clothing must communicate these things, these attributes, right? These are the attributes that Yahweh himself wants us to communicate with the clothing that were wearing. Regardless of whom we are whether you're a male or female. I don't think it really matters all that much. These are attributes. Now, we don't want to be feminine, of course. We want to be masculine but our adornments, what's on the inside and so many women cover what's on the inside by putting something on the outside and so what we see here in this list is a very different than the bold, "Oh, look at me. Look at me," kinds of clothing's styles seen by women in magazines and music videos and while the other women are wearing that kinds of clothes to get everybody's attention on themselves. Holy women will wear the kind of clothing's that reflect holiness. Holiness, that's what we want to reflect. It's holiness.
Now, inevitably somebody's going to say to me, "Tom, what about the book of Ezekiel? What about the book of Ezekiel talks about a certain things?" I understand the book of Ezekiel talks about certain things and what about this word here, braided hair, gold, pearls and costly clothing? Isn't that somehow had variance with how Yahweh decked Israel? I'm going to get to that in a minute but first let's just hear what's being said. He is saying not with the braided hair, the gold, the pearls and the costly clothing, not with those things. What do we do with these?
I guess what it says. That's all we can do with it. Really, I mean so we shouldn't be wearing those things, not with those things. This is a far cry from the modesties that we see today in braided hair. Come on. That's immodest? Wearing of gold and wearing pearls is immodest? Wearing expensive clothes is immodest? It says so. Now, I've looked in some of the manuscripts. They're not all in agreement with the word translated braided and then it says braided hair or gold and in other manuscripts have braided hair and gold which maybe a reference to putting gold into braided hair which apparently was done
in that era. I don't know but I've heard it was done but it might just be saying not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly clothing. It could be saying, let's not do these things but notice that is the immodest clothing styles of the day. This is what was considered to be not modest and hair matters. Hair arrangements are a huge thing today, hair arrangements. Isn't a woman's hair her glory? 1 Corinthians 11:15 and so certain hair arrangements, they have done a certain way to glorify yourself to say, "Oh, look how beautiful I am," can be immodest because it's not humble. It's not proper. It doesn't convey the sense of bashfulness and humility rather than flaunting yourself with respectful signees and a self control and temperance, curbing the carnal impulses and such of which include pride. Now, somebody wears a wedding ring or something, I can't find any pagan origins of wedding rings. They're wearing that to signify they're married and it's probably a good thing that people realize you're married and don't try to engage you but if it's to flaunt yourself, "Oh, look at me," or a substitute in your heart for, "Well, this will make feel good about myself." Then we have to be very careful about the hard issues. Notice that this is a small list of things that are reflections of the wrong attitude. These four things are not intended to be a legal code to follow. In other words, it's says don't wear pearls but if you got fake pearls, is that okay? If you have a fake gold, is that okay? Or suppose you don't have braided hair but you have fancied up your hair in some other way, will that be alright? Remember when I was a little boy, I read the story, Poky Little Puppy and mama says don't go over the fence or go under the fence. "Okay, Mom." He didn't go out in the fence, he went through the fence and he thought he can get away with that. I think sometimes people were like the Pokey, little puppy. They're looking for something they can get away with rather than trying to follow the principles that are there. We're trying to get away with things and we're missing the heart of it. What Paul is addressing here is a kind of thing believers are wanted to communicate when one has a meek and quiet spirit, curbing their impulses and professing reverence, wearing these adornments are not fitting. It doesn't match up. It's like a man who says, "Oh, I'm not trying to glorify myself." But then he walks around in some kind of neon sign and saying, "Beep, beep, look at me. Look at me." What we're communicating with our clothing and our adornments were supposed to be communicating righteous attributes, right? Good works, clothing choices reflecting Biblical femininity, not worldly feminism, certainly not masculinism in women's clothing but Biblical femininity. That's what we want to communicate. That's very important. Again, even Paul didn't write the mail here. Yahweh wrote the mail through Paul. Now Paul said is not without precedent. We read it earlier where he said. Isaiah 3:16, because the daughters of Zion are haughty and he's going to talk about why they're so haughty, he's got all these jingling anklets and scarves and crescents and all these things going on and pendants and bracelets and veils and head dresses and leg ornaments and head bands and perfume boxes. This is not just one woman wearing all this at one time. I mean this is different things people are wearing. Those jewels and rings and vestal apparel and mails and all these things with the haughty clothes styles, arrogant, prideful things that they were wearing and they were so proud of the way they look and so he says, "Well, I'm going to humble you." He said, "Well, set here. I'm going to give boldness instead of rich robe but wearing a sack cloth and you're going to be branded instead of having beauty." He did not like their haughtiness and their arrogance. They were communicating but the kind of clothes they wear with haughtiness and pride and Yahweh speaks of how the daughters of Zion were prideful. Now, how do we reconcile all of this with the statements in the book of Ezekiel where it says again, the word of Yahweh came to me and saying some of men cause Jerusalem to know were abominations. Thus says the Master Yahweh to Jerusalem, "Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite and your mother, a Hittite. As for you nativity, on the day that you were born, your navel's cord was not cut, nor were you washed in the waters that cleanse you. You were not rubbed with salt, nor wrap in swaddling clothes." He's talking about a city, Jerusalem and of course
the inhabitants of the city who were committing abominations. He said nobody cared for them, nobody love them.
They were forsaken. He said, "No, I pitied you nor to do any of these things for you to have compassion on you but you are thrown out into the open field when you, yourselves were loved on the day you were born and when I passed by you, I saw you struggling in your own blood. I said to you, 'in your blood, live'. Yes, I said to you, 'in your blood, live'. I made you thrive like a plant in the field and you grew, mature to became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed. Your hair grew but you were naked and bare. When I passed by you again I look upon you. Indeed your time was a time of love so I spread my wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore and oath to you and entered a covenant with you and you became mine," says the Master Yahweh, "Then I washed you in water. Yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood. I anointed you with oil. I clothe you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals and badge with skin. I clothe with fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrist and a chain on your neck. I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears and beautiful crown on your head. Lest you were adorned with gold and silver and your clothing was of fine linens, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey and oil. You're exceeding beautiful and succeeded to royalty. Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty. For it was perfect though my splendor which I had bestowed, through my splendor which I had bestowed upon you," says the Master Yahweh, "But you trusted in your beauty, your own beauty and played the harlot because of your fame and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it. You took some of your garments and adorned the high places for yourself and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen or be. You have also taken your beautiful jewelry from my gold and my silver which I had given you and made for yourself male images and played the harlot with them. You took your embroidered garments and covered them and you set my oil and my incense before them. Also, my food which I gave you, pastry of fine flour, oil and honey which I fed to you, you set it before them as incense so it was," says their Master Yahweh. "Wherever you took your sons and you daughters whom you bore to me and these, you sacrifice to them to be devoured. Were acts of harlotry a small matter? That you have slain my children and offer them up by casting them the past of the fire and in all your abominations and acts of harlotry, you did not remember the days of youth when you were naked and bare, struggling in your own blood.
Then it was so after all your wickedness, woe, woe to you," says the Master Yahweh, that you built yourself, also as trying and made you a high for yourself in every street. He goes on to tell them all these things that they were doing which were abominations to Him. He hated them. Now, someone conclude, as long as one doesn't trust
in their own beauty and commit the abominations to Yahweh and sit there with the things He's given, you'll be okay to be all decked out in these things. Now, please understand. If Yahweh Himself put these things on you, He reached down from heaven and He got some jewelry and He clothe in jewelry, if He did Himself, I wouldn't have a problem with that but when you put it on yourself, that's not quite the same thing. One is an instance of Yahweh glorifying you and the other is an instance of you glorifying yourself. Yahushua said, "Behold, I'm coming quickly. Hold fast to which you have that no one may take your crown." He is one day going to give us a crown. He is going to glorify us one day and we will be glorified by Yahweh Himself but for now, we're called to humility. To humble ourselves in the sight of Yahweh and He will lift us up.
