Modesty and Dress – Part 5
12/10/16 (10/10) Video Broadcast
All right, we are ready to
begin our fifth and final
segment on the topic
of "Modesty and Dress".
Modesty and
dress part five.
If you have missed the
first four segments; some
of the things I share with
you today, may not seem so
persuasive as you are in
the middle of a long and
lengthy and
in-depth study.
I did not know it was
going to take five parts
for me to go through
everything but as I began
to look at the topic I
figured, let's cover it
all.
We're gonna cover
everything and leave no
stone unturned,
Yahweh willing.
Maybe there is some stones
I missed here and there.
But when it comes to a
complete study on modesty,
a complete examination in
dress styles Yahweh would
want us to be wearing.
I thought we would
just cover everything.
And so here we are,
trying to do just that.
and I should warn you that
some of today's subject
matter may not be
appropriate for young
children.
I do my best to keep
everything G-rated, but
some things that
need to be discussed.
And even though some
scripture is actually
quoted that it doesn't
seem very G rated when you
actually read the
scriptures may not be
suitable for audiences.
It's up to you and your
discretion with your
children.
So be aware of that.
I do believe there is a
need to comment on the
specific styles of
clothing that we have
available to us in
the world today.
I will not be showing you
pictures of immodest males
or females so don't
worry about that.
I will show the clothing
in and of itself and by
itself without any
human beings wearing it.
But other than that, no.
So, what is our
responsibilities regarding
clothing choices?
What is each of us
individually...? We
discussed in a previous
segment the standard of
modesty Yahweh himself
established in the book of
Genesis.
And based on that example
and scripture it's pretty
clear, that the bare bones
thing that we need to make
sure that we are not doing
is going around naked.
The problem is what's
naked to one is not naked
to another, you know what I mean. What nakedness means to one culture may not mean that in a difference culture. And so, we have to try to figure out what Yahweh's standard of where he is at. I mean, nakedness in our culture means a man can go with no shirt on. A woman her nipples on her chest and her private parts, reproductive parts. And a man should cover his reproductive parts. But other than that everything is you know, fair game free to go. Especially when it comes people going to swimming areas. The cultures of remote areas of Africa and South America, women walk around shirtless and some parts of Europe it's gotten more like that. Some believe that when women allowed to display their chest it actually reduces the problem of lust because it's so commonly seen. And maybe you can say the same thing if women walked around with their rear ends showing all the time. But is that the solution? I mean; is that how we solve the problem? Obviously, cold weather is gonna put a damper on that idea. And spring time comes we're gonna have the problem again. But you know we've already established; Yahweh has willed it. That we cover our nakedness. It says Leviticus20 verse 17 when a man takes his sister, his father's daughter or his father's mother... What does it say?
It says he sees her nakedness, she sees his nakedness. He sees her nakedness, she sees his nakedness, it is It's a wicked thing. Right? a wicked thing.
And so we're gonna believe that that to be true. So, how can you walk around shirtless and not expose your nakedness to your sister, to your brother. And then when Noah became uncovered in his tent and Ham willingly viewed his father's nakedness. It was considered to be a wicked thing, even to the point of Noah cursing Canaan. "I curse Canaan", Ham's son. And of cause, we know Yahweh himself chose to clothe Adam and Eve with the skins of animals. Now, at first, they tried to cover themselves with the fig leaves as the eyes of both of them were opened. They knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Made themselves coverings. Now, we should agree I hope that it's not will for us to walk naked okay. Hopefully, you read that. Well, even though they had the fig leaf thing here going on, they was still a problem. Now fig leaves are pretty big as you can see here compared to a person's hand. They are not small.
And yet this was not enough. It says the word translated covered in Genesis 3:7. They said fig leaves for their coverings is the Hebrew word, "chagwor". It's translated girdle, belt, loin covering, loin cloth, armour. We see the different ways to this translated. A Wikipedia article says that "the earliest and most basic covering was the 'ezor' or 'chagor', an apron around the hips or loins, those in primitive times was made from the skins of animals. It was simple pieces of cloth worn in various modifications but, but always worn next to the skin. Priests wore an 'ezor' of linen, it actually means garment. Linen called an 'ephodh'. If worn for mourning, it was called a 'sak'. When garments were held together by a belt or girdle, the cloth was called an 'ezor' or hagor'. So that's the article on Wikipedia, I kind of looked at that as pretty much right. I think except the ezor would be a garment and when its hagor but the chagwor would be talking about a loincloth of some type. So the loin clothing obviously only covers the reproductive parts; a man's rear, a woman's rear and it's pretty skimpy, to say the least. And in spite of their efforts, they knew even though they had the fig leaf covering, they were still naked. It says in Genesis 3:8 they heard the sound of Yahweh Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves. Why are they hiding themselves? Why are they hiding? From the presence of Yahweh Elohim among the trees of the garden. Then Yahweh called to Adam and said to him, "where are you?" and he said? I" I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid I was naked." Even though they had the loincloth or the fig leaves sewn together, he said he is still naked.
So if that's the case, that's not sufficient what he is wearing, it's not sufficient clothing. And so he hid himself because of his nakedness. So it does not adequately cover things. Now, the modern equivalent may actually, might be a pair of underwear. You know fig leaves are not exactly form fitting, so you might say more like a pair of short shorts perhaps. This would be maybe this right here; the boxers would be the modern equivalent of the girdle or loin covering. How long it is? I'm not really sure, but that would be modern equivalent of what they were wearing officially, initially I should say in the garden of Eden and it was the fig leaves. And it was not enough; Adam still said I was naked. Even though he had this on, it wasn't enough. So, the area covered by a pair of shorts is not sufficient. Now, when Yahweh had the choice as to how much of the body should be covered; he decided he would solve the problem. And so he invented a garment, it was his own invention; he came up with the idea. In Genesis chapter 3 verse 21 it says also for Adam and his wife Yahweh Elohim made tunics of skin and clothed them. Tunics of skin. So, they had the tunics now and to that very moment, such a garment had never been invented. The idea never came because there was no need for garments those days, right? They didn't have any need for clothing so Yahweh invented this particular garment called a tunic in Hebrew it's a" kethoneth". In Hebrew. A long shirt like garment usually linen it says. And so the kethoneth was a garment invented by Yahweh himself. Basically like a long short, a garment that hangs off the shoulders. Probably the most embarrassing part for Adam and Eve was their reproductive parts and they just had the fig leaves, so they did whatever they could. But Yahweh invented a tunic; he came up with the idea. And so the tunic came off the shoulders and hung down. How far down is you know a question? We know the priests made tunics, Exodus 29:5 then you shall take the garments and put the tunic on Aaron and the robe of the ephod, the ephod, the breastplate, and a girdle with the intricately woven band of the ephod. So they had the tunic on there. lots of people had tunics. The tunic that Joseph wore was a coat of many colors or a tunic of many colors. In Genesis 37 in verse 3, "he made him a tunic of many colors". The king's daughters in 2 Samuel 13: 18 says talking about Tamar, she had a robe of many colors, for the king's virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out, And we know the rest of that story, very sad. But this is talking about David's daughter here and he deemed acceptable as far as modesty was a concern to have the tunic. Yahweh considered the tunic to be a sufficient covering for person nakedness. But then again the next question is; how long should that long shirt or you know we could say dress on a female this happens to be different in length and different style. But how long does it need to be? that's the question, you know. And we kind of throw our hands up because they didn't have cameras back then. You know wouldn't it be nice if we could just go back and take a picture of what they were wearing. That would be really nice for us to be able to figure out what the tunic was and how long it was and get some idea of what Israel was wearing.
You know because some people might say, "well, you know it hung down to the thighs" or the others say knees, the others say maybe the calf or somewhere. But can anybody really know? We didn't have cameras back then. Well, they didn't have cameras. But I'll tell you something they did have; artwork. a different kind of artwork. So, I wanna show you some artwork and this artwork is actually artwork of Israelite people. This artwork here, this is the Israelites from the place known as Lachish and its dated the 7th Century BCE. Pretty old. This is from Sennacherib's time where he attacked Israel and carried them off, Judah I should say. Hezekiah was the king during that time. Hezekiah was a righteous king. it says here in 2 Chronicles 32 verse 9 after this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish, to Hezekiah king of Judah. Knowing what they looked like as they were walking back and being carried off as slaves presumably. They are all here playing their harps and like the foreigners like to do. And you see the length here of their tunic and you see if you do a little zoom in here; how long it is going down to at least mid-calf or longer. And then the shoulder we have sleeves here going about halfway down the arm, so that's what the tunic looked like. Now this will make sense if the upper part of the body was considered to be nakedness. The torso, the area below the collarbone and down to the waist area even to the thighs that would make sense that they would have these long sleeves. So that when they raise their arms up the inside their torso was not visible. Now, the question is; how long and why were they going down this far? what was the point here? Did you know that scripture actually says that for a person's thigh to be uncovered is nakedness? In the Torah The Law of Yahweh, Yahweh is discussing the clothing of the high priest. The clothing of a high priest included the tunic and a robe outside that and then it was trousers underneath all those. and so in that comment about the trousers, we find a very interesting statement by Yahweh Elohim. It says in Exodus 28:42 you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their nakedness; they shall reach from the waist to the thighs. From the waist to the thighs. So the area from the waist to the thighs needed to be covered. Now what he is trying to do in covering nakedness here is cover this area. as word translated nakedness is actually two Hebrew words. The first one is 01320 and then 06172. 01320 is talking about flesh, okay, this the basic word for flesh translated flesh 256 times, out of you know the vast majority of them. The second one is nakedness translated nakedness 50 times "ervah". So, we have two words, we have; "basar" and "ervah".
Now, Hebrew adds prefixes and suffixes to communicate different things. There is feminine, masculine and all kind of things added to these words. So when you go into the Hebrew and actually dig into it the question becomes; when it says waist to the thighs is it saying that the thighs need to be covered or is it saying it just needs to cover the waist and when it reaches the thighs there it stops it doesn't have to include the thighs as something that would be covered, like a very short pair of shorts? hat would not really cover the thighs but would reach to the thighs and that'd be the determination point. hope you understand what I'm saying. But examining the actual Hebrew here, this is the Hebrew talking about nakedness, okay. The "mi" right here means, "from". And then we have the Hebrew word for the waist, Hebrew word for "and". From waist and ... And then "aad" is a key word here, meaning "as far as". An example where this "waarv" and the word "aad", "waad" was used together is Genesis 13:3, he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel. As far as Bethel, so as far as is what we're talking about here, okay. Now when we're using the word, "aad" in Hebrew, translate "as far as "or "to" we have to ask ourselves; whether it's inclusive of Bethel or he got to the border of Bethel, he did not enter Bethel and he stopped. We're talking about special reference here; we're using the word "aad" for a special reference. Obviously, when Abraham took his journey he included Bethel as a place that he went to. Like he didn't get to the city limits, not city limits but the area of bethel. And he got there and he stopped, he never entered Bethel, right? Okay. So, we're talking, they said trousers; when it gets to the point of the thighs, it doesn't go to the thighs and then stop and not go in and include the thighs. It's going to cover both the thighs and the waist, just in the same way his journey covered the place where he went in the South and Bethel. So, that's inclusive, not exclusive of the thighs, just as Bethel is inclusive, not exclusive of his journey. I hope we understand what we're talking here. so, when I really steer down and I really study and I really examine the Hebrew; what "aad" means up to and including that point of destination. so, in light of the scripture; when it says in
Genesis and they shall reach from the waist to the thighs, this as far as the thighs, which should be a correct translation. As far as the thighs and so would be inclusive of the thighs in the same way Bethel would be inclusive of the places that Abraham journey, okay. So thighs are considered to be what scripture calls "naked flesh. naked flesh, and that's the naked flesh. So that definitely an area of nudity in the eyes of Yahweh. He expected the high priest to wear trouser to cover that nakedness. hope we understand what we're talking about; this is a very important point because it flies in the face of what a lot of people believe today. And so we're looking at the short styles on both This is a man in shorts here, but I don't believe this is modest, I don't believe is going to cover men and women talking. the thighs and this might cover the thighs. However, when you sit down it's probably going to expose the thighs, it depends on how long your legs are or whatever. So, examining the Hebrew and trying to make a determination of where nakedness is, in the eyes of Yahweh the effort to not rely upon the clothing styles of the world to determine what's nakedness and what's not nakedness. Instead, we're relying on scripture to tell us hat's considered to be naked in the eyes of Yahweh? I know this flies in the face of our culture today but thigh exposure, actually when you look at a list about lust; it's one on the major problems. But look here at Isaiah 47 Verse 1 through 3 it says come and sit down in the dust, Oh virgin daughter of Babylon. Sit down sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of Chaldeans. For you shall no more be called Tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, take off your skirt, uncover the thigh, pass through the waters. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, yes, your shame, not just nakedness that's like removing the outer garment but a nakedness that causes shame will be seen this is an act of judgment on the nation. So, now the word skirt here, actually just means "to flow". It doesn't necessarily mean skirt, some kind of flowing garment. But it's talking about a nakedness that would be uncovered, particularly the thigh and particularly something that Yahweh said would cause shame.
So for a person to have their thighs uncovered is considered to be something that Yahweh intended and instilled in Adam as something that would cause shame. In our culture, I'm sad to say that most of the time it doesn't. That's not because it shouldn't. If you raise a baby from the time they are little to walk around and their rear end showing, then probably most culture if they have their rear end showing then wouldn't think anything it. They would realize its nakedness because of how we are raised. It doesn't mean it isn't nakedness. So uncovering a thigh while its normal in our culture e to wear a pair of shorts especially for men, it goes against what Yahweh is trying to accomplish in Genesis 3. We cannot go by our culture to determine modesty standards, it's not reliable. Because just like the women in remote areas of South Africa who would go shirtless and didn't realize they are naked, we also don't realize we're naked. We may think shorts are perfectly modest but in the eyes of Yahweh, they are not. We need to look to the scriptures for the standards of modesty and to me, scriptures look pretty clear. Thighs should be covered. So, in determining how long a dress would need to be or a tunic would need to be, we see here the Lachish relief going to down to mid-calf and this is assuming that has nothing on underneath their clothing, okay. The length was about mid calf or so. This was men; this was men's garments here. so, now why mid-calf? Well, the first thing that happens when a person sits down is what/ The tunic lifts, it goes higher, right? It grazes up, that's what happens. So a shirt, if love got a long shirt and you sit down, it lifts up. and what happens when you sit down; women wearing a dress only reaches the knees inevitably their thighs become exposed when they sit.
