Does God want us to wear Jewelry?
Many may would say that he doesn't care, but it is a matter of the heart. If God didn't care about adorning with jewelry than why would he adorn Israel with Jewelry. It seems to me that, if God desired Israel to be adorned with jewelry to show his love, then he would want us to be adorned as well. Thus God wants us to wear jewelry to show his blessings.
IMO, God was not literally adorning Israel with jewels, but instead was figuratively demonstrating his hand of blessing upon them. Jewels, whether worn or possessed, were a sign of prosperity and to be God's blessings. Thank God we no longer walk in darkness, but we now realize that the treasures we should lay up are in heaven and not on earth.
The argument is being made that moderation is the key and the condition of a person's heart. The outward adorning of a person often reveals the heart of a person. I am not saying it is the only indicator, but it is an indicator. Who determines how much is moderate? I teach against drinking alcohol, although the scripture only forbids drunkenness. I may be wrong, but I don't think people will go hell for not drinking. I would rather abstain from drugs and alcohol than be brought under it's control. Jewelry is also can take hold on people's lives. That maybe comical to some, but they may also realize one day that their prosperity became their curse. We cannot serve God and Mammon.
I am probably not going to stand behind the pulpit and come crashing down on jewelry in our church, but I am going to teach about it. I too feel it is a matter of the heart and unless peoples take care of the heart we are wasting time just hounding about rules. There are much bigger fish to fry, but I still would not want to stand on the side of advocating adorning ourselves with jewelry.
The jewels referenced in the old testament where only used by God as shadows and illustration. We cannot look back in the old testament and say, "God let the children do it". We live in a better covenant. We can go round and round the mulberry bush about
1 Peter 3:3. I take it at face value and the references to jewels in OT doesn't compromise that for me. Although, I do think there are much bigger fish to fry.
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