The Joy of
God’s Covering
“The Joy of
Tabernacles” -- Feast of
Tabernacles 2004
Teaching by
Jolene Bowen
Most of you know that Acts 18 tells
us that Paul founded a church in the city of Corinth.
We are going to be looking at a portion of a letter written by Paul to
the group of believers at the church in Corinth. This letter was a response to the increasing division and
disagreement of the believers in this assembly.
Corinth was one of the most important
cities in Greece – it was a busy hub of worldwide commerce at that time.
The city was filled with paganism in Paul’s day.
Most Greeks worshipped many gods and Corinth was home to at least three
of their major pagan temples.
History tells us that pagan worship
at this time involved sexual immorality and the Corinthian people commonly
practiced religious prostitution in connection with many of their temples.
For instance, one temple in Corinth was dedicated to Aphrodite who was a
female goddess of love and fertility. At
this one temple alone 1,000 women were employed, as religious prostitutes know
as priestesses.
It’s very easy to imagine that
social acceptance and easy access of these kinds of religious practices
certainly led to a general corruption of their society.
Corinth was such an immoral city that the negative phrase “Corinthian
morals” became a common byword used in Paul’s day even in the pagan Roman
world.
It is no wonder that Paul had so much
to say about the sacredness of the human body in his first Corinthian letter.
He addresses a variety of problems throughout his first letter concerning
the lifestyle of the Corinthian church. However,
we are only going to look at one of the problems that he addressed – the
physical act of head covering – particularly for a woman.
As you read and study Paul’s words
of instruction to the questions raised by these Corinthian believers you will
see that these believers were called out of a pagan society in the city of
Corinth. Remember that we too are
to be a called out people from the pagan world and the pagan church of our day
revealed to us as “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS”
(Rev 17:5).
You must keep in mind that the
instructions given by Paul were not meant just for the Corinthian believers of
his day. As we explore the
scriptures we will see that he intended his instructions to be for all people
and for all time – as the inspired word of God.
Since
we are only going to study what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning God’s
principle of head covering in this teaching…
Please
read I Corinthians 11:1-16 before continuing and then we will study this passage
verse by verse…
Notice
what Paul tells us in that last verse…He tells us plainly that there is no
other custom observed by any of the churches.
Now,
go back and read verse 1 of this passage…
What
does Paul say? “…be ye followers
of me, even as I also am of Yeshua”. (emphasis
mine) The word followers in this
particular verse is Strong’s word #3401
and it means to imitate.
Continue
now by reading verse 2...
Paul
instructs us that we are to “keep the ordinances,
as I delivered them to you”. (emphasis
mine) The word ordinances is Strong’s word
#3862 and indicates that this word means traditions.
I would also like to add that one of the sources that I looked at in my
research (the NIV) indicated that this
Greek word for ordinances may refer to either doctrine or discipline and that
the literal translation from the Greek simply means things delivered or passed
on. In this verse Paul indicates to
the reader that the instructions to follow pertain to the traditions or
practices he himself helped establish in all of the churches under his care.
It
is obvious from these two verses that his instructions are very clear and
simple; Paul himself is a follower of Yeshua and we too are to be followers
(imitators) of Him in the keeping of the ordinances
(traditions, doctrine or discipline),
as he delivered them to us.
In
the following verses of the passage Paul will explain one of the basic
traditional practices of the churches more fully so that the Corinthians can
understand and observe it more willingly – and NOT merely as a traditional
custom but as a teaching.[1]
I
want to stop for a moment and state that the principle of God’s covering is
found throughout His Word. However,
the particular subject we are studying here – the physical head covering –
is NOT a direct commandment from the voice of God.
The subject is not mentioned in any other epistle and is mentioned only
by implication in the Torah. It is
because of this that many say that the only women who needed to cover their
heads were those that were in Corinth in Paul’s day – based on a local
custom of that time. BUT…Paul
says explicitly that his instructions were not just to the Corinthians.
Let
me show you – please turn to and read I Corinthians 1:2…
We
can see from this verse that Paul intended his instructions for “…all who in
every place call upon the name of Yeshua HaMashiach”. This obviously includes anyone that calls upon the name of
Yeshua in the past, present and future!