Now, the truth is when you expose the thighs particularly if you're wearing a dress with nothing on underwear or underneath you're going to expose a whole lot more than that. If the kneecap is not covered and that's why women are always you know, sitting with their legs crossed and trying to fight to keep their legs together. Because they don't want to expose their underwear. and so when we look at how things you know have to be in order to keep the thigh from being exposed, it would seem to me an adequate length for a dress would be about mid-calf. Assuming there is no you know pants or anything underneath and we also see the archaeological evidence of that. Now when Yahweh gave Adam and Eve the tunic, we certainly see the Israelite tunic that hung off the shoulders and this would ensure that the
chest area, the torso area, the stomach area would be covered. and you see it goes down here to about midway down the arm between the elbow and the shoulder, about close to halfway point. Maybe slightly longer tan that. So the sleeve length here looking at it helps to ensure that the hands are raised, depending on how the shirt is cut, how close its cut to the armpit. That the torso is not exposed inside. so here they have the adequate length on the arms, they have the area of the chest being covered, adequate covering down to about mid calf or a little bit longer to ensure complete modesty. so the garment actually makes a whole lot of sense, I mean a long shirt. and since Yahweh gave both Adam and Eve the same garment, the tunic, and we see that men are wearing tunics that fully ensure the chest is covered, it seems to me the chest area should be covered with both men and women. Both not just women but men also. In fact in the modesty survey that we did, we found that seven out of ten men are struggling with lust, one out five women are struggling with lust when they see immodest clothing. But I want to take it a step further and say okay what's immodest to you? what kind of clothing styles provoke lust in you? and so I asked that question of those of you who were struggling with the lust issue. Which clothing styles, are causing the most problems? Okay. so, here is the results if the survey. Number one was "sweatpants, shorts, and pants that show the form of a male's reproductive parts". That was the number one thing. and tied for that number one spot was "shirtless males". Men without shirts on. So, I think the standard of modesty need to be for both men and women. I'm not one to say, "oh only the women need to be modest, men can walk around however they want to". I disagree with that strongly, both men and women need to cover their nakedness. I don't believe that men should be walking around with bare chests any more than women should. and we see that when Yahweh gave Adam and Eve clothing he didn't make a different set of areas to cover for women, it was the same. And so when you're looking at you know modern clothing styles; how do you adapt the principles here for modesty into modern clothing styles that we have? Certainly, the modern practice of wearing shorts would fail to cover the thighs. The midriff on a woman would being uncovered, midriff is belly area, being a very popular thing nowadays. You know as very short shorts, lift arms up and it exposes the belly. Both men and women need to be sure that their shirts do not do that, do not uncover the belly, the torso are. That area is probably the most commonly exposed when a person raises their arms. so we have to be sensitive to that as well when we're choosing what to wear in modern clothing styles. Now the modern clothing styles present major problems when it comes to modesty because the clothing manufacturer knows what sells. And immodest clothing sells. 1800's most women pretty much wore pretty modest outfits. but when they wanted to go swimming it produced a bit of a problem; that they want to be able to maintain their modesty because of the heavy clothing and stuff going into the water they could drown, they've got to swim very well and so they had to be careful. So, it set things up so that women would wear okay a little less clothing, but they had to be in a private area with other women and not with other men. well, certain they liked the ease of wearing less clothing and start to wear less and less clothing in public. And then mixed bathing came, you know swimming. Mixed swimming was a shocking idea at first, but eventually, the move was to allow it more and more until segregated swimming was a thing of the past. And Hollywood comes in as always is happening in normalizing immodest clothing styles and the lifestyles of the morally corrupt, infecting the rest of America ultimately. Much of the world because a lot of American television is out there on foreign states and we go to other countries and there is a lot of American T.V going on there. And so the swimming outfits ultimately is what started the whole mess, immodest clothing styles, the excuse came while you know, " you can't swim in the bigger you know larger clothes, and so yeah, you have to wear something less " And when of cause you know when mixed bathing happened and men kind of liked it. They didn't oppose it. They didn't mind seeing more of women's body parts. So once a person got over the embarrassment of undressing themselves in public and then saw the positive attention they were getting from men, they began to glory in that which Yahweh intended to be shameful. Philippians chapter 3 verse 18 says for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross or star rose of Messiah. whose end is destruction, whose Elohim is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the savior, the Master Yahushua messiah. who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able to subdue all things himself. So this glorious body will replace this body that has shame attached to it when unclothed So we don't want to set our minds on earthly things. and that goes for the clothing that we wear as wear. Historically those who have less clothing were the poorest people in the society. They were considered to be naked and in need of financial assistance because they were shamed. But now in what Yahweh intended to instill in Adam a sense of shame has become people's glory. And swimming outfits are the perfect example of that. And the same mentality affected other clothing styles worn at other times, in another context. I know we have a brother here locally who is a believing brother. He took his family swimming to a lake, here in Missouri a few years ago. His family just wore the same clothes as they normally wore, a little bit lighter in weight. But they did not undress for the sake of making it easier to swim. And so young woman wearing a typical women's swimsuit, bikini approached him and said, "can I ask you a question, why are you all swimming in your regular clothes?" and she apparently thought it was silly. His reply was epic, He said: "well, let me ask
you a question; why is everybody else out here in their bra and underwear?" . And she says, "Oh, okay I get it". you know, but his simple reply made the point. We're not the ones doing something contradictory and strange, it's the rest of the world that's doing it. I mean because the same woman who would be embarrassed if you saw her in her underwear and bra in public, will wear the same thing or less when going swimming and it doesn't make any sense. The material may be a little different maybe even lighter in weight, but that's really the only difference. And so when people go swimming all of a sudden their mentality switches. All bets are off, it doesn't matter you can wear what's the equivalent of a bra and underwear out here. And so I don't believe Yahweh is changing his standards based on the location you happen to be standing in the earth. Whether you are near water or not. I think we have to be careful with swimming. I mean if a woman or girl went swimming needs to wear light weight, not something super heavy. I even heard of a situation where a woman jumped in the water and a little girl just you know, the dress went up over her head and then she couldn't swim very easily. So be careful when you jump in the water, hold your dress, hold your skirt. Make sure its light weight, that's some things to consider. But to walk out there in your bra and underwear, it's ridiculous. So we don't need to do that and we don't want to go the way of the world. We don't love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him. For all that's in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life; is not of the father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of Elohim abides forever. the spirit of the world it's all about the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life. The spirit of the world is content to be naked in the eyes of Yahweh and they don't care because they want to draw attention to these things or they are just pretty indifferent to it. Each generation tends to lower the standards and lowers the bar even more. It's gotten so bad with pants styles. They ran out of ideas to show modesty with pants and so now you've got people walking around with saggy droopy drawers and let their underwear hang out. it seems so silly and stupid to us you know. But much of this kind of influence, I wonder; do we really have it in our generation? Don't we all kind of have it already and we just don't know because we were raised in it? How much of this have we sold ourselves into because of how we are raised/ Have we just assumed something was modest because it was what we're used to? We do realize Yahweh views lust and adultery sins to be very serious and we don't want to be agents of temptation. we don't want to imitate Satan the devil and bring temptation to someone's life and cause them to sin against Yahweh. he forbade adultery. In the seventh commandment, he said, and I forbid lust". in the tenth commandment "do not covet your neighbor's wife" and the death penalty was associated for violating the commandment against adultery. But today it's not even a crime. I mean its committed regularly without any civil punishment whatsoever. and there ought to be punishment .Because the ones who bear the pain of that kind of thing most often are the children as I shared in our previous segment. But I say private parts of the body ought to be just that; private. Not on display for the world to see. Private parts of a body are only intended to be seen by a spouse. They are not created to be objects for anyone else's desire, anyone else. Do you know they did studies at the university? They did a study one time and the brain, the MRI; I don't know what they did to the brain. But they show the pictures of the areas of the brain where there was activity and when we look at the object, there is just certain pattern of activity in the brain. we look at a person; there is a different kind of pattern in the brain. Well, what happened was, when men were shown pictures or people that had very immodest clothing on, their brain pattern interpreted whatever that picture was. The human being whatever that soul was an object not as a person. And so when women are walking around in clothing that provokes lust and adultery; it is circulating something in men that's not being with feelings and someone to love and someone to care for and someone to protect and those kinds of things. Instead, it objectifies women to where they're objects rather than human beings. So, it's dangerous, we need to see each other as
someone to love not an object to be used.
And so the shape and the form of our private parts needs to be unknown, in spite of what the world says in their longing for various clothing styles draw attention to and flaunt those things. We want to be as far from that as possible. We don't want to cause someone else to be tempted by something that we do. We wouldn't wave a drink in front of a drunkard, we wouldn't hand someone pills who's difficult with drugs. We would not create temptation in one another And scripture says woe to the world because of offenses for offenses must come but woe to the man by whom the offense comes. Now I emphasize again, I emphasize; if a man chooses to lust or if a woman chooses to lust there is no one they can blame for their behavior for their choice to lust. Even if a woman was completely unclothed or if a man completely unclothed. It doesn't matter, we have a responsibility to personally avoid lust and to not choose to lust. It is our responsibility to be sure that we are not disobeying the father, even if someone put a gun to our head. And said, "you disobey Yahweh". We should say, "no". And so there is no one that we can blame for our own choice to lust but ourselves.
Again I repeat there is no one we can blame but ourselves. Now having said that, we see the scripture here and the directive that we see here and the danger that we see here; of being an agent for temptation toward another person or a cause for offense. Luke 17: 1 and 2 say then he said to the disciples, it is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come. If we are causing offense another person we will answer to Yahushua for having been a tool of the devil. And a means by which temptation would come to weaken another person. and so the other person has the responsibility to not lust and have a responsibility to not be imitating the devil by throwing temptation up in people's way. In another word, we have the responsibility to be like Yahushua, build up, lift up, do what we can to show love. They have the responsibility as well to only Yahweh, to not lust, to do the right thing. we don't want to imitate the devil and cause the temptation in somebody else's life. In fact, it says, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Now there is babes in spirit and there are babes in the flesh. Those who are new to this faith are typically going to be the ones who are the weakest.
And so we need to care about the weak brothers among us and sisters among us who are feeling to temptations. Now there is a whole lot more of us than you might think. Seven out of ten men and about one out of five women are struggling with lust when somebody wears something immodest as we have been sharing. But it will be better for us if a millstone were hung around our neck and we were thrown into the sea and so it's a major issue in Yahshua's eyes. And so we need to take our part in this process seriously enough to do what we can, to do what we are able to not present temptation. So, where do you draw the line? It appears to me, we draw the line when it comes to not showing our nakedness. I don't if anywhere else anybody can logically and show from scripture where that line should be drawn.
And so, brothers and sisters, you know I showed you how this evil and adulterous culture, the
sex-charged culture does cause problems for the little children. And there are also little ones in the faith who are seeking to be overcomers and then here we have these girls walking around with immodest clothing. And it causes a stumbling block for them. And so partly because immodesty today, children are growing up with their earliest memories committing lust and very young. I know for me it was very young. And so 70% of Yahweh-fearing men are struggling when they see immodestly dressed women,
7 out of 10. And then for females, it's less, but it's pretty close, hitting close to one out of five, or one out of six. You know somewhere around there, five or six. And this among believers in Yahushua. The world I'm sure it's far higher than that. And I wonder you know much more, with lust being a problem. I was talking to a woman that's weak and she really believes she is one of these I think 17% in here. and she really believes that if men were dressing immodestly like women were and you know wearing the kind of clothing that wrapped around their reproductive parts like women do and stuff, that there would be a greater problem with women having lust issues. and so, yes it's a major problem with men but there
is also women having the same issue. Now how many would agree with me that; generally speaking, the drive is highest in the teenage years? I know it was for me, it's getting less and less as I get older. And tends to wane because the testosterone levels start to decrease but strongest among those of who are youngest in age. And so we are talking about offending the little ones, there they are, there is the little ones. and so when you're looking at the 70% of men here I'm thinking you know probably the amount to 30% on the side are older adult men who don't have the drive they used to. And so the young people probably far more, closer to 9 out 10 or almost 10 out of 10 having a problem. So I want everybody to understand, it's a major issue In the body of the Messiah. It's offending the young it's causing problems for the young in many different ways. Not only that but fatherlessness as we talked about earlier. Now one of the first things a believer needs to get under is control according to the book of Acts chapter 15 is sexual immorality, talking about the gentiles who are turning to Elohim. It says don't trouble them but have them to abstain from these things and one of those things was sexual immorality. Had to stay away from that. So its of the first things to be concerned about. In 1 Corinthians 5:11; now I've written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, I'm sure he is talking about physically here. But what does Yahushua say? "what you've done in your heart you've done in his eyes". So, we don't want to be this, we don't want to be covetous, covetousness basically is lust and covetousness are going hand in hand. He says not even to eat with the person like that. So it's a serious issue, serious issue. Revelation 21:8; but the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, same thing. They are all gonna have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. You need to be doing everything that you can to lift up and bear up one another rather than tearing each other down. Both men and women need to wear the kind of clothing that does not create temptation, it's a huge issue in the eyes of Yahweh. Those who practice these things will not make it. Now it's talking literally here, literally going out and grabbing a hold of a female and living in immorality. But I can't help but be alarmed by Yahushua statement that you know, we committed it all already in our hearts. So knowing that it's clear to me immodesty is an extremely serious issue, because as believers in Yahushua we want to do everything we can to build up the body of the messiah, advance the kingdom of Yahweh. Not be one of his agents to destroy believers like Satan does you know, buy his agents I mean agents to destroy believers like Satan does. And so when Paul is talking to the Roman, again I showed this last week, I wanna reiterate that; if your brother is grieved because of your food, he's struggling because of your food how much more so the clothing you are wearing? His grieved is made weak, his conscience is wounded. Romans 14:19 let's pursue the things which make the peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of Elohim for the sake of food or the sake of you wanna wear that. All things are pure, its evil for the man who eats with offense. It's good to neither eat meat drink wine or do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Among us, were not to be liked to the world. Because even men who didn't grow up in our generation like David and Solomon were... there wasn't much immodesty going on, they fell because of this very thing.
