That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
The verse commands a simple, distinctive dress for Israel, a fringe in the borders of the garments with a ribbon of blue upon it, given as a definite requirement to be worn in obedience unto holiness. By looking upon that mark they were to remember and do all His commandments and be holy unto Him. The fringe was to remind them that they were His commandment-keeping people, keepers of the law of ten commandments.
It signified that they were God's peculiar people and treasure, whom He had brought by miracle out of Egyptian bondage to serve Him as a holy people. It distinguished them as a people who acknowledged the Creator as their God and obeyed His ordinances and commandments, brought out of Egypt to keep His law. All who saw them were to recognize them as brought out to keep God's law and to serve Him as a holy people.
It meant they were not to seek after their own hearts and eyes or serve their own unsanctified desires. They were not to imitate or mingle with the idolatrous nations around them in idolatry, drunken feasts, and eating swine's flesh and luxurious food hurtful to health, but to remain a distinct, separate people. Though He is the Maker of heaven and earth, God condescended to the particulars of dress, specifying the style Israel should wear to preserve their peculiarity from other nations.
The ribbon itself had no direct power over health except as God blessed obedience, but by keeping His high claims in memory it kept them separate. The literal special mark on garments is not now required, but the same command and principle still applies, with ancient Israel standing as an example. God still takes notice of the dress of His people in this age.
His people now are to come out from the world, forsake idolatrous practices and conformity to the world, and refuse to follow their own hearts and eyes. They are to adopt a simple, modest, convenient, healthful reform dress that serves the same purpose as the ribbon of blue did then, as a visible mark of obedience and separation from the world. That dress distinguishes them as His peculiar people and treasure, distinct from the world.
Even in dress they are to seek to glorify God, and by simple style be examples that rebuke the pride, vanity, and extravagance of worldly pleasure-loving professors, which God requires and rebukes in His word. Reform in dress is essential to physical and mental health, which is an added reason for it now. That reform dress brings a cross that tests pride and love for sacred truth that separates from the world.
Those who are proud and have no love for that separating truth show it by indifference or contempt toward it, while faithful practice shows remembrance and doing of the commandments. No excuse of want of time, extra work, easy soiling, inconvenience, mortified pride, fashion, or convenience justified refusing the ancient requirement, when Israel could have pleaded more valid excuses yet remained bound to obey. Trivial objections likewise vanish before duty now, requiring the reform dress and a right influence for young girls.
The verse commands a simple, distinctive dress for Israel, a fringe in the borders of the garments with a ribbon of blue upon it, given as a definite requirement to be worn in obedience unto holiness. By looking upon that mark they were to remember and do all His commandments and be holy unto Him. The fringe was to remind them that they were His commandment-keeping people, keepers of the law of ten commandments.
It signified that they were God's peculiar people and treasure, whom He had brought by miracle out of Egyptian bondage to serve Him as a holy people. It distinguished them as a people who acknowledged the Creator as their God and obeyed His ordinances and commandments, brought out of Egypt to keep His law. All who saw them were to recognize them as brought out to keep God's law and to serve Him as a holy people.
It meant they were not to seek after their own hearts and eyes or serve their own unsanctified desires. They were not to imitate or mingle with the idolatrous nations around them in idolatry, drunken feasts, and eating swine's flesh and luxurious food hurtful to health, but to remain a distinct, separate people. Though He is the Maker of heaven and earth, God condescended to the particulars of dress, specifying the style Israel should wear to preserve their peculiarity from other nations.
The ribbon itself had no direct power over health except as God blessed obedience, but by keeping His high claims in memory it kept them separate. The literal special mark on garments is not now required, but the same command and principle still applies, with ancient Israel standing as an example. God still takes notice of the dress of His people in this age.
His people now are to come out from the world, forsake idolatrous practices and conformity to the world, and refuse to follow their own hearts and eyes. They are to adopt a simple, modest, convenient, healthful reform dress that serves the same purpose as the ribbon of blue did then, as a visible mark of obedience and separation from the world. That dress distinguishes them as His peculiar people and treasure, distinct from the world.
Even in dress they are to seek to glorify God, and by simple style be examples that rebuke the pride, vanity, and extravagance of worldly pleasure-loving professors, which God requires and rebukes in His word. Reform in dress is essential to physical and mental health, which is an added reason for it now. That reform dress brings a cross that tests pride and love for sacred truth that separates from the world.
Those who are proud and have no love for that separating truth show it by indifference or contempt toward it, while faithful practice shows remembrance and doing of the commandments. No excuse of want of time, extra work, easy soiling, inconvenience, mortified pride, fashion, or convenience justified refusing the ancient requirement, when Israel could have pleaded more valid excuses yet remained bound to obey. Trivial objections likewise vanish before duty now, requiring the reform dress and a right influence for young girls.