With
this established, let’s take a second look at I Corinthians 11:16…
Notice
that Paul ends the passage on head coverings with these words “but, if any man
seem to be contentious, we (MEANING THE
APOSTLES) have no such custom,
neither the churches (NOTE THIS IS PLURAL)
of God”. (emphasis mine) In other
words it was a universal custom practiced in all of the congregations and was
not open to dispute as far as he was concerned.
He was clear – if someone wanted to be quarrelsome and argue about the practice of women covering their heads – it was simply not accepted! A woman’s act of head covering was a non-negotiable custom that all believers in all places were expected to practice.
Before we look further into the scriptures regarding head covering – let me ask a question. Can you imagine anything anymore not “politically correct” in our culture today than a woman wearing a head covering as a symbol of submission?
Think
about it…
Independence…Feminism…Women’s
rights…Assertiveness Training…
All
of these are objectives that the “so called” modern woman has struggled to
obtain in our lifetimes.
In
our society it is obviously hard for most men and women to imagine a woman
choosing to submit to the earthly authority God has placed her under (her
husband) – much less to cover her head out of an even deeper submission to the
Holy One of Israel. [2]
Because
most people, including some of our New Covenant brothers and sisters do not
recognize the One true God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob it is easy to
see that the submissive act of head covering is viewed by many as out of step
with our times.
Please
read verse 3 again and we will begin to take a look at the general theme that
Paul has given us for the entire passage that we are studying today…
He
plainly tells us here in verse three that there is a divinely appointed
hierarchy, in which men are directly under Yeshua as their head while women are
under the headship of man and Yeshua is directly under the head of God in the
grand scheme of things.
(Please
note that in all 16 of the verses that we are studying in this teaching the word
man is Strong’s
word #435 and means – a man – as in an
individual male, a fellow, or husband. The word woman is Strong’s word #1135
and means – specifically a wife or woman)
As
we continue we will see that Paul is speaking primarily of headship and the
divine order that God has placed us in as men and women…woman being
subordinate to man – and man being subordinate to Yeshua HaMashiach.
Paul doesn’t really develop this point much further in this letter but,
maybe he mentioned it here in verse 3 in order to indicate to us how far
reaching and divine this arrangement of order really is.
Or, maybe he mentioned it in order to suggest to the women that they
might consider the teaching he gave us over in Philippians 2.[3]
Turn
to Philippians 2 and read verses 5-8…
As you can see from scripture the subordination of the woman to man is no more done away with in Yeshua than is the subordination of men to Yeshua. Yeshua himself was functionally subordinate to God in these verses and He did not seek equality with God… [3]
Just
as we women are not to strive to be equal with men. When we do try to be or become equal we move ourselves out of
line with Yahweh’s perfect order. I
am aware that this is not a very popular statement to make today but we, as
women are NOT equal to men. This is
not my opinion but is the word of God.
Turn
to Hebrews 3:1 and read verse 3…
Yeshua
willingly filled and continues to fill His place in the divine order of God’s
plan. We as both men and women are
supposed to willingly fill and accept our places and the role that He has
assigned to each of our lives.
With
that said, let’s go back to our study in I Corinthians 11 and take a look at
verses
4 & 5…
There
is commentary that speculates that Paul may have had information that certain
women in Corinth were falling into rebellious notions of some sort of Christian
liberty, and that they had removed and discarded their head coverings in some
sort of demonstration of sexual equality.
Let’s
turn to & read I Corinthians 14:34 & 35 and find out why some
commentators make this speculation…
These
verses seem to give the reader reason to think that there may have been some
kind of feminism actively causing division among the believers at Corinth.
Obviously, we only have Paul’s answers – not the original questions.
So, the only thing we are sure of is that someone from the assembly at
Corinth wrote to Paul about some kind of problem from among a portion of the
women there.
His
answer seems to be directed specifically at wives in these two verses and it
also appears to acknowledge that some of them may have caused a disturbance by
interrupting the assembly with questions. We
can make this conclusion because his instructions are for the women (wives) to
stop disturbing the assembly and to keep quiet until they returned home.
Notice
also, that Paul addresses the men’s complaints by first giving them the
solution that they had most likely proposed in their original request for his
help – that the “women keep quiet”. Then
he proceeds to challenge their solution in verse 36 with a question to the
men…“did the word of God come to you only”? Obviously, Paul was asking them if they actually believed
that God only gave his Word for men to share and not women.