Now the gatherings where people are, ought to be the place where the body of Messiah is strengthened, encouraged and blessed. That's why I have a dress code at the feast in the fall. We have a dress code because brother ought to be able to go to a feast and not have to be doing battle the whole week. I believe it's really important and we know the devil and his demons are always trying to look for a way to cause people to trip up. Some ways to cause people to be tempted and we don't wanna imitate him. So are we really walking as Yahushua walked? Are we building each other up or are we imitating the adversary who's always trying to get people to trip up? Two forces in this word; one is trying to destroy, one is trying to build. Scripture says in Revelation 2:12 it says the angel assembly in Pergamos write these things says he who has the sharp two-edged sword; I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is, I kind of feel that where we're at sometimes. And you hold fast to my name and did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. He taught Balak, "here is how you get them, you tempt them to commit sexual immorality" that was the sin on Balaam son of Beor. So that was the sin, he sent Moabite women to Israel. He tried to get them to commit sexual immorality with these women. He did not directly make them sin, he just sent women who would be a stumbling block to them, men. and that's something I believe Messiah was against then and he's against now, this doctrine of Balaam. It says thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of Nicolaitans. Nicolaitan doctrine he hates it, whatever it is it's somehow connected to the doctrine of Balaam. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. So you look here in Numbers 31 it says; look these women caused the children of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to trespass against Yahweh in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of Yahweh. So we're not called to be stumbling blocks, We're called to be stepping stones, right? deliver those who are drawn toward death and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, " surely we did not know this," Does not he who weighs the hearts consider it? he who keeps your soul, does he not know it? and will he not render to each man according to his deeds. So we have to deliver those who are headed on the path of destruction and not provoke them to fall into that path of destruction .so men in a
congregation have the responsibility in my opinion to have the influence. Men cannot be afraid to talk about the modesty question. I assure you, talking about the modesty question will cause the attendance to go down. Will cause donations to go down, I know that happens. But that's one reason men don't wanna talk about it. What do we want more? Numbers or righteousness? A full collection plate or a congregation that's filled with the spirit. And a living example of how we ought to live.
What's more important what's more important to me is that you're filled with the spirit. Fathers have the responsibilities also over their daughters. Scripture says, do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land falls into harlotry, of cause that's a terrible, terrible thing. And no father would want their daughter to be a prostitute. I'm reminded you know I said earlier the principles given to us by our master Yahushua constrain the need to not be doing things in our hearts that's sinful to do in our bodies. And I think it's important that fathers ensure that their daughters are dressed in such a way that they are not essentially offering their bodies for something a physical pleasure, some consensual pleasure for the eyes and hearts of young men. Now it's not literally prostitution, there is no intercourse happening here. but when you have your daughter dressed in such a way that is provoking the flesh of men, it's walking
in the same spirit of which he said not to do.
and causing people to be tempted to commit fornication. maybe not literally, but certainly in their hearts. now listen; you have to be sensitive, you have to be loving, you have to be gentle in your approach. If your daughters aren't believers, seem to be on their way out; you've gotta be careful. I understand it has a tremendous impact on things. If you're not sure how to handle it, I highly recommend you get counseling before you approach the topic with them. because it's not what they are used to. It's hard enough for believers to do that. So you have to ensure somehow the best you can, at least give the guidelines and whether they follow those guidelines. I mean you decide whether you are going to enforce but the guideline should be given and with serious and heeding the holy spirit. Now wardrobe changes can be actually an exciting thing. Women love to go out and shop, you know. and if you are taking the lead and saying, "this is modest; what do you think about this? this is modest; what do you think about that ?' it can be good. It can be a positive experience. So, actually thrift stores really good for getting good deals and they actually have a wider variety of clothing styles than the average clothing store. But for a woman dressing immodestly maybe it gives you a sense of power you know, control. like I shared last week, it increases the possibility of more men looking at you and paying attention to you, but you can't do that, not in that way. Unmarried women's clothing ought to communicate, you can't touch me you can't see me, only my husband will see me. I'm not for sale, I'm not for your eyes, I'm covered. I'm protected, I'm saving that for my husband and only he will know. You will not know me, I am too valuable in the eyes of Yahweh to cheapen myself to some kind of object for your visual harlotry. That's what the clothing ought to communicate. and a married woman's clothing ought to communicate already taken. like I said in the beginning clothing is communication, it's the backdrop of all of our verbal communication. And what is it communicating?
The initial attraction of man to you needs to be spiritual, not the lust of the flesh. Yahweh is the one who is supposed to be directing our lives, not the lustful eyes. many a man saw the pretty little girl, one that didn't have much of a spiritual life to her but paid for it later when she ran off with another man. you know, took his children, his home and his wife, his money everything. so, young women pretty seeking to attract a man increase the chances of men by displaying or highlighting parts of your body. Don't think for a minute that the men you happen to catch will be satisfied with your body alone. Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of men are never satisfied. so if you are out to marry such a man, attracted to your body there will always be others who's got a something better than you have. Always something, a better house, a better whatever.
It's a mistake to assume yours will be sufficient, especially when you have children and you're nursing and the whole nine yards. So Yahweh covered Adam's body, he covered it with a tunic. he covered the same areas of the body that he covered a woman with. Yahweh made no distinction and so I say the same things about men. I find no reason to set aside or explain away or ignore that example. Men should dress like gentlemen, women should dress like ladies. women who dress like a lady will be amazed how men start treating her like one. And so brothers and sisters let's dress in a way that glorifies Yahweh, rather than it glorifies ourselves. because your body is not your own, it's the temple of the holy spirit. Your body is the temple of the holy spirit. You were bought at a price; therefore glorify Elohim with the body that you were given. Do we do that? We were bought, our body is not our own. What are we going to do with it? We're dealing with Yahweh's body, gonna act differently, gonna talk differently, we're gonna be different. we're not gonna be conformed to this world. So he said, I present to you, therefore, brethren, Romans 12 verse 1 but the mercies of Elohim, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to Elohim, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, Their idea of nakedness is different than Yahweh's. it's very different.
And be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of Elohim. when you're transforming your mind, then you can prove what is his perfect will. So, whether you eat and drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of Elohim. Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or to the congregation of Elohim. Give no offense. Fornication and all uncleanliness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks. For in this you know, no fornicator or unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah and Elohim. Let no one deceive you with empty words because these things the wrath of Elohim comes upon the sons of disobedience. therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness but now are light in the master. Walk as children of light. And so children of light I'm calling and calling all of us as your brother in faith; let's walk in the light, let's do what we can do and encourage to build up, to under guard one another. To help one another, to bless one another. Women do you love men? Do you love? Love is not going to parade itself around. it's going to be humble. it's not puffed up. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing. But a woman who fears Yahweh, she will be praised. She will be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and her own works praise her. It's the works, it's her attitude, that's the way she acts. you can take a 75-year-old woman, she may not have
much youth to her skin or figure, yet she can be the most beautiful woman because she is brightly and lovely and precious and a joy to be around. And a woman could be in her youth, could have the perfect ideal figure in the eyes of the world. And yet be very ugly and unattractive. So it's not the outward, it's the inward. So what are we going to do?
I desire therefore that men pray everywhere. you're gonna have to pray everywhere to deal with this lust problem. Because women are not adorning themselves properly. I kind of wonder if there might be a connection between these two things for that reason. We're gonna have to be on guard. we cannot let off our guard. I believe it's important to have a firm grasp on this. And so I'm sort of reiterating some of the things I shared last week for that reason.
And so when we're looking for a modesty standard we've got think about what kind of things will provoke a lustful thought in the eyes of people. it's more than just covering nakedness because if a person was covered head to toe and yet it's so, it's more than just covering. I think a scripture based modesty guideline that all spandex and wrapped tightly around the body, should be very simple. it leaves little to the imagination, right? Okay.
1) Clothing should not expose any part of the naked flesh. Period. 2) Clothing should not wrap tightly against naked flesh so as to expose the form of thighs, rear, reproductive parts and especially in the case of a woman, her chest. So, I do think that this would be a safe and
reasonable guideline that we could look to, as something that we should do as believers.
One minute, please. Now, there are pants out there that are so tight that they expose the form of both male and female reproductive parts. for men when they sit down the folds of their pants around their reproductive parts leave the impression even if they are not; that they are form fitting.
Years ago, I asked my own wife who obviously knows me and knows every part more than anybody; if my pants gave the impression ? And she said, "yes it does". One of the folds around that area of my body I said, " does this look like it might be outlining or wrapped around my reproductive parts?" And she said, "yes" and it wasn't. But she thought it was, even though she knew mw very well. She thought it was. Now, when looking at the number one thing that provokes lust in women; number one thing was sweatpants, shorts or pants that show the form of a male's reproductive parts. It was tied at number one with shirtless males.
And so, the close second would be tight pants showing the form of a male's rear.
So you know, I didn't have a hard time trying to explain the issue of the folds of the pants. there at the very bottom. But is what I was talking about right here. But some recognized what I was talking about, I think. But the exposure of the torso including the area below the belly button and the waist were also seen as issues. Right here tank top shirts and tight shirts were a problem here for the men.
And exposing the area below the waist obviously was basically third on the list. These are all issues here. That women are dealing with and not as high a percentage of women but some women are having a problem. Actually 17%, I think it went up a bit. Closer to one out of five are having the issue. So unlike which you may have heard ; yes it can be impactful on them. Now in terms of men we asked the question.
Actually women " also if you do struggle with lust when seeing an immodest person; do you ever struggle with lust when that person is the same gender as your own". And 12%, more than one out of ten and it kind of works out to about 9% of the men and general population are having this issue. I presume some of the women. Now it may come as a shocker, but you know when a young person is sexually abused by a person of their own gender; it can impact them for the rest of their lives. studies show that one of the biggest factors in homosexuality is not genetics, it has never proven any genetic link. But what has been shown is that one of the biggest factors is; how many older brothers they have?
The more older brothers they have, the more likely they will become homosexual. They are all scratching their heads , they can't figure that out. But it shouldn't be too hard to figure that out. I mean don't let me get into details. But it's a problem even among Yahweh fearing men and women. It's a problem so when examining this issue of modesty for men; it is necessary . Modesty is a requirement just as much as it is for women, it is for men. We need to lead the way, we need to be willing to give up our clothing preferences , we need to be willing to toss out our shorts that expose our thighs. We need to be careful about the tight pants that show the form of our rears or at least have some kind of long shirt to cover it. Whatever shirts we wear, need to be long enough to cover the reproductive parts of our bodies when we sit down. I had to change what I'm wearing to make that possible. Because if you look at the aspect closely, normally I wear the Rigg's you know four corner garment, but look at these here. I just happened to notice that these aren't long enough in my opinion. But look at the shape of the buttoned up shirt. A lot of times that actually curves downward on both sides, like curves downward. And I kind of like that because when you're sitting down it covers that area where a male's reproductive parts happen to be. When they sit down, the folds that are there are not seen. And so I think this isn't long enough, but that's at least the style for now, that I'm adopting.
It is more of that style and I kind of had to. As I was studying this out last night and I really got a conviction on this. But my goal is to have a shirt long enough to cover everything when I'm standing up and when I'm sitting down, without looking like I'm wearing some kind of dress. I don't believe that these men are wearing, I don't know if they are long enough. But I converted my shirt into a four corner garment. I took a pair of scissors and I made these slits, kind of like what you see right her, these slits right here. I just took a pair of scissors and made these slits so that I could hang my tassels on four corners. That was easy. So, even though I've got a buttoned up shirt, I've got a couple of slits there on each side to fix my tassels to. and these are not the clothing style I'm talking about. But I got something like this on the button ups.
Now I know changing your clothing styles is something that probably most people want to resist. I mean for some people I really think this is interesting because in the 1950's and 1960's style of Christian is you know the ideal dress style for boys and men were; you tuck in your shirt and pants are sort of semi tight and even very tight pants with the belt around it. Clean shaven face and that look kind of becomes a symbol of a young Christian boy. I think those days are over. it's not modest. and while it may be the look of a modern Christian or even 1970's or 1960's Christian, it's not the look of an Israelite. It's not the look of Yahushua Hamashiach. And so men if we're going to expect the ladies to adjust their wardrobe and appearance to accommodate a biblical standard of modesty; we need to be willing to lead the way. We need to be willing to do the same thing. I'm setting an example of myself and my household by changing what I'm wearing. Not for the sake of change but because I'm really convicted about it. I hope you're willing to do the same thing for your family and not be a hypocrite.
maybe one day I'll find a different kind of shirt, but it's gotta fit the mould. It has to fit the standards. I don't want to provoke lust, I want to provoke them to righteousness. So it starts with the men because we are the heads of the household. Boy's you're future heads of households and I need to look at what's going on here and be honest with myself about it. And so, before I even talk about women, I'm talking about the men. and offer some commentary on the clothing styles I have to that. because of even the clothing styles among some Messianic groups and other groups, a few are not really modest. Now the first thing I want to point out about the clothing style and the clothing industry is that they are trying to sell clothing as we talked about. so they do something to accentuate the female form. What's gonna result in the sales are things that do cause the female form to be lifted up and exaggerated. Look here at this shirt right here. On the left is a man's shirt, on the right is a woman's shirt. Now, do you see the difference?
Look at the female shirt for a minute.
Notice how the cut of the shirt goes in like this. The cut of the man's shirt doesn't do that. It's straight down; what is that? for some reason, this is how you even how you
define what a woman's shirt is. By the cut, it's much skinnier in the middle than it is on the hips and here. It does not go straight down. And what this does, is it cause the woman's chest to stick out more and it causes this to wrap around her waist and her rear. So that, that part of the body is also popping up. so, the clothing style the way it's designed is not
modest. It's not, it wraps around the body like a spandex only it happens to be made of different material. But it's cut in such a way to accentuate the woman's form. that's how it's cut. Now some people think, "well you know the chest isn't supposed to be a sensual part of the body. It's just a place for babies to nurse." Let's take a look at scripture, it says they committed harlotry in Egypt, they committed harlotry in their youth; their breasts were there embraced, their virgin bosom was there pressed. Ezekiel 23 verse 3. Ezekiel 23:21, thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth when the Egyptians pressed your bosom. Why? Because of your youthful breasts.