Let Yahweh be the one to lift you up. Don't lift up yourself. Humble yourself in His sight.
There's another point I want to bring up as well. There are differences between what Yahweh was doing prior to the Messiah coming and dying for our sins and after the time that He came. There's a differences. People were not baptizing Yahushua's name before the Messiah came, right? They weren't partaking in the body and blood of Messiah through the grape juice and the bread, were they? If Yahweh wants to introduce a new commandment through to His aspired word, that's perfectly up to Him but even so there is a difference. Actually a number of differences and the reason why there are differences because Yahweh's plan and what He is trying to accomplish is two different things at two different times. We need to understand Yahweh's plan and understand the times. Yahweh's plan up until the Messiah, the king came was that He wanted to establish a kingdom in this world through various kings and have a succession of kings and, or judges and so through David, through Solomon and when these men were alive, there was much glory to be brought to Yahweh because of Yahweh's nation that He established on the earth through the Exodus events and that's fine but what about right now? What did Yahushua say? He said, "My kingdom is not of this world. My kingdom is not of this world." Now, when Yahweh was working through David and Solomon, the kingdom was of this world. It was what He was trying to accomplish at that moment but because of the failure of the kings and the failure of the people, He sent Yahushua to be the king and they rejected Him. "If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now my kingdom is not from here." Is your kingdom of this world? Is your kingdom from here? No, not if Yahushua is your king and so our focal point now is not on the present day kingdom with these riches. Its interests, rather we are looking up toward the heaven ways and toward the future. A kingdom under which Messiah will reign, the Messiah will reign and so there are some differences in what Yahweh is trying to bring now. He is trying to pull people out of this world and focus on the heavenly kingdom and a heavenly king that will endure forever. He reigns. He says were seated in heaven. Where is our focus? Where are affections? Where are interests supposed to be, toward the earthly things or toward the heavenly things? Colossians 3:1 says, "Then you're raised with Messiah seek those things which are above, where Messiah is sitting at the right-hand of Elohim. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died and your life is hidden with Messiah and Elohim." You died. At the time when Yahweh has established His kingdom on the earth with David and Solomon, they're wearing gold and costly apparels. It was fine. Yahushua spoke of calls, someone being in reign and glory and they glorified Yahweh and His kingdom that He was trying to establish at that time. It would so forth the blessing of a nation that shows Yahweh to be their king. A monarchy, not a republic, not a democracy, a monarchy where Yahweh alone was king but now we see the wearing of gold and costly apparels signifies a this world focus, a this world mindset rather than Messiah and so our focal point, the things that we're looking to is futuristic and heavenly and so our clothing that we wear reflects the thing that Yahweh is doing right now in this world. He is calling to people out of the world and the focus on the earthly things and our clothing needs to reflect that message. Come out of the world, this is not where it sat. This is all temporary. All the glory of this age, it's all temporary.
It's all temporary.
Where is our focus? It's on the heavenly things where Messiah is
raised or on the earth. That's what He's teaching. Yes. I did adorned you with bracelets on your wrist and put a chain on your neck but now, wear what's appropriate and modest and with braided hair, gold or pearls or costly clothing.
Do we see a difference? Yahweh is adorning us versus we're adorning ourselves. It doesn't mean Yahweh changes. It doesn't mean He changes His standards but if you think Yahweh's adorning you with it, you got to understand Yahweh's plan. Now is not the time for glorification.
Now is the time for humility and calling other humanity and other humanity humility. You got to get with His plan. Now is not the time for focus on the earthly possessions. Now is the time to build up treasures and strove treasure in the age to come and the clothing that we wear is indicative of where our focus really is. Are we really about our father's business? Are we pretty much interested in what the world is doing right now? In the business of the world, where is our focus? Our clothing should reflect that focus on the heavenly things. Look what happened. When ancient is, we were so beautifully dressed. He came to trust in it. Think about it. Focus on it. Believe in it. They turned away from Yahweh, who gave it. That's why Yahushua said to His disciples, "Surely I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I say to you, it's easier for a king when he go to the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of Elohim. How hard it is. Because of all the worldliness that's there, choking out the word and deceitfulness of riches. A this world mindset is dangerous. We have some important lessons for us. Yahweh did seek to establish all His kingdom on the earth but He knew it wouldn't work but He had to give us His child. Now, we have a righteous king and our clothing choice is to reflect the holy mindset as not impress with the world and their riches and the glory. Our clothing choice is to reflect, we're not of this world. We now seek to glorify Elohim and ourselves. Do you not know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you, whom you have from Elohim and you are not your own? You think you're your own but you're not. You're a body of the Christ. Therefore glorify all Him in your body and in your spirit which are Elohim's. Don't even belong to yourself. You don't have to act like you are. You're flaunting yourself. You didn't make yourself. You didn't create yourself. Your body is not your own and what are you doing with it? What are you doing with Yahweh's body?
Glorify Him and advancing the kingdom will make you a rich one. Glorify Him in your body and your spirit, both of which belong to Him. That means we're going to have to look different than the world I think. You may have to act different, talk different, look different, communicate different,
right? Don't be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable on perfect will of Elohim. You can't even figure out His will is, if you're conformed to this world. You don't even know what's good and acceptable and perfect will until you are willing to be transformed by the renewing of your mind rather than being conformed to this world. You can't even understand His will. Whatever you do, either drink or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of Elohim and so the point of everything is to not glorify ourselves but glorify our Father who made us. When you put your clothes on in the morning, ask yourself who you are wanting to glorify. Are you wanting to stand in the way of His glory? Are you putting on something in morning saying, "Oh, this makes me feel good." ? Why does it make you feel good? Is it because you don't have a sense of worth unless you wear certain kinds of clothing and present yourself in a certain way? I think I'm touching on something here.
Can you feel good about yourself and who you are in Messiah even if you don't wear that particular kind of clothing? Can you feel good about yourself even if you were wearing something more plain and unassuming?
Many women today do struggle with that very thing and they have their entire identity wrapped up in their appearance, how their face looks, how their body looks, the kind of clothing choice that they've made and I understand it because those things are what the world values and from the time that women are little girls, they are praised for their beauty. They're valued by other boys in school or in their community, by their appearance. The level of attention that they get is often connected to how pleasing they look to the eye. It's natural that one would have a tendency, that's very sad to me because the reality is how we look has nothing to do with our worth, nothing, nothing whatsoever. Yahweh is the one who made you and He gets to determine what your worth is and your value is, not man.
A woman's worth is not based on the pleasure she gives men with her physical appearance. That is a damnable idea. The truth is women did not create themselves. Why then would they glorify themselves by their appearance? We should not debase women to such a ridiculous standard to determine their worth based on how they look. Every single woman on the earth has equal value and worth in the eyes of our creator, regardless of what they look like. I agree with Yahweh. How about you? Ladies, do you agree with Yahweh?
You don't have to alter your body or your face to increase your value, your worth. Every woman is beautifully, fearfully and wonderfully made. Every baby coming from the womb is a beautiful and precious miracle.
Time and age never changes that. Yahweh doesn't look at the outward appearance. He looks at the heart. When He sees a woman's heart, He sees a heart worth healing. He sees a heart worth cleansing.
When He sees your soul, He sees the soul worth saving. He sees someone He wants to spend the eternity with. Every woman He created is a woman worthy of being loved, valued, and cherished. My savior who died for each and every one of you, ladies prove that. Don't let any man commits to you otherwise simply because you don't possess certain physical attributes. That's ridiculous. Men does not decide your worth or your value. Yahweh does and He spoke. He has spoken the word.
But many women are carrying around the load of pain because of the rejection they face as the result of physical appearance and they feel like they got to look a certain way to fit in.