Of course, the answer to this question was NO so it seems that the whole
issue is one of some of the women speaking out of turn and disturbing the entire
meeting. I say this because if you
look further and read verse 40 of this chapter he urges them to try harder to
maintain order.
I
would seem that some of the women at the church of Coring had be become
rebellious and were trying to go against the natural subordinate role that God
had placed them in. Man or woman,
anytime that we try and move out away from the divine order that God has placed
us in there will be contentions – whether at home or in our assemblies.
Please
do not misunderstand what I am saying. I
do NOT mean that we women are to be completely silent in our assemblies.
It is perfectly ok for us women to speak when we are assembled together
but, we must not be disruptive and we are to be respectful of our God appointed
places and act accordingly.
Let’s
go back now to I Corinthians 11 and read verse 4 & 5 again...
I
want to take a close look at the meanings of some of Paul’s words in these
verses. Look for the word praying
(“every man praying…”) this word is Strong’s word #4336 and means to pray to God, i.e. supplicate
(kneel down and pray – to ask humbly
& earnestly), worship:--pray
(earnestly, for), make prayer.
The word praying is also used in conjunction with the woman in verse 5.
It has the same Strong’s number in both verses 4& 5 and of course, means the
same thing with regards to a man or woman in both uses.
Let’s
explore another word found in these two verses…prophesying. This word
is Strong’s word #4395 in both
verses and it means to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration,
exercise the prophetic office:--prophesy.
In
verse 4 Paul refers to a man “having his head covered… the word covered
is Strong’s word
#2596 and means down (in place or time).
So, basically the meaning tells us that a man is “shamed” if he wears
a physical veil type covering hanging down over his head when praying or
prophesying.
In
verse 5 we read that a woman is “shamed” if she is uncovered. The word uncovered
is Strong’s word #177 and it means unveiled:--uncovered.
In this verse Paul also makes reference that the woman uncovered
is the same as a woman shaven. This
word shaven means exactly what is says – it means shaved or shorn.
In
verse 6 of this chapter he continues to tell us what it means for a woman to
pray or prophecy with her head uncovered by comparing it to having her head
shaved. In our modern – western
mind set we really can’t understand the concept that Paul is referring to
unless we look back in history and understand that in his day for a woman to
have her head shaved was the ultimate humiliation for a woman.
In
ancient times, women of all cultures did not cut their hair short, like we do
today, but they allowed it to grow long.
Among
Jews, Greeks and Romans, of the ancient world adulteresses sometimes had their
hair cropped off as a humiliating punishment for their crime.[1]
Knowing
this bit of history helps us to understand what Paul is trying to tell us about
the shame or dishonor that he associates with a woman’s head not being covered
when she prays or prophecies.
Paul
also uses the word covered in verse 6
with regards to the woman. This
word covered is Strong’s word #2619
and is the Greek word katakalupto
(kat-k-al-oop’-to) and it means
to cover wholly, i.e. veil:--cover, hide. This
is a very significant word to our study. It
is important for us as women to note that the word covered
(#2619) in this verse is a very general word but its prefix does
mean thoroughly covered. Based on
this knowledge we must determine that this word cannot refer to an ornamental or
token headpiece – like a “woman’s kippa”.
It means hanging down over our heads – as in a long or large scarf or
shawl.
We
have allowed these verses to speak for themselves. And now it is obvious from our simple word studies that
it is shameful or disgraceful if we women do not cover our heads completely when
we are praying or prophesying.
There is also nothing that I could find that suggests
that Paul was giving instructions for the women to cover their heads only for
the assembly or worship service.[1]
From
Paul’s own words we have determined that we as women should ALWAYS cover our
heads as an outward sign of submission to one’s husband and most certainly to
God at anytime that we pray or prophesy.
