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t the end of that mind-bogglingday, in which Joseph rose frommere slave to prime minister ofEgypt, we find him wearing amagnificent ring, an elegant

necklace of gold, some of Egypt’sfinest linen clothes, and drivingaround in an ornate chariot. “ThenPharaoh took off his signet ring fromhis hand and put it on Joseph’s hand,and clothed him in garments of finelinen and put the gold necklacearound his neck. He had him ride inhis second chariot; and they pro-claimed before him, ‘Bow the knee!’And he set him over all the land ofEgypt” (Gen. 41:42, 43, NASB).1

Do you think Joseph took thatstuff off the next day and returned itto Pharaoh, saying, “I can’t wear this.I’m a servant of the living God ofheaven”? Each of those items was afunctional symbol of Joseph’s newstatus and power in Egypt. But thosefunctional symbols—very tangiblethings—raise the ever-burningquestion of faith and cultural assim-ilation. Joseph’s meteoric rise topower completely encapsulated him

KNOWINGEVERYTHING ABOUT

TIMBUKTU

B Y L A R R Y L . L I C H T E N W A L T E R *

AWhat was Joseph’s thinking in his

use of jewelry in Egypt?

*Larry L. Lichtenwalter, Ph.D., hasserved as the senior pastor of the Vil-lage Seventh-day Adventist Church inBerrien Springs, Michigan, since 1985.

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as some kind of defining issue in thefinal crisis of Earth’s history? Whywould God pick such an issue as thecentral focus of the end-time crisis?

At the heart of the matter is thefact that the Sabbath is an ideal way totest whether people are truly loyal toGod. The Sabbath command is differ-ent from the other nine. All the othershave a certain basis in reason and self-interest. After all, the principles of thesecond table of the law (how we are torelate to others) are the foundation ofgovernment in most countries. “Thoushalt not kill” (Ex. 20:13, KJV) is log-ical to anyone who does not wish tobe killed. “Thou shalt not steal” (vs.15, KJV) makes sense to anyone whowants to protect his or her hard-earned possessions. Commands likethis are reasonable and even appeal toa certain amount of self-interest. Thesame goes for the first three com-mandments concerning our relation-ship with God. If God is who Heclaims to be, it makes no sense toworship someone else.

The one part of the Ten Com-mandments that is not logical is thecommand to worship on Saturdayrather than on some other day. Such acommand is so lacking in logic andself-interest that secular people find ithard to take seriously. After all, noone has been able to demonstrate anylogical or scientific basis for seeingany one day as more special to Godthan any other. The sun shines andthe rain falls in the usual amounts on

both Saturday and Sunday.To keep the Sabbath is to take God

at His word in spite of the fact thatthe five senses can perceive no evi-dence that to do so is reasonable. TheSabbath at the end is like the tree atthe beginning. The fruit of the tree ofknowledge was probably both tastyand nutritious. The only reason notto eat was because God said so.

So it is with the Sabbath. Theonly reason to prefer Saturday overSunday is because God said so; thereis no other reason. We accept theSabbath purely on the basis of God’sWord. It is, therefore, a good test ofour trust in God and His Word. Weaccept the Sabbath on the basis ofthe Word of God. We believe that theScriptures give a reliable account ofthe mind and will of God. They are atrustworthy record of God’s dealingsin the past, and they are a reliableaccount of the true realities of theend time. Because we believe theScriptures, we trust the account ofthe end time that we find there.

The Book of Revelation portraysthe end of the world as a time ofgreat, worldwide deception that willoverwhelm the five senses, even inthe people of God. However, thosewho believe, accept, and obey theWord of God will not lose their wayin the end-time deception.

**Unless otherwise noted, all biblical refer-ences in this article are quoted from the NewInternational Version.

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as inconsistent and unreasonable—not applicable to life in the 21st cen-tury—young people in particularleave the church and turn elsewhere.

Meaningfully communicating bib -lical values to young people is par-ticularly challenging. One of thearguments that never goes away isthe question of culture. It seemsthat all the significant passages ofScripture on lifestyle issues aredownplayed as either cultural ornot saying all we have thought theyhave said.

This goes for the Spirit ofProphecy as well. The writings ofEllen White are projected as cultural,dated, incomplete, legalistic. Peopleare looking for Christ-centered stan-dards that are based on sound bibli-cal principles. Unfortunately, formany, any appeal to Scripture forconcrete injunctions and specificcommands on lifestyle issues seemsmore like legalistic rules. This leavesthe question of application open,cultural, elusive.

