Many articles have been written on modesty, from ones which focus on modesty of the heart, to humility in our actions and attitudes, and even a few which directly address our attire. Fewer still address attire from a strictly biblical standpoint, with no influence of the world around us, fewer yet address this from a messianic stance to scripture which would include the Tanakh in how we present ourselves.
There is much to be said on our attitudes and actions affecting modesty and how we dress. You can dress in a full burka and still be immodest if you have a haughty attitude or focus your actions to draw the wrong kind of attentions. In this we can look to 1 Peter 3:3-4 which says, Your beauty should not consist in externals such as fancy hairstyles, gold jewelry or what you wear; 4 rather, let it be the inner character of your heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit. In God’s sight this is of great value. Essentially, that our focus needs to be primarily on our actions above what we wear, but this does not discredit the importance of appropriate clothing. This verse also helps us to define what is appropriate clothing, that we aren't to flaunt wealth in what we wear or be seeking to look better than those around us. Let it be Elohim in us who is glorified by our appearance.
We are daughters of the Living King! In such we should be dressing with grace and dignity as the princess' we are. 1 Timothy 2:9-10 says, Likewise, the women, when they pray, should be dressed modestly and sensibly in respectable attire, not with elaborate hairstyles and gold jewelry, or pearls, or expensive clothes. 10 Rather, they should adorn themselves with what is appropriate for women who claim to be worshipping God, namely, good deeds. Much like the verse in 1 Peter it shows the priority is upon our actions, yet this one also specifies into attire to more extent. Ensuring to state that we should be dressed modestly, sensibly, and in respectable attire. But what exactly does that mean? To some extent it certainly does mean modesty in the sense of being humble in our clothing, to not flaunt wealth or the like, but it also states respectable attire, I believe this is specifically to ensure that nobody could say that to cover ones body is not a part of the intent of the passage. So let us then look further to scripture to define modesty in the concealment sense.
It is as early as Genesis 3 that the need for adequate clothing begins. At the fall the first thing that we see is that the nakedness of Adam and Havah is exposed and they feel the shame of it. Immediately they seek to cover themselves, before even facing Elohim about the situation. And while He certainly handles the situation of sin that has arisen he doesn't chide them for their shame in nakedness, instead he clothes them from animal hides himself, even though they had already crafted their own clothing. To me this is a wonderful example of Elohim's providence in what we need to dress ourselves. Like what Yeshua says in Matthew 6:25, Therefore, I tell you, don’t worry about your life — what you will eat or drink; or about your body — what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? While nakedness certainly has been used by God, such as in Isaiah 20 where the prophet went naked for 3 years, it is still referred to as a shameful thing and a model against propriety such as in Micah 1 where Micah himself is also going naked while prophesying yet at the same time calling it shameful. The shamefulness of Nakedness is also shown by Habbakuk and Noah. Like modesty, nakedness also has more to it in the biblical context. It is also applied to someone who has no good works to put on like in above passages, knowing that we are a part of the kingdom of Elohim like stated in 2 Corinthians 5:3, With this around us we will not be found naked, or is not prepared for something like the return of the Messiah in Matthew 22:12-13, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark!’ In that place people will wail and grind their teeth.
Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with looking nice! There is nothing wrong with dressing up for gatherings, weddings, or just for a date night with your husband. It's an issue however when you flaunt what you've got, be it wealth... or physical assets, in a way to gain attention in an undignified manner. We know that approriate attire can be variable in some situations from also reviewing scripture. Be it from seeing how Hadassah, or Esther, spent years doing beauty regimes that consisted of makeup, henna and fine clothing before she was even queen to simply looking at how we're told we will be dressed for the marriage supper of the lamb. Ezekiel 16:9-14 even elaborates through the prophet the words of Elohim, Then I bathed you in water, washed the blood off you, and anointed you with oil. 10 I also clothed you with an embroidered gown, gave you fine leather sandals to wear, put a fine linen headband on your head and covered you with silk. 11 I gave you jewelry to wear, bracelets for your hands, a necklace for your neck, 12 a ring for your nose, earrings for your ears and a beautiful crown for your head. 13 Thus you were decked out in gold and silver; your clothing was of fine linen, silk and richly embroidered cloth; you ate the finest flour, honey and olive oil. You grew increasingly beautiful — you were fit to be queen. 14 Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty, because it was perfect, due to my having bestowed my own splendor on you’ says Adonai Elohim. What then does this reasonable attire actually look like in practice?