Let’s
continue by re-reading I Corinthians 11:7…
Paul explains in this verse why a man is not under
the same obligation to cover his head – it’s because “he is the image and
glory of God”. Some commentators
say that the Jewish custom, in which Jewish men wore kippas and prayer shawls on
their heads for prayer, prevailed in the first century, so that Paul’s
instruction regarding the men not covering their heads is opposed to the Jewish
practice of his times. However,
this is not correct. Both the
man’s kippa and prayer shawl are later customs, which came into general use
among Jewish men during the third century.[1]
In
any case the phrase Paul used in verse 4 “having his head covered(#2596) dishonoreth
his head…” obviously refers to a loose veil type scarf or shawl that would
commonly be worn by a woman. He is
indicating that it would be disgraceful for a man to put on this type of
woman’s physical head covering. It
does not refer to the kippa or the prayer shawl worn by men as being shameful
for them to cover their heads with.
In
verse 7 we understand why a man is not under the same obligation as a woman to
cover is head. It’s
because a man in his place of headship is appointed to reflect the sovereignty
of God. A woman cannot represent
God in this way because we are by nature and divine appointment subordinate to
men. Paul’s teaching tells us
that the reflection of God is shown more completely in the man’s dominant role
in the social context of our lives here on earth.
And that’s why he tells us in this verse that the woman is the
“glory” or reflection of man and not God.[1]
Please
read I Corinthians 11:8 & 9…
In
these two verses the order and method that God chose in conjunction with his
purpose for creating man and woman seems to suggest that the “reflection” of
God in the woman is secondary and originates in the man.
This brings us to the subject of God’s covering and creation.
Genesis 2:25 tells us something very interesting about Adam and Eve --
“they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” after God
created them.
This was a time in the garden, when the man and woman
were holy people, they were pure and without blemish, they had no blame or
guilt. This is the way God intended
for them to be – without sin or guilt – and at this time they felt no shame
about their nakedness.[3]
Let’s
take a look at Genesis 3:6 & 7…
God’s word tells us that their eyes were opened,
and that they knew they were naked. Upon
realizing that they were naked they sewed fig leaves together to cover
themselves. [3]
We
can go on and read Genesis 3:10 and see that when they heard God’s voice in
the garden they hid. Not because
they had sinned -- but because they were naked.
Of all the things Adam could have noticed or said to God after he sinned
– he was the most conscious of his nakedness.
He had disobeyed Almighty God – his creator.
He had just broken the sweet friendship and kinship he had always known
with God himself. He had pained
God's heart. Yet his uncovered body
was at the front of his mind and fears.
This
fall into sin set the stage for all of human history. Fallen man is meant to cover his nakedness and live in holy
and reverential fear of our righteous and just God. When they violated God’s command, their whole being was
affected by sin – inside and out. Their
nakedness had become something to be covered – and even after they covered
themselves with fig leaves -- Adam was still hiding from God because he was
afraid -- because he was naked. Even
though they covered themselves with fig leaves, to some degree in Adam’s mind
he still considered himself naked before God and wanted to hide because of this
great fear.
This covering of fig leaves was apparently not adequate for Adam and Eve nor was it adequate for God because God immediately came down and covered them correctly. He slaughtered an animal and covered them with a full covering of an animal’s skin and fur (Genesis3:21).
In
the book of Genesis God establishes the principle that there is no remission of
sins without the shedding of blood. In
addition you have to take notice that He was ZEALOUS to get Adam and Eve
covered. Apparently it wouldn’t
do for the faces of the angels to see them uncovered after they sinned nor would
it do for Adam and Eve and all their children to see each other uncovered.
It would not do for God to co-exist with this uncovering that occurred
given the fallen spiritual condition of His kingdom at that time.
Think
about it – This covering was not done in a casual way – God covered them
with the fervor of perfection! From
this Genesis account – the covering of both Adam and Eve – we must conclude
that God “COVERED” deliberately.
It was a very serious act to Him. So,
serious in fact, that blood was shed to do it.
He set into motion sobering principles that day of modesty and headship
on this earth.
It
is clear even from the first book of the Bible that covering really matters to
God. He initiated the whole idea
and in this case He used it to establish government.
When these coverings are reverentially heeded and obeyed they are always
to promote peace in our hearts and were appointed to set into motion full
responsiveness and intimacy with the creator throughout the generations.
It
isn’t too hard to imagine that – that same peace and responsiveness is
released when we as women heed Paul’s teaching and decide to display God’s
care for covering by wearing a scarf or shawl on our heads when we pray or
prophesy.[3]
Let’s
continue back over in I Corinthians 11:10.
In this verse Paul instructs us that “for this cause ought…”
and the word ought is Strong’s word #3784 and basically means morally obligated.