Since some have used Joseph asan example of jewelry usage, andbecause jewelry is viewed as a cul-tural issue, it can be used as anexample of how Joseph likely relatedto the varied cultural pressures of hisday. While doing this, it is importantto keep in mind a broader spectrumof Seventh-day Adventist Christianlifestyle issues. This is more thantalking about jewelry or ornamenta-tion per se, but raising the question

of how tangible is Christian living incontemporary culture.

How Egyptian did Joseph look?His brothers “did not recognizehim” (42:8). Joseph likely lookedEgyptian to them. But though hemay have appeared quite Egyptianto his brothers (who really didn’tknow that much about being Egyp -tian anyway), how authenticallyEgyptian did Joseph truly appear tothose who knew him or knew thesubtle differences expressed in hispersonal lifestyle and choices? Nomatter what we can know for sure, itis clear that Joseph does present anexample of a consecrated peoplewhere external cultural forms makea difference.

Understanding CultureAccording to Charles C. Case,

“Everyone is convinced that heknows what culture is. It has becomea commonplace metaphor to whichanyone can attach his inadequatethoughts or clever opinions.”3

Culture is only one of several fac-tors involved in shaping humanexistence. Setting, situation, people,and communication are also impor-tant. But culture is like glue. It is theelement that ties these factorstogether. Culture also “encompassesthose aspects of being that arelearned, those regularities that areacquired, those things that aregained through association withother humans.”4 In this sense, cul-

Some have cited Joseph as an example to defend the use of jewelry.

He illustrates, they say, that the Bible never prohibits adornment

in itself, only the promiscuous use of adornment. They will

add that the official Seventh-day Adventist position advocating the

avoidance of jewelry is cultural and unbiblical, that the Bible

teaches moderation, not non-usage. In the process, they appeal to

the cultural and sociological dynamics of lifestyle.

in Egyptian reality. In one day hesoared to the very top of what itmeant to live in Egyptian life andculture.

As a follower of the living God ofheaven, how far should he go? Was itall right for Joseph to wear jewelryor participate in other tangibleEgyptian cultural idioms? How farcan God’s people go in following thecultural expressions of their day andremain distinct, pure, a living wit-ness?

How did Joseph wend his waythrough Egyptian culture withoutbecoming assimilated into it? Howwas he able to maintain both hisfaith and his witness and remain dis-tinct—yet be a part of his real world?

Some have cited Joseph as anexample to defend the use of jewelry.2

He illustrates, they say, that the Biblenever prohibits adornment in itself,only the promiscuous use of adorn-ment. They will add that the officialSeventh-day Adventist position ad -vocating the avoidance of jewelry is

cultural and unbiblical, that theBible teaches moderation, not non-usage. In the process, they appeal tothe cultural and sociological dynam-ics of lifestyle.

If Joseph with his impeccablemoral and spiritual character couldwear jewelry, why can’t we? If we puton Joseph’s colorful robe and dreamof being a people as faithful as he,why can’t rings and necklaces be partof that glorious vision? Doesn’tJoseph’s very example prove thatcharacter, not externals, is what isreally important?

We’re living in a time when manyare struggling with the rationale forour Adventist positions on jewelryand other lifestyle issues. Thereseems to be confusion as to what theBible and Spirit of Prophecy aretruly saying on lifestyle issues andwhat we call Christian standards.Biblical principles and values areapplied inconsistently. There is bothlegalism and the fear of legalism.

When our positions are perceived

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be embodied in written laws, dra-matic rites, structures of govern-ment, empires, as cetic lives.”8

This illuminates the ApostlePaul’s exhortation, “Don’t let theworld around you squeeze you intoits mold, but let God remold yourmind from within” (Rom. 12:2,Phillips). Culture, at bottom, is aparadigmatic story in and of itself.Like most paradigms, culture iscomprised of multiple supportingstories. Each of the tangible expres-sions of contemporary culture (ourworld), no matter the milieu of timeor specific context, have a way ofcapturing our interest. Whether thearts, music, architecture, customsand lifestyle, fashions, habits, values,beliefs, or ways of looking atthings—each in their own way tell astory, create a worldview. They havean uncanny way of slipping past ourconscious mind, affecting us in sub-tle ways. Not all this is bad, but cul-ture can sidetrack us to the point

that we forget who we are and whatwe are supposed to be doing for Godin the world—both individually andas an end-time people.