They're body don't look a certain way or they're face doesn't look a certain way and they're frustrated. Because the pressure that man have put on them and rather than every woman being value because she's a woman created in the image of Elohim as a gift to us man, no. Only certain women, with certain body types and certain weights and heights and shapes are valued. While the others are left behind, striving to fit in, striving to achieve equal status and acceptance, that's the world for you. Nearly all supermodels are unhappy with their appearance? They're nose is maybe too long or too small or lips are too smaller. Chest isn't the right size. Their eyes are too narrow with face too wide. It's insane and yet, they're supermodels. Who gets to decide that anyway? I mean, different cultures have different values. Marilyn Monroe, a terribly immoral woman, men were lusting after in the 1960's. She's glorified today because of that. Well, should be considered overweight by today's standards. I say this to you ladies, I apologize to you on behalf of all of us man. I apologize. I am very sorry. We have put so much pressure on you, to look a certain way and we did not value you like Yahweh values you. I'm very sorry that we men have mistreated you. Ignored you, belittled you because of what you look like.
I also want to apologize on behalf of all of us, men, for those of you who we glorified because of what we determined was the ideal appearance. We laid a stumbling block before you, to pride.
We're supposed to lead you in righteousness but instead we tempted you to become prideful and haughty. We're supposed to appoint you to Yahweh instead we directed you to stare at the mirror and assured you, you had value because you are beautiful in our own eyes. We men have failed all of you miserably. In behalf of all Yahweh fearing men, I ask for your forgiveness and humility and sincerity. I have to say is not all on the men though.
I mean women can look in the mirror and become prideful about their own beauty without any male intervention and I get it. Women like pretty flowers, cute bunnies and you like the way a beautiful thing looks and I mean, we all like lovely things and that's okay. We're built to enjoy beautiful and lovely things, a lovely sunset, a beautiful mountain, fall colors and green grass. Truth to be told, all women are beautiful.
There's a tendency though to want to adorn yourself with beautiful things on top of it but you don't need to add anything to yourself to be beautiful. If you don't see yourself as beautiful, you don't need to compensate by adding things that 1 Timothy speaks against to make yourself beautiful. You're already lovely and beautiful because Yahweh does not make junk.
We've all heard and said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." To one person something is lovely to another it's not lovely. But in Yahweh's eyes you're already lovely. He's the one who made you that way. He made you unique. He didn't make you like the others. You are an individual. For whom Yahweh has a purpose and a plan, it's important that you get connected to that purpose and plan rather than getting caught up in your appearance and letting the acceptance or rejection of man be your guide. You need to be in touch with Him and everything I've shared today is not going to reach your heart unless you have that good relationship with your Heavenly Father. If your relationship with Yahweh, your Heavenly Father is not where it needs to be, you struggle with your identity in Him for not really putting Him first in your life or if you are in your heart, more impress by the world than you are with the word. What I say to you in this study made you seem oppressive. We may love Yahweh with all your heart but you been hurt and found some relief from the pain to the attention you get through your appearance. What I say to you may seem oppressive or hurtful. Maybe you grew up in a home where positive attention was missing and when people give you all kinds of positive attention because of your outward appearance, you ate about like a starving person having his first meal after weeks of hunger. I want to encourage you. Get better acquainted with the creator of the universe. You don't have to look at a certain way to impress Him. You don't have to do anything actually to obtain worth and value to Him. You just have to exist because while we were yet sinners, Yahushua would die for you. As the opinion of you will not change as you get more wrinkles, when your bodies starts to sagged or if your eyes or face don't look young anymore. He created you just like He wanted you to be and so if you're hurt from the rejection of men, I want you to know it's not my intent to hurt you further or to hang a yolk around your neck. It's not my intent to do that. It is my intent to examine the scriptures regarding the kind of clothing that gives honor to our Heavenly Father, to the kind of clothing that builds the kingdom.
The scripture that talks about costly, you're not to wear costly clothing.
Women adorned themselves with the propriety and moderation, not with costly clothing. There is a different kind of costliness that Yahweh values and this is what I've like to see you get in touch with. Do not let your adornment be merely outward. Actually the word merely is not even there. He just says, "Don't let it be outward." Merely is in Italics. Don't let your adornment be outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold or putting fine apparel. Rather let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quite spirit which is very precious in the sight of Elohim. The word translated very precious is the same word translated costly. Yahweh wants you to wear costly clothing but that costly clothing is the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is very precious in His eyes. Know this. You are the body of Christ.
Know that Yahweh, He is the one who made you and not we ourselves. He loves you and He desires you to glorify Him
and not yourself. I have much more to say on this topic of modesty and
I encourage you to let it be the hidden person of the heart, not the outward that is your adornment,
meekness, quietness, loveliness, all the good attributes of femininity. Let's pray.
Father Yahweh, thank you for your love toward us. Thank you for your valuing us no matter what. Thank you for loving us, for leading us, for
directing us in righteousness and holiness and the truth. Yahweh, we ask for your forgiveness if we have sought to glorify ourselves, whether men or women. I pray you would direct me as I start to share next week about the kind of clothing that men should wear and the dangerous of provoking lust with the things that we wear. I prayed that you have prepared the hearts to receive it. I pray that any hearts that had been convicted in today's study would make the necessary changes. I pray, Father Yahweh that we will glorify you in everything that we do, in word or in the deed that you, Father Yahweh would be glorified. For truly there was none like You, the Elohim of all, the king of all kings, the master of all masters. We humble ourselves before you. That the day will come and You will place the crown of life upon our foreheads and then we will ones, once that is done, cast down and before You and declare that You alone, belongs all glory and all praise, through and by your Son, Yahushua, Hamashiach ,we pray. For truly Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory and majesty forever and ever. In Yahushua's name, Amen.
No, people call him your honor. This is a dignified position and his clothing is part of what communicates that very thing. How about these men? What are these communicating? They are not saying anything. They're tight lip, not saying a word. What are they saying? We're soldiers. You think of bravery. You think of pride, right? That's what you think of. You see the uniforms. They've got the badges or the medals hanging off there. Uniform things that they have earn through their hard work and bravery and skill, so they're wearing the uniforms. There's a reason why people in military wear their fatigues, not just out there in the jungle, they wear them all kinds of places. They're letting you know, I'm a military man. They're communicating without them saying a single word. Okay, how about this? Biker man. Tough guy, maybe a rebel, right? Humility does not come to mind here for some reason. I'm not hearing a kindness and gentleness and love. Maybe he's a nice guy but his image does not speak to he is bearing the fruits of humility and grace and those kinds of things, tough guy image, right? Don't mess with me I'll knock your socks off, right? Doesn't have to speak a word, he's tight lip, he's not saying anything. Neither one of those guys are saying a single thing, but what are they communicating? Where have they placed their hope? Where we placing our hope? What is our clothing communicate?
The rebellious youth of each generation chooses a different clothing style than the one before. Why? We're different. We're not like our appearance. Got to communicate that we have rejected authority, we're not going to be like you, we don't like you and it often is increasingly immodest and shocking but they're communicating. Non-conformity with the former generation and their standards, they're out of touch, they're not with it. Years ago there was the gothic appearance, it was very popular. Now the saggy pants, audibly silent but speaks loudly of where our values are and as long as the eyes of others are upon us it never stops speaking its message. In fact it sets the context of everything we say. Do we understand that? Clothing talks. Suppose a 50 year old man was a walk up for the podium. He was a pastor, indoor gathering of believers. He puts on his pair of tough guy sunglasses, a bandana, saggy pants, half of his underwear hanging out. Who is going to take the man seriously? His clothes indicate where his mindset is and probably everybody would start laughing at him, right? Our clothing are always a part of our message. It speaks to what we value, the things going on in the heart, the spirit we're following and our attitude. An important question for all of us as believers is what are we communicating by the things that we The clothing we wear does matter and it doesn't just reflect. If one individual who cost upon the name of Yahweh wear? What are we saying? What kind of identity are we portraying?
