Bible Study on Jewellery

ADORN: -

ENGLISH:- to decorate with ornaments - deck - grade - trick - array - attire - bedeck

HEBREW:-

= kashet

Pictogram:-

= yaffeh

Pictogram:-

= sheklel

Pictogram:-

= pa'er

Pictogram:-

BIBLE:-

- 1 Tim 2:9 -

- Titus 2:10 -

- Jer.31:4 -

- Lk.21:5 -

- Peter 3:5 -

- Rev.21:2

- Isa. 61:10 -

- 1 Peter 3:3 -

JEWELLERY:-

ENGLISH:- objects of precious metal set with gems and worn for personal adornment

HEBREW:-

= ta'asiyat tekshitim

= mis'har b'takshitim

= takshitim

= avanim y'karot

= tzorfut

BIBLE:-

- Ezek.16:12 -

- Gen.24:53 -

- Ex.3:22 -

- Ex.11:2 -

- Ex.12:35 -

- Ex.35:22 -

- Num.31:50,51 -

- 1 Sam.6:8,15 -

- 2 Chron.20:25 -

- 2 Chron. 32:27 -

- Job 28:17 -

- Song of Sol. 1:10 -

- Song of Sol. 7:1 -

- Isa. 3:21 -

- Isa. 61:10 -

- Ezek.16:17,39 -

- Ezek.23:26 -

- Hos.2:13 -

- Mal.3:17 -

BIBLICAL HISTORY OF JEWELLERY

WOMEN:-

- Isaiah hit out hard at women of his day who trusted in ornamentation, in sharp contrast to the poor women then

- women wore headbands, bangles, crescent necklaces, earrings, bracelets, nose rings, veils, head-dresses, ankle chains, perfume bottles, charms, signet rings, beautiful robes, cloaks, capes, purses, mirrors, tiaras, linen clothing, shawls, and sashes

- if an archaeologist digs up a site now, he can usually find pieces of Jewellery. Gold earrings were usually hollow, but silver ones were heavier and more elaborate

- necklaces contained semi-precious stones (feldspar (green), and carnelian (orange/red)

- jewllery artisans were in prevalence throughout the whole country. Even the ordinary person wore jewellery

- when reliance was made on these ornaments, it produced a pride which God hates (Isa.3:16-23). The prophet was addressing the fact that more time was spent on their appearance before men than before God.

- In the New Testament, Peter and Paul bropught this into a balance as contrasted with this extreme preoccupation with ornamentation. In 1 Peter.3:3 we read that It was NOT that women ought not to wear these things, but that their reliance upon them for ALL their beauty was idolatry, and meant a warped spiritual relationship to God. Paul also concurred with Peter on this. (1Tim.2:9)

MEN:-

- as might be suspected, adornment was primarily for the opposite sex, but men DID wear SOME jewellery

- belts, girdles, - things which kept their tunics in place so they wouldn't become an annoyance as they walked.

- swords or daggers were used inside belts

- if a man were rich, he had a signet ring on his finger. (Lk.15:22). Rings were more than just ornamental. Sometimes the signet ring was also worn around the neck These were the credit cards of those days - the legal signature. Men would dip the ring in wax and its design was pressed on any legal document.

- there were no pockets on garments worn then, so one had to carry a small purse ordinarily made out of leather. (Lk.12:32) This purse was tucked under the belt. In it were coins and anything else that was precious.

- sometimes a gold star was worn on the forehead by nobility. Priests wore them as a diadem. This idea originated from the Roman period in Egypt.

LESSON LEARNED:

- the importance of our appearance should never take pre-eminence over our walk with God. Jesus took food and clothing always under consideration, but He instructed that our loving Heavenly Father would take care of us. Worry about this would be a doubt of God's power and faithfulness to us. (Lk.22:27,28)

- contrary to some Christian legalistic denominations, God is not against jewellery or adornment. He did it Himself throughout creation!! He is not against our beautifying ourselves. What He does NOT like is our concentration on it - our DEPENDENCE on it to gain favour from others. (exampl;e of TV girl who had total "make-over") God is far more concerned with our inner man, because when IT is in shape, a glow comes forth not born of cosmetics or adornment. Some times, cosmetics and jewellery camouflage our needs and sin. Even when our inner man is in a turmoil, our appearance can be beautified or covered up through cosmetics etc. but eventually this catches up with us. God has an entirely different way of assessing beauty. He does not regard the appearance, but looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7) We should be spending just as much time, if not, far MORE time in beautifying our INNER man