So, from this one word we see that Paul is
telling us that a woman is morally obligated to cover her head to pray or
prophesy because we are by nature and design under man’s authority on earth.
We
as women are supposed to acknowledge this intermediate authority especially when
we come before God in prayer. Paul
doesn’t use the words “symbol of” in the text in connection with the
woman’s head covering but clearly this is the meaning.
The woman’s physical head covering is a symbol of the man’s
authority; not her own for this is the very thing we lack as women.
It
seems from Paul’s instructions that our prayers are more acceptable to heaven
when we wear the head covering because it signifies that we are under willing
submission to the authority which God has set over us here on earth and to
himself.[3]
Through
Paul’s inspired words in verse 10 we know that the head covering serves as a
symbol of authority or power on the woman’s head. By willingly wearing a scarf or shawl on our heads we are
displaying a sign of our submission to man, and we are manifesting God’s
government here on earth. We are
declaring that we humbly accept God’s appointed position for us in the body
just as Messiah humbly accepted his position under God’s authority.[1]
Symbolic
acts that man decree may be of little or no value but, the symbolic act that God
decrees is much more than just a symbolic act.
For
example:
God
has decreed – that we as believers identify with the Messiah’s death and
resurrection by means of a mikvah –
in visible tangible water.
He
has decreed – that we as believers “show the Messiah’s death, burial and
resurrection also by means of a visible, tangible Passover Seder.
He
has decreed – that men wear a tallit
with fringes to serve as a visible, tangible reminder of man’s devotion to the
commandments.
In
a similar way He has decreed – through Paul that a woman wear a head
covering as a visible declaration to all the universe of God’s entire
system of authority. God did not
call upon man to wear a head covering to demonstrate His divine arrangement of
government – He assigned this privilege only to us women.
The
head covering first functions as a symbol of man’s authority over her and
after it is accepted as that in her heart – it then serves as a symbol of her
own God given authority in the spiritual realm.
We
could compare it to a policeman’s badge.
There’s no real power in the badge itself, but the government that
issues the badge will back up the authority of the policeman when he wears the
badge as he is commanded to do.[4]
This example is obviously confirmed in verse 10 by
the scripture’s description of the head covering as “placing power on the
woman’s head”. The Greek word
Paul uses in this verse for power or authority is exousia
and is Strong’s word#1849.
One lexicon defines exousia as a “token of control” while another defines it a
“means of exercising power.
It is easy to see that when we begin to get hold of
these truths and wear our simple scarves or shawls as a badge of our God given
authority our act of obedience and submission will truly become an effective and
very powerful “token of control”.
It becomes a means of exercising power in the spiritual realm as we move
forward praying and prophesying with a confident acceptance of our place in
God’s government.
In
verse 10 Paul also speaks directly about the testimony of the head covering to
the angels. This tells us that the
head covering has some sort of spiritual significance in the heavenlies.
Hold your place at verse 10 and turn back to I Corinthians 4:9.
After reading this verse we realize that Paul is describing something
quite amazing here. He is
describing being a “spectacle” to
the angelic hosts! Spectacle
is Strong’s word #2302 and it means a place for public show, general audience room,
(by implication a show), theatre. WOW,
they are watching us!
Turn
over to and read Ephesians 3:9 &10...
From
what the word of God tells us in these verses it sounds like the
angels are specifically watching for His divine order to be expressed in His
body of believers on earth. His
angels must be very interested in the issue of rebellion and submission since
that’s the very thing that split the hosts of heaven long, long ago.
It
appears from what Paul is telling us that the angels are meant to see our act of
submission by wearing the head covering. It
may be that when we women willingly put on our physical head coverings we are
making a statement like “I am in divine order, I’m under authority, and
I’ve chosen to take my place”![2]
In Hebrews 1:13 & 14 the Bible describes angels
as “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation”. We know from both the
Old and the New Testaments that angels have a very active role in ministering to
God’s people. At times they have
intervened and acted on behalf of God’s people by smiting enemies both
physical and spiritual. We also
know that occasionally they appear physically and in Hebrews 13:2 we are told
that these angelic visitors are not always recognized as angels when they make
their appearance to us. Really stop
and think about this – some people have actually entertained angels and did
NOT know it!