Not exactly Grated but it's scripture. Proverbs 5:18 to 22, let your fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, and be embraced in the arms of a seductress? letting other women's breasts satisfy you. For the ways of men are before the eyes of Yahweh and he ponders all his plans. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man and he is caught in the cords of his sin.
So, look back here at this dress style. It is the men's vee neck shirt which it's pretty rare to see a man wearing a vee neck shirt. Look at the women's vee neck shirt. Look at how it hangs down here. I mean why? Why is that considered to be a woman's shirt when it's got the vee neck. Why is that? There is only one reason why; they want the chest of the woman to be open and exposed. Now if a man wore a shirt like this here they would kind of be considered silly. The one on the right, if you wore this shirt they would be like, " what are you trying to do, your chest here is really popping out there. know one of these womanizers. what's going on?" He would kind of be seen as a silly probably you
The women do it and it's perfectly normal, no problem. Do you see the contradiction here? Really if anything the women need to be keeping their parts covered not opening things up. what I'm saying here as far as attractiveness matters are very well with what the survey says. what kind of dresses causes problems for men? Number one; tops and dresses that expose cleavage. That seems to be all the rage nowadays. there are churches where the young girls compete; how much cleavage they can show. Believe it or not. And then we see; see through clothing exposing the female's under clothing presumably the bra. I don't see too many clothes that are exposing underwear. But that would be another thing. And then we have their belly area being shown. And then we have tops or dresses revealing the shape of a female's chest. And then here; tank top shirts.
Shirts wrapping tightly around the waist and belly, clothing that fully exposes the shoulders or backs. Short armed shirts and dresses that expose a female's bra when she lifts her arms. And then the cleavage. All these things about the chest. Obviously it's a sensual area for men. It's not something that doesn't provoke anything. so, according to both scripture and real life; these are sensual areas of the body. They are a part of the body that if uncovered, it's considered to be nakedness.
And so when looking at modern shirt styles. Why would the open-chested shirts be a woman's garment? And the men's chest, you know the straight up and down clothing style not be? You know, it doesn't make sense, except that it would be; we live in an evil and adulterous generation. and they cut the clothing in such a way to wrap around or expose a woman. So that the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life are kings. And tight shirts are considered women's shirts. Truly scared apparel should be cut in such a way to accommodate for the larger chest size of women and the area underneath. so that it's not form fitting. Private parts of the body need to be private. Now I apologize if I'm invading your personal space here by making these comments. I've already talked to the men. I have to the women. The idea of a wife unfamiliar with the woman's anatomy, a challenge that my wife has trying to be modest. I'm not trying to embarrass anybody here or make anybody feel bad. I hope that we can all be mature and be frank enough to address the clothing styles we see here today, because it's a major problem in the body of Messiah. with seven out of ten men struggling with sinning against Yahweh in this area. There are some of you that are thinking, ' well I've got an abnormally large bust size, it's a large chest and it's hard for me to be modest. It's just kind of a difficult thing." I've learned part of the problem is; the bras that are worn by women today. typically lift up the breasts and cause e them to pop out more than they would if they had no bra on. I actually once met a woman who believed that bras were originally only worn by prostitutes because they exaggerate a woman's chest size by lifting up the breasts. And so I know corsets were invented in the 14th Century to make the chest stand out more and bras eventually took their place. Now, the woman I'm speaking of wore dual layer clothing. I have to admit it was very modest. But I don't necessarily advocate that position because e, I mean, it wouldn't work out too well if you're out jogging or playing games like volleyball or other things where the chest would have to have support. things would be you know moving around. And so, I think bra styles really the compression style sports bra is actually more modest than the push-up. compression style bras actually push the breasts closer to the chest, so that they don't tear ligaments and other things during running and jogging. And for that reason, I think they actually are more modest. Another solution is to wear additional layers of clothing or wear the kind of dress that will have a flap or something overtop or ruffles or some kind of pleats or something around here. To help keep things modest. Some dresses have an extra flap that comes down over top the chest. So, there are some solutions, there is ways to do it. And that's why I'm trying to make the point. There is ways to do it. The areas of the body that need to be adequately covered, both men and women; is the area between the waist and the thighs. Because looking here at our poll. The survey we did pants and skirts and dressed that show the form of a female's rear was nearly tied for the second place. So that's a problem. pants that are tight around the legs and the thighs was a problem also. Women that choose to wear pants should wear a loose shirt or something closer to what I'm wearing but more feminine, that would hang down and cover her backside. Her bottom. Something hanging down loosely and covering that part and yet long enough that when you sit down, it continues to cover the private parts of the body. Particularly the reproductive parts. Yoga pants, similar stretchy styles do not adequately address that issue. Also notice the pants here it says tight around the legs and thighs was a problem. It's a problem so it's a private part of the body
and so the pants need to be loose. not form fitting. In looking at some kind of standard for modesty;
shirts and tops for both genders should cover the area below the collarbone. Covering the full torso area. Be long enough and loose enough to hide the shape of the rear. cover the reproductive parts when sitting down.
Pants for both genders should be loose, not tight against the skin so as to wrap tightly around the thighs, which is a private area according to scripture. Dresses should not wrap tightly around the rear, or tightly around the waist or belly area, which accentuates the shape of the rear and especially for women, the shape of the chest. So I think that is a pretty good summary of the
kinds of clothing that we should wear based on scripture. I have noticed some of the dresses worn by Mennonites even Messianic women tend to be cut similar to how the shirt is cut. It's coming down, they put the belt right here or something and it will come in inward like this. Even a dress will come in like that. To me, that's not appropriate. That is an attempt to be form fitting and wearing a belt right here can cause the same issue as well. So it accentuates the chest and a woman's backside. I don't think that it's appropriate. We need to keep our private parts private. And not do thing that provoke temptations in the hearts of others.
Skirts actually, can be a problem, even though most people think that skirts are modest. If the skirt is tight and if there is not a shirt
that hangs down to cover the area between the waist and the thighs, it can be a problem. I know that pleated skirts tend to do a better job of hiding a woman's form than just straight skirts. And tops same thing. Ruffles or some second layer of clothing over the top of the chest helps to keep things privately. keep thing private, keep thing more discretely. So, that's what I see and I'm trying to get as close to scripture as I possibly can.
In looking at our modesty standard. It says in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with prosperity and moderation. Modest apparel with propriety and moderation. Not with braided hair or pearls or costly clothing. but which proper for women professing godliness with good works or reverence. In the first segment, we broke down and examined each of these words in detail. And came up with the following list. What is proper would be something feminine. Modest and reflective of good behavior. A sense of bashfulness (not boldness in your face) in the sense of "look at me". Humility rather than flaunting yourself. Love does not parade itself, right? ell ordered, not disheveled or unkempt. it's okay to brush your hair. Actually the word modest has more to do with order than with anything. Respectful shyness, reserve, and reticence. That means you're not intentionally trying to be in somebody's face or something. elf-control and temperance. Sober mindedness. Curbing carnal impulses or desires. Discreet. Talked about that. Reverential toward Elohim. With faith, without wrath. Put your faith in Yahweh, don't be angry. Modest dress is a blessing. It really is. now here is the example of what I think would fit all of these qualifications in my personal opinion. I know it's very subject to different opinions. We don't have the braided hair and the gold and the costly clothing. Now, in looking at this particular woman and the way she is dressed; I'm not saying you have to dress like this. However, it is fitting the bill I think. It's modest, it's not putting herself out there, it's humble, it's lovely, it's vastly feminine. Unquestionably feminine and attractive. In a good way attractive. You see that she has the pleated garment here at the bottom and somewhat of a double layer happening here at the top and there is nothing about that particular female that would cause a man to see something he shouldn't see. In terms of the private parts of her body. And yet she is happy, and she is lovely and she is attractive in a very good way.
Now, again that's not the only style out there that
would fit the qualifications but I kind of like it myself. Now, I'm not saying you have to be a Mennonite. In fact, I don't think Mennonites are necessarily wearing the best thing either. but you do have to fit these qualifications in the scripture that we talked about regarding modesty. And that particular clothing style I think fits the bill. Now I tried to find something that men, I couldn't find anything. We're a mess. ladies, we're just a mess. Suit and tie is actually probably ... A big long suit jacket that hangs way down, it's probably about the closest thing I come to ... But I mean as far as shirts they're harder to find. So I find if you get like a big and tall, you know tends to be a longer shirts, a little bit better. Our very first segment this is what we were talking about. These attitudes and if you're allowing yourself to flaunt the private parts of your body, you're not walking in humility. And you're not glorifying Yahweh with your body and your spirit. Which belong to him, right?
So it's very important that we are willing to give Yahweh every part of us. And seek to glorify him in everything that we wear and everything that we do. Now I wanna talk also about a different kind of modesty although it's connected to the same thing. I think our attitudes need to match the pure lifestyle and the lifestyle of love that we're trying to promote with our attitudes and with the clothing that we wear. I want to talk a little bit to the young men, about how to treat a young girl, a marriageable girl. A young girl's heart is very tender and very delicate. It's very important that you treat that with respect. You must have a sensitivity to this and most young men don't have that. But remember part of love, part of what love is really all about is pursuing the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of Elohim for the sake of food or any other reason, right? Don't do anything to cause your brother to stumble, okay? I would say, your sister also. Don't do anything that would cause a young girl to stumble. And it may not just be the clothing you wear. It can be how you treat her personally.
If your brother is grieved because of your food, you're no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Messiah died, or with anything you're doing right? Don't do anything that would cause him to stumble or be offended or be made weak. And the same would be true of women. So marriageable men I have a message for you. Don't pretend like you don't know it when a young female is taking interest in you.
Don't deny the chemistry that exists between you and a particular girl that you have a feeling is showing more interest in you than the average female. Be aware of it and if she is not someone that Yahweh has given you the green light regarding marriage or potential marriage and if you have not yet approached her father and asked permission to get to know her better with the potential goal of marriage. You need to keep her at a certain distance so that her heart does not get drawn to yours.
And her heart ultimately being damaged when you go off and marry somebody else. Now doing extra nice things for a young marriageable girl or sharing your innermost thoughts and feelings creates emotional bonds, creates an emotional connection. And that kind of emotional connection was intended to be her future husband whoever that might be. And if Yahweh has not given you the green light to pursue that and the parents have not given the green light to pursue that, you need to keep things at a distance. Because you can hurt her, you can damage her heart.
You don't wanna cause a problem for her later in life where she has married somebody else and yet she she is still thinking about her first love which was you. And the relationship she had with you and you think you can just toy with her heart. You can't do that. You don't wanna cause a problem for her even in the present time. Maybe she is thinking marital things and you have not been led by Yahweh to take her hand. She is very vulnerable, I know of young girls who had their hearts set on certain young men that they knew and the young man was giving signals. You know to the marriageable age and the young man goes off somebody else and the girls are devastated. It happens all the time. So do not toy with her heart. Smiling that special smile at her, making her feel like you have an interest when you really don't . and playing along and your little games. Pay attention to what you're doing, be modest in your behavior, be modest in your attitude toward young females. Treat younger women as sisters and keep things at that level, do not go beyond that level. And young ladies you can do the same things. You'll be chasing boys around, I know it's hard but you have to really wanna who your husband the rest of your life with. But we all have to be careful with one another's hearts because Yahweh's intent is this; the first person that you're emotionally bonded to, the first person you ultimately become physically attracted to is your husband or your wife and nobody else. and when that happens, and I've seen that happen where you know a young marriageable girl really keeps her heart and preserves it. And a young marriageable man keeps his heart and preserves and then waits on Yahweh. And when they come together, and they get
married, and their first love is each other. I mean you always remember your first love, you play the boyfriend and girlfriend game. Us older people know that well. I mean I was in the world I was not a believer when I was a teenager. But your first love is supposed to be your wife hands with, the first person that you kiss, the or your husband. That's who it's supposed to be. And so when it is, and the first person you hold
first person that you become emotionally
attached to is your spouse. It creates such a powerful unbreakable bond and Yahweh is the third chord, because you have put Yahweh first. And it's awesome, it's a beautiful thing. I mean I've been to these weddings where that has been the case with both the male and the female . And when they hold hands the first time it's special or when they kiss the first time it's special. That's what they choose to do at their wedding, I know, not everybody has to so that. So the difference between being beautiful and being perverse, there is a difference between being friendly and being dangerous with how you treat a young girl brothers. Young brothers think about it and be careful. I know myself I played the boyfriend- girlfriend game, I am very fearless to come out of that without damage. Creating those bonds, creating those connections, creating emotional attachments is you know boyfriend- girlfriend light. It's not quite the extent but it's along the same spirit. So we need to walk in modesty in our attitudes,
in modesty in the way we dress.
And young women be careful about the flirtatious eye, be careful how you treat young men as if you're interested when really you're not. You just wanna see if he might be ... and increase your potential suitors for marriage. Please be careful. We all need to look out for each other, to care for each other, and to be aware of what's happening and be modest. And that's my message brothers and sisters. Yes, this one is a little bit shorter, but that's my message for all of us. We need to follow the biblical standards of modesty. We need to follow Yahweh's standard of not showing nakedness or showing the equivalent thereof by the form fitting clothes that are available to us today.
And we have to be modest in our communication, humble holy, righteous in conduct, righteous in
thought and it's beautiful.
So are willing to do that? That's the question. Are we willing to change our wardrobe if necessary? Is Yahweh the Elohim of our wardrobe or is that one place we're not willing to let him be Elohim? It's up to you. Let's pray.
Heavenly father Yahweh, Kadosh be your great name.
Oh, Yahweh forgive us where we failed you in these areas. Where we have not covered what you designed to be covered. We have not been holy in our conduct.
