Revive Us Again – Part 3

Satan, the instigator and prime mover in the ever-changing, never-satisfying decrees of fashion, is always busy devising something new that shall prove an injury to physical and moral health; and he triumphs that his devices succeed so well. Death laughs that the health-destroying folly and blind zeal of the worshipers at fashion’s shrine bring them so easily under his dominion. Happiness and the favour of God are laid upon her altar. {CG 432.3} The idolatry of dress is a moral disease. It must not be taken over into the new life. In most cases submission to the gospel requirements will demand a decided change in the dress. {CG 432.4}

In Isaiah 6 we see that as the Seraphim come to the throne of God to worship Him, they cover their faces and even their feet as they sing Holy, Holy, Holy. Complete covering is a sign of worship and reverence to the Most High.

Thus we can see that the dress code in heaven is from shoulders to the feet as it is verified in the sanctuary services of the Old Testament. The earthly sanctuary was a copy of the heavenly, down to every last particular detail. So, as we look at the garments of the priests we know they were a copy of the style of dress in heaven. Therefore when God made them coats of skin they were modest. That is the way all dress in heaven above.

It is very significant to note that the first purpose of clothing in Eden was not to keep warm, nor for adornment but in order to cover nakedness.
Way back in the time after the flood we read about a curse that came upon Noah’s son Ham, in reference to nakedness. This curse is still in place today. It is not an arbitrary curse, but a universal law that says: what we behold we become.

We read the story in Genesis 9: 22-25
“And Ham, the Father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.”

Inspiration tells us that Ham had disrespect for his father and this was revealed in the fact that when he saw his father’s nakedness, which was dishonourable to see, instead of turning his face away and covering his father up, Ham made a joke of it and told his brothers. He showed great disrespect by speaking of his father’s shame.

Leviticus 18:17 tells us that we are not to uncover the nakedness of another person because it is wickedness. What, then, would happen if we did uncover the nakedness of another person? Simply, we see their nakedness, seeing leads to thoughts and thoughts leads to actions. This is cause and effect. We are not to look upon another’s nakedness. Further on we are told that as we do these things we defile ourselves like the nations around us:

Leviticus 18:24 “Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you.”

Our God is wonderful in telling us these things so we can save ourselves from defilement. How would we ever know if He had not told us?
It is very evident from the Scriptures that there is a curse attached to nakedness. Nakedness can indeed separate us from God.

In Romans 8:35,37, we read: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?… Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Satan is attempting to use these things to separate us from God. As Paul very positively and emphatically states, the Spirit helps us in our infirmities. (Romans 8:36) Christ makes intercession for us and because of this we can be conquerors in all things, even nakedness. Yes, nakedness can separate us from God, but it need not.

There is no doubt as to how clearly the fashions of today show our nakedness in some enticing form or another. We will see from the scriptures God’s understanding of nakedness, it does not only mean complete uncovering, but even partial exposure of the body.

In Exodus 20, it is written that God designed the priest’s clothing for a two fold purpose; for beauty and for service. His was a complete covering. A little further on God says, in Exodus 20: 26 “Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.”

In the book “The Faith I Live By” page 195, we read: “Everything connected with the apparel and deportment of the priests was to be such as to impress the beholder with a sense of the holiness of God, the sacredness of His worship, and the purity required of those who came into His presence. Not only the sanctuary itself, but the ministration of the priests, was to – serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.”

How particular is God about nakedness? Remember that – ‘God is the same yesterday, today and forever’. (Hebrews 13:8)

The Israelite women had a blue thread in the tassels of the corners of their garments to be distinguished from the pagans. What does it mean for us?

Numbers 15:38-40 “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garment, throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners… that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God.”

“Many who profess to believe the Testimonies live in neglect of the light given. The dress reform is treated by some with great indifference and by others with contempt, because there is a cross attached to it. For this cross I thank God. It is just what we need to distinguish and separate God’s commandment ” keeping people from the world. The dress reform answers to us as did the ribbon of blue to ancient Israel.” 3T 171

Follow Prevailing Customs if Modest, Healthful, and Convenient.–Christians should not take pains to make themselves a gazingstock by dressing differently from the world. But if, when following out their convictions of duty in respect to dressing modestly and healthfully, they find themselves out of fashion, they should not change their dress in order to be like the world; but they should manifest a noble independence and moral courage to be right, if all the world differ from them. {CG 414.2}

If the world introduced a modest, convenient, and healthful mode of dress, which is in accordance with the Bible, it will not change our relation to God or to the world to adopt such a style of dress. Christians should follow Christ and make their dress conform to God’s Word. They should shun extremes. They should humbly pursue a straightforward course, irrespective of applause or of censure, and should cling to the right because of its own merits.

What style of dress can be neater, more becoming girls from the ages of five to fourteen years, than ours? Stand those girls of fashion beside these, and then say which appears most comfortable, most modest, and most becoming. The fashionable style is not as long as ours, yet no one laughs at those who follow that style for wearing a short dress. Their limbs are nearly naked, while modesty and health clothe the limbs of the others. Fashion and false modesty look upon these girls who have their limbs clad in reference to comfort, modesty, and health, with horror, but smile upon those whose dresses are quite as short, and whose limbs are uncomfortably, immodestly, and unhealthfully exposed. Here come the cross and the reproach, for simply doing right, in the face of the tyrant–Fashion. God help us to have the moral courage to do right, and to labour patiently and humbly in the great cause of reform. {HR, September 1, 1868 par. 13}
To be continued…