Several years ago while perusing the back cover of a book my father-in-law had given me, I noticed the title of another book by the same publisher. I believe the name of the book was “The Biblical History of the Beard”. While the title of the book really intrigued me, I did not persue getting a copy. The idea that somehow the beard was important to the Father seemed to set into my spirit. The idea stayed in the back of my mind but I didn’t spend too much energy thinking about it. About a year after that I decided to do a litttle internet research about the beard in history and in the Bible. I don’t really remember a lot about what I found but I do remember somehow coming across an Islamic thread in which one of the gentlemen basically said “Christians can say what they want to but they do not obey the commandments in the Bible…the Bible explicitly says not to shave but nearly all Christian men are clean shaven.” This statement really made an impact on me. Could it be that the Father wanted me to keep a beard? For what purpose? What does it matter to YHWH if I have a beard or not?
Skip ahead another year or so. As the Father deepened our walk with Him, we began to learn about separation. The Father began to show us that He desires His people to be separate from the world and to be different. He was showing us that this separation is not purely spiritual. While our hearts are to be separate from the world, we are likewise to be physically separate. “For I am the LORD your Elohim, you shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy.” (Lev 11:44, I Peter 1:16). One definition of the word “holy” is “separate”. The scripture then looks like this…”For I am the LORD your Elohim, you shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be separate; for I am separate.” The LORD is separate if not anything. There is none like Him nor worthy of Him. He is separate and our desire should be to align ourselves with Him. The Father’s character is perfect and His law is a reflection of His character. The LORD’s law is perfect and is a delight. “Make me walk in the path of your commandments, For I delight in it.” (Psalm 119:35) “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” (Romans 7:12)
Lev 19:27 states “You shall not shave around the edges of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard.” A few months ago, I decided to take the plunge. I decided to stop shaving and allow my beard to grow. I really was not ready for the flood of comments that I would get. Some comments have been approving, some indifferent, and some negative. I never realized that my having a beard would be notable enough to be a topic of conversation. I have been given funny looks, been told that I need to shave, asked if I was becoming Amish, and been complimented. I was even told that “Only ugly men grow beards!” It seems as though wherever I go someone makes a comment about my beard. Just today at the local grocery store I was asked by the cashier “How long have you had your beard? Why do you wear it?” What is funny is that I was in line behind a gentleman that had a beard atleast twice the length of mine. Why is it that she asked me about my beard but not the other guy? Who knows but it has definitely shown me that having a beard has set me apart to an extent. I have heard it said that any man who refuses to shave because of a conviction in his spirit, is an anomaly. I would have to agree.
From another perspective, our society is consumed with a desire to look young. Plastic surgery, Botox, wrinkle creams and the like are normal. A large majority of our culture wants to look like they did when they were 20 even though they are 50. We spend large amounts of money on new hairstyles, make-up, gym memberships, and hair removal. All this to make us look perpetually young. “You shall rise before the gray-headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your GOD: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:32) If we are not careful we will