- adornment, whether through cosmetics or jewellery, should never be used or worn to seduce men

- care CAN be given to assess the colours we are wearing- to match up, to complement the style or mood of what we are wearing as a dress

OTHER ADORNINGS

- at creation (finishing touches)

- between Isaac and Rebecca (as a sign of endearment)

- the doctrine (to make it palatable, understandable, and beautiful to the common man) (Titus 2:10)

The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow! How often we have heard that assertion and take a certain amount of comfort in knowing its truth. The only question that arises immediately is “What was He like yesterday??" From what has He maintained his “sameness”? With everything around us going through extremely rapid changes, what is the relevancy of knowing that the God we worship never changes?

This question is profoundly important as we arrive again at the fixed time of the year when the most revolutionary event occured - i.e. the time when the third member of the Godhead made Himself known with such clarity, that men who lived in Jerusalem from every country in the world, were staggered into belief. Even as the curse on the citizens of Babel caused the confusing and scrambling of all languages, the blessing on the citizens of all varieties of languages and cultures staying in Jerusalem, heard the Word of God clearly. Clearly enough to rush to become part of what God was doing in that city. What was going on in the city was called - Pentecost!


Three times a year, the Hebrew people were to appear before the Lord, prepared to worship during an appointed time and at an appointed place. Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) was one of those times. It was to be an holy convocation, dedicated totally to the rituals that the Lord had requested to be done. Out of each house, two loaves of bread were to be brought to be waved before the Lord as First Fruits. Not only leavened bread, but also two lambs were to be waved before the Lord. The lamb`s blood caused the event to be holy.
 
It was on the completion of this holy day, that the early disciples, who had been waiting in Jerusalem for the power from on high to come, burst forth with unimaginable conviction! This conviction was the birth pangs of what became the church. It had irresistable power that swept the crowd into its vortex of commitment and into a richer awareness of God`s presence following the event of the cross.


Although the fervour of that day in Jerusalem has cooled, the renewal it brought with it has gained a new interest among those who have become aware of it. All over the world, as this spring festival is remembered, there is the awareness of ancient connections that provide hope and joy.

Even as the cycle of spring issues forth from every tree, God`s promises issue forth from this event to challenge us all to a renewal of our souls. As we hear of revival and renewals internationally, we are quickened to celebrate and expect renewal in ourselves. The witness that was promised to go to the ends of the earth has gone there, and is now returning with a multiple harvest of souls in its wake. Even as this is a harvest of first fruits physically, it is also a harvest of souls spiritually. Even as this feast remembers the first fruits from the Dead (Yeshua), we anticipate the winter of our own souls melting before the action of the Holy Spirit as He brings His tongues of fire to bear on us!!

As we commemorate the fact that God thundered forth His commandments from Mt. Sinai many years ago, let us also rejoice that it is indeed possible now to obey them, not through our human grit, but through the power of His indwelling Spirit which appeared on the exact day of Pentecost in the upper room to 120 disciples.

In other words, there was no such thing as Good Friday or Easter. Both commemorations were an invention of the Roman Emporer Constantine in the 4th century. One cannot calculate 3 days and 3 nights from Friday to Sunday morning.


According to most recent calculations by Biblical scholars, Yeshua was crucified Wednesday afternoon, and He rose at midnight Saturday.


Easter was a pagan celebration, giving homage to the goddess Ashtar.

In the first century, fundamental changes occurred, which drew the central authority away from the apostolic order into a new philosophical order. As the church of Jerusalem, under the direction of James, lost its effectiveness because of the destruction of the Temple and the dispersion of the believers, the conduct of the church affairs fell under the auspices of more non-Judaistic leadership.

The progressive effect of this change of authority was a disintegration of the Hebraic basis for liturgy, and its replacement by Greco-Roman philosophical ideas. Following the second uprising around 135 A.D., there was a purposeful rejection of many of the Judaistic influences that were part of the establishment of the early church.

Among those things rejected were the annual memorials, known as the Biblical Festivals. There was a desire on the part of the early church fathers, such as Justin Martyr, to gain the sympathy of the Roman rulers who were profoundly enraged by the last rebellion of the Jews in the second century. Since the early church was regarded as part of the Jewish Faith, the political stigma connected with things Jewish attached itself to the church as well.

