Ezekiel 16:11-12 I adorned you with jewellery, and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck. I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head.
Jewellery are accessories made of different metals and have sometimes been a source of contention in the church worldwide. The debate has been on whether or not it is right for Christians to use jewellery.
The major scripture that is used to back up the claim that the use of jewellery is bad is Exodus 33:5-6 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.” Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.
Other scriptures are: Exodus 33:1-6; Genesis 35:4; Isaiah 3:18-24
But IS IT possible that the Lord was not against the USE of jewellery but against its MISUSE?
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A Brief History
We can see from the exodus out of Egypt that it was God’s idea for the Egyptians to hand over their ornaments to the Israelites.
Exodus 3:21-22 And will give these people favour in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, but each woman shall ask of her neighbour, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewellery, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”
However, when they got impatient during Moses’ absence, they decided to make an idol – a golden calf – from the jewellery that God Himself had given to them as they were leaving Egypt and thereby broke the first and second commandment (Exodus 32:2-4).
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Seeing from God’s Perspective
Since there are no clear cut thoughts for or against jewellery, from scriptures, what does God seem more concerned about?
1 Peter 3:3-5 YOUR BEAUTY should NOT come from OUTWARD ADORNMENT, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewellery or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a GENTLE AND QUIET SPIRIT, which is of GREAT WORTH IN GOD’S SIGHT. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to ADORN THEMSELVES. They submitted themselves to their own husbands
The heart of God on the matter of jewellery has not been total aversion; but rather, that things be done decently and in order.
1 Timothy 2:9-10 Likewise, I want the women to ADORN themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, NOT with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with GOOD DEEDS, as is proper for women who PROFESS to worship God.
While some use this scripture as a basis to say that it is evil for women to use jewellery, the obvious emphasis is that modesty, propriety, and moderation are the watchwords as is befitting and proper for the woman who is professing godliness with good works.
We know none of those godly fruit are physical fabric. So did God really mean the christian woman should swap her nicer clothes for them?
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The Conclusion of the Matter
In the tale of the virtuous woman, her outward appearance was not discussed. Her mindset was observable in her actions. When beauty was eventually spoken of in the same tale, here’s what King Lemuel had to say: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30
Focus on inner beauty because jewellery, expensive clothes, and elaborate hairstyles are irrelevant in a Spirit’s eyes. Covering nakedness is the primary requirement He seems to demand. But the specifics of that covering are subject to ability and choice. Plain, shiny, distinctive, ordinary, or any other kind of dressing, is often subject to one’s circumstances and degree of heavenly wisdom.
Let’s ponder.
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