Head Coverings: A Scriptural Mandate?

Head coverings: A Scriptural Mandate?

June 19th, 2012 -- 3rd Day

So, I've been doing a lot of thinking and praying on the subject of head coverings recently. Where do they fit in today's society? Most people equate covering your head with a scarf, bandanna, snood, cap, etc is usually synonymous with eastern religions that usually don't look to the "Bible" as a reference. 

But, if you take a look in the Scriptures, what can we learn about this? Is it a man-made tradition that was left in the dust as modern-day Christianity made it's debut or rather a part of Yah's culture that doesn't change? Let's take an educated look!

Let's look in Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 47:1-3 to see how the pagan's customs of not covering their heads was viewed then:

"Come down and sit in the dust, O maiden daughter of Babel. Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Kasdim! For no more do they call you tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind flour. Remove your veil, lift up your skirt, uncover the leg, pass through the rivers. Let your nakedness be uncovered, let your shame be exposed. I take vengeance, and meet no man."

Removing your veil/head covering...in Yah's eyes is that nakedness and immodesty, just as much as uncovering your leg is to Him? Let's read on to 1 Corinthians (Qorinthiyim Aleph) 11:3-6, 13-16.

"And I wish you to know that the head of Messiah is Elohim. Every man praying or prophesying having his head covered, brings shame to his Head. And every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered brings shame to her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered."

"Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to Elohim with her head uncovered? Does not nature itself teach you that if a man indeed has long hair, it is a disrespect to him? And if a woman has long hair, it is an esteem to her, because the long hair has been given to her over against a veil. If, however, anyone seems to be contentious, we do not have such a habit, nor do the assemblies of Elohim."

Mkay. That makes sense, but it is a little confusing. Let's look some more at the purpose of head coverings, to show the order of the family: Yah, Husband, Wife. :)

1 Corinthians 11:7-10: For a man indeed should not cover his head, since he is the likeness and esteem of Elohim, but woman is the esteem of man. For man is not from woman, but woman from man. For man also was not created for the woman, but woman for man. Because of this the woman ought to have authority on her head, because of the messengers (angels).

Why because of the messengers? Perhaps if we truly do "entertain angels unaware", are we setting an example for them by honoring our husbands/Yah by covering our heads? 

Let's go back to Genesis (Bereshith) 24:64-65: And Rebecca (Ribqah) lifted her eyes when she saw Isaac (Yitshaq) she dismounted from her camel, and she had said to her servant, "Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?" And the servant said, "It is my master" So she took a veil and covered herself.

Here is also another example in Numbers (Bemidbar) 5:18, where a ritual was performed by a priest to determine whether a wife was being unfaithful or not: "And the priest shall make the woman stand before Yahuah, and shall uncover the woman's head, and put the offering for remembering in her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy, while the priest holds in his hand the bitter water that brings a curse."

So, to uncover a woman's head...it has to be covered beforehand, right? It makes sense! 

I don't subscribe to the Jewish way of thinking that you have to cover your hair for any other reason than to honor your husband -- a popular train of thought among the Jews is that  you also cover because your hair is "too sexy" and you need to keep it under wraps so you don't cause men to stumble. Um...I seem to remember Miryam (Mary) wiping the Messiah's feet with her hair in John (Yohanan) 12:3. Was she trying to seduce the Messiah? I don't think so!

"Then Miryam took a pound of costly perfume of nard, anointed the feet of Yahusha, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."

But Miryam didn't wear a covering...because she wasn't married. 

So we don't have to cover our hair "because it's too sexy" or for looks. It's to show our marital status, submission to our husband's headship, and evidence to the messengers of our willingness to obey. 

Personally, I wear smaller head coverings as to not draw much attention to myself. I don't want others to think I'm trying to "be better than them" by "showing off my piety". Pfft, please. I just want to obey my Heavenly Father and show proper submission to my husband.

Married women or young women thinking about the future -- pray on this! :)

Shalom!