After the slaughter of the men of Shechem by Simeon and Levi, the sons of Jacob, Jacob was worried about the terrible consequences of that horrible crime. Genesis 34:25, 26, 30
God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto the when the fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him: put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments.” Genesis 35:1–2
Bethel means “house of God”, but there was not a building in that place, with walls, floors, and roof; neither pews to sit, or a pulpit for the preacher. Today, in some places, it could be that the house of worship is in the living room, the kitchen, the basement of a house, or a nice temple.
Jacob, his family, and household were going to meet with God and needed to make every reform in their lives. Jacob’s wives, and many of the others in the camp had idols in their tents that needed to be gotten rid of. They also were told to clean their bodies and change their garments. They were called to make an internal and external reform.
Where are, and who, are our idols today? The Spirit of Prophecy says: “I have been shown that the spirit of the world is fast leavening the church. You are following the same path as did Ancient Israel. There is the same falling away from your holy calling as God’s peculiar people. You are having fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 75–76
Immodest and extravagant fashions are entering into our churches. Some women wear tight and short dresses, with a low cut in the neck. A young man looking at someone dressed in this manner will assume by her appearance what kind of girl she is. He sees the heart by her appearance. Men also are victims to the fashion world by wearing flashy suits and ties, or tight pants.
“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 found 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. If the world introduces 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 style of dress. Christians should follow Christ and make their dress conform to God’s word.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 458–459
The fashions that, in the past, were considered immodest, have been gaining territory, and today are accepted. There has to be a distinction between the way of dressing of a man and a woman. If we look today at Facebook, we may see some women that are called Adventist Reformers, showing themselves wearing pants or men dressing worldly.
In the years of my childhood, I remembered the grandmothers having long grey hair. In Ecclesiastes chapter 12, it gives a list, in symbols, of the changes in the human body as it gets old. In verse 5 it mentions the “almond tree that shall flourish.” The almond tree was the first one to flourish in Palestine. It might be that the profusion of the white almond flowers evoked Solomon to the time when the hair turns grey. This should be read in the congregation where “the almond tree that shall flourish” is not seen on the heads of some senior citizens.
I want to share with you something that I read in a magazine some years ago:
“You’ll totter, girls!
“Women in the past have literally bent over backwards to keep pace with fashion.
“From the Victorian women who squeezed themselves into the peculiar S-bend to the Africans who see beauty in elongated necks and extended ear lobes.
“But today we are more sensible, having rejected those tribal fashions and abandoned whalebone corsets and tight lacing.
“Or are we?
“‘A number of fashions that persist today will lead to aches and pains later in life and even cause minor deformities,’ says Alan Griffiths, director of the Osteopathic and Natural Health Care Centre, Sydney.
“The principal offender, he claims, is the high heel.
“‘You see women teetering along the street in 10 cm (4 inches) heels, oblivious to the damage they are doing to the posture and health.
“‘By elevating the heel you shift the centre of gravity which places an additional strain on the calf muscles, pushes the pelvis forward and accentuates the sway back.’
“Back Aches
“‘If this continues for long periods, you could develop back aches, varicose veins and abdominal sagging due to the added pressure in that area.’
“Mr. Griffiths said high heels were fine for a dinner date but if you value your body, stick to heels no higher than 5 cm (2 inches).
“The unassuming handbag is another guilty party.
“‘Sling your bag over one shoulder and your shoulder instantly hitches up to keep it there,’ Mr. Griffiths points out.
“‘In time, if the bag is heavy and continuously carried on the same shoulder, curvature of the spine could result.’
“The figure to the left shows the effect of wearing high heels. 1. Head forward of its centre of gravity. 2. Thoracic area of spine rounded. 3. Lumbar area hollowed. 4. Pelvis rotated forward and abdominal area sagging. 5. Shortening of posterior leg muscles. (Sketch from Osteopathy by Leon Chaitow, Thorsons Publishers Ltd.)”
“The prophecy of Isaiah 3 was presented before me as applying to this last days, and the reproofs are given to the daughters of Zion who have thought only of appearance and display.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 270
In some of our churches, lunch is served after the second service. At that moment, the dining rooms look like employment agencies, or immigration offices, talking about jobs, incomes, expenses, and documents. Let us remember Isaiah 58:13–14 when we come to church on the Sabbath day. “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord , honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
Our actions will be measured by the law of the Ten Commandments. Let us not forget to return anything that we borrow from others. To neglect to do so is to steal. A person can make a good show of being a Christian from the outside, being obedient to the external requirements, but may not be reformed on the inside.
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:22–24
The Lord wants to make a covenant with His people. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws in their inward parts, and write it in their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Jeremiah 31:33; (Hebrews 8:10)
“My son, give Me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways.” Proverbs 23:26
“For who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto Me? saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 30:21, last part
As soon as we give our hearts to Jesus, He will work in us a change, a reform from inside to outside. Amen.
Nidya Sanchez, New York