We've not been holy ion our dress, in our communication toward others. We ask for your forgiveness, we praise you, we thank you for the standard that you have in your word. We thank you for your loving kindness and your mercies and your grace for any areas where we have failed you in this and we trust as we confess our sins. You're faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We wanna be like Yahushua, ha Maschiach. We wanna strengthen the body the messiah, not tear it down. We want to build up, to edify, not to create temptation in the hearts of others. Teach us how you want us to be clothed, not in just
the physical but the spiritual as well.
Instruct us father Yahweh. take away the gray areas. Cause our hearts to be completely and totally given to you in the area of dress. I pray that all pride would cease, all desire for carnal things would cease.
And that only righteousness and holiness and purity would reign and reign forever and ever in our hearts.
For we know that you reign forever and ever. And we want you to reign in our hearts. For truly yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty forever and ever. All praise belongs to you, Yahweh Elohim, Yahweh our king forever and ever. In Yahushua's great name we pray. Amen
to another, you know what I mean. What nakedness means to one culture may not mean that in a difference culture. And so, we have to try to figure out what Yahweh's standard of where he is at. I mean, nakedness in our culture means a man can go with no shirt on. A woman her nipples on her chest and her private parts, reproductive parts. And a man should cover his reproductive parts. But other than that everything is you know, fair game free to go. Especially when it comes people going to swimming areas. The cultures of remote areas of Africa and South America, women walk around shirtless and some parts of Europe it's gotten more like that. Some believe that when women allowed to display their chest it actually reduces the problem of lust because it's so commonly seen. And maybe you can say the same thing if women walked around with their rear ends showing all the time. But is that the solution? I mean; is that how we solve the problem? Obviously, cold weather is gonna put a damper on that idea. And spring time comes we're gonna have the problem again. But you know we've already established; Yahweh has willed it. That we cover our nakedness. It says Leviticus20 verse 17 when a man takes his sister, his father's daughter or his father's mother... What does it say?
It says he sees her nakedness, she sees his nakedness. He sees her nakedness, she sees his nakedness, it is It's a wicked thing. Right? a wicked thing.
And so we're gonna believe that that to be true. So, how can you walk around shirtless and not expose your nakedness to your sister, to your brother. And then when Noah became uncovered in his tent and Ham willingly viewed his father's nakedness. It was considered to be a wicked thing, even to the point of Noah cursing Canaan. "I curse Canaan", Ham's son. And of cause, we know Yahweh himself chose to clothe Adam and Eve with the skins of animals. Now, at first, they tried to cover themselves with the fig leaves as the eyes of both of them were opened. They knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Made themselves coverings. Now, we should agree I hope that it's not will for us to walk naked okay. Hopefully, you read that. Well, even though they had the fig leaf thing here going on, they was still a problem. Now fig leaves are pretty big as you can see here compared to a person's hand. They are not small.
And yet this was not enough. It says the word translated covered in Genesis 3:7. They said fig leaves for their coverings is the Hebrew word, "chagwor". It's translated girdle, belt, loin covering, loin cloth, armour. We see the different ways to this translated. A Wikipedia article says that "the earliest and most basic covering was the 'ezor' or 'chagor', an apron around the hips or loins, those in primitive times was made from the skins of animals. It was simple pieces of cloth worn in various modifications but, but always worn next to the skin. Priests wore an 'ezor' of linen, it actually means garment. Linen called an 'ephodh'. If worn for mourning, it was called a 'sak'. When garments were held together by a belt or girdle, the cloth was called an 'ezor' or hagor'. So that's the article on Wikipedia, I kind of looked at that as pretty much right. I think except the ezor would be a garment and when its hagor but the chagwor would be talking about a loincloth of some type. So the loin clothing obviously only covers the reproductive parts; a man's rear, a woman's rear and it's pretty skimpy, to say the least. And in spite of their efforts, they knew even though they had the fig leaf covering, they were still naked. It says in Genesis 3:8 they heard the sound of Yahweh Elohim walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves. Why are they hiding themselves? Why are they hiding? From the presence of Yahweh Elohim among the trees of the garden. Then Yahweh called to Adam and said to him, "where are you?" and he said? I" I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid I was naked." Even though they had the loincloth or the fig leaves sewn together, he said he is still naked.
So if that's the case, that's not sufficient what he is wearing, it's not sufficient clothing. And so he hid himself because of his nakedness. So it does not adequately cover things. Now, the modern equivalent may actually, might be a pair of underwear. You know fig leaves are not exactly form fitting, so you might say more like a pair of short shorts perhaps. This would be maybe this right here; the boxers would be the modern equivalent of the girdle or loin covering. How long it is? I'm not really sure, but that would be modern equivalent of what they were wearing officially, initially I should say in the garden of Eden and it was the fig leaves. And it was not enough; Adam still said I was naked. Even though he had this on, it wasn't enough. So, the area covered by a pair of shorts is not sufficient. Now, when Yahweh had the choice as to how much of the body should be covered; he decided he would solve the problem. And so he invented a garment, it was his own invention; he came up with the idea. In Genesis chapter 3 verse 21 it says also for Adam and his wife Yahweh Elohim made tunics of skin and clothed them. Tunics of skin. So, they had the tunics now and to that very moment, such a garment had never been invented. The idea never came because there was no need for garments those days, right? They didn't have any need for clothing so Yahweh invented this particular garment called a tunic in Hebrew it's a" kethoneth". In Hebrew. A long shirt like garment usually linen it says. And so the kethoneth was a garment invented by Yahweh himself. Basically like a long short, a garment that hangs off the shoulders. Probably the most embarrassing part for Adam and Eve was their reproductive parts and they just had the fig leaves, so they did whatever they could. But Yahweh invented a tunic; he came up with the idea. And so the tunic came off the shoulders and hung down. How far down is you know a question? We know the priests made tunics, Exodus 29:5 then you shall take the garments and put the tunic on Aaron and the robe of the ephod, the ephod, the breastplate, and a girdle with the intricately woven band of the ephod. So they had the tunic on there. lots of people had tunics. The tunic that Joseph wore was a coat of many colors or a tunic of many colors. In Genesis 37 in verse 3, "he made him a tunic of many colors". The king's daughters in 2 Samuel 13: 18 says talking about Tamar, she had a robe of many colors, for the king's virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out, And we know the rest of that story, very sad. But this is talking about David's daughter here and he deemed acceptable as far as modesty was a concern to have the tunic. Yahweh considered the tunic to be a sufficient covering for person nakedness. But then again the next question is; how long should that long shirt or you know we could say dress on a female this happens to be different in length and different style. But how long does it need to be? that's the question, you know. And we kind of throw our hands up because they didn't have cameras back then. You know wouldn't it be nice if we could just go back and take a picture of what they were wearing. That would be really nice for us to be able to figure out what the tunic was and how long it was and get some idea of what Israel was wearing.
You know because some people might say, "well, you know it hung down to the thighs" or the others say knees, the others say maybe the calf or somewhere. But can anybody really know? We didn't have cameras back then. Well, they didn't have cameras. But I'll tell you something they did have; artwork. a different kind of artwork. So, I wanna show you some artwork and this artwork is actually artwork of Israelite people. This artwork here, this is the Israelites from the place known as Lachish and its dated the 7th Century BCE. Pretty old. This is from Sennacherib's time where he attacked Israel and carried them off, Judah I should say. Hezekiah was the king during that time. Hezekiah was a righteous king. it says here in 2 Chronicles 32 verse 9 after this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish, to Hezekiah king of Judah. Knowing what they looked like as they were walking back and being carried off as slaves presumably. They are all here playing their harps and like the foreigners like to do. And you see the length here of their tunic and you see if you do a little zoom in here; how long it is going down to at least mid-calf or longer. And then the shoulder we have sleeves here going about halfway down the arm, so that's what the tunic looked like. Now this will make sense if the upper part of the body was considered to be nakedness. The torso, the area below the collarbone and down to the waist area even to the thighs that would make sense that they would have these long sleeves. So that when they raise their arms up the inside their torso was not visible. Now, the question is; how long and why were they going down this far? what was the point here? Did you know that scripture actually says that for a person's thigh to be uncovered is nakedness? In the Torah The Law of Yahweh, Yahweh is discussing the clothing of the high priest. The clothing of a high priest included the tunic and a robe outside that and then it was trousers underneath all those. and so in that comment about the trousers, we find a very interesting statement by Yahweh Elohim. It says in Exodus 28:42 you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their nakedness; they shall reach from the waist to the thighs. From the waist to the thighs. So the area from the waist to the thighs needed to be covered. Now what he is trying to do in covering nakedness here is cover this area. as word translated nakedness is actually two Hebrew words. The first one is 01320 and then 06172. 01320 is talking about flesh, okay, this the basic word for flesh translated flesh 256 times, out of you know the vast majority of them. The second one is nakedness translated nakedness 50 times "ervah". So, we have two words, we have; "basar" and "ervah".
Now, Hebrew adds prefixes and suffixes to communicate different things. There is feminine, masculine and all kind of things added to these words. So when you go into the Hebrew and actually dig into it the question becomes; when it says waist to the thighs is it saying that the thighs need to be covered or is it saying it just needs to cover the waist and when it reaches the thighs there it stops it doesn't have to include the thighs as something that would be covered, like a very short pair of shorts? hat would not really cover the thighs but would reach to the thighs and that'd be the determination point. hope you understand what I'm saying. But examining the actual Hebrew here, this is the Hebrew talking about nakedness, okay. The "mi" right here means, "from". And then we have the Hebrew word for the waist, Hebrew word for "and". From waist and ... And then "aad" is a key word here, meaning "as far as". An example where this "waarv" and the word "aad", "waad" was used together is Genesis 13:3, he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel. As far as Bethel, so as far as is what we're talking about here, okay. Now when we're using the word, "aad" in Hebrew, translate "as far as "or "to" we have to ask ourselves; whether it's inclusive of Bethel or he got to the border of Bethel, he did not enter Bethel and he stopped. We're talking about special reference here; we're using the word "aad" for a special reference. Obviously, when Abraham took his journey he included Bethel as a place that he went to. Like he didn't get to the city limits, not city limits but the area of bethel. And he got there and he stopped, he never entered Bethel, right? Okay. So, we're talking, they said trousers; when it gets to the point of the thighs, it doesn't go to the thighs and then stop and not go in and include the thighs. It's going to cover both the thighs and the waist, just in the same way his journey covered the place where he went in the South and Bethel. So, that's inclusive, not exclusive of the thighs, just as Bethel is inclusive, not exclusive of his journey. I hope we understand what we're talking here. so, when I really steer down and I really study and I really examine the Hebrew; what "aad" means up to and including that point of destination. so, in light of the scripture; when it says in
Genesis and they shall reach from the waist to the thighs, this as far as the thighs, which should be a correct translation. As far as the thighs and so would be inclusive of the thighs in the same way Bethel would be inclusive of the places that Abraham journey, okay. So thighs are considered to be what scripture calls "naked flesh. naked flesh, and that's the naked flesh. So that definitely an area of nudity in the eyes of Yahweh. He expected the high priest to wear trouser to cover that nakedness. hope we understand what we're talking about; this is a very important point because it flies in the face of what a lot of people believe today. And so we're looking at the short styles on both This is a man in shorts here, but I don't believe this is modest, I don't believe is going to cover men and women talking. the thighs and this might cover the thighs. However, when you sit down it's probably going to expose the thighs, it depends on how long your legs are or whatever. So, examining the Hebrew and trying to make a determination of where nakedness is, in the eyes of Yahweh the effort to not rely upon the clothing styles of the world to determine what's nakedness and what's not nakedness. Instead, we're relying on scripture to tell us hat's considered to be naked in the eyes of Yahweh? I know this flies in the face of our culture today but thigh exposure, actually when you look at a list about lust; it's one on the major problems. But look here at Isaiah 47 Verse 1 through 3 it says come and sit down in the dust, Oh virgin daughter of Babylon. Sit down sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of Chaldeans. For you shall no more be called Tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, take off your skirt, uncover the thigh, pass through the waters. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, yes, your shame, not just nakedness that's like removing the outer garment but a nakedness that causes shame will be seen this is an act of judgment on the nation. So, now the word skirt here, actually just means "to flow". It doesn't necessarily mean skirt, some kind of flowing garment. But it's talking about a nakedness that would be uncovered, particularly the thigh and particularly something that Yahweh said would cause shame.
So for a person to have their thighs uncovered is considered to be something that Yahweh intended and instilled in Adam as something that would cause shame. In our culture, I'm sad to say that most of the time it doesn't. That's not because it shouldn't. If you raise a baby from the time they are little to walk around and their rear end showing, then probably most culture if they have their rear end showing then wouldn't think anything it. They would realize its nakedness because of how we are raised. It doesn't mean it isn't nakedness. So uncovering a thigh while its normal in our culture e to wear a pair of shorts especially for men, it goes against what Yahweh is trying to accomplish in Genesis 3. We cannot go by our culture to determine modesty standards, it's not reliable. Because just like the women in remote areas of South Africa who would go shirtless and didn't realize they are naked, we also don't realize we're naked. We may think shorts are perfectly modest but in the eyes of Yahweh, they are not. We need to look to the scriptures for the standards of modesty and to me, scriptures look pretty clear. Thighs should be covered. So, in determining how long a dress would need to be or a tunic would need to be, we see here the Lachish relief going to down to mid-calf and this is assuming that has nothing on underneath their clothing, okay. The length was about mid calf or so. This was men; this was men's garments here. so, now why mid-calf? Well, the first thing that happens when a person sits down is what/ The tunic lifts, it goes higher, right? It grazes up, that's what happens. So a shirt, if love got a long shirt and you sit down, it lifts up. and what happens when you sit down; women wearing a dress only reaches the knees inevitably their thighs become exposed when they sit.