and yet his clothing is reflecting things that are not spiritual, that are not biblical, that are glorifying self rather than the Elohim who made them, that reflects not just on that person but it reflects on Yahweh's name. They're going to look at that person and say that is one of the people of Yahweh and look at what they're wearing over there. What kind of message are they sharing? It reflects on all of us as believers, doesn't it? Consider what Yahweh said about these particular women here and how he felt about it. In Isaiah 3:16 says, because the daughters at Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, making a jingling with their feet. Therefore Yahweh will strike with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Yahweh will uncover their secret parts. In that day Yahweh will take away the finery, the jingling anklets, the scarves, the crescents, the pendants, the bracelets, the veils, the headdresses, the leg ornaments, the headbands, the perfume boxes, the charms and the rings. The nose jewels, the pastel apparel and the mantles, the outer garments and purses and mirrors. The fine linen, the turbans and the robes, so it shall be instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench, instead of sash, a rope, instead of well set hair, baldness, instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth and branding instead of beauty. These women had one wanton eyes and walking with their outstretched neck, so prideful, so haughty with all their ornaments and jewelry and Yahweh did not like their haughtiness and arrogance. What they were communicating with the things that they were wearing and the gate which with they were walking and the countenance that they were displaying for their face was pride. I've heard it said, you scratch the surface of almost any sin and price probably underneath every single one of them. Yahweh says everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to him, Proverb 16: 5. Proverb 6:16 says, this six thing Yahweh hates, yea, seven are an abomination to him, he starts off right of the back a proud look. A proud appearance, a proud look, he hates it. It's an abomination to him. 1 Peter 5:5 says, yes let all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for Elohim resist the proud that gives grace to the humble. Humility must be our clothing and not pride, not arrogance, not "look at me, look at me", instead humility. Now, one can convey humility in their clothing but still have major pride in their heart. Just because someone wears some kind of humble clothes does not mean they're humble people. They could even be very proud of their humble choice of clothes. Being proud of their humility but if one does truly have humility in their heart they're going to consider the kind of clothing that they're wearing and not wear something that would be self glorifying and prideful and so, there are many people, so many people, even among believers who reveal their heart by their clothing choices and their continence when they get their picture taken. Handsome men, beautiful women are most at risk of having pride in their heart. We did not create ourselves, right? Why don't we glory in our own appearance? Why would we glory in how we look? If we have a pleasant appearance or a handsome or beautiful appearance, who should we be glorifying? The one who bought us with a price, 1 Corinthians 6:20, if you were bought with a price therefore glorify Elohim and your body and then your spirit which are Elohim's. Your body is not your own.
You don't belong to yourself. You or as almost slave in market and your master bought you and gave his life for you, he bought you with the most costly thing there is, his own blood. Give in to Yahweh the glory to his names and worship Yahweh in the beauty if holiness. If we could really understand how Yahweh sees things. To him holiness is beautiful, that's was beautiful to him is holiness, the beauty of
it. If we could only understand what is truly beautiful, uprightness is lovely. Humility and the fear of Elohim are praise worthy.
Charm is deceitful, beauty is passing but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised. We need to seek out Yahweh's heart in these
matters. We want Yahweh's message to come through us in our communication with the world we live in, especially the world we live in today and the kinds of clothing choices that we make. We want to see Yahweh's message full of, they say preach everywhere and when necessary use words. In our present age we have innumerable clothing choices, more so than any time in the history of men. There are more varieties of cuts and styles and colors of clothing on our planet right now than there ever has been in the history of mankind, and because of modern machinery most of it is very affordable compared to how things were a couple hundred years ago or in biblical times and so with our clothing choices it seems to me that we are to avoid the things that communicate the wrong message because words are powerful. Communication is powerful. Yahushua said the words I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life in John 6:63. What kind of spirit are we reflecting in our communication and our words, whether be words coming from our mouth or words that are speaking through the kinds of clothes that we wear? Now, the unique thing about clothing is you can walk into a room, say nothing and immediately you start communicating with everybody in the room. You don't have to say a word, your clothing choices give the context and speak to what you were saying. Now, I'm telling these things because I want us to understand, it matters, it does matter what we wear, something that doesn't matter, what you wear as long as you like it, not true. We need to first consider whether or not it communicates the right message, does it communicate carnality and glorification of self. Self supposed to be dead, right? I mean, it says you are dead and your life is here with Messiah and Yahweh. Wrecking yourself as dead but alive unto Messiah, it's no longer you who live, it's Messiah lives in you and so self is dead. We're not carnal, we're not earthly, we're not of those things. Our kind is Yahushua, our kingdom is not of this world. The riches we seek are in not of this world's riches. Scripture says do not love the world nor the things It's not the fading treasures of this age, that are in the world. it's the heavenly things and so does our clothing If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is communicate that we love and enjoy the things of not in him. For all that is in the world, the less of the this world or does our clothing communicate our kingdoms not of this world and you can tell a lot by what someone wears.
flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life
is not of the father but as of the world and the world is passing away and the less of it but he who does the will of Elohim abides forever. Beautiful words here. If we have a love for the world, I think our
clothing choices may indicate where our mind is and what we love and so, are we sharing in the less of the flesh with our clothing? Are we sharing in the lust of the eyes with our clothing? Are we sharing in the pride of life with our clothing? Are we communicating a message of conformity to the world or we communicating a mark stand against conformity to the world?
Are we turning the world upside down with the message of the good news or have we been turned upside down by the world? Our clothing is expressing our aroma, our attitude,
our spirit, whether we are impress with the world and all of its trappings or not.
Dress then is this communication, an expression of the spirit that we are walking in. Have you ever heard the expression body language?
There are many different ways of even saying the word, "what", right? There's, "what?" There is, "what?" There is "what?" and then just, "what?" There's many different ways of saying a single word in our language and so our communication is more than just the verbs or words coming out of our mouth and it's important in our inflection.
Even our inflection matters if even the way we say something matters, well the context of who we are matters. Communication is very powerful, it's very important that we are communicating the right message and that's what is at, the heart of modesty. 1 Timothy 2, I desire therefore, that the men
pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting, without wrath and doubting, interestingly and like manner also. That the women adored themselves in modest apparel with propriety and moderation, not with braid hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing but which is proper for women prefacing reverence toward Elohim, with good works. Now, this often translated Godliness here. But look up the word in Greek, it really doesn't mean that, it means reverence towards Elohim. What Paul is saying here is that a woman's clothing must match that which is proper for a woman professing reverence toward Elohim, with good works, don't forget the works part, not just the clothing but the works going with it and if you profess that you have reverence towards Elohim then your clothing choices should match the very thing that you are professing, doesn't seem too difficult to understand. Now, some people have claimed dwell, I've read studies, well the context of Paul's life are only in a relation to public worship assemblies. Some of the women were going to public worship assemblies and done to outdo each other in their dress styles and that's why the whole problem existed. Other cases and other places if it's not public worship setting then wear what you want to wear and so, that's how they see it. Now, that's easily very, very easily refuted because look at the verse eight there where it says in like manner, verse nine, like men are also. Like men are to what? To what the men are told to do and one of the men told to do, pray everywhere, all right, pray everywhere, it means not just in worship assembly but everywhere and if it's truly in like manner also, then this would be everywhere, right? The context indicates the very opposite of what some have said, it's not just the worship assembly, it's everywhere and without wrath and without doubting. Don't be angry about having to wear something different than the world does and walk in faith, don't worry about it. What people say about you doesn't matter, they don't fit in with the world, walk in faith not in doubt, everywhere. Now, another attributes, to not be ashamed, right? Don't be ashamed of what you wear either because it's not like what the world wears, it's maybe less elaborate than what the world wears. For us to be going at every place, lift up holy hands, people are looking at you going, what's that guy got going on? Lifting up his hands, well that's an act of humility. It's an act of boldness and without wrath and without doubting, without wrath toward whom, anybody? But particularly he's talking about here, very opening 1 Timothy, was therefore exert first of all the supplication's prayers in to session and giving of thanks. Be may for all men, for kings and all of authority that we may live a quiet and peaceful life and all, reverence toward Elohim, righteousness.