All About TimbuktuIn her book Wrestling With

Angels,Naomi Rosenblatt tells of herstruggle to maintain her identitywhen she first came to the UnitedStates from Israel in the 1950s. Shelanded in New York with all its afflu-ent consumerism, and she struggledto maintain the spartan values shewas raised with.

Passing by the seductive displaywindows of Saks, Tiffany’s, andBergdorf ’s was a constant lure toembrace the culture around her. Asshe walked down Fifth Avenue, steal-ing an occasional glance at the mar-velous storefront offerings, she usedto hum her old school songs withtheir Hebrew lyrics about plowingand protecting the land. With eachpassing window, she hummed louder

ture is in a fundamental way themost human part of human exis-tence. In fact, behind the customsand the tools, the social habits andbehavior, of human existence, liesthe framework of a plan. It’s ahuman plan. The plan of culture.

“Culture is the construct behindovert behavior. Like a blueprint orwork schedule it is prior, basic, andnecessary to every action. Likeplays and rules of footballor the recipe of a cake, itdetermines the finalresult.”5 Putting itdifferently, cultureis a script one fol-lows to create be -havior. It is like atheatrical play inwhich actors with ascript are given direc-tion and allowed to im -provise, and yet the play mustfollow the plot. “Culture is placednot at the descriptive end of thebehavioral episode but rather at thebeginning.”6 In this way, then, cul-ture shapes behavior more than itreflects behavior.

“If culture is to be accepted as adynamic functioning factor in be -havior then it must be seen as im -mediate, participating, and invari-ably present as a prerequisite tobehavior. Culture is not the descrip-tion abstracted from the observationof human activity; it is not norms, orstatistical averages, but the cognitive

plans that are present before activityoccurs. Culture is not the result ofbehavior, but determines behavior.”7

All this still eludes clear definition.Though we cannot always define theessence of culture, how ever, it is inex-tricably bound up with human life insociety. Culture at bottom is social.The world of culture is a world of val-ues concerned with what is good for

human beings. In all its forms andvarieties, culture is a con-

cern with the temporaland material real iza -tion of those values.Culture ex pressesitself in tangibleways. Even the im -material dy na micsof culture are real-ized in temporal and

material forms.“Human effort pres -

ses on to employ in concrete,tangible, visible, and audible formswhat has been imaginatively dis-cerned. The harmony and propor-tion, the form, order and rhythm,the meaning and ideas that menintuit and trace out as they confrontnature, social events, and the worldof dreams, these by infinite laborthey must paint on wall or canvas,print on paper as systems of philos-ophy and science, outline in carvedstone or cast in bronze, sing in a bal-lad, ode or symphony. Visions oforder and justice, hopes of glory,must at the cost of much suffering

Whether the arts, music, architecture, customs and lifestyle,

fashions, habits, values, beliefs, or ways of looking at things—each

in their own way tell a story, create a worldview. They have an

uncanny way of slipping past our conscious mind, affecting us in

subtle ways. Not all this is bad, but culture can sidetrack

us to the point that we forget who we are and what we are

supposed to be doing for God in the world—both indi vidually

and as an end-time people.

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ordinary moment in the life of Jacoband his family. Jacob’s only daughter,Dinah, had gone off to visit thedaughters of the land (check out alittle of contemporary culture of herday) and was raped by Shechem, theson of Hamor the Hivite (34:1, 2).That all ended with Simeon and Levivengefully slaughtering and lootingan entire city (vss. 25-29).

Jacob’s family was on a fast tracktoward moral and spiritual ruin. ButGod intervened. He called Jacob’sfamily to an experience of worship.“‘Arise, go up to Bethel and livethere, and make an altar there toGod, who appeared to you when youfled from your brother Esau’” (35:1).

In his heart, Jacob knew that heand his family could not comebefore God in worship while theirlives were so filled with pagan influ-ences, moral compromises, and spir-itual indifference.

