Head Covering A Symbol To The Unseen Realm by Greg Gordon

[Greg Gordon]

It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. – 1 Corinthians 11:10

The passage in Corinthians clearly teaches of headship where God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of man and man is the head of woman. Though Biblical submission is right woman are not inferior spiritually but one in Christ. Yet they must choose to submit and humble themselves just as Christ humbled himself before the Father. God’s government and way of order is in such a way where each member must do his or her part. When women or men choose not to fulfill and walk in God’s ways for the Church, disorder and every evil practice ensues. The importance of head covering is not an outward reason but an spiritual reality proclaimed to the principalities and powers. When the head covering is practiced it proclaims God’s order and way to all of creation, including the angels (1 Peter 1:12). K.P. Yohannan says, “Have you considered why there is so much tension and fighting over placing a small piece of cloth on one’s head? When a woman wears the symbol of God’s government, a head covering, she is essentially a rebuke to all the fallen angels. Her actions say to them, ‘You have rebelled against the Holy God, but I submit to Him and His headship. I choose not to follow your example of rebellion and pride.'” Eve fell into satan’s rebellion (2 Corinthians 11:3), yet now in the Church women declare they are following God’s order in the Church (1 Timothy 2:12-14).

Watchman Nee says, “When many of the sisters in the church take the place given to woman and learn to cover their heads, they send out an unspoken word of testimony to the angels in the air, to the effect that God has obtained in the church what He desires.” Hippolytus an early Church Father wrote, “let all the women have their heads covered.” Others who taught this practice in the Church were, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Early Church Fathers, John Wesley, Matthew Henry to name just a few. We must remind ourselves that until the twentieth century, virtually all Christian women wore head coverings. As we worship together as the Church we enter into worship with the holy angels in heaven who cover their faces (Isaiah 6:2). In the same way sisters covering their heads show they honouring of the glory of God. Clement of Rom in A.D. 96 said, “Then let us gather together in awareness of our concord” speaking of the holy angels when we worship. The Church is to gather and worship God in the spirit (John 4:24) doing things that the world considers foolish but for the Lord there is great significance. Paul speaking as inspired by the Holy Spirit said, “we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16). It was not just a local custom or practice but all the Churches were practicing this as with water Baptism and Holy Communion. This was not an optional thing as the default was all the Churches were doing it. But Paul gives grace to those who are not convinced of its importance from the Lord as the Corinthians partly were divided over many issues including this one.

 

[Travis]

Physical head coverings point to something much more important, namely the heart.

God has an order to things, to ignore and rebel against that order is to set yourself up for trouble. You cant reject a single commandment from God and be blessed in doing so. God is interested in our hearts, and a persons reaction to something as simple as a piece of cloth may indicate quite a bit about what's in a persons heart.

Blessings,

Travis

 

[amadeus2]

Aye then is it not like Paul's admonition that "it is better to marry than to burn"? The humbling of oneself before those who are over you according to God is one thing. If then the physical covering one's own physical head is a necessity, is not her own hair adequate?

"Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering." I Cor 11:13-15

Of course this raises of necessity the question of long hair for women and short hair for men, doesn't it?

 

[Itz Me]

Aye then is it not like Paul's admonition that "it is better to marry than to burn"? The humbling of oneself before those who are over you according to God is one thing. If then the physical covering one's own physical head is a necessity, is not her own hair adequate?

"Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering." I Cor 11:13-15

Of course this raises of necessity the question of long hair for women and short hair for men, doesn't it?

Hi! 'Amadeus2'
I suspect that we all can become better acquainted with the general import of the original Poster's comments by recognizing that the Corinthian believers were acutely aware of the fact that it is not the visible world which is reality to us New Creatures ... rather, it's the INvisible world. The visible world is merely a shadow image of the invisible realities beyond the veil ... (so to speak).
We're witnessing today rapid evidences of ‘spiritual warfare’ on the earth. The elemental spirits are beginning to totter. The society which is maintained and kept in order by the authority of co-operating human spirits, (elemental spirits), is entering into a rebellion as never before imagined. Earthly governance is becoming unfit for their task and unable to properly carry responsibilities. This is evidence that these too are unable to withstand the incoming tide of lawlessness. Paul had already spoke of these "poor and beggarly elemental spirits", (Gal 4:9), and in 2Thessolonians 2.7 he mentions the fact that this restraining force is removed and collapses before the onslaught of lawlessness.