Dressing as a child of Elohim is to wear clothing appicable to your own God given gender. Deuteronomy 22:5 states this in saying, A woman is not to wear men’s clothing, and a man is not to put on women’s clothing, for whoever does these things is detestable to Adonai your God. Now, this does not specify specific articles, remember that at the time this was written both men and women wore robes and sandals! But it does speak to the general look. So if the look is overtly masculine by thy the relevant culture a woman should shy away from it, and the same for a man with a feminine appearance. Cultures change overtime, and so this regulation has a level of flexibility. For example it was only a couple hundred years ago that heeled shoes where a masculine footwear, and only recently seen as for women instead! One culture may value skirts on women while another finds pants to be just as acceptable when made for a woman's body modestly.
Dressing as a child of Elohim is to dress in such as a way as to prevent others from lusting after you. While some people will always struggle with lust, no matter the appearance of another person who attracts them, we are to take what precautions we can in order to make it easier for them to walk the narrow path. Matthew 5:28 says, But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. We certainly do not want to aid in anyone sinning to such severity! Romans 14:13 calls us to be wary of this, Therefore, let’s stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment — not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother’s way, a sentiment shared throughout scripture to help other believers to be obedient to the Ruach Hakodesh. This is often used to encourage women to modesty, but the reality is women can be just as visibly driven and as mothers and wives we should encourage our husbands to modesty as well, and teach it to our sons.
Dressing as a child of the Living King looks like wearing our tzitzit. Numbers 16:37-41 says, Adonai said to Moshe, 38 “Speak to the people of Isra’el, instructing them to make, through all their generations, tzitziyot on the corners of their garments, and to put with the tzitzit on each corner a blue thread. 39 It is to be a tzitzit for you to look at and thereby remember all of Adonai’s mitzvot and obey them, so that you won’t go around wherever your own heart and eyes lead you to prostitute yourselves; 40 but it will help you remember and obey all my mitzvot and be holy for your God. 41 I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt in order to be your God. I am Adonai your God.” Our tzitzit are designed for numerous purposes, and I go in depth in their discussion in my blog Those Blue Tassels. In a nutshell these tassels serve as a reminder to us to be obedient to what Elohim has commanded, but the blue in them also sets us apart as royalty. The blue being symbolic of just that in the time that this command was given, a visible marker that all of Israel were the children of Elohim.
Daughters of the Living King also cover their heads. This isn't simply because 1 Corinthians tells us to in relation to symbolizing our submission to the male authorities Elohim has placed in our lives, but also because of modesty which is modeled by the matriarchs, presupposed into the Torah, and stated by Isaiah as an issue of modesty. You can certainly read Christian Headcovering to go in further depth but a brief overview is to look at the covering modeled by Sarah, Rachel and Rebekah. To see the presupposition of a veil worn by a woman in Numbers 5 where she is required to remove it while put on trial for adultery. Or how in Isaiah states that it is a matter of modesty akin to a woman exposing her nether regions! He states in Isaiah 47:2-3, Take the millstones, and grind meal; take off your veil, strip off your skirt, uncover your legs, wade through the streams.
3 Your private parts will be exposed; yes, your shame will be seen. I am going to take vengeance, and no one will stand in my way.
Sons of the Living King don't cover their heads. Again, this isn't based solely on 1 Corinthians 11. But even Jeremiah 14:4 tells us that a man covering his head is a sign of shame, Because of the ground, which is cracked, since it has not rained in the land, the farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
Daughters of the Living King should cover their breasts. While society will try to tell you that there is nothing inherently private about the breasts of a woman scripture disagrees. Ezekiel 16:7 calls exposing the breast as naked and exposed, I will increase your numbers just like plants growing in the field.” And you did increase, you developed, you reached puberty, your breasts appeared, and your hair grew long; but you were naked and exposed. Proverbs 5:18-19 shows breasts as something for your husband to enjoy, Let your fountain, the wife of your youth,
be blessed; find joy in her —
19 a lovely deer, a graceful fawn; let her breasts satisfy you at all times, always be infatuated with her love. And that isn't even going into all the references in Song of Solomon! While a man's chest is not inherently an issue it can easily be an issue of lust in today's world and for this reason I am teaching my son to wear a swim shirt when he going swimming, that his chest as well should be covered modestly.
