A NOTE TO THE IMAGE OF GOD CALLED WOMAN (4) - PART 3
By: Adom Ofori-Asenso
November 19, 2013
We continue from where we left off (the insight concerning Rebekah) to the events involving Joseph (Genesis 41:41-42; see below) and Daniel (Daniel 5:29; see below). Some of the scripture references will be given below the text. I will never cease asking the Holy Spirit to take charge of everything I put across and thus my request to Him at this very moment.
Joseph and Daniel were put on these jewelries because THEY WENT INTO THE SERVICE OF EARTHLY KINGS and that was an act of tradition (*way of life*) pertaining to these nations (*Egypt and Babylon*) which did not revere the Lord God Almighty. One question I asked the Holy Spirit was: why is it that Daniel in the first chapter verse 8 resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, however he accepted to be worn the gold chain. I asked this because Joseph lived before the time God finally stripped off jewelries from the Israelites at mount Horeb; but with Daniel he lived after that incident. And if he made such strong resolution in chapter one, what prevented him from making the same resolution with the gold chain which was hanged around his neck. This is the divine revelation I obtained concerning this question. I was directed to chapter 9 and in verse 1- 4; “1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom- 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to LORD my God and confessed” and verse 20; “20 While I was speaking and praying, CONFESSING MY SIN AND THE SIN OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill”. And finally to the scripture; Hebrews 12:2 “ LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Now let me share the divine understanding I received. After the time Daniel wore the gold chain came the time he went on sackcloth and ashes confessing his own sin and the sin of his people. As part of his prayer in Chapter 9 verses 4 to 19 (*I besiege you to make time and read*) Daniel says WE have sinned and done wrong, WE have been wicked and have rebelled, WE have turned away from your commands and laws (verse 5), WE have not listened to your servants the prophets (verse 6), Lord, you are righteous, but this day WE are covered with shame – the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our UNFAITHFULNESS to you. Daniel was highly esteemed by God (Daniel 9:23) because he lived a life of constant consecration with God. As seen above (Daniel 9:4-19), he (Daniel) admitted he had sinned before God and has also been unfaithful though he did not indicate the specifics.
So it MAY BE that he later regretted even putting on the golden chain which was the custom of the Babylonians. Daniel was also a child of God who habitually prayed three times in a day (Daniel 6:13) which was an advantage to him to undergo consistent consecration before God. Also, nobody knows the prayers Daniel even said at his death and the sins he confessed before he died. That is why in Hebrew 12:2 (see above), God tells us through the Apostle Paul to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus ALONE; thus follow the example of Jesus alone. You may say your church leader who is very sanctimonious has never been convicted of jewelries, make-up, women putting on trouser and weave-on so what I am telling you is nothing new and empty words. But who knows the prayers he/she will say in his/her heart at the point of his/her death. May be at the brink of death, God in His mercies will cause him/her to remember a message like this someone might have shared with him/her which he/she might have rejected. And the terror and fear of death at that moment will probably make him/her accept the message once rejected and seek forgiveness from God and secured his/her place in heaven because he/she may also think: what if what these people too are saying is the TRUTH? And at that point too jewelries, make-up, women wearing trousers will not matter anymore and giving them up will be very easy. Such slim chances may not come your way. Somebody who is your role model may repent of something without you knowing. Daniel may not have held that position which made him wear the gold chain forever; therefore, at a point he may have taken them off. However, you looking to Daniel and putting a chain around your neck is by YOUR OWN WILL because for Daniel, he did not put them on himself by his own will; it was at the King’s command. Do you realize you’ve even missed the point by comparing yourself to Daniel and Joseph to justify your wearing of chains and other jewelries? Therefore, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus ONLY. Apostle Paul reaffirmed this in 1 Corinthians 11:1 “Follow my example, AS I FOLLOW CHRIST.” Meaning, if he (Apostle Paul) ceases to follow Christ, no one should copy his example and praise be to God that our dear apostle Paul kept the faith till the end.
Now let us compare Joseph and Daniel to how the Almighty God instates His kings on the earth. We will cast our minds to King David and King Solomon whom God made both of them kings over Israel at their appointed times. When God appoints an earthly king into his service, HE ANIONTS WITH OIL and the king wears a royal robe (*2 Samuel 6:14 “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might”). No jewelries; chains or rings is used by God to make one an earthly king. It is only nations WHICH DID NOT BELONG TO THE ALMIGHTY GOD (*eg EGYPT and BABYLON*) who made kings with rings and chains and that is why Joseph and Daniel ended up putting them on. In 1 Samuel 16: 12b-13 “12b Then the LORD said, ‘Rise and anoint him; he is the one.’ 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and ANOINTED HIM in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah” and in 2 Samuel 5:3 “3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they ANOINTED DAVID KING OVER ISRAEL.”