Now, the truth is when you expose the thighs particularly if you're wearing a dress with nothing on underwear or underneath you're going to expose a whole lot more than that. If the kneecap is not covered and that's why women are always you know, sitting with their legs crossed and trying to fight to keep their legs together. Because they don't want to expose their underwear. and so when we look at how things you know have to be in order to keep the thigh from being exposed, it would seem to me an adequate length for a dress would be about mid-calf. Assuming there is no you know pants or anything underneath and we also see the archaeological evidence of that. Now when Yahweh gave Adam and Eve the tunic, we certainly see the Israelite tunic that hung off the shoulders and this would ensure that the
chest area, the torso area, the stomach area would be covered. and you see it goes down here to about midway down the arm between the elbow and the shoulder, about close to halfway point. Maybe slightly longer tan that. So the sleeve length here looking at it helps to ensure that the hands are raised, depending on how the shirt is cut, how close its cut to the armpit. That the torso is not exposed inside. so here they have the adequate length on the arms, they have the area of the chest being covered, adequate covering down to about mid calf or a little bit longer to ensure complete modesty. so the garment actually makes a whole lot of sense, I mean a long shirt. and since Yahweh gave both Adam and Eve the same garment, the tunic, and we see that men are wearing tunics that fully ensure the chest is covered, it seems to me the chest area should be covered with both men and women. Both not just women but men also. In fact in the modesty survey that we did, we found that seven out of ten men are struggling with lust, one out five women are struggling with lust when they see immodest clothing. But I want to take it a step further and say okay what's immodest to you? what kind of clothing styles provoke lust in you? and so I asked that question of those of you who were struggling with the lust issue. Which clothing styles, are causing the most problems? Okay. so, here is the results if the survey. Number one was "sweatpants, shorts, and pants that show the form of a male's reproductive parts". That was the number one thing. and tied for that number one spot was "shirtless males". Men without shirts on. So, I think the standard of modesty need to be for both men and women. I'm not one to say, "oh only the women need to be modest, men can walk around however they want to". I disagree with that strongly, both men and women need to cover their nakedness. I don't believe that men should be walking around with bare chests any more than women should. and we see that when Yahweh gave Adam and Eve clothing he didn't make a different set of areas to cover for women, it was the same. And so when you're looking at you know modern clothing styles; how do you adapt the principles here for modesty into modern clothing styles that we have? Certainly, the modern practice of wearing shorts would fail to cover the thighs. The midriff on a woman would being uncovered, midriff is belly area, being a very popular thing nowadays. You know as very short shorts, lift arms up and it exposes the belly. Both men and women need to be sure that their shirts do not do that, do not uncover the belly, the torso are. That area is probably the most commonly exposed when a person raises their arms. so we have to be sensitive to that as well when we're choosing what to wear in modern clothing styles. Now the modern clothing styles present major problems when it comes to modesty because the clothing manufacturer knows what sells. And immodest clothing sells. 1800's most women pretty much wore pretty modest outfits. but when they wanted to go swimming it produced a bit of a problem; that they want to be able to maintain their modesty because of the heavy clothing and stuff going into the water they could drown, they've got to swim very well and so they had to be careful. So, it set things up so that women would wear okay a little less clothing, but they had to be in a private area with other women and not with other men. well, certain they liked the ease of wearing less clothing and start to wear less and less clothing in public. And then mixed bathing came, you know swimming. Mixed swimming was a shocking idea at first, but eventually, the move was to allow it more and more until segregated swimming was a thing of the past. And Hollywood comes in as always is happening in normalizing immodest clothing styles and the lifestyles of the morally corrupt, infecting the rest of America ultimately. Much of the world because a lot of American television is out there on foreign states and we go to other countries and there is a lot of American T.V going on there. And so the swimming outfits ultimately is what started the whole mess, immodest clothing styles, the excuse came while you know, " you can't swim in the bigger you know larger clothes, and so yeah, you have to wear something less " And when of cause you know when mixed bathing happened and men kind of liked it. They didn't oppose it. They didn't mind seeing more of women's body parts. So once a person got over the embarrassment of undressing themselves in public and then saw the positive attention they were getting from men, they began to glory in that which Yahweh intended to be shameful. Philippians chapter 3 verse 18 says for many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross or star rose of Messiah. whose end is destruction, whose Elohim is their belly and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the savior, the Master Yahushua messiah. who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able to subdue all things himself. So this glorious body will replace this body that has shame attached to it when unclothed So we don't want to set our minds on earthly things. and that goes for the clothing that we wear as wear. Historically those who have less clothing were the poorest people in the society. They were considered to be naked and in need of financial assistance because they were shamed. But now in what Yahweh intended to instill in Adam a sense of shame has become people's glory. And swimming outfits are the perfect example of that. And the same mentality affected other clothing styles worn at other times, in another context. I know we have a brother here locally who is a believing brother. He took his family swimming to a lake, here in Missouri a few years ago. His family just wore the same clothes as they normally wore, a little bit lighter in weight. But they did not undress for the sake of making it easier to swim. And so young woman wearing a typical women's swimsuit, bikini approached him and said, "can I ask you a question, why are you all swimming in your regular clothes?" and she apparently thought it was silly. His reply was epic, He said: "well, let me ask
you a question; why is everybody else out here in their bra and underwear?" . And she says, "Oh, okay I get it". you know, but his simple reply made the point. We're not the ones doing something contradictory and strange, it's the rest of the world that's doing it. I mean because the same woman who would be embarrassed if you saw her in her underwear and bra in public, will wear the same thing or less when going swimming and it doesn't make any sense. The material may be a little different maybe even lighter in weight, but that's really the only difference. And so when people go swimming all of a sudden their mentality switches. All bets are off, it doesn't matter you can wear what's the equivalent of a bra and underwear out here. And so I don't believe Yahweh is changing his standards based on the location you happen to be standing in the earth. Whether you are near water or not. I think we have to be careful with swimming. I mean if a woman or girl went swimming needs to wear light weight, not something super heavy. I even heard of a situation where a woman jumped in the water and a little girl just you know, the dress went up over her head and then she couldn't swim very easily. So be careful when you jump in the water, hold your dress, hold your skirt. Make sure its light weight, that's some things to consider. But to walk out there in your bra and underwear, it's ridiculous. So we don't need to do that and we don't want to go the way of the world. We don't love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him. For all that's in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life; is not of the father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of Elohim abides forever. the spirit of the world it's all about the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life. The spirit of the world is content to be naked in the eyes of Yahweh and they don't care because they want to draw attention to these things or they are just pretty indifferent to it. Each generation tends to lower the standards and lowers the bar even more. It's gotten so bad with pants styles. They ran out of ideas to show modesty with pants and so now you've got people walking around with saggy droopy drawers and let their underwear hang out. it seems so silly and stupid to us you know. But much of this kind of influence, I wonder; do we really have it in our generation? Don't we all kind of have it already and we just don't know because we were raised in it? How much of this have we sold ourselves into because of how we are raised/ Have we just assumed something was modest because it was what we're used to? We do realize Yahweh views lust and adultery sins to be very serious and we don't want to be agents of temptation. we don't want to imitate Satan the devil and bring temptation to someone's life and cause them to sin against Yahweh. he forbade adultery. In the seventh commandment, he said, and I forbid lust". in the tenth commandment "do not covet your neighbor's wife" and the death penalty was associated for violating the commandment against adultery. But today it's not even a crime. I mean its committed regularly without any civil punishment whatsoever. and there ought to be punishment .Because the ones who bear the pain of that kind of thing most often are the children as I shared in our previous segment. But I say private parts of the body ought to be just that; private. Not on display for the world to see. Private parts of a body are only intended to be seen by a spouse. They are not created to be objects for anyone else's desire, anyone else. Do you know they did studies at the university? They did a study one time and the brain, the MRI; I don't know what they did to the brain. But they show the pictures of the areas of the brain where there was activity and when we look at the object, there is just certain pattern of activity in the brain. we look at a person; there is a different kind of pattern in the brain. Well, what happened was, when men were shown pictures or people that had very immodest clothing on, their brain pattern interpreted whatever that picture was. The human being whatever that soul was an object not as a person. And so when women are walking around in clothing that provokes lust and adultery; it is circulating something in men that's not being with feelings and someone to love and someone to care for and someone to protect and those kinds of things. Instead, it objectifies women to where they're objects rather than human beings. So, it's dangerous, we need to see each other as
someone to love not an object to be used.
And so the shape and the form of our private parts needs to be unknown, in spite of what the world says in their longing for various clothing styles draw attention to and flaunt those things. We want to be as far from that as possible. We don't want to cause someone else to be tempted by something that we do. We wouldn't wave a drink in front of a drunkard, we wouldn't hand someone pills who's difficult with drugs. We would not create temptation in one another And scripture says woe to the world because of offenses for offenses must come but woe to the man by whom the offense comes. Now I emphasize again, I emphasize; if a man chooses to lust or if a woman chooses to lust there is no one they can blame for their behavior for their choice to lust. Even if a woman was completely unclothed or if a man completely unclothed. It doesn't matter, we have a responsibility to personally avoid lust and to not choose to lust. It is our responsibility to be sure that we are not disobeying the father, even if someone put a gun to our head. And said, "you disobey Yahweh". We should say, "no". And so there is no one that we can blame for our own choice to lust but ourselves.
Again I repeat there is no one we can blame but ourselves. Now having said that, we see the scripture here and the directive that we see here and the danger that we see here; of being an agent for temptation toward another person or a cause for offense. Luke 17: 1 and 2 say then he said to the disciples, it is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come. If we are causing offense another person we will answer to Yahushua for having been a tool of the devil. And a means by which temptation would come to weaken another person. and so the other person has the responsibility to not lust and have a responsibility to not be imitating the devil by throwing temptation up in people's way. In another word, we have the responsibility to be like Yahushua, build up, lift up, do what we can to show love. They have the responsibility as well to only Yahweh, to not lust, to do the right thing. we don't want to imitate the devil and cause the temptation in somebody else's life. In fact, it says, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Now there is babes in spirit and there are babes in the flesh. Those who are new to this faith are typically going to be the ones who are the weakest.
And so we need to care about the weak brothers among us and sisters among us who are feeling to temptations. Now there is a whole lot more of us than you might think. Seven out of ten men and about one out of five women are struggling with lust when somebody wears something immodest as we have been sharing. But it will be better for us if a millstone were hung around our neck and we were thrown into the sea and so it's a major issue in Yahshua's eyes. And so we need to take our part in this process seriously enough to do what we can, to do what we are able to not present temptation. So, where do you draw the line? It appears to me, we draw the line when it comes to not showing our nakedness. I don't if anywhere else anybody can logically and show from scripture where that line should be drawn.
And so, brothers and sisters, you know I showed you how this evil and adulterous culture, the
sex-charged culture does cause problems for the little children. And there are also little ones in the faith who are seeking to be overcomers and then here we have these girls walking around with immodest clothing. And it causes a stumbling block for them. And so partly because immodesty today, children are growing up with their earliest memories committing lust and very young. I know for me it was very young. And so 70% of Yahweh-fearing men are struggling when they see immodestly dressed women,
7 out of 10. And then for females, it's less, but it's pretty close, hitting close to one out of five, or one out of six. You know somewhere around there, five or six. And this among believers in Yahushua. The world I'm sure it's far higher than that. And I wonder you know much more, with lust being a problem. I was talking to a woman that's weak and she really believes she is one of these I think 17% in here. and she really believes that if men were dressing immodestly like women were and you know wearing the kind of clothing that wrapped around their reproductive parts like women do and stuff, that there would be a greater problem with women having lust issues. and so, yes it's a major problem with men but there
is also women having the same issue. Now how many would agree with me that; generally speaking, the drive is highest in the teenage years? I know it was for me, it's getting less and less as I get older. And tends to wane because the testosterone levels start to decrease but strongest among those of who are youngest in age. And so we are talking about offending the little ones, there they are, there is the little ones. and so when you're looking at the 70% of men here I'm thinking you know probably the amount to 30% on the side are older adult men who don't have the drive they used to. And so the young people probably far more, closer to 9 out 10 or almost 10 out of 10 having a problem. So I want everybody to understand, it's a major issue In the body of the Messiah. It's offending the young it's causing problems for the young in many different ways. Not only that but fatherlessness as we talked about earlier. Now one of the first things a believer needs to get under is control according to the book of Acts chapter 15 is sexual immorality, talking about the gentiles who are turning to Elohim. It says don't trouble them but have them to abstain from these things and one of those things was sexual immorality. Had to stay away from that. So its of the first things to be concerned about. In 1 Corinthians 5:11; now I've written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, I'm sure he is talking about physically here. But what does Yahushua say? "what you've done in your heart you've done in his eyes". So, we don't want to be this, we don't want to be covetous, covetousness basically is lust and covetousness are going hand in hand. He says not even to eat with the person like that. So it's a serious issue, serious issue. Revelation 21:8; but the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, same thing. They are all gonna have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. You need to be doing everything that you can to lift up and bear up one another rather than tearing each other down. Both men and women need to wear the kind of clothing that does not create temptation, it's a huge issue in the eyes of Yahweh. Those who practice these things will not make it. Now it's talking literally here, literally going out and grabbing a hold of a female and living in immorality. But I can't help but be alarmed by Yahushua statement that you know, we committed it all already in our hearts. So knowing that it's clear to me immodesty is an extremely serious issue, because as believers in Yahushua we want to do everything we can to build up the body of the messiah, advance the kingdom of Yahweh. Not be one of his agents to destroy believers like Satan does you know, buy his agents I mean agents to destroy believers like Satan does. And so when Paul is talking to the Roman, again I showed this last week, I wanna reiterate that; if your brother is grieved because of your food, he's struggling because of your food how much more so the clothing you are wearing? His grieved is made weak, his conscience is wounded. Romans 14:19 let's pursue the things which make the peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of Elohim for the sake of food or the sake of you wanna wear that. All things are pure, its evil for the man who eats with offense. It's good to neither eat meat drink wine or do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Among us, were not to be liked to the world. Because even men who didn't grow up in our generation like David and Solomon were... there wasn't much immodesty going on, they fell because of this very thing.