“With deep emotion Jacob re -peated the story of his first visit toBethel, when he left his father’s tenta lonely wanderer, fleeing for his life,and how the Lord had appeared tohim in the night vision. As hereviewed the wonderful dealings ofGod with him, his own heart wassoftened, his children also weretouched by a subduing power; hehad taken the most effectual way toprepare them to join in the worshipof God when they should arrive inBethel. ‘And they gave unto Jacob allthe strange gods which were in their

hand, and all their earrings whichwere in their ears; and Jacob hidthem under the oak which was byShechem.’”11

A moment of family spiritualrenewal. Heartfelt moments of con-secration and worship. Joseph wasthere. Just a lad. Young. Impression-able. What did he learn that day ashe witnessed firsthand his father’s

and hurried faster down the street.“No matter what our roots are,”

she writes, “if we develop an authen-tic personal identity early on, it willanchor us throughout our life.”9 Hermother used to tell her, “‘Even if youcome from Timbuktu, if you knoweverything there is to know aboutTimbuktu, you can travel anywherein the world and never lose yourway.’”10 Timbuktu is the proverbialword for nowhere. If you rememberyour humble roots, and everythingthere is to know about them, you cango anywhere in the world and neverlose your way.

One reason that Joseph bore thetest of prosperity in Egypt is that heknew everything there was to knowabout Timbuktu—his humble roots.As long as he remembered certainthings about his past—who hewas—the lure of prosperity wouldnever have power over him. As longas he remembered everything therewas to know about Timbuktu, hecould not lose his way in a paganculture.

But what was Joseph’s Timbuktu?When Joseph harked back into hispast, what were the values that sus-tained him in Egyptian moral andspiritual values? Part of Timbuktufor Joseph was a solemn moment offamily spiritual revival and conse-cration:

“God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go upto Bethel and live there, and make analtar there to God, who appeared toyou when you fled from your brotherEsau.’ So Jacob said to his householdand to all who were with him, ‘Putaway the foreign gods which areamong you, and purify yourselvesand change your garments; and letus arise and go up to Bethel, and Iwill make an altar there to God, whoanswered me in the day of my dis-tress and has been with me whereverI have gone.’ So they gave to Jacob allthe foreign gods which they had andthe rings which were in their ears,and Jacob hid them under the oakwhich was near Shechem” (Gen.35:1-4).

One gets the sense that his was no

Joseph’s young mind was impressed with the reality that

the artistic expressions of culture that people are so inclined to

wear and adorn themselves with are value laden. They express

moral or spiritual value which the wearer wittingly or unwittingly

identifies with. Their sense of self, value system, and view of God is

somehow locked up in these concrete expressions.

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worship of false gods was sur -rounded by all the pomp of royalty,supported by the wealth and cultureof the most highly civilized nationthen in existence. Yet Joseph pre-served his simplicity and his fidelityto God. . . . The desire to gain thefavor of the Egyptians could notcause him to conceal his principles.Had he attempted to do this, hewould have been overcome by temp-tation; but he was not ashamed ofthe religion of his fathers, and hemade no effort to hide the fact thathe was a worshiper of Jehovah.”12

In an environment in which cul-ture supported false worship, Josephmade no effort to hide the fact thathe was a worshiper of Jehovah.Obviously, this means Joseph’s char-acter, life, and lifestyle did not followthe cultural norms of Egyptian soci-ety. One could tell where Josephstood by his lifestyle.

There’s more. Pharaoh promotedJoseph to a position of commandover all Pharaoh’s princes and offi-cials “that he might teach his elders

wisdom” (Ps. 105:22). The LivingBible reads, “At his pleasure he couldimprison the king’s aides and teachthe king’s advisors.”

Joseph taught Pharaoh’s leaderswisdom. According to Genesis 41,Joseph became Egypt’s prime shakerand mover. Joseph was looked up toas possessing something different.Did he just go along for the ride, ordid Joseph preserve and promote aradically different lifestyle?

“Through Joseph the attention ofthe king and great men of Egypt wasdirected to the true God; and thoughthey adhered to their idolatry, theylearned to respect the principlesrevealed in the life and character ofthe worshiper of Jehovah.”13

Character has to do with heart,demeanor, attitude, personal ethos,and temperament. Life has to do withconcrete external expressions of whatis in the heart. Life is what tangiblyflows from one’s inner private worldof moral and spiritual being. Not onlywere godly principles being expressedvia Joseph’s character, but they were

moving testimony and then his bigbrothers and aunts and mother andstepmothers—each removing cer-tain garments and idols and piecesof jewelry from their lives in an actof consecration and worship? Twothings!