The Roman influence, instilled in the early Church, fathered a deep abiding resentment towards the Jews. When the first universal Church leader, Constantine, made the Christian church the official religion of the Roman state, he, as emperor of Rome, established practices which completely destroyed any continuity between the fledgling Church, and the roots of the Faith. Instead, pagan holidays (Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter) were substituted for the Biblical ones, and these are in place today.

Under later leaders, the calendar was changed from the lunar calendar, determining time from the moon cycles, to the solar calendar, reflecting the sun worship prevalent in Rome. This changing of the calendar completely altered the Biblical time cycle for festivals, and separated, finally, any relationship between the Biblical time scale and that of the Church. Commemorating Biblical Feasts is a realignment with the early beginnings of the Faith, and a memorial celebration as a reminder of what God has done in History.

Daily reports roll into cyberspace, announcing the fact that Israel is becoming an anathema again in the minds of countries where the biased news has painted a black picture of Israel's self defence. There is an old expression which says, “That which comes around, goes around.” It means that there is little new under the sun, that history definitely repeats itself.

On March 10th,, 2009, the ancient Feast of Purim will be celebrated. This is a festival which commemorates the time in the distant past, when almost all of the nation of Israel was living within the borders of Persia. As has happened so often in the history of Israel, her existence was threatened by the rulers of that country.
Iran is the present name of Persia, and again, its present ruler is threathening to totally wipe Israel off the map. In the ancient event, there was an influential leader, Haman, whose ego was profoundly insulted when a certain Jew, Mordecai, didn't bow down to him when he rode in the street. By evil manipulation, he convinced the king, Ahasueras, that all the Jews should be destroyed. The present leader of Iran (Persia) has also in this day convinced the leading religious leaders that Israel deserves to be obliterated!

Haman prepared a huge gallows upon which he was going to hang Mordecai, following the destruction of Israel. Achmedijad, the present leader, is preparing a nuclear holocaust for the nation of Israel. Should this occur, it will not only involve Israel, but could well involve numerous other nations in the Middle East area. In the case of the original event, a young, beautiful woman, Esther, volunteered to speak to the King, even though it could mean death to her. The only woman on the scene now, who could try to prevent a holocaust of Israel, is not very beautiful, not very self sacrificing, but she IS Jewish. Her name is Hilary Clinton.

This has to be the height of irony! However, this time the power of the United States is being controlled by someone who has vowed support for Israel, but apparently has made a secret pact with one of Israel's enemies, Saudi Arabia. There presently isn't an Esther, but there has been an election in Israel, which has brought to power a new sympathetic leader, Benjamin Natanyahu. Now for the most ironical touch - his name means “son of my right hand, gift from God!” It will be intriguing to see if this “gift” will turn the tables on those who are seeking the destruction of Israel at this moment of observance of the time when God saved the people of Israel.

"Passover??For Christians?? For ME?? NO way - that's only a JEWISH thing!"so you say.We invite you to take a second look. First off, all the first earlybelievers in Jesus, whether they were Jewish or Gentiles, celebrated notonly Passover, but ALL the other Biblical Feasts (i.e. Trumpets,Tabernacles, Passover, Pentecost - and even the Sabbath on the 7th day!) So whathappened?

In the 4th century, the Roman Emperor Constantine decreed theseGodly dates illegal, and severely persecuted any believer caught observingany of them. In order to give believers something to commemorate, heinvented Advent, Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and the Sunday Sabbath. Being a political leader, he randomly drew his ideas from paganfestivals and deities, and doctored them up so that they were palatable andinoffensive. He also boldly changed the Biblical names of the days, months,and years, adjusting all these to the solar calendar rather than the Biblical lunar one - even though scriptures warn us not to tamper with God'sset times which would result in a curse. With the passing of time, thesechanges became easier, and then a habit, and then tradition, and nowaccepted as the gospel truth and a way of life.
This unembarrassed strayingaway from the truth has left most Christians not realizing this error. Soattached are we to Constantine's festivals that most believers can not andwill not emerge out of them, nor see the tremendous lessons in the feastsGod has ordained! Yeshua is woven into every one of them - loud andstrong!Now that's the history.