From what we read in I Corinthians 11:3 where Paul
told us about God’s authority and the principle of submission…
It seems as if when the angels are sent forth
to minister that the covering on the head of a woman may tell them that this
woman is submitted to God’s delegated authority. And, that she is therefore in a position to receive ministry
from these ministering spirits or angels of God.[4]
When
they see the head covering it appears that it may function as a signal flag
which tells them that they are now under God’s orders to move and act on
behalf of this woman simply because she is under God’s delegated authority.[2]
If we dismiss Paul’s instructions and do not cover
our heads we’ll be ok and we can still pray or prophesy without a head
covering but, we may be depriving ourselves of the blessings that can be ours
through the ministry of these angels in our lives.
It may also be that our act of obedience in covering our heads speaks
admonishment to the fallen angels in their rebellion to God.
For those of us who have been fortunate enough to sit
in Torah study with Gary over the past few months we know that he has been
teaching us some amazing things about the nephilim and their offspring.
If you are not familiar with the nephilim they were the angels that left
their places and came to earth. The
Bible tells us that “they came in unto the daughters of man”.
In other words they had offspring with human women.
This unholy union produced a group of beings known as anakim.
They are referred to as “men of renown” and scripture tells us that
they were beings of gigantic size. They
were GIANTS!
From the prophecies found in the books of Jude and
Revelation it looks as if we will meet up with these giants again just like our
forefathers did. Gary told us a few
months ago that we are going to have to believe in and at times depend on the
unbelievable as we enter into the wilderness experience known as the Great
Tribulation in the days ahead. I
really can’t think of anything anymore unbelievable than hanging a piece of
cloth over my head as protection and covering from the fallen angels that will
be unleashed from the darkness described in Jude verse 6!
It might very well be that by our act of submission
to God that these fallen angels may be barred from tempting and harassing or
deceiving us since it was women that they targeted before.[2]
This is speculation but, the word angels
that Paul used is Strong’s word #32
and it does NOT specify fallen or unfallen angels.
Because of this we have to look at what Paul says in I Corinthians 11:10
as pertaining to either the fallen or the unfallen angels.
We know that Eve encountered the first fallen angel
– hasatan. And we know that she
was deceived by him (Gen
3:13 and I Tim 2:14). Have you
ever wondered…What made this woman so vulnerable to his deception?
I’m convinced that it was simply the fact that she was acting
independently from, rather than in submission to, the man’s authority. Had Eve remained under the man’s authority, the deception
would not have taken place.[4] We
can know this with certainty because the scriptures tell us so.
I Timothy 2:14 plainly tells us that Adam was NOT
deceived!
The sight of a visible head covering on a woman’s
head announces to the fallen angels that this woman, unlike Eve, is not going to
act independently from the authority God has placed over her.
And that she is not in a position, as Eve was, to be tempted and harassed
and deceived as easily as an uncovered woman would be.
As we can see ignoring the Bible’s instructions
about head covering may invite unnecessary trouble from the fallen angels –
just as heeding the instructions invites ministry from the unfallen angels.[4]
Because the sin of the nephilim was deserting their
God appointed place in order to have illicit relationships with human women –
the head covering is of great significance.
For this one simple act of obedience says that the woman is in her God
appointed place. It surely reminds
the fallen angels that a woman’s appointed place is with man – not with
angels here on earth.
Head covering is a silent but powerful witness
against those angels who are now bound in Tartarus that we read about in Jude
verse 6. It testifies that in the
body of Messiah – the woman is under man’s authority – the man is under
Yeshua’s authority and Messiah is under God’s authority. Ultimately, the wearing of a head covering is a sign that a
woman has accepted her proper position of power and authority under man, Messiah
and God.
Now let’s read I Corinthians 11:11 & 12…
Paul uses these two verses to reinforce the fact that
in God’s plan there is really no such thing as an independent woman or an
independent man, for that matter, nothing is truly independent in this world.
In I Corinthians 11:13 Paul does something that we
must take note of – he does not say “pray or prophesy” in this verse like
he did previously in verses 4 and 5 of this chapter. He only mentions the woman praying with an uncovered head.
This would seem to indicate that prayer not prophesying is the thing that
is foremost in his mind with respect to women and physical covering.