Now the gatherings where people are, ought to be the place where the body of Messiah is strengthened, encouraged and blessed. That's why I have a dress code at the feast in the fall. We have a dress code because brother ought to be able to go to a feast and not have to be doing battle the whole week. I believe it's really important and we know the devil and his demons are always trying to look for a way to cause people to trip up. Some ways to cause people to be tempted and we don't wanna imitate him. So are we really walking as Yahushua walked? Are we building each other up or are we imitating the adversary who's always trying to get people to trip up? Two forces in this word; one is trying to destroy, one is trying to build. Scripture says in Revelation 2:12 it says the angel assembly in Pergamos write these things says he who has the sharp two-edged sword; I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is, I kind of feel that where we're at sometimes. And you hold fast to my name and did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. Nevertheless, I have a few things against you because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. He taught Balak, "here is how you get them, you tempt them to commit sexual immorality" that was the sin on Balaam son of Beor. So that was the sin, he sent Moabite women to Israel. He tried to get them to commit sexual immorality with these women. He did not directly make them sin, he just sent women who would be a stumbling block to them, men. and that's something I believe Messiah was against then and he's against now, this doctrine of Balaam. It says thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of Nicolaitans. Nicolaitan doctrine he hates it, whatever it is it's somehow connected to the doctrine of Balaam. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. So you look here in Numbers 31 it says; look these women caused the children of Israel through the counsel of Balaam to trespass against Yahweh in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of Yahweh. So we're not called to be stumbling blocks, We're called to be stepping stones, right? deliver those who are drawn toward death and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, " surely we did not know this," Does not he who weighs the hearts consider it? he who keeps your soul, does he not know it? and will he not render to each man according to his deeds. So we have to deliver those who are headed on the path of destruction and not provoke them to fall into that path of destruction .so men in a
congregation have the responsibility in my opinion to have the influence. Men cannot be afraid to talk about the modesty question. I assure you, talking about the modesty question will cause the attendance to go down. Will cause donations to go down, I know that happens. But that's one reason men don't wanna talk about it. What do we want more? Numbers or righteousness? A full collection plate or a congregation that's filled with the spirit. And a living example of how we ought to live.
What's more important what's more important to me is that you're filled with the spirit. Fathers have the responsibilities also over their daughters. Scripture says, do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land falls into harlotry, of cause that's a terrible, terrible thing. And no father would want their daughter to be a prostitute. I'm reminded you know I said earlier the principles given to us by our master Yahushua constrain the need to not be doing things in our hearts that's sinful to do in our bodies. And I think it's important that fathers ensure that their daughters are dressed in such a way that they are not essentially offering their bodies for something a physical pleasure, some consensual pleasure for the eyes and hearts of young men. Now it's not literally prostitution, there is no intercourse happening here. but when you have your daughter dressed in such a way that is provoking the flesh of men, it's walking
in the same spirit of which he said not to do.
and causing people to be tempted to commit fornication. maybe not literally, but certainly in their hearts. now listen; you have to be sensitive, you have to be loving, you have to be gentle in your approach. If your daughters aren't believers, seem to be on their way out; you've gotta be careful. I understand it has a tremendous impact on things. If you're not sure how to handle it, I highly recommend you get counseling before you approach the topic with them. because it's not what they are used to. It's hard enough for believers to do that. So you have to ensure somehow the best you can, at least give the guidelines and whether they follow those guidelines. I mean you decide whether you are going to enforce but the guideline should be given and with serious and heeding the holy spirit. Now wardrobe changes can be actually an exciting thing. Women love to go out and shop, you know. and if you are taking the lead and saying, "this is modest; what do you think about this? this is modest; what do you think about that ?' it can be good. It can be a positive experience. So, actually thrift stores really good for getting good deals and they actually have a wider variety of clothing styles than the average clothing store. But for a woman dressing immodestly maybe it gives you a sense of power you know, control. like I shared last week, it increases the possibility of more men looking at you and paying attention to you, but you can't do that, not in that way. Unmarried women's clothing ought to communicate, you can't touch me you can't see me, only my husband will see me. I'm not for sale, I'm not for your eyes, I'm covered. I'm protected, I'm saving that for my husband and only he will know. You will not know me, I am too valuable in the eyes of Yahweh to cheapen myself to some kind of object for your visual harlotry. That's what the clothing ought to communicate. and a married woman's clothing ought to communicate already taken. like I said in the beginning clothing is communication, it's the backdrop of all of our verbal communication. And what is it communicating?
The initial attraction of man to you needs to be spiritual, not the lust of the flesh. Yahweh is the one who is supposed to be directing our lives, not the lustful eyes. many a man saw the pretty little girl, one that didn't have much of a spiritual life to her but paid for it later when she ran off with another man. you know, took his children, his home and his wife, his money everything. so, young women pretty seeking to attract a man increase the chances of men by displaying or highlighting parts of your body. Don't think for a minute that the men you happen to catch will be satisfied with your body alone. Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of men are never satisfied. so if you are out to marry such a man, attracted to your body there will always be others who's got a something better than you have. Always something, a better house, a better whatever.
It's a mistake to assume yours will be sufficient, especially when you have children and you're nursing and the whole nine yards. So Yahweh covered Adam's body, he covered it with a tunic. he covered the same areas of the body that he covered a woman with. Yahweh made no distinction and so I say the same things about men. I find no reason to set aside or explain away or ignore that example. Men should dress like gentlemen, women should dress like ladies. women who dress like a lady will be amazed how men start treating her like one. And so brothers and sisters let's dress in a way that glorifies Yahweh, rather than it glorifies ourselves. because your body is not your own, it's the temple of the holy spirit. Your body is the temple of the holy spirit. You were bought at a price; therefore glorify Elohim with the body that you were given. Do we do that? We were bought, our body is not our own. What are we going to do with it? We're dealing with Yahweh's body, gonna act differently, gonna talk differently, we're gonna be different. we're not gonna be conformed to this world. So he said, I present to you, therefore, brethren, Romans 12 verse 1 but the mercies of Elohim, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to Elohim, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, Their idea of nakedness is different than Yahweh's. it's very different.
And be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of Elohim. when you're transforming your mind, then you can prove what is his perfect will. So, whether you eat and drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of Elohim. Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or to the congregation of Elohim. Give no offense. Fornication and all uncleanliness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks. For in this you know, no fornicator or unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah and Elohim. Let no one deceive you with empty words because these things the wrath of Elohim comes upon the sons of disobedience. therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness but now are light in the master. Walk as children of light. And so children of light I'm calling and calling all of us as your brother in faith; let's walk in the light, let's do what we can do and encourage to build up, to under guard one another. To help one another, to bless one another. Women do you love men? Do you love? Love is not going to parade itself around. it's going to be humble. it's not puffed up. Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing. But a woman who fears Yahweh, she will be praised. She will be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and her own works praise her. It's the works, it's her attitude, that's the way she acts. you can take a 75-year-old woman, she may not have
much youth to her skin or figure, yet she can be the most beautiful woman because she is brightly and lovely and precious and a joy to be around. And a woman could be in her youth, could have the perfect ideal figure in the eyes of the world. And yet be very ugly and unattractive. So it's not the outward, it's the inward. So what are we going to do?
I desire therefore that men pray everywhere. you're gonna have to pray everywhere to deal with this lust problem. Because women are not adorning themselves properly. I kind of wonder if there might be a connection between these two things for that reason. We're gonna have to be on guard. we cannot let off our guard. I believe it's important to have a firm grasp on this. And so I'm sort of reiterating some of the things I shared last week for that reason.
And so when we're looking for a modesty standard we've got think about what kind of things will provoke a lustful thought in the eyes of people. it's more than just covering nakedness because if a person was covered head to toe and yet it's so, it's more than just covering. I think a scripture based modesty guideline that all spandex and wrapped tightly around the body, should be very simple. it leaves little to the imagination, right? Okay.
1) Clothing should not expose any part of the naked flesh. Period. 2) Clothing should not wrap tightly against naked flesh so as to expose the form of thighs, rear, reproductive parts and especially in the case of a woman, her chest. So, I do think that this would be a safe and
reasonable guideline that we could look to, as something that we should do as believers.
One minute, please. Now, there are pants out there that are so tight that they expose the form of both male and female reproductive parts. for men when they sit down the folds of their pants around their reproductive parts leave the impression even if they are not; that they are form fitting.
Years ago, I asked my own wife who obviously knows me and knows every part more than anybody; if my pants gave the impression ? And she said, "yes it does". One of the folds around that area of my body I said, " does this look like it might be outlining or wrapped around my reproductive parts?" And she said, "yes" and it wasn't. But she thought it was, even though she knew mw very well. She thought it was. Now, when looking at the number one thing that provokes lust in women; number one thing was sweatpants, shorts or pants that show the form of a male's reproductive parts. It was tied at number one with shirtless males.
And so, the close second would be tight pants showing the form of a male's rear.
So you know, I didn't have a hard time trying to explain the issue of the folds of the pants. there at the very bottom. But is what I was talking about right here. But some recognized what I was talking about, I think. But the exposure of the torso including the area below the belly button and the waist were also seen as issues. Right here tank top shirts and tight shirts were a problem here for the men.
And exposing the area below the waist obviously was basically third on the list. These are all issues here. That women are dealing with and not as high a percentage of women but some women are having a problem. Actually 17%, I think it went up a bit. Closer to one out of five are having the issue. So unlike which you may have heard ; yes it can be impactful on them. Now in terms of men we asked the question.
Actually women " also if you do struggle with lust when seeing an immodest person; do you ever struggle with lust when that person is the same gender as your own". And 12%, more than one out of ten and it kind of works out to about 9% of the men and general population are having this issue. I presume some of the women. Now it may come as a shocker, but you know when a young person is sexually abused by a person of their own gender; it can impact them for the rest of their lives. studies show that one of the biggest factors in homosexuality is not genetics, it has never proven any genetic link. But what has been shown is that one of the biggest factors is; how many older brothers they have?
The more older brothers they have, the more likely they will become homosexual. They are all scratching their heads , they can't figure that out. But it shouldn't be too hard to figure that out. I mean don't let me get into details. But it's a problem even among Yahweh fearing men and women. It's a problem so when examining this issue of modesty for men; it is necessary . Modesty is a requirement just as much as it is for women, it is for men. We need to lead the way, we need to be willing to give up our clothing preferences , we need to be willing to toss out our shorts that expose our thighs. We need to be careful about the tight pants that show the form of our rears or at least have some kind of long shirt to cover it. Whatever shirts we wear, need to be long enough to cover the reproductive parts of our bodies when we sit down. I had to change what I'm wearing to make that possible. Because if you look at the aspect closely, normally I wear the Rigg's you know four corner garment, but look at these here. I just happened to notice that these aren't long enough in my opinion. But look at the shape of the buttoned up shirt. A lot of times that actually curves downward on both sides, like curves downward. And I kind of like that because when you're sitting down it covers that area where a male's reproductive parts happen to be. When they sit down, the folds that are there are not seen. And so I think this isn't long enough, but that's at least the style for now, that I'm adopting.
It is more of that style and I kind of had to. As I was studying this out last night and I really got a conviction on this. But my goal is to have a shirt long enough to cover everything when I'm standing up and when I'm sitting down, without looking like I'm wearing some kind of dress. I don't believe that these men are wearing, I don't know if they are long enough. But I converted my shirt into a four corner garment. I took a pair of scissors and I made these slits, kind of like what you see right her, these slits right here. I just took a pair of scissors and made these slits so that I could hang my tassels on four corners. That was easy. So, even though I've got a buttoned up shirt, I've got a couple of slits there on each side to fix my tassels to. and these are not the clothing style I'm talking about. But I got something like this on the button ups.
Now I know changing your clothing styles is something that probably most people want to resist. I mean for some people I really think this is interesting because in the 1950's and 1960's style of Christian is you know the ideal dress style for boys and men were; you tuck in your shirt and pants are sort of semi tight and even very tight pants with the belt around it. Clean shaven face and that look kind of becomes a symbol of a young Christian boy. I think those days are over. it's not modest. and while it may be the look of a modern Christian or even 1970's or 1960's Christian, it's not the look of an Israelite. It's not the look of Yahushua Hamashiach. And so men if we're going to expect the ladies to adjust their wardrobe and appearance to accommodate a biblical standard of modesty; we need to be willing to lead the way. We need to be willing to do the same thing. I'm setting an example of myself and my household by changing what I'm wearing. Not for the sake of change but because I'm really convicted about it. I hope you're willing to do the same thing for your family and not be a hypocrite.
maybe one day I'll find a different kind of shirt, but it's gotta fit the mould. It has to fit the standards. I don't want to provoke lust, I want to provoke them to righteousness. So it starts with the men because we are the heads of the household. Boy's you're future heads of households and I need to look at what's going on here and be honest with myself about it. And so, before I even talk about women, I'm talking about the men. and offer some commentary on the clothing styles I have to that. because of even the clothing styles among some Messianic groups and other groups, a few are not really modest. Now the first thing I want to point out about the clothing style and the clothing industry is that they are trying to sell clothing as we talked about. so they do something to accentuate the female form. What's gonna result in the sales are things that do cause the female form to be lifted up and exaggerated. Look here at this shirt right here. On the left is a man's shirt, on the right is a woman's shirt. Now, do you see the difference?
Look at the female shirt for a minute.
Notice how the cut of the shirt goes in like this. The cut of the man's shirt doesn't do that. It's straight down; what is that? for some reason, this is how you even how you
define what a woman's shirt is. By the cut, it's much skinnier in the middle than it is on the hips and here. It does not go straight down. And what this does, is it cause the woman's chest to stick out more and it causes this to wrap around her waist and her rear. So that, that part of the body is also popping up. so, the clothing style the way it's designed is not
modest. It's not, it wraps around the body like a spandex only it happens to be made of different material. But it's cut in such a way to accentuate the woman's form. that's how it's cut. Now some people think, "well you know the chest isn't supposed to be a sensual part of the body. It's just a place for babies to nurse." Let's take a look at scripture, it says they committed harlotry in Egypt, they committed harlotry in their youth; their breasts were there embraced, their virgin bosom was there pressed. Ezekiel 23 verse 3. Ezekiel 23:21, thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth when the Egyptians pressed your bosom. Why? Because of your youthful breasts.
Not exactly Grated but it's scripture. Proverbs 5:18 to 22, let your fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, and be embraced in the arms of a seductress? letting other women's breasts satisfy you. For the ways of men are before the eyes of Yahweh and he ponders all his plans. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man and he is caught in the cords of his sin.