In other words rather getting angry what those in authority were doing, pray for them. Skipping down at verse eight desire therefore men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting, women not to adore themselves in man's apparel without getting angry about it and without a failure to walk in faith regarding it.
Everywhere, now the word translated modest is very interesting because when you say modest today, most people think, "oh they're going to cover up your body parts there, you're not modest". Well, it's true but looking deeply here at the word, interesting word cosmos. Cosmos meaning well-arranged, seemly,
well-arranged, interesting, quite an interesting words, only used twice and all the time it's used is here, cosmos, a bishop or an elder must be blames, the husband of one wife, temperance over minded of good behavior.
Cosmos, modest and elders must be modest.
It's also obviously talking about their character and not even their clothing. But the two are related, here are some other
lexicon entries, a Freiburg has a person's discipline, well-arranged, strictly well-arranged, a person's discipline, honorable, respectable, of dress characterized by respectability, modest and sensible. Eliyah's Lexicon has well-ordered, regular, moderate, it's a regulate practice, a person's well-orderly, well-behaved, regular discreet, quiet, decorum, decency, order. UBS has well-behaved, respectable, befitting, modest, Danker [ph], in accordance with standards related to decency, respectable of apparel,
interesting. Another word of saying a woman's clothing art to be well-arranged, seemly, well-ordered, befitting, respectable. That means women's clothing shouldn't be ragged and sloppy looking but well-arranged. Intentionally wearing dirty, wrinkled, ragged clothes that are unkempt expresses a disorderly life, it's chaotic and without proper discipline. Yes, wear something decent, appropriate, well-ordered, not disheveled but well kept. Now, if someone's poor and that's all they've got, that's all they've got. James 2:1, who forces my brother and do not hold the faith that our master Yahushua, Messiah the master of glory with partiality. For if it should come into your assembly a man with gold rings and fine apparel and there should also come into poor man in filthy clothes and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "you sit here in a good place" and say to the poor man," will you stand there, or sit at my footstool" have you not shown partiality among yourselves becoming judges with evil thoughts. We should not judge one who is wearing the kind of clothes they have because that's what they've got. That's all they have. But if all possible we should not be disheveled or unkempt or dirty in our clothing. Our lifestyle is not chaotic or disheveled or unkempt because Elohim is not the author of confusion but of peace. Therefore the clothing that we wear must represent him properly. We are representing him after all, right? Going back to 1 Timothy 2, there's must apparel and it says with propriety, with propriety. Now this is the word, actually I think actually it fits the word modest a little bit more correctly but looking here, it's eidós, mean a sense of
shame or honor, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others and respect. Interesting, the origin perhaps from one, the "ei" is the negative particle in Greek and 1492, the idea of down cast eyes and this comes from 1492 eidó
should say, to see, to perceive with the eyes, to perceive my eidó senses, to perceive not as to assert, discover to see, turn the eyes and mind the attention to anything. It has to do with not seeing and this is the sense that you are having like downcast eyes, it
says there. One is making eye contact in our culture is not to be very proper but in hebraic thought a woman making strong eye contact is thought to be flirtatious in their eyes. Scripture talks about this in Proverb 6:25. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart nor let her allure you with her eyelids. Of course we saw Isaiah's 3:16, because the daughters Zion are haughty, walk with out-stretch necks and wanton eyes. Walking and mincing as they go. Rather than eyes, they look at men a bold sensitive alluring and wantonness. There's supposed be a connection with downcast eyes, a sense of bashfulness. The Danker-Lexicon has in equality of pleasing unobtrusiveness, respectful shyness, reserve and a reticence in 1 Timothy 2:9, as a synonym for reverences. Someone's reflecting a sin of reticence or reserved
or reticence is not going to be flaunting themselves with elaborates but will have the kind of adornment that reflects a humble attitude that believers are supposed to have. Now today women do the very opposite in our culture. They wear lots of mascara and eyeliner and all these things in the eyes that accentuate eyes but the word translated propriety has to do with not seeing with the eye. Its self auscultation is done in righteousness character trade. It is Yahweh that we are tiring to glorify and not ourselves. Then we have the word translated moderation. It's from 49:97.
It means the soundness of mind, self control, sobriety, in control of your impulses, right,
soundness of mind.
The words also found here in Act 26:25 says, I am not mad, most noble Festus but speak the words of truth and reason, the opposite of madness. 1 Timothy 2:15 says, nevertheless you will be saved in child bearing if they continue in the faith, love and holiness with self control, the opposite of being out of control and crazy. It's also translated discrete in this It's from this word right here 4997. It's from 4998. A sound mind saying when one sin is curbing one's desire and impulses, self controlled and temperate.
particular passage. It says the older women likewise they'd be reverent in behavior, not slam doors, not giving to much wine, teachers of good things, Titus 2:3, that they admonish the young women to love their husband to love their children to be, the exact same word, discrete. Chaste homemaker's good obedient to their own husbands, that the word of Elohim may not be blasphemed. These are the character traits of the clothing that we're wearing, interesting. The clothing we're wearing actually has character traits about it and of itself. If we were to summarize the description of what kinds of clothing is proper for women professing reverence toward Elohim. What is proper? What is modest? One minute here. Be first of all, what is proper? Feminine, humble, that's what's proper. You're clothing should be feminine and should be humble. Should reflect what's proper for you, for a woman. Modest reflected of good behavior, a sense of bashfulness, not with wanton eyes to allure,
humility rather than flaunting oneself,
well-ordered, not disheveled and not unkempt. Respectful shyness, reserve a sense of
reticence, self control. I'm in control of myself and temperate behavior,
sober mindedness, curbing carnal impulses and desires.
Discrete, reverential toward Elohim and with faith and without wrath and so these are the attributes of the kinds of clothing. First, the attitudes and then the clothing that matches that attitude must match up, right? That's what's He's talking about so looking back at our text.
It says this, skipping back a few slides.
Well, we're not there yet. Hold on just a minute.
Here we go. The women should adorn themselves in the appropriate behavior. Well-ordered with these attribute, propriety, moderation and then it says not with braided hair
or gold or pearls or costly clothing but which is proper for women professing reverence with Elohim, with good works. In other words, these things here, braid hair, gold, pearls costly clothing are the opposite of what He is describing. That was He is saying. It's the opposite of what is being described. All these attributes we see here. The very opposite of that, not with braided hair, gold, pearls and costly clothing, not with those things, that's what He is saying. I can't make it say something different for I didn't write the mail. I'm sorry, if this has offends you. I'm sorry it offends you but it's what it says.
you. Now, I'm not trying to make a legalistic list here, in a sense that there's a list to do's and don'ts and this is a complete list. There is an attitude. A fragrance, a spirit of Yahweh that's seeking to manifest itself through you and to the things that you wear and one is adornment should not really necessarily be so much on the outside as it is on the inside, right? Sure we believe it. Sure we do but what's on the inside should be matching up with what's on the outside. They're both relevant here. What is Peter saying regarding these things? He said, very much, very similar thing. He said, "In this manner and in former times, the holy women who trusted in Elohim, adorned themselves." This was their adorning, being submissive to their own husbands. That was one thing that they are adorned with, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Adon in Hebrew. Whose daughters you are if you do good and you're not afraid with any terror? Of course, He has instruction for husbands too but this is their adorning.