Because of this we as women must accept that praying with our heads
covered is an act of the utmost importance.
Go back now and read I Corinthians 11:13-15...
Notice the word nature
in verse 14 is the Strong’s word
#5449 and it means our natural inclinations when judging what is proper to
each sex (male or female).
In verse 15 Paul tells us that a woman’s long hair
is her glory.
The word glory is Strong’s word #1391
and it indicates that her hair is a splendid reflection of her womanhood
according to the definition found in Strong’s.
There is much debate over the fact that Paul says “her hair is given to
her for a covering”.
Some argue that Paul is saying that the hair suffices
as a covering and that no other physical covering is necessary.
But, this CANNOT be the apostle’s meaning.
One needs only to let the scriptures speak for themselves to resolve this
debate. A quick and simple word
study done on the word uncovered in
verse 13 reveals that this word is Strong’s
word #177 and is the absolute opposite of “to cover” – it means to
uncover or unveil.
Let’s look closer at the word cover. Again, cover
is the Greek word katakaloptos(#2619) and it means to cover wholly, i.e. veil:--cover, hide.
When Paul refers to a woman’s natural hair covering in verse 15 he uses
an altogether different word for this covering.
In verse 15 he uses the Greek word peribolaion
which is Strong’s word #4018 and
it means something thrown around one, i.e. a mantle, veil-covering, vesture.
Peribolaion comes from the
root peri – perimeter — and it
indicates the natural hair around the perimeter of the head.
In verse 15 Paul tells us that long hair is a
woman’s glory and that glory should be veiled when coming into the presence of
God -- just as the seraphim in Isaiah 6 covered their faces and their feet with
their wings in the presence of God. Hair
can be thought of as a beautiful decoration given to women.
If Paul had meant for the naturally occurring hair covering and the
headship type of covering to be one in the same – he would certainly have used
the same word for each.
Instead, he makes clear to us that a woman’s
natural hair covering – peribolaion
– is being contrasted to this other type of covering – katakaluptos – that women wear.
In fact what we see is that the katakaluptos
actually covers or hides the peribolaion
(the woman’s
glory)! Paul must have
deliberately chosen the use of these two very different words for coverings so
that we would understand that they were complimentary to each other but are
certainly not identical.
Now let’s finish up with I Corinthians 11:16…
In Paul’s concluding rebuke in verse 16 to those
that might remain contentious – he means to cut off any debate and to settle
the issue and not to leave it open. There
can be little doubt about what application Paul intended for us to make of this
passage.
All women are to cover their heads for prayer – at
the very least – both in our assemblies and out of our assemblies.[1]
I’d like to say that I thank God that there is NO
confusion in His word. The head
covering will always signify just what Paul has said it signifies…God’s
government. God is the head,
Messiah follows, then the Messiah is the head of man and man is the head of
woman. What is really so amazing
about God’s divine government is that it is completely voluntary!! Its strength is that the subordinate person – the
bondservant – cheerfully steps into line and willingly bears the
yoke of submission.
Conquerors who demand obedient submission – as they
do in systems without God – kill the spirit of it. Napoleon once said, “Christ is the greatest of conquerors.
All earthly men conquer by force, Christ alone conquers by love”.
In God’s economy, submission is the strongest of virtues.
In John 8:28 Yeshua himself said…”I do nothing on
my own but speak just what the Father taught me”.[2] We know that one third of all the angels proved incapable of
this kind of obedience. So, when a
woman puts on a head covering it’s a picture – an outward visible, tangible
symbol of her agreement with God’s order.
And even though the head covering is a sign of a woman’s submission to
authority, in the same breath it is spoken of as “power upon her head” in
verse 10. In an odd sort of way –
a supernatural way – submission equals POWER!!!
When we are in a submitted state – sitting properly
in God’s chain of authority and the heavenly airways are clear with no moral
static, then our prayers carry much weight and the angels can work in our behalf
without any obstacles.
I want to remind us all that the concept of covering
is also carried forth into eternity with the very feast that we are observing
this week – The Feast of Tabernacles.
We see from the Tabernacle in the wilderness in
Exodus 6:8-19 that God gave us yet another example of how He covered and hid yet
another glory. We have to ask why
go to such work to erect all that proud, grand, structure of the tabernacle –
only to cover it all up?