So, look back here at this dress style. It is the men's vee neck shirt which it's pretty rare to see a man wearing a vee neck shirt. Look at the women's vee neck shirt. Look at how it hangs down here. I mean why? Why is that considered to be a woman's shirt when it's got the vee neck. Why is that? There is only one reason why; they want the chest of the woman to be open and exposed. Now if a man wore a shirt like this here they would kind of be considered silly. The one on the right, if you wore this shirt they would be like, " what are you trying to do, your chest here is really popping out there. know one of these womanizers. what's going on?" He would kind of be seen as a silly probably you
The women do it and it's perfectly normal, no problem. Do you see the contradiction here? Really if anything the women need to be keeping their parts covered not opening things up. what I'm saying here as far as attractiveness matters are very well with what the survey says. what kind of dresses causes problems for men? Number one; tops and dresses that expose cleavage. That seems to be all the rage nowadays. there are churches where the young girls compete; how much cleavage they can show. Believe it or not. And then we see; see through clothing exposing the female's under clothing presumably the bra. I don't see too many clothes that are exposing underwear. But that would be another thing. And then we have their belly area being shown. And then we have tops or dresses revealing the shape of a female's chest. And then here; tank top shirts.
Shirts wrapping tightly around the waist and belly, clothing that fully exposes the shoulders or backs. Short armed shirts and dresses that expose a female's bra when she lifts her arms. And then the cleavage. All these things about the chest. Obviously it's a sensual area for men. It's not something that doesn't provoke anything. so, according to both scripture and real life; these are sensual areas of the body. They are a part of the body that if uncovered, it's considered to be nakedness.
And so when looking at modern shirt styles. Why would the open-chested shirts be a woman's garment? And the men's chest, you know the straight up and down clothing style not be? You know, it doesn't make sense, except that it would be; we live in an evil and adulterous generation. and they cut the clothing in such a way to wrap around or expose a woman. So that the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life are kings. And tight shirts are considered women's shirts. Truly scared apparel should be cut in such a way to accommodate for the larger chest size of women and the area underneath. so that it's not form fitting. Private parts of the body need to be private. Now I apologize if I'm invading your personal space here by making these comments. I've already talked to the men. I have to the women. The idea of a wife unfamiliar with the woman's anatomy, a challenge that my wife has trying to be modest. I'm not trying to embarrass anybody here or make anybody feel bad. I hope that we can all be mature and be frank enough to address the clothing styles we see here today, because it's a major problem in the body of Messiah. with seven out of ten men struggling with sinning against Yahweh in this area. There are some of you that are thinking, ' well I've got an abnormally large bust size, it's a large chest and it's hard for me to be modest. It's just kind of a difficult thing." I've learned part of the problem is; the bras that are worn by women today. typically lift up the breasts and cause e them to pop out more than they would if they had no bra on. I actually once met a woman who believed that bras were originally only worn by prostitutes because they exaggerate a woman's chest size by lifting up the breasts. And so I know corsets were invented in the 14th Century to make the chest stand out more and bras eventually took their place. Now, the woman I'm speaking of wore dual layer clothing. I have to admit it was very modest. But I don't necessarily advocate that position because e, I mean, it wouldn't work out too well if you're out jogging or playing games like volleyball or other things where the chest would have to have support. things would be you know moving around. And so, I think bra styles really the compression style sports bra is actually more modest than the push-up. compression style bras actually push the breasts closer to the chest, so that they don't tear ligaments and other things during running and jogging. And for that reason, I think they actually are more modest. Another solution is to wear additional layers of clothing or wear the kind of dress that will have a flap or something overtop or ruffles or some kind of pleats or something around here. To help keep things modest. Some dresses have an extra flap that comes down over top the chest. So, there are some solutions, there is ways to do it. And that's why I'm trying to make the point. There is ways to do it. The areas of the body that need to be adequately covered, both men and women; is the area between the waist and the thighs. Because looking here at our poll. The survey we did pants and skirts and dressed that show the form of a female's rear was nearly tied for the second place. So that's a problem. pants that are tight around the legs and the thighs was a problem also. Women that choose to wear pants should wear a loose shirt or something closer to what I'm wearing but more feminine, that would hang down and cover her backside. Her bottom. Something hanging down loosely and covering that part and yet long enough that when you sit down, it continues to cover the private parts of the body. Particularly the reproductive parts. Yoga pants, similar stretchy styles do not adequately address that issue. Also notice the pants here it says tight around the legs and thighs was a problem. It's a problem so it's a private part of the body
and so the pants need to be loose. not form fitting. In looking at some kind of standard for modesty;
shirts and tops for both genders should cover the area below the collarbone. Covering the full torso area. Be long enough and loose enough to hide the shape of the rear. cover the reproductive parts when sitting down.
Pants for both genders should be loose, not tight against the skin so as to wrap tightly around the thighs, which is a private area according to scripture. Dresses should not wrap tightly around the rear, or tightly around the waist or belly area, which accentuates the shape of the rear and especially for women, the shape of the chest. So I think that is a pretty good summary of the
kinds of clothing that we should wear based on scripture. I have noticed some of the dresses worn by Mennonites even Messianic women tend to be cut similar to how the shirt is cut. It's coming down, they put the belt right here or something and it will come in inward like this. Even a dress will come in like that. To me, that's not appropriate. That is an attempt to be form fitting and wearing a belt right here can cause the same issue as well. So it accentuates the chest and a woman's backside. I don't think that it's appropriate. We need to keep our private parts private. And not do thing that provoke temptations in the hearts of others.
Skirts actually, can be a problem, even though most people think that skirts are modest. If the skirt is tight and if there is not a shirt
that hangs down to cover the area between the waist and the thighs, it can be a problem. I know that pleated skirts tend to do a better job of hiding a woman's form than just straight skirts. And tops same thing. Ruffles or some second layer of clothing over the top of the chest helps to keep things privately. keep thing private, keep thing more discretely. So, that's what I see and I'm trying to get as close to scripture as I possibly can.
In looking at our modesty standard. It says in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with prosperity and moderation. Modest apparel with propriety and moderation. Not with braided hair or pearls or costly clothing. but which proper for women professing godliness with good works or reverence. In the first segment, we broke down and examined each of these words in detail. And came up with the following list. What is proper would be something feminine. Modest and reflective of good behavior. A sense of bashfulness (not boldness in your face) in the sense of "look at me". Humility rather than flaunting yourself. Love does not parade itself, right? ell ordered, not disheveled or unkempt. it's okay to brush your hair. Actually the word modest has more to do with order than with anything. Respectful shyness, reserve, and reticence. That means you're not intentionally trying to be in somebody's face or something. elf-control and temperance. Sober mindedness. Curbing carnal impulses or desires. Discreet. Talked about that. Reverential toward Elohim. With faith, without wrath. Put your faith in Yahweh, don't be angry. Modest dress is a blessing. It really is. now here is the example of what I think would fit all of these qualifications in my personal opinion. I know it's very subject to different opinions. We don't have the braided hair and the gold and the costly clothing. Now, in looking at this particular woman and the way she is dressed; I'm not saying you have to dress like this. However, it is fitting the bill I think. It's modest, it's not putting herself out there, it's humble, it's lovely, it's vastly feminine. Unquestionably feminine and attractive. In a good way attractive. You see that she has the pleated garment here at the bottom and somewhat of a double layer happening here at the top and there is nothing about that particular female that would cause a man to see something he shouldn't see. In terms of the private parts of her body. And yet she is happy, and she is lovely and she is attractive in a very good way.
Now, again that's not the only style out there that
would fit the qualifications but I kind of like it myself. Now, I'm not saying you have to be a Mennonite. In fact, I don't think Mennonites are necessarily wearing the best thing either. but you do have to fit these qualifications in the scripture that we talked about regarding modesty. And that particular clothing style I think fits the bill. Now I tried to find something that men, I couldn't find anything. We're a mess. ladies, we're just a mess. Suit and tie is actually probably ... A big long suit jacket that hangs way down, it's probably about the closest thing I come to ... But I mean as far as shirts they're harder to find. So I find if you get like a big and tall, you know tends to be a longer shirts, a little bit better. Our very first segment this is what we were talking about. These attitudes and if you're allowing yourself to flaunt the private parts of your body, you're not walking in humility. And you're not glorifying Yahweh with your body and your spirit. Which belong to him, right?
So it's very important that we are willing to give Yahweh every part of us. And seek to glorify him in everything that we wear and everything that we do. Now I wanna talk also about a different kind of modesty although it's connected to the same thing. I think our attitudes need to match the pure lifestyle and the lifestyle of love that we're trying to promote with our attitudes and with the clothing that we wear. I want to talk a little bit to the young men, about how to treat a young girl, a marriageable girl. A young girl's heart is very tender and very delicate. It's very important that you treat that with respect. You must have a sensitivity to this and most young men don't have that. But remember part of love, part of what love is really all about is pursuing the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of Elohim for the sake of food or any other reason, right? Don't do anything to cause your brother to stumble, okay? I would say, your sister also. Don't do anything that would cause a young girl to stumble. And it may not just be the clothing you wear. It can be how you treat her personally.
If your brother is grieved because of your food, you're no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Messiah died, or with anything you're doing right? Don't do anything that would cause him to stumble or be offended or be made weak. And the same would be true of women. So marriageable men I have a message for you. Don't pretend like you don't know it when a young female is taking interest in you.
Don't deny the chemistry that exists between you and a particular girl that you have a feeling is showing more interest in you than the average female. Be aware of it and if she is not someone that Yahweh has given you the green light regarding marriage or potential marriage and if you have not yet approached her father and asked permission to get to know her better with the potential goal of marriage. You need to keep her at a certain distance so that her heart does not get drawn to yours.
And her heart ultimately being damaged when you go off and marry somebody else. Now doing extra nice things for a young marriageable girl or sharing your innermost thoughts and feelings creates emotional bonds, creates an emotional connection. And that kind of emotional connection was intended to be her future husband whoever that might be. And if Yahweh has not given you the green light to pursue that and the parents have not given the green light to pursue that, you need to keep things at a distance. Because you can hurt her, you can damage her heart.
You don't wanna cause a problem for her later in life where she has married somebody else and yet she she is still thinking about her first love which was you. And the relationship she had with you and you think you can just toy with her heart. You can't do that. You don't wanna cause a problem for her even in the present time. Maybe she is thinking marital things and you have not been led by Yahweh to take her hand. She is very vulnerable, I know of young girls who had their hearts set on certain young men that they knew and the young man was giving signals. You know to the marriageable age and the young man goes off somebody else and the girls are devastated. It happens all the time. So do not toy with her heart. Smiling that special smile at her, making her feel like you have an interest when you really don't . and playing along and your little games. Pay attention to what you're doing, be modest in your behavior, be modest in your attitude toward young females. Treat younger women as sisters and keep things at that level, do not go beyond that level. And young ladies you can do the same things. You'll be chasing boys around, I know it's hard but you have to really wanna who your husband the rest of your life with. But we all have to be careful with one another's hearts because Yahweh's intent is this; the first person that you're emotionally bonded to, the first person you ultimately become physically attracted to is your husband or your wife and nobody else. and when that happens, and I've seen that happen where you know a young marriageable girl really keeps her heart and preserves it. And a young marriageable man keeps his heart and preserves and then waits on Yahweh. And when they come together, and they get
married, and their first love is each other. I mean you always remember your first love, you play the boyfriend and girlfriend game. Us older people know that well. I mean I was in the world I was not a believer when I was a teenager. But your first love is supposed to be your wife hands with, the first person that you kiss, the or your husband. That's who it's supposed to be. And so when it is, and the first person you hold
first person that you become emotionally
attached to is your spouse. It creates such a powerful unbreakable bond and Yahweh is the third chord, because you have put Yahweh first. And it's awesome, it's a beautiful thing. I mean I've been to these weddings where that has been the case with both the male and the female . And when they hold hands the first time it's special or when they kiss the first time it's special. That's what they choose to do at their wedding, I know, not everybody has to so that. So the difference between being beautiful and being perverse, there is a difference between being friendly and being dangerous with how you treat a young girl brothers. Young brothers think about it and be careful. I know myself I played the boyfriend- girlfriend game, I am very fearless to come out of that without damage. Creating those bonds, creating those connections, creating emotional attachments is you know boyfriend- girlfriend light. It's not quite the extent but it's along the same spirit. So we need to walk in modesty in our attitudes,
in modesty in the way we dress.
And young women be careful about the flirtatious eye, be careful how you treat young men as if you're interested when really you're not. You just wanna see if he might be ... and increase your potential suitors for marriage. Please be careful. We all need to look out for each other, to care for each other, and to be aware of what's happening and be modest. And that's my message brothers and sisters. Yes, this one is a little bit shorter, but that's my message for all of us. We need to follow the biblical standards of modesty. We need to follow Yahweh's standard of not showing nakedness or showing the equivalent thereof by the form fitting clothes that are available to us today.
And we have to be modest in our communication, humble holy, righteous in conduct, righteous in
thought and it's beautiful.
So are willing to do that? That's the question. Are we willing to change our wardrobe if necessary? Is Yahweh the Elohim of our wardrobe or is that one place we're not willing to let him be Elohim? It's up to you. Let's pray.
Heavenly father Yahweh, Kadosh be your great name.
Oh, Yahweh forgive us where we failed you in these areas. Where we have not covered what you designed to be covered. We have not been holy in our conduct.
We've not been holy ion our dress, in our communication toward others. We ask for your forgiveness, we praise you, we thank you for the standard that you have in your word. We thank you for your loving kindness and your mercies and your grace for any areas where we have failed you in this and we trust as we confess our sins. You're faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We wanna be like Yahushua, ha Maschiach. We wanna strengthen the body the messiah, not tear it down. We want to build up, to edify, not to create temptation in the hearts of others. Teach us how you want us to be clothed, not in just
the physical but the spiritual as well.
Instruct us father Yahweh. take away the gray areas. Cause our hearts to be completely and totally given to you in the area of dress. I pray that all pride would cease, all desire for carnal things would cease.
And that only righteousness and holiness and purity would reign and reign forever and ever in our hearts.
For we know that you reign forever and ever. And we want you to reign in our hearts. For truly yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty forever and ever. All praise belongs to you, Yahweh Elohim, Yahweh our king forever and ever. In Yahushua's great name we pray. Amen