The Bible and Jewelry
The Scriptures address the topic of wearing jewelry. In the Old Testament, we have the story of how Jacob prepares for a return visit to Bethel to worship the Lord. As part of the arrangements, the patriarch told his household to consecrate themselves. “So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem” (Genesis 35:1-4).
And in Judges 8:24, we learn that earrings were worn by the Ishmaelites who were not among the faithful. Also, in Exodus 33:1-6 when a terrible apostasy had developed, God said to Moses, “Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people; I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the Mount Horeb” (Exodus 33:5, 6).
At Isaiah’s time, the Lord was not pleased with the pride of His people and their wearing of Jewelry. He said, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet … in that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, … the chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, … the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels” (Isaiah 3:16-21).
In the New Testament times, Jewelry and extravagant dress for Christian women were also spoken against. The apostle Paul wrote, “in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing” (1 Timothy 2:9, 10). Likewise, the apostle Peter reiterated the same message saying, “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:3, 4).
Thus, we can see that the Lord desires His children to be adorned with the fruits of the Spirit rather than Jewelry.
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