This is their adorning. This is the attitude. Their adorning was their attitude, right? That's what the adorning was and so you're adorning, you can have all the right clothes but your attitude stinks and doesn't really match up so they both need to be there. Not just one, not just the other but both, right? Okay. Now, some people say, "Well Tom, this is just Paul. Paul's opinions, Paul's got his ideas. He had a hang up with women anyway. Tell him to shut up and go sit in the corner and don't say anything." No, it's not Paul. Listen. Please understand. You are highly valued in the eyes of Yahweh. I'm going to talk about that in a minute but there's so much difference between what a believer is supposed to be in general, not just women but men too. One's adornment is a gentle and quite spirit according to 1 Peter 3. That look-at-me kind of attitude, look at me kind of clothing that we see today is not proper. Scripture is scripture. I didn't write the scriptures. The scripture is scripture and whether Yahweh inspired the words that come through Paul or to Moses or Isaiah, it doesn't matter. It's the inspired words of Elohim and Paul. Peter actually said, "Consider that the long suffering of our master's salvation and also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him." Yahweh gave him wisdom. It has written to you also and all His apostles speaking in them of these things and what's something's hard to understand which untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction as they to do the rest of the scriptures. Now, by saying that He is calling Paul's writings scripture, right? If I say, they killed him like the rest of the believers then the one they kill would have to be a believer. I mean, it's just in 1+1=2 and so if Peter himself,
the one that Yahweh said had things revealed to him when other people did not have things revealed to them then He called Paul's writing scripture then
what do you call Paul's writings? All scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness that the man of Elohim maybe complete thoroughly equipped for every good work. Yahushua says, "Scripture cannot be broken." It can't be broken. If scriptures written to Paul or Isaiah or whoever it is. It doesn't matter to me or it doesn't matter if Yahweh inspired the words then we need to listen to it. If you don't believe these words hold weight then just tear out the whole thing. Take Paul's letters, ripped them out of your Bible because they are any good. Once you can throw one thing in the question, once you can throw one thing out and you say that
doesn't lined up with what I believe then the whole thing is not and then you're forming your own let Yahweh define Himself and even if it means I Elohim, what you want Him to be rather than whom He have to do something a little uncomfortable or not easy to do, I still want to do it. is reveling Himself to be. If you get to pick what the scriptures are then you can play smorgasbord religion and have it your way and pick through and pick and choose what you want and form your own deity but my goal is the foundation of everything I believe is I'm going to
I'm not claiming I will perfect at it but I still want to do it. When he says this thing about the adorning and such, I think we need to listen to it. It's his word. It's really Yahweh's words to us. He just used the pen of Paul to give the message to us. Yahweh's words matter. Whether they're through the pen of Paul and what he says about adorning is not to oppress anyone. It's not to bring grief to anyone. It is so that we have an understanding of what Yahweh wants regarding our clothing and our clothing communicates. It does matter. Our clothing communicates who are about, what were about, what we're impressed with and we need to heed to those words. We don't love the world. We don't the love the things in the world. We want the love of Yahweh, our Father to be in us. That's what we want and I'm confident that's what you all want as well. Alright, what is proper clothing must communicate these things, these attributes, right? These are the attributes that Yahweh himself wants us to communicate with the clothing that were wearing. Regardless of whom we are whether you're a male or female. I don't think it really matters all that much. These are attributes. Now, we don't want to be feminine, of course. We want to be masculine but our adornments, what's on the inside and so many women cover what's on the inside by putting something on the outside and so what we see here in this list is a very different than the bold, "Oh, look at me. Look at me," kinds of clothing's styles seen by women in magazines and music videos and while the other women are wearing that kinds of clothes to get everybody's attention on themselves. Holy women will wear the kind of clothing's that reflect holiness. Holiness, that's what we want to reflect. It's holiness.
Now, inevitably somebody's going to say to me, "Tom, what about the book of Ezekiel? What about the book of Ezekiel talks about a certain things?" I understand the book of Ezekiel talks about certain things and what about this word here, braided hair, gold, pearls and costly clothing? Isn't that somehow had variance with how Yahweh decked Israel? I'm going to get to that in a minute but first let's just hear what's being said. He is saying not with the braided hair, the gold, the pearls and the costly clothing, not with those things. What do we do with these?
I guess what it says. That's all we can do with it. Really, I mean so we shouldn't be wearing those things, not with those things. This is a far cry from the modesties that we see today in braided hair. Come on. That's immodest? Wearing of gold and wearing pearls is immodest? Wearing expensive clothes is immodest? It says so. Now, I've looked in some of the manuscripts. They're not all in agreement with the word translated braided and then it says braided hair or gold and in other manuscripts have braided hair and gold which maybe a reference to putting gold into braided hair which apparently was done
in that era. I don't know but I've heard it was done but it might just be saying not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly clothing. It could be saying, let's not do these things but notice that is the immodest clothing styles of the day. This is what was considered to be not modest and hair matters. Hair arrangements are a huge thing today, hair arrangements. Isn't a woman's hair her glory? 1 Corinthians 11:15 and so certain hair arrangements, they have done a certain way to glorify yourself to say, "Oh, look how beautiful I am," can be immodest because it's not humble. It's not proper. It doesn't convey the sense of bashfulness and humility rather than flaunting yourself with respectful signees and a self control and temperance, curbing the carnal impulses and such of which include pride. Now, somebody wears a wedding ring or something, I can't find any pagan origins of wedding rings. They're wearing that to signify they're married and it's probably a good thing that people realize you're married and don't try to engage you but if it's to flaunt yourself, "Oh, look at me," or a substitute in your heart for, "Well, this will make feel good about myself." Then we have to be very careful about the hard issues. Notice that this is a small list of things that are reflections of the wrong attitude. These four things are not intended to be a legal code to follow. In other words, it's says don't wear pearls but if you got fake pearls, is that okay? If you have a fake gold, is that okay? Or suppose you don't have braided hair but you have fancied up your hair in some other way, will that be alright? Remember when I was a little boy, I read the story, Poky Little Puppy and mama says don't go over the fence or go under the fence. "Okay, Mom." He didn't go out in the fence, he went through the fence and he thought he can get away with that. I think sometimes people were like the Pokey, little puppy. They're looking for something they can get away with rather than trying to follow the principles that are there. We're trying to get away with things and we're missing the heart of it. What Paul is addressing here is a kind of thing believers are wanted to communicate when one has a meek and quiet spirit, curbing their impulses and professing reverence, wearing these adornments are not fitting. It doesn't match up. It's like a man who says, "Oh, I'm not trying to glorify myself." But then he walks around in some kind of neon sign and saying, "Beep, beep, look at me. Look at me." What we're communicating with our clothing and our adornments were supposed to be communicating righteous attributes, right? Good works, clothing choices reflecting Biblical femininity, not worldly feminism, certainly not masculinism in women's clothing but Biblical femininity. That's what we want to communicate. That's very important. Again, even Paul didn't write the mail here. Yahweh wrote the mail through Paul. Now Paul said is not without precedent. We read it earlier where he said. Isaiah 3:16, because the daughters of Zion are haughty and he's going to talk about why they're so haughty, he's got all these jingling anklets and scarves and crescents and all these things going on and pendants and bracelets and veils and head dresses and leg ornaments and head bands and perfume boxes. This is not just one woman wearing all this at one time. I mean this is different things people are wearing. Those jewels and rings and vestal apparel and mails and all these things with the haughty clothes styles, arrogant, prideful things that they were wearing and they were so proud of the way they look and so he says, "Well, I'm going to humble you." He said, "Well, set here. I'm going to give boldness instead of rich robe but wearing a sack cloth and you're going to be branded instead of having beauty." He did not like their haughtiness and their arrogance. They were communicating but the kind of clothes they wear with haughtiness and pride and Yahweh speaks of how the daughters of Zion were prideful. Now, how do we reconcile all of this with the statements in the book of Ezekiel where it says again, the word of Yahweh came to me and saying some of men cause Jerusalem to know were abominations. Thus says the Master Yahweh to Jerusalem, "Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite and your mother, a Hittite. As for you nativity, on the day that you were born, your navel's cord was not cut, nor were you washed in the waters that cleanse you. You were not rubbed with salt, nor wrap in swaddling clothes." He's talking about a city, Jerusalem and of course
the inhabitants of the city who were committing abominations. He said nobody cared for them, nobody love them.