Not with one covering but with four!
First there was the four colored woven covering with the cherubim design,
which was then covered by a layer of goat’s hair, following that was the
ram’s skin covering and finally the outer coverings of hides.
There is great symbolism in the types of coverings, to be sure, each of
them showing some aspect of Yeshua. But,
aside from that, the concept of multiple coverings, alone is enough to make us
stop and ponder. We have to note
that the presence of these four layers must have hid it all quite thoroughly.
These coverings didn’t get up there by accident –
the scope and detail of the coverings alone carries a great spiritual weight
attending them. Parts of this
wilderness tabernacle must have been a bit of a puzzle to the Israelites – tie
down a real glory on the earth, and then cover it all up?
Make it a real glory, complete with a mercy seat where God himself will
sit.
Now just think and absorb the picture in your
mind’s eye of those Israelites with the sweat and strain of putting it up and
taking it down again and again, and transporting it on their backs – the very
fact that they never really got to see the whole thing. Just think, the Israelites never saw a full-color glossy
aerial view of the tabernacle. Setting
it up, the Levites’ faces were flat up against the golden pillars – too
close to see it.
Now let’s erect a Holy of Holies. Yes, that’s
right, then command that no one sees it but the high priest, and he only once a
year. Maybe some asked, why bother?
Why do it, if virtually no one is to ever see it?
It wasn’t until the curtain was rent in the outer court on the temple
after Yeshua’s death that the full story was declared
(Matt 27:1).
The covering was vitally important.
In the meantime, it looked to all the heathen, every
last one of them as far as the eye could see, that the Israelites trooped around
aimlessly, halted, gathered under a dull net of skins, and then trooped around
some more. And who knows for what??
The Holy of Holies was totally lost on the heathen.
They had no idea. As
unthinkable to them then that man would ever walk on the moon – so was the
idea that God would ever walk on the earth.
Yet that penetrating, riveting event was going on day after day in the
wilderness, right under their noses.
God so blessed the principle of covering that He
waited for His tabernacle to be covered completely before His glory would come
down in a pillar of cloud and settle upon it – the very mark of His
satisfaction. He rewarded the
diligence the men demonstrated in applying the coverings by showing up with His
life-giving presence only after it was done.
As we compare the tabernacle covering to a woman’s
head covering we see that it is filled with implications -- her hair is a real
glory but it gets covered up!
So, the concept of covering is carried forth into
eternity with the Feast of Tabernacles: God’s people getting under the
covering, erecting booths in their vineyards and on their balconies now, on
earth, and later celebrating in some way in His kingdom to come – all as a
remembrance that the Lord once tabernacled among men and that He will again in
the Kingdom of God to come.[2]
Apparently, the Lord’s choice for earth is covered
glory in various forms and for the Kingdom to come it will be revealed glory –
Hallelujah!!
I want to close by reminding all of us to be very
careful because in Hebrews 4:12 the scriptures tell us that “God looks upon
the intentions of our hearts”. We
are not to be like the Pharisees or Saducees who flaunted outward religion
without reason or conviction of their hearts.
Our submission to God’s government and divine order must be pure.
All of us – both man and woman – should search
ourselves today and ask God to cleanse us of any rebellion that may be hidden in
our hearts or minds against the divine appointment that he has assigned to each
of us. Gary has taught us many
times – it’s a matter of our hearts – our motivations.
We can be blessed by Paul’s teaching here in I Corinthians but we must
be sure that we do not proceed out of a spirit of religiosity.
No outward symbol can be pleasing to God without an inward private love
and devotion for Him that only comes from a clean and submitted heart.
References:
[1]http://www.bibleresearcher.com/headcoverings.html
[2]http://crossoverellison.net/headcoveringsII-III.html
[3]http://wendysmodestdress.com
[4http://www.geocities.com/apostolicpreacher24/headcovering_for_women.html
Please
note that this teaching was originally intended only for a private teaching at
the 2004 Feast of Tabernacles in Marion, NC.
Unfortunately, I did not make note of my references or quotes as I
researched for the teaching since it was to be used (by me) for this private
teaching only. The above list of
references may be incomplete as these are the only references that I could
recall with any certainty upon being asked to share this in written form for the
Bondservant
Ministries website.
Thank
you J
-- Jolene Bowen