First, Joseph’s young mind wasimpressed with the reality that theartistic expressions of culture thatpeople are so inclined to wear andadorn themselves with are valueladen. They express moral or spiri-tual value which the wearer wit tinglyor unwittingly identifies with. Theirsense of self, value system, and viewof God is somehow locked up inthese concrete expressions.

Second, Joseph learned that gen-uine consecration to God finds tan-gible expression in shedding thosecultural idioms that might conveyungodly values. Consecration toGod includes external forms.Though you can have the externalforms in your life without consecra-tion, you cannot have consecrationwithout it affecting the externalforms that in one way or anothercompete with that very consecra-tion. Doing and being are insepara-bly linked. This was the Timbuktuthat kept Joseph from losing his wayin the pagan Egyptian world.

Tangible artistic expressions re -flect the worldview of its author orculture and powerfully convey themoral and spiritual values and idealsof that worldview. Anyone who has

visited Egypt or museums featuringEgyptology cannot help being im -pressed with the sheer power ofEgyptian artistic expression. Magnifi-cent architecture. Grand sculptures.Impressive pyramids. Graphic reliefsand murals. Stunning color. A culturesteeped in artistic expression. Youcould not live in Egypt without beingtouched or influenced by the incredi-ble power of its integrated culturalmessage.

It’s one thing for the power of agiven culture and its tangible expres-sions to be everywhere all-pervasivein its influence. But it’s anotherthing to bring to our body or bringto our life or bring to our lifestylethose very objects, behaviors, experi-ences, or icons. The moment we do,we identify with them. Their moraland spiritual values somehow attachto our inner private world. Culture isno longer objective, no longer outthere. Now it is internal. We arebeing shaped by it within. We expe-rience and come to own culture byparticipating in its forms. Not allthat culture brings to our inner psy-che is bad, certainly; nevertheless, itis spiritually and morally formativein its impact.Patriarchs and Prophets makes

some interesting observations withregard to Joseph, this time while inEgypt as a mere servant:

He “was here exposed to tempta-tions of no ordinary character. Hewas in the midst of idolatry. The

It’s one thing for the power of a given culture and its tangible

expressions to be everywhere all-pervasive in its influence.

But it’s another thing to bring to our body or bring to our life or

bring to our lifestyle those very objects, behaviors, experiences, or

icons. The moment we do, we identify with them. Their moral and

spiritual values somehow attach to our inner private world.

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Adornment was a concrete expres-sion of the individual Egyptians’interests. Their values, their con-cerns and fears. Concrete expres-sions of their standing in society andbefore the gods.

Some people say they feel nakedwithout certain forms of adorn-ment, cosmetics, or garments—whether male or female. This is howthe Egyptian people would havefelt: vulnerable and naked withouttheir ornaments. But Joseph’s lifeand character and convictions andwise instruction would steadilydevalue these very things in theireyes. As they watched his life, theywould always be confronted bysomething vastly better—somehowmore real.

When things are devalued, theybecome less important. Set aside.Something else becomes moreimportant. In the process they losetheir charm and drop off.

When Debbie came to church forthe first time, she was wearing awhite mink coat and decked to thehilt with jewelry, colorful cosmetics,and all that goes with it—shoes,purse, dress, hairstyle. Debbie was ajet-set-yuppie real-estate agent whosewild parties featured coke served intiny silver cups and snorted through$100 bills. She drove fancy cars andlived in a big house. She had it all.

Studying the Bible with Debbieand her husband, Rick, was a realexperience, to say the least. But here

she was, her first Sabbath in a Sev-enth-day Adventist Church and inmy pastor’s class. My congregationat that time was a friendly bunchwho knew how to make people feelat home, and so in time Debbiemerged right into our church life,where she laughed and fellow-shipped and worshiped. No one tomy knowledge ever spoke to herabout her adornment and extrava-gant lifestyle.

Then she asked for baptism. Sheneeds some more time, I thought asshe stood there wearing as muchadornment as ever. But I said, “Sure!When would you like to plan it?”

“This Sabbath,” she replied.“OK,” I said with a bit of hesita-

tion. “When can we meet to review acouple of things?”

The only time that week Debbiehad free was an hour before Sabbathschool started, the day of her bap-tism. I knew she was up on all thethings we had studied, so I wasn’ttoo worried. Except, that is, for mychosen style of relating to certainlifestyle issues—let the Spirit lead inHis way and in His time. Lifestyleissues need incubation time in eachperson’s heart, especially for newfolk. They make a decision on anissue, then fall back to where theypreviously were. They go up anddown. It happens with long-timemembers as well.