'Amadeus2', our Gospel confirms the fact that that we Christians are indeed 'new creatures', (better translated as 'new species'), born from above ... and, also dwelling 'above' in our thought-world. Because genuine faith demands that we become preoccupied with "the evidence of things not seen", we are admonished to "keep our minds on things above" ... on the invisible/spiritual realities. Our reading of the scriptures must always strive to be VERTICAL as opposed to horizontal, (so to speak).
As New Testament Believers, we no longer live in the shadows ... no longer do we need to keep our eyes fixed on the natural/visible images ... because our New Man has been equipped with "enlightened eyes of the mind". Our minds have been renewed and equipped by the Holy Spirit to peer beyond the visible images to glimpse into the invisible heavenly realities.
We Believers seek after the "hidden knowledge" and pursue insights concerning an invisible "city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God". That's why, (for instance), that the visible natural Israel has no significance for us Believers. It is the realities of the invisible Israel which concern us. For us, our eyes are fixed on the the revealing of the invisible heavenly Jerusalem and not the visible geographical Jerusalem. Believers seek first the invisible realities concerning the Kingdom of God.
The teachings of Jesus had to count with the development which the people of those days had. The purpose of Scripture is that highly spiritual knowledge be taught in terms of normal daily usage and language. That is why the Lord Jesus spoke in parables so that the people listening to Him might be compelled to attain to a higher understanding and a transformation of meanings. The Gospel of the Kingdom gives us the insight which enables us to refuse to take the image for the reality. The Lord wants us to be transformed and renewed in our minds, that we should leave the old, visible realities and lay hold on the new spiritual and invisible things of the Kingdom of Heaven.
When an architect designs a building, he first creates a model and then graduates into constructing the building itself. God does just the opposite! He created the building first (spiritual) and then the model (earthly) afterwards. It's with this realization that we should read about the coming of the Lord because it is repeatedly pictured as a coming on (with or in) the clouds of the sky. "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory", (Mark 13:26). "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and on the cloud one sat like to the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle", (Rev.14:14).
Note that there is no definite article before the word 'clouds' in Mark 13:26. The word 'kneehole' (clouds) is used of a multitude of individuals in 1Thessalonians 4. 17, where the saints will be caught up in clouds. The word was used in classical Greek of an army of soldiers" (Word studies in the Greek New Testament, Wuest). We may interchange the phrase coming in the clouds with the "son of man who comes in glory". The glory of Christ is His church, comprised of saints or brothers of Jesus. "And when the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne". The nations will be gathered, and they will be judged according to their attitude towards the brothers of the Son of Man.
Revelation 14:14 says, "Then I looked, and lo, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand". This image reminds us of the silver-hued or opal morning clouds in the Middle East. The summits of the mountains are like large rocks and islands in this sea of vapor. The rising sun shines through the floating mists, which soon disappear in the heat of its rays. On the ground the refreshing dew of the night is left behind, giving life and fertility to the earth. This mass of clouds is a cloud, or mist of dew, in the heat of harvest (Is 18:4). In his poetical language David called these splendid towers of cloud "the wings of morning" (Psalm 139:9).
Clouds are visible images to illustrate spiritual mankind, of the sons of God who are brought forth by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As millions of water drops high above the earth form a close unity, so the church too has her position in the heavenly places. Matthew 24:30 says: "Then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory"; "Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, every one who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen", ", (Rev 1:7).

The meaning is clear. A vapor arose from the sea and clouds have been formed. In the Bible the sea is the image of the spiritual world, as the earth is the image of the visible, material world. As a drop of water evaporates from the sea and rises up into the air, so at his regeneration man is transplanted into the heavenly places. He is made to live there, and starts to function in the Kingdom of God, (Eph 2:6). The water, the invisible inner man of the heart, rises up by the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the influence of God, the Sun of righteousness. In the heavenly places the drops form a cloud. The cloud consists of millions of drops; it is the image of the church of Jesus Christ. In the invisible world the waters, the spirits, are separated. All religions on earth are from below. Only those who belong to Jesus are from above. Jesus told the religious leaders of his day: "You are from below. I am from above; you are of this world; I am not of this world (John 8:23).
The cloud is the image of the church. The cloud consists of millions of drops of water; it is the image of the church of Jesus Christ in her heavenly calling. The water is the unseen inner man of the heart; it rises up by the power of the Word of Him who is called the Sun of righteousness. In the heavenly places all the drops of water together form the cloud. As a drop of water evaporates from the sea and rises into the air, so at his regeneration man is resurrected from the Sea of Death and transplanted into the heavenly places. Once there, he begins to function in the Kingdom of God by the baptism in the Holy Spirit. When Jesus returns, He will be inseparably united with his people. That is why it says:" Behold, he is coming with the clouds". And that is why it becomes true that we, "have been seated in heavenly places". Just as lamp stands are mentioned and two witnesses, seven churches, the trees of life and the host of heaven; all of these words are images of the churches. Jesus is inseparably associated with his church. When at the close of time the church is changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, to join the cloud, the church of all ages, it says: "And in the sight of their foes they went up".

So, 'Amadeus2', the original Post Comments seemed to me to be a struggle between the visible image and the invisible reality behind the concept of 'head covering. That's why my attention was immediately captivated by the Comments ... yours included.
I leave you with the idea that faith is first and foremost occupied with "the evidence of things unseen", (Heb 11:1). It is a function of the spirit just as the mind is a function of the soul. Faith lays hold on the things of the unseen world and deals with them, in the same way as the mind lays hold on the things of the visible world of the senses. Faith deals with things we do not see. To understand the things of the unseen world and those of the visible world, faith and mind therefore have to go together. Again, the Bible calls this "enlightened eyes of the mind". Therefore, our reading of the scriptures must always be VERTICAL as opposed to horizontal, (so to speak). The Scriptures introduce ideas and concepts which can only be understood with our minds preoccupied "on things above" … the invisible world of the spirits. Those who refuse the ability to think 'vertically', (no insight into the heavenly places), are living in times of ignorance, (Acts 17:30). This is why Jesus could say: "They do not know what they are doing". They fail to comprehend the events/conflicts in the unseen world. The Gospel of the Kingdom is a closed book to them. Their state could be compared to the 'wisdom' of the king Solomon. Despite Solomon's wisdom, unprecedented in the days before and after him, the Lord Jesus considered the wisdom of Solomon as minor importance when compared to the knowledge of the 'kingdom of heavens', (1Kings 3:5-15; Matthew 12:42).