The same happened to Solomon in 1 Kings 1:39 “39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and ANIONTED SOLOMON”. Even King Saul was also anointed with oil; 1 Samuel 10:1 “1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, ‘Has not the Lord anointed you leader over his inheritance?”. Do you see the difference? God makes Kings by anointing with oil not with ring or chain BUT nations who do not know God made kings with rings and chains WITHOUT anointing with oil. When people put on chains and jewelries, they take after the image of idols and not God. God created man in his own image and did not even create holes in the ears because He did not want anything hanged on them. Typically, men do not wear earrings nor do they change their God given hair by perming or putting on fake hair or recreate their looks with make-up; however men are handsome as they are created without having to make any modifications. In the same way God made women to maintain their natural God given image. It is not earring that tells the difference between man and woman. God by his divine wisdom made the distinction between men and women at creation. Don’t try to tell God that you are wiser than Him to distinguish between male and female with earrings. In Isaiah 40:18-20, God makes us aware that chains and jewelries mimic the image of idols and not Him. Isaiah 40:18-20 “18 To whom, then, will you compare God? What IMAGE will you compare him to? 19 As for an IDOL, a craftman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold AND FASHIONS SILVER CHAINS FOR IT (*This I have seen with my naked eyes in London. It’s in Africa people hide their idols. Not the case in London. You go to restaurants and huge idols are displayed. And one thing I noticed was common with them was chains of jewelries hanged all round their necks and ears*) 20 A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood (*that is why not all jewelries are made of silver and gold; yet they all serve the same purpose*) that will not rot. He looks for skilled craftman to set up an idol that will not topple”. Therefore, do not compare your image to an idol but to the Almighty God who created you in His own image. You were not made by an earthly craftman but by God in His own image; therefore repent from your acts of recreation. Perming is an act of recreation (changing kinky hair to whiteman’s straight hair). Make-up is an act of recreation (making your lips red, pink, violet when they are actually black, brown, or blush). Bleaching and toning (satan’s deception of bleaching) are acts of recreation (changing your black complexion to look like an afro American complexion). Do not let HYDROQUINONE containing creams such as BioClaire, Clear Essence, Peu Claire, Forever Claire among all the other claires take you to hell fire. It may surprise you but God mentions bleaching and toning in the Bible; Jeremiah 13:23a “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots?”
Another thing I would draw our attention to is 1 Kings 10:14-29 (*I besiege you to make time and read*) where the Bible talks about King Solomon’s splendor. Almost everything in his palace was mentioned as being made of gold but no mention of chains or rings. Even the gifts he received from people who visited him were mentioned as articles (KJV reads: vessels) of gold and silver. If he was indeed wearing chain or ring to show his status as a king, it would have been indicated in the mention of his splendor; yet there was no mention of such.
Apart from kings, God also instates priests and fashions them in a peculiar way. The whole of Exodus 28 (43 verses; *please make time and read*) talks about the Priestly apparel. In verses 4 and 5, God is specific on the apparel and the materials they ought to use respectively. Although gold was used, the gold was not fashioned as chains or rings to be worn by the priests; however, the gold was used as part of the apparel itself. Exodus 28:4-5 “These are the garments they are to make: A BREASTPIECE, AN EPHOD, A ROBE, A WOVEN TUNIC, A TURBAN and A SASH (*Did God mention chains or rings to be worn by the priests?*). They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. 5 Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.” So why do some men of God these days hang big chains around their neck with a big cross attached to it with all manner of special ring(s) on their fingers as a sign of their priestly office. I tell you, these acts are not scriptural and do not please God and rather imitate how idols are fashioned (Isaiah 40:18-20; see above). As far as I am informed many demonic priests who come as pastors in daylight have charms in the form of chains and special rings to do all manner of counterfeit miracles. If I were you, I will start asking questions and thinking twice. Do you now realize that kings and priests ordained by God do not put on jewelries in the form of chains or rings to indicate status; however, kings in pagan nations (*as seen in Egypt and Babylon above*) and idols (Isaiah 40:18-20; see above) on the contrary are fashioned with jewelries of chains and rings.
Finally, I would like us to have a look at the Great High Priest and the King of Kings who is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In Daniel 10:4-6, Daniel had a vision of a man which is very similar to the vision John in the book of Revelation also had concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the description Daniel gives; Daniel 10:4-6 “4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of finest gold around his waist. 6 His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of multitude”. John also describes his vision of the one like a son of man in Revelation 1:12-16 as “12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone ‘like the son of man’, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” What I want to put across is that, as Daniel and John gave their account of their vision of the man they saw, he was not fashioned with jewelries and the gold mentioned was used as part of the apparel as a belt in Daniel’s account and as a sash in John’s account.
Later on in Revelation 19: 11-21 (*Please make time and read*), John saw a vision of Jesus as the Rider on the white horse with His names; KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (verse 16). In verses 11-14, the vision of Jesus is without jewelries of chains and rings except his head which had many crowns. As believers, the Bible promises us of being crowned in heaven if we make it there. Therefore, we look forward to wearing a crown in heaven and thus not suprising that John saw a vision of our Lord Jesus Christ with a crown. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I KEPT THE FAITH. 8 Now there in store for me A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUNESS, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – AND NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LONGED FOR HIS APPEARING.” James 1:12 “ Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive THE CROWN OF LIFE that God has promised those who love him.”
In the same book of Revelation, John saw in his vision in Chapter 17, the woman upon the beast who was known as MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT; THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH (verse 5). Her description is given as fashioned with gold, precious stones and pearls; Revelation 17:4 “4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was GLITTERING WITH GOLD, PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries”. Therefore, I urge you to discern for yourselves if it pleases our Lord Jesus Christ for His Bride (the church) to deck herself with all manner of jewelries?
This is where I will end. But I pray that as you meditate on everything I have shared with you under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He; the Spirit of TRUTH (Holy Spirit), will increase your understanding and grant you more revelation into the Word. God willing, we will continue with Moses (*In my previous note I mistakenly typed God instead of Moses; so kindly bear this correction*) instructing the Israelites to go for articles (jewels; KJV) of gold and articles (jewels; KJV) of silver from the Egyptians during their Exodus (Exodus 12:35),
All Glory to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the divine revelation of His Word.
WHILES I TELL YOU THESE THINGS, I AM KEEPING MY OWN SELF IN THE LINE THROUGH THE SUFFICIENT GRACE AND MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST LEST I MYSELF MISS HEAVEN.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Genesis 41:41-42
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
Daniel 5:29
Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
Culled from https://www.facebook.com/notes/adom-ofori-asenso/a-note-to-the-image-of-god-called-woman-4-part-3/670928616271242
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