The only place the line needs tobe clearly drawn is for leadership.

tangibly expressed in what Josephsaid, what he ate, how he dressed.Being and doing together wonder -fully ex pres sed truth about God andwhat it means to be His servant in acomprehensive integrating paganculture that molded minds andhearts in an entirely different direc-tion.

There is a tendency in the OldTesta ment to devalue the signifi-cance of jewelry as a symbol of ulti-mate value. Wisdom literature likeProverbs, Job, and the Psalms createa contrast between wise instructionon the one hand, and silver and goldand precious jewels on the other(Prov. 3:13-15; 8:10, 11; 20:15)

This is no speculative connec-tion! Egyptian civilization was a cul-ture steeped in artistic expression.Jewelry and personal adornmentwas at the heart of its very religiousmoral life. In his book Jewels of thePharaohs, Cyril Aldred writes howpersonal adornments were worn bymen and women alike and that even

the gods had their jewelry. The occu-pation of jeweler was one of the mostflourishing businesses in ancientEgypt throughout its long history.Egyptian ornamentation was used forthe expression of its cultural, social,religious, and magical practices andconvictions.

Each work of art was an incredi-ble expression of brilliant color andaesthetic appeal. Each an iconicdepiction of some Egyptian god, orvulture, scarab beetle, falcon, orjackal. The use of gold in adornmentwas particularly abundant. As goldnever lost its luster, but seemed toretain within itself all the fire andglory of the sun, it was felt that theflesh of the very gods was made ofthis eternally shining material.

Imagine Joseph—knowing allthere was to know about his Tim-buktu—teaching Pharaoh’s leaderstrue wisdom. In one way or another,day after day, devaluing what was atthe very heart of their religiousmoral experience and expression.

Each work of art was an incredible expression of brilliant color

and aesthetic appeal. Each an iconic depiction of some Egyptian

god, or vulture, scarab beetle, falcon, or jackal. The use

of gold in adornment was particularly abundant. As gold never lost

its luster, but seemed to retain within itself all the fire and

glory of the sun, it was felt that the flesh of the very gods was made

of this eternally shining material.

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ence between the contemporary cul-ture of biblical times (the lifestyle,customs, and values expressed by thenations and peoples of the then-known world), the culture of biblicalcharacters (the lifestyle, customs,and values expressed in the lives ofindividuals knowing or representingGod), and heavenly culture (the val-ues and lifestyle Scripture projects asthe ideal and true and which hasbeen expressed most fully in the lifeof Jesus Christ), we can put much ofwhat Scripture says on the subject incontext. We can read between thelines better and understand that noteverything God’s people did repre-sents what God would have hadthem do.

We need to grasp the principlesand the values God’s Word illumi-nates and carefully observe the con-crete ways in which God calls forapplication. While always mini-mums, such concrete tangible ex -pressions of obedience point thedirection we are to go in developing

a distinct ethos from that of ourcontemporary culture.

Where’s Grace?By touching on lifestyle issues

and the reality of concrete applica-tion of biblical principles and com-mands, one raises the question oflegalism and grace. When you stopto view the incredible moral andspiritual quality of Joseph’s life andfaithfulness, it becomes clear thatthe question of adornment hasnothing to do with the basis of sal-vation. If anything, it has to do withspiritual boundaries, or perhaps wit-ness.

If Joseph had compromised inone small area (as Daniel later wouldbe tempted to [Dan. 1:8]), if he hadnot clearly shown where he trulystood on certain issues, he wouldhave been overcome immediately. Inthe end it came down to faith. Onlyfaith in God and the worldview Hecasts enables one to resist the inte-grative nature of culture.

Leaders in the body of Christ mustset the pace toward that biblical idealof a truly Christ-centered standardin which Spirit-filled hearts and apassionate love for Jesus compelsobedience in unequivocal tangibleways. Leaders in the body of Christdo not have the right to interpret orproject lifestyle issues from theirown perspective. Theirs is the re -sponsibility to engender the lifestyleour world community has envi-sioned together.