Children of the Living King should cover their thighs. Now here is one that doesn't go over well in today's society of short shorts! In a world where shopping for my eight year old daughter means I can only look at capris because knee length shorts are few and far between or have to sew her her own skirts because the stores all give skirts that seek to sexualize children. Isaiah 47:2-3, as stated above, is only one passage which references the exposed thigh as being shameful and naked. Exodus 28:42 says, Also make for them linen shorts reaching from waist to thigh, to cover their bare flesh. Whether you classify these are seperate standards for men or women is up to some level of discussion, be it for women to go knee length of ankle length and cover the whole leg. Yet even getting to the knees can be difficult for men and boys in the form of shorts and swim trunks!
We see then that some general rules are that a woman should be dressed from the breasts to the knees, with a covering on her head and tzitzit on her clothing. We also know from our societal standards that she should be dressed in clothing that is distinctly feminine. Scripture warns us to dress modestly, avoiding drawing lustful eyes which would then encourage us to use these guidelines as well. Things like not wearing clothing to tight to the breast, or to the bum and hips where eye's often are drawn to look and lust would be wise habits to form then, or clothing which draws the focus to these areas. Every woman and man is created different and unique, with their own special body. With that in mind we must always be looking at an outfit in the light of our own bodies, what may be modest on one woman may not be modest on the next. The same pair of swim trunks to cover one boy's thighs may not be long enough for the next boy.
I hope that this helps you to seek modesty in dressing appropriately as a daughter of the King and in encouraging your children to learn about how we should dress as believers. May we always remember what Proverbs 31:25 says for us, She is clothed with strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come. Dress with Dignity Ladies, and have a blessed day.
3 Your private parts will be exposed; yes, your shame will be seen. I am going to take vengeance, and no one will stand in my way.
Sons of the Living King don't cover their heads. Again, this isn't based solely on 1 Corinthians 11. But even Jeremiah 14:4 tells us that a man covering his head is a sign of shame, Because of the ground, which is cracked, since it has not rained in the land, the farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
Daughters of the Living King should cover their breasts. While society will try to tell you that there is nothing inherently private about the breasts of a woman scripture disagrees. Ezekiel 16:7 calls exposing the breast as naked and exposed, I will increase your numbers just like plants growing in the field.” And you did increase, you developed, you reached puberty, your breasts appeared, and your hair grew long; but you were naked and exposed. Proverbs 5:18-19 shows breasts as something for your husband to enjoy, Let your fountain, the wife of your youth,
be blessed; find joy in her —
19 a lovely deer, a graceful fawn; let her breasts satisfy you at all times, always be infatuated with her love. And that isn't even going into all the references in Song of Solomon! While a man's chest is not inherently an issue it can easily be an issue of lust in today's world and for this reason I am teaching my son to wear a swim shirt when he going swimming, that his chest as well should be covered modestly.
Children of the Living King should cover their thighs. Now here is one that doesn't go over well in today's society of short shorts! In a world where shopping for my eight year old daughter means I can only look at capris because knee length shorts are few and far between or have to sew her her own skirts because the stores all give skirts that seek to sexualize children. Isaiah 47:2-3, as stated above, is only one passage which references the exposed thigh as being shameful and naked. Exodus 28:42 says, Also make for them linen shorts reaching from waist to thigh, to cover their bare flesh. Whether you classify these are seperate standards for men or women is up to some level of discussion, be it for women to go knee length of ankle length and cover the whole leg. Yet even getting to the knees can be difficult for men and boys in the form of shorts and swim trunks!
We see then that some general rules are that a woman should be dressed from the breasts to the knees, with a covering on her head and tzitzit on her clothing. We also know from our societal standards that she should be dressed in clothing that is distinctly feminine. Scripture warns us to dress modestly, avoiding drawing lustful eyes which would then encourage us to use these guidelines as well. Things like not wearing clothing to tight to the breast, or to the bum and hips where eye's often are drawn to look and lust would be wise habits to form then, or clothing which draws the focus to these areas. Every woman and man is created different and unique, with their own special body. With that in mind we must always be looking at an outfit in the light of our own bodies, what may be modest on one woman may not be modest on the next. The same pair of swim trunks to cover one boy's thighs may not be long enough for the next boy.
I hope that this helps you to seek modesty in dressing appropriately as a daughter of the King and in encouraging your children to learn about how we should dress as believers. May we always remember what Proverbs 31:25 says for us, She is clothed with strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come. Dress with Dignity Ladies, and have a blessed day.