So let's retrace our steps: Passover was thecelebration that commemorated the ancient Israelites coming out of thebondage of Egypt and its cruel taskmaster, Pharaoh. The Psalmist Davidrecorded that it is good to "joy in another's joys". If it were not forGod's profound interventionfor the Israelites there would have been noMessiah, as the blood line would have been cancelled through which Yeshuawas born centuries later.
To bring it home to us, we can see that Pharaoh isa symbol of Satan, and the Israelites are we who have been gloriouslybrought out of his domainthrough faith in the Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach.Their Canaan has become OUR Heaven! In short, we have passed from death untolife!

The same God Who brought the Jews out of Egypt with a strong rightarm, has just as supernaturally brought US out of the power of sin and evilthrough the atoning blood of Yeshua. Regard this as the bigger miracle! Bycelebrating Passover, this is a chance to enjoy a multiple spiritual NEWBIRTHday party!!
At this Passover celebration, you will discover preciousnew insight into this most ancient of all the Biblical feasts - a doorwayinto observing ALL of them as your yearly cycle of worship to the King ofall kings! It will be honoured with much beautiful pageantry, revelatoryexplanations and teaching, delicious food, and close fellowship - with theLord and your fellow brothers and sister seated at your table.

Celebrating the Biblical feasts is a worldwide awakening reflected in Christians livingin every country throughout God's kingdom on earth right now. This is partof the preparation of the Body of Christ for the Messiah's imminent return.Why not be a part of what God is doing?

HallEL: childlike celebration, bordering upon being a trifle foolish in the eyes of man
(Psa. 22:22)

ChaDESH: sing a NEW song (prophetic, creative, radical)

ToDAH: hands in adoration (Psa. 50:23)

TehiLAH: confess God's word in song - authority in hearts - scripture songs - singing in the Spirit - (Psa. 40:3)

SaMACH: to be as happy as the sun - God's light changes the hearts - forgiveness - love - "changed from glory to glory" (2Cor.5:7) - victory over our trials

BaRAHK: bowing down (Psa. 72:15)

GUHL: dance - allow Holy Spirit to guide movements

YaDAH: raise hands unashamedly (Psa. 9:1)

MaCHAWL: round circle dancing - (King David, Bar Mitzvah, wedding) (Lk. 15:25) - music and dancing in My Father's house

ShaBACH: - to shout (Psa. 117:1)

AHAZ: leap and dance (Lk. 12:23) (10 lepers healed- only 1 praised) - (Acts 3:3 - lame man)
Processions - (Psa. 68:24:27) - - dignified (sometimes happy - sometimes solemn)

AhCAR: warfare over cities - (Ps.149:9)
1) to assault evil powers
2) punishment for sin and power over people
3) bind rulers of darkness with chains (drugs/violence/crime)
4) bind nobles with fetters of iron (over churches and families)
5) execute written judgment (by speaking the word, we see Satan flee)

ZaMAHR: prophetic - without singing or words - drives oyut evil spirits (1 Sam. 16:23) (King Saul and David)

If there is one thing that the Western world prides itself in is “logic”. Rationalism was the reigning philosophy during the 17 the to the 19th century. By the 18th c. , with Isaac Newton having discovered the laws of levers and many other brilliant conclusions in Science, the contemporary society thought that within a few short years, all nature would be understood . Understood enough to give Man the control that he needed to dictate how he should live, without the help or interference of something called”God”.

Such luminaries as Descartes could boldly declare “I think therefore I am”. This was the battle cry of the atheists that accompanied or followed Descartes. A “new man” had arisen with his man made wisdom “in his wings.” Gradually pride of life fashioned and determined by man, took hold of each “thinker” and drove him to treat the idea of a higher authority with contempt.

Western man had come of age and he was now free to cast off any idea of limitation because of moral considerations, that he had been told by “religious types.” Every avenue was open to his inquisitive, well oiled intellect. Nothing should escape being investigated : every private or modest activity was pried open and thoroughly examined then turned inside out for all to see its “secret” character.

Freedom was written on every lamp post.......freedom is regarded as the essence of happiness. Now we have reached a point where every hedonistic thought and indulgence is trumpeted about as “life style” and its depravity regarded as deeply important to life's inherent meaning.
Not only must it be tolerated, but encouraged at every level. Otherwise chances are, our society's “progress”might grind to a halt, and we may be forced to take on responsibility for our actions.