On Debbie’s baptism day, she wasdressed smartly, but gone were thecolorful cosmetics and fancy jewels.She still looked lovely, but consider-ably different. I wanted to say some-thing about it right off, but bit mytongue. When the appropriate mo -ment came in our sharing to gether, Iasked her about her thoughts onadornment. Here was a woman whohad been abused, gone throughdivorce, used drugs, seen her bro therjailed for selling drugs. And she said,“Pastor Larry, I don’t need thosethings anymore. What I want andwhat I need most is in that water.”

When the love and claims of theliving God become all absorbing,tangible cultural expressions thatcompete with that vision are deval-ued. They become less important,whether personal adornment, ques-tionable styles of music, media expe-riences, the kind of things we read orwatch, recreational pursuits, what -ever. Many tangible things that rep-

resent the negative dynamics of ourcontemporary culture will lose theirhold on us when a relationship withGod becomes our consuming pas-sion. It happens when we love Himsupremely, spend time in His Word,and fill our hearts with the guidanceHe has given us in the Spirit ofProphecy.

That Joseph wore jewelry is anundeniable fact that shouldn’t reallybother us much. The ornaments hewore were functional symbols of hisstatus and power in Egypt. He wasPharaoh’s deputy with Pharaoh’ssignet ring, symbolic gold necklace,and the power to legislate. Scriptureaffirms the difference between theornaments Joseph wore as primeminister and those he could haveworn for personal ornamentation.

Scripture describes various usesof jewelry: as a form of currency, forofferings, as evidence of wealth, todesignate social status, as symbols ofpower and authority, as imagery forGod’s gracious redemption and ourvalue in His sight, for religious pur-poses, and possibly to ward of evilpowers and dangers, i.e., magic.Scripture does not reject the use ofjewelry altogether. But it does de -value and call into question its usefor personal adornment and for reli-gious and magical purposes. It drawsa direct connection between luxuryin adornment and dress and idola-try.

When we understand the differ-

By touching on lifestyle issues and the reality of

concrete application of biblical principles and commands, one

raises the question of legalism and grace. When you stop to view

the incredible moral and spiritual quality of Joseph’s life and

faithfulness, it becomes clear that the question of adornment has

nothing to do with the basis of salvation. If anything, it has to do

with spiritual boundaries, or perhaps witness.

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Paul tells us that resisting themolding influence of the world callsfor a transformed mind where wecome to understand what is morallygood, what is acceptable to God, andwhat is pleasing to Him as well(Rom. 12:2).

Grace is found in the principlesof life that Joseph came to under-stand. Grace is found in the way thatconcrete injunctions (rules) illus-trate how principles apply. Grace isfound in the clarity of valuesexpressed in tangible ways. Grace isfound in divine empowermentthrough faithfulness even in littlethings. No! This is not a question ofsalvation, but of witness, of influ-ence, of perseverance. It has to dowith standing out for God in a con-fused, dying world.

In the end, Joseph is not an exam-ple of how someone looked. He is anexample of how the concreteness ofhis values affected and sustained hismoral life and witness in a culturethat would have absorbed him.From Joseph’s experience we learnthat external forms can express gen-uine consecration to God. Externalforms can help maintain uniqueidentity in a world that wouldsqueeze us into its mold. Externalscan create boundaries that protectus from experiences that would blur

our understanding of what is goodand steal away our innocence of evil(Rom. 16:19). Externals can bring aliving witness to the true God and avision of a better, more abundantway. Egypt experienced and sawsomething different in and throughJoseph. Should it not be so withGod’s people again?

REFERENCES1 Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture

quotes are from The New American StandardBible.

2 Dennis H. Braun, “A Seminar on A d -ventists, Adornment, and Jewelry” (D.Min.project, Seventh-day Adventist TheologicalSeminary, Berrien Springs, Michigan; June1996), p. 17; Madelyn Jones-Haldeman,“Adorning the Temple of God,” Spectrum(December 1989), p. 50.

3 Charles C. Case, Culture, the HumanPlan (Washington, D.C.: U.P. of America,1977), pp. 9, 10.

4 Ibid, pp. 16, 17.5 Ibid., p. 18.6 Ibid.7 Ibid., p. 22.8 H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture

(New York: Harper & Row, 1975), pp. 36, 37.9 Naomi H. Rosenblatt, Wrestling With

Angels: What the First Family of GenesisTeaches Us About Our Spiritual Identity, Sex-uality, and Personal Relationships (New York:Delacorte, 1995), p. 351.

10 Ibid.11 Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 205, 206.12 Ibid., p. 214.13 Ibid., p. 222.

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