They were forsaken. He said, "No, I pitied you nor to do any of these things for you to have compassion on you but you are thrown out into the open field when you, yourselves were loved on the day you were born and when I passed by you, I saw you struggling in your own blood. I said to you, 'in your blood, live'. Yes, I said to you, 'in your blood, live'. I made you thrive like a plant in the field and you grew, mature to became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed. Your hair grew but you were naked and bare. When I passed by you again I look upon you. Indeed your time was a time of love so I spread my wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore and oath to you and entered a covenant with you and you became mine," says the Master Yahweh, "Then I washed you in water. Yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood. I anointed you with oil. I clothe you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals and badge with skin. I clothe with fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrist and a chain on your neck. I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears and beautiful crown on your head. Lest you were adorned with gold and silver and your clothing was of fine linens, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey and oil. You're exceeding beautiful and succeeded to royalty. Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty. For it was perfect though my splendor which I had bestowed, through my splendor which I had bestowed upon you," says the Master Yahweh, "But you trusted in your beauty, your own beauty and played the harlot because of your fame and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it. You took some of your garments and adorned the high places for yourself and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen or be. You have also taken your beautiful jewelry from my gold and my silver which I had given you and made for yourself male images and played the harlot with them. You took your embroidered garments and covered them and you set my oil and my incense before them. Also, my food which I gave you, pastry of fine flour, oil and honey which I fed to you, you set it before them as incense so it was," says their Master Yahweh. "Wherever you took your sons and you daughters whom you bore to me and these, you sacrifice to them to be devoured. Were acts of harlotry a small matter? That you have slain my children and offer them up by casting them the past of the fire and in all your abominations and acts of harlotry, you did not remember the days of youth when you were naked and bare, struggling in your own blood.
Then it was so after all your wickedness, woe, woe to you," says the Master Yahweh, that you built yourself, also as trying and made you a high for yourself in every street. He goes on to tell them all these things that they were doing which were abominations to Him. He hated them. Now, someone conclude, as long as one doesn't trust
in their own beauty and commit the abominations to Yahweh and sit there with the things He's given, you'll be okay to be all decked out in these things. Now, please understand. If Yahweh Himself put these things on you, He reached down from heaven and He got some jewelry and He clothe in jewelry, if He did Himself, I wouldn't have a problem with that but when you put it on yourself, that's not quite the same thing. One is an instance of Yahweh glorifying you and the other is an instance of you glorifying yourself. Yahushua said, "Behold, I'm coming quickly. Hold fast to which you have that no one may take your crown." He is one day going to give us a crown. He is going to glorify us one day and we will be glorified by Yahweh Himself but for now, we're called to humility. To humble ourselves in the sight of Yahweh and He will lift us up.
Let Yahweh be the one to lift you up. Don't lift up yourself. Humble yourself in His sight.
There's another point I want to bring up as well. There are differences between what Yahweh was doing prior to the Messiah coming and dying for our sins and after the time that He came. There's a differences. People were not baptizing Yahushua's name before the Messiah came, right? They weren't partaking in the body and blood of Messiah through the grape juice and the bread, were they? If Yahweh wants to introduce a new commandment through to His aspired word, that's perfectly up to Him but even so there is a difference. Actually a number of differences and the reason why there are differences because Yahweh's plan and what He is trying to accomplish is two different things at two different times. We need to understand Yahweh's plan and understand the times. Yahweh's plan up until the Messiah, the king came was that He wanted to establish a kingdom in this world through various kings and have a succession of kings and, or judges and so through David, through Solomon and when these men were alive, there was much glory to be brought to Yahweh because of Yahweh's nation that He established on the earth through the Exodus events and that's fine but what about right now? What did Yahushua say? He said, "My kingdom is not of this world. My kingdom is not of this world." Now, when Yahweh was working through David and Solomon, the kingdom was of this world. It was what He was trying to accomplish at that moment but because of the failure of the kings and the failure of the people, He sent Yahushua to be the king and they rejected Him. "If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now my kingdom is not from here." Is your kingdom of this world? Is your kingdom from here? No, not if Yahushua is your king and so our focal point now is not on the present day kingdom with these riches. Its interests, rather we are looking up toward the heaven ways and toward the future. A kingdom under which Messiah will reign, the Messiah will reign and so there are some differences in what Yahweh is trying to bring now. He is trying to pull people out of this world and focus on the heavenly kingdom and a heavenly king that will endure forever. He reigns. He says were seated in heaven. Where is our focus? Where are affections? Where are interests supposed to be, toward the earthly things or toward the heavenly things? Colossians 3:1 says, "Then you're raised with Messiah seek those things which are above, where Messiah is sitting at the right-hand of Elohim. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died and your life is hidden with Messiah and Elohim." You died. At the time when Yahweh has established His kingdom on the earth with David and Solomon, they're wearing gold and costly apparels. It was fine. Yahushua spoke of calls, someone being in reign and glory and they glorified Yahweh and His kingdom that He was trying to establish at that time. It would so forth the blessing of a nation that shows Yahweh to be their king. A monarchy, not a republic, not a democracy, a monarchy where Yahweh alone was king but now we see the wearing of gold and costly apparels signifies a this world focus, a this world mindset rather than Messiah and so our focal point, the things that we're looking to is futuristic and heavenly and so our clothing that we wear reflects the thing that Yahweh is doing right now in this world. He is calling to people out of the world and the focus on the earthly things and our clothing needs to reflect that message. Come out of the world, this is not where it sat. This is all temporary. All the glory of this age, it's all temporary.
It's all temporary.
Where is our focus? It's on the heavenly things where Messiah is
raised or on the earth. That's what He's teaching. Yes. I did adorned you with bracelets on your wrist and put a chain on your neck but now, wear what's appropriate and modest and with braided hair, gold or pearls or costly clothing.
Do we see a difference? Yahweh is adorning us versus we're adorning ourselves. It doesn't mean Yahweh changes. It doesn't mean He changes His standards but if you think Yahweh's adorning you with it, you got to understand Yahweh's plan. Now is not the time for glorification.
Now is the time for humility and calling other humanity and other humanity humility. You got to get with His plan. Now is not the time for focus on the earthly possessions. Now is the time to build up treasures and strove treasure in the age to come and the clothing that we wear is indicative of where our focus really is. Are we really about our father's business? Are we pretty much interested in what the world is doing right now? In the business of the world, where is our focus? Our clothing should reflect that focus on the heavenly things. Look what happened. When ancient is, we were so beautifully dressed. He came to trust in it. Think about it. Focus on it. Believe in it. They turned away from Yahweh, who gave it. That's why Yahushua said to His disciples, "Surely I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I say to you, it's easier for a king when he go to the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of Elohim. How hard it is. Because of all the worldliness that's there, choking out the word and deceitfulness of riches. A this world mindset is dangerous. We have some important lessons for us. Yahweh did seek to establish all His kingdom on the earth but He knew it wouldn't work but He had to give us His child. Now, we have a righteous king and our clothing choice is to reflect the holy mindset as not impress with the world and their riches and the glory. Our clothing choice is to reflect, we're not of this world. We now seek to glorify Elohim and ourselves. Do you not know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you, whom you have from Elohim and you are not your own? You think you're your own but you're not. You're a body of the Christ. Therefore glorify all Him in your body and in your spirit which are Elohim's. Don't even belong to yourself. You don't have to act like you are. You're flaunting yourself. You didn't make yourself. You didn't create yourself. Your body is not your own and what are you doing with it? What are you doing with Yahweh's body?
Glorify Him and advancing the kingdom will make you a rich one. Glorify Him in your body and your spirit, both of which belong to Him. That means we're going to have to look different than the world I think. You may have to act different, talk different, look different, communicate different,
right? Don't be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable on perfect will of Elohim. You can't even figure out His will is, if you're conformed to this world. You don't even know what's good and acceptable and perfect will until you are willing to be transformed by the renewing of your mind rather than being conformed to this world. You can't even understand His will. Whatever you do, either drink or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of Elohim and so the point of everything is to not glorify ourselves but glorify our Father who made us. When you put your clothes on in the morning, ask yourself who you are wanting to glorify. Are you wanting to stand in the way of His glory? Are you putting on something in morning saying, "Oh, this makes me feel good." ? Why does it make you feel good? Is it because you don't have a sense of worth unless you wear certain kinds of clothing and present yourself in a certain way? I think I'm touching on something here.
Can you feel good about yourself and who you are in Messiah even if you don't wear that particular kind of clothing? Can you feel good about yourself even if you were wearing something more plain and unassuming?
Many women today do struggle with that very thing and they have their entire identity wrapped up in their appearance, how their face looks, how their body looks, the kind of clothing choice that they've made and I understand it because those things are what the world values and from the time that women are little girls, they are praised for their beauty. They're valued by other boys in school or in their community, by their appearance. The level of attention that they get is often connected to how pleasing they look to the eye. It's natural that one would have a tendency, that's very sad to me because the reality is how we look has nothing to do with our worth, nothing, nothing whatsoever. Yahweh is the one who made you and He gets to determine what your worth is and your value is, not man.
A woman's worth is not based on the pleasure she gives men with her physical appearance. That is a damnable idea. The truth is women did not create themselves. Why then would they glorify themselves by their appearance? We should not debase women to such a ridiculous standard to determine their worth based on how they look. Every single woman on the earth has equal value and worth in the eyes of our creator, regardless of what they look like. I agree with Yahweh. How about you? Ladies, do you agree with Yahweh?
You don't have to alter your body or your face to increase your value, your worth. Every woman is beautifully, fearfully and wonderfully made. Every baby coming from the womb is a beautiful and precious miracle.
Time and age never changes that. Yahweh doesn't look at the outward appearance. He looks at the heart. When He sees a woman's heart, He sees a heart worth healing. He sees a heart worth cleansing.
When He sees your soul, He sees the soul worth saving. He sees someone He wants to spend the eternity with. Every woman He created is a woman worthy of being loved, valued, and cherished. My savior who died for each and every one of you, ladies prove that. Don't let any man commits to you otherwise simply because you don't possess certain physical attributes. That's ridiculous. Men does not decide your worth or your value. Yahweh does and He spoke. He has spoken the word.
But many women are carrying around the load of pain because of the rejection they face as the result of physical appearance and they feel like they got to look a certain way to fit in.
They're body don't look a certain way or they're face doesn't look a certain way and they're frustrated. Because the pressure that man have put on them and rather than every woman being value because she's a woman created in the image of Elohim as a gift to us man, no. Only certain women, with certain body types and certain weights and heights and shapes are valued. While the others are left behind, striving to fit in, striving to achieve equal status and acceptance, that's the world for you. Nearly all supermodels are unhappy with their appearance? They're nose is maybe too long or too small or lips are too smaller. Chest isn't the right size. Their eyes are too narrow with face too wide. It's insane and yet, they're supermodels. Who gets to decide that anyway? I mean, different cultures have different values. Marilyn Monroe, a terribly immoral woman, men were lusting after in the 1960's. She's glorified today because of that. Well, should be considered overweight by today's standards. I say this to you ladies, I apologize to you on behalf of all of us man. I apologize. I am very sorry. We have put so much pressure on you, to look a certain way and we did not value you like Yahweh values you. I'm very sorry that we men have mistreated you. Ignored you, belittled you because of what you look like.
I also want to apologize on behalf of all of us, men, for those of you who we glorified because of what we determined was the ideal appearance. We laid a stumbling block before you, to pride.
We're supposed to lead you in righteousness but instead we tempted you to become prideful and haughty. We're supposed to appoint you to Yahweh instead we directed you to stare at the mirror and assured you, you had value because you are beautiful in our own eyes. We men have failed all of you miserably. In behalf of all Yahweh fearing men, I ask for your forgiveness and humility and sincerity. I have to say is not all on the men though.
I mean women can look in the mirror and become prideful about their own beauty without any male intervention and I get it. Women like pretty flowers, cute bunnies and you like the way a beautiful thing looks and I mean, we all like lovely things and that's okay. We're built to enjoy beautiful and lovely things, a lovely sunset, a beautiful mountain, fall colors and green grass. Truth to be told, all women are beautiful.
There's a tendency though to want to adorn yourself with beautiful things on top of it but you don't need to add anything to yourself to be beautiful. If you don't see yourself as beautiful, you don't need to compensate by adding things that 1 Timothy speaks against to make yourself beautiful. You're already lovely and beautiful because Yahweh does not make junk.
We've all heard and said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." To one person something is lovely to another it's not lovely. But in Yahweh's eyes you're already lovely. He's the one who made you that way. He made you unique. He didn't make you like the others. You are an individual. For whom Yahweh has a purpose and a plan, it's important that you get connected to that purpose and plan rather than getting caught up in your appearance and letting the acceptance or rejection of man be your guide. You need to be in touch with Him and everything I've shared today is not going to reach your heart unless you have that good relationship with your Heavenly Father. If your relationship with Yahweh, your Heavenly Father is not where it needs to be, you struggle with your identity in Him for not really putting Him first in your life or if you are in your heart, more impress by the world than you are with the word. What I say to you in this study made you seem oppressive. We may love Yahweh with all your heart but you been hurt and found some relief from the pain to the attention you get through your appearance. What I say to you may seem oppressive or hurtful. Maybe you grew up in a home where positive attention was missing and when people give you all kinds of positive attention because of your outward appearance, you ate about like a starving person having his first meal after weeks of hunger. I want to encourage you. Get better acquainted with the creator of the universe. You don't have to look at a certain way to impress Him. You don't have to do anything actually to obtain worth and value to Him. You just have to exist because while we were yet sinners, Yahushua would die for you. As the opinion of you will not change as you get more wrinkles, when your bodies starts to sagged or if your eyes or face don't look young anymore. He created you just like He wanted you to be and so if you're hurt from the rejection of men, I want you to know it's not my intent to hurt you further or to hang a yolk around your neck. It's not my intent to do that. It is my intent to examine the scriptures regarding the kind of clothing that gives honor to our Heavenly Father, to the kind of clothing that builds the kingdom.
The scripture that talks about costly, you're not to wear costly clothing.
Women adorned themselves with the propriety and moderation, not with costly clothing. There is a different kind of costliness that Yahweh values and this is what I've like to see you get in touch with. Do not let your adornment be merely outward. Actually the word merely is not even there. He just says, "Don't let it be outward." Merely is in Italics. Don't let your adornment be outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold or putting fine apparel. Rather let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quite spirit which is very precious in the sight of Elohim. The word translated very precious is the same word translated costly. Yahweh wants you to wear costly clothing but that costly clothing is the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is very precious in His eyes. Know this. You are the body of Christ.
Know that Yahweh, He is the one who made you and not we ourselves. He loves you and He desires you to glorify Him
and not yourself. I have much more to say on this topic of modesty and
I encourage you to let it be the hidden person of the heart, not the outward that is your adornment,
meekness, quietness, loveliness, all the good attributes of femininity. Let's pray.
Father Yahweh, thank you for your love toward us. Thank you for your valuing us no matter what. Thank you for loving us, for leading us, for
directing us in righteousness and holiness and the truth. Yahweh, we ask for your forgiveness if we have sought to glorify ourselves, whether men or women. I pray you would direct me as I start to share next week about the kind of clothing that men should wear and the dangerous of provoking lust with the things that we wear. I prayed that you have prepared the hearts to receive it. I pray that any hearts that had been convicted in today's study would make the necessary changes. I pray, Father Yahweh that we will glorify you in everything that we do, in word or in the deed that you, Father Yahweh would be glorified. For truly there was none like You, the Elohim of all, the king of all kings, the master of all masters. We humble ourselves before you. That the day will come and You will place the crown of life upon our foreheads and then we will ones, once that is done, cast down and before You and declare that You alone, belongs all glory and all praise, through and by your Son, Yahushua, Hamashiach ,we pray. For truly Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory and majesty forever and ever. In Yahushua's name, Amen.