God has assessed this attitude, knowing that this path leads to spiritual death, soulic stupour and cannabalistic narcissism. So he has sent a totally irrational, death dealing religion that serves its god with total abandonment towards itself, others of its adherents and the entire Western world of moral ingrates.

As was made clear on an interview on BBC last evening, everyone outside of faith in Allah deserves death and a true adherent to this god's book, the koran, will make himself totally available to carry out homicide, suicide, patricide or any other “side” to remove unbelievers from the earth. All the humanist doctrine of the basic goodness of mankind, is having this philosophy thrown back in his face just before he loses his head.
 
Intellectual liberalism loses its case for absolute freedom, when confronted with absolute commitment to goodness and to evil. Since it is usually repulsed by goodness in raw simple faith form, it is left with the alternative—absolute evil. This is what we are dealing with on the political and personal level. God have mercy!!

Here and there among the tragedies of the recent confrontation in Gaza, surfaced absolute goodness. A new awareness came upon many soldiers of the IF as a result of miraculous events that occurred, brought about by the myriads of prayers that were ascending their behalf.

“If my people will humble themselves and pray, I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sins
and heal their land!”

This is a promise!!

 My toleration has reached its limit! I do not have any more patience whatsoever with the diet of UNholy stuff that is pouring out from 99% of the modern born-again churches. It is sheer junk – theologically, poetically, and musically! I have really had it! The wonder of it all is that the Lord doesn't seem to be stretching over the balcony of Heaven and screaming! Or even worse! Please don't ask me to go to one more service where the so-called “musicians” (most of whom do not read music) and the composers who “write” it (which means they hum it and hope you catch it) do not humble themselves to really write notes down and learn HOW!

The theology in the songs is sheer drivel – and not only that, but the definition of “love” is anything but DIVINE Love. I call it “bedroom worship” (crossover songs). Sensual love is NOT the same as Godly Love at all. The worship “team” looks like they fell out of bed or were qualifying to walk the streets. Maybe the word “team” IS right after all – they dress like they really ARE going to a football game! The music? Look, I've played just about every kind of music on a professional level, so I AM broadminided, but I find this stuff unbearable. It goes NOwhere, it's impossible to follow, and is a dead BORE!

I thought we had more revelation than the Jewish temple worship. We are FREE!! Ha! Give me the elaborate and meaningful wardrobe of the ancient Levitical priests any day to this parade of blue jeans with holes, sloppy T shirts, and tight skirts up to the thighs.

Let me ask them something – if Yeshua appeared during the worship coming down the aisle in all His glory, would we even DARE to look like that in the Presence of indescribable Royalty? Would we jive and rock in our adoration then? Would we blast the living daylights out of the drums so nobody can even hear themselves think? The singers coo their way like any sub-average singer on secular shows,. And at that, most of them are poor replicas. Airy fairy voices – more breath than tone. Doesn't anyone take music lessons any more? And where are the solo instruments? Didn't a whole bunch of high school kids take instrumental music classes? Where are the clarinets, the trumpets, the strings, the flutes? How come we are obliged to imitate a REAL sound on the electric keyboards, when the REAL flute player is sitting in the audience and is refused her participation, as it's not COOL!??

Hey – how about singing scripture again? Novel, huh? How about using some good language and grammar? How about some worthy poetry? How about expressing true prostrate adoration in a worthy manner, instead of chewing gum and blowing bubbles in the church pew? There is a pattern for worship, and it is NOT built on our tastes! It is not meant to please our preferences. It is exalted – it is glorious – it is wondrous – it is HOLY! HOLY! HOLY!!!!

If once we understand that the root meaning of “holy” in the Biblical Hebrew word “kadosh” - means OTHER THAN, not the SAME AS, maybe we'll get somewhere!! I am not trying to be a smartee, or super-intellectual, or a snob, or arrogant, or any such thing. It's just that I feel the LORD'S indignation!! Can we not come up with something better than THIS??

 Apparently instead of heading for global warming we are headed for a short cold period. One of the things that affects our climate is sunspot activity on our sun. Whenever this activity slows down there is a cold trend on earth. Right now there is almost no sunspot activity and almost no solar wind.
Sunspots are huge (as large as 170,000 miles high) gaseous explosions created when helium is changed to hydrogen in the heat creating process on the sun's surface. Recently I saw pictures of the sun and there are no sunspots hence the likelihood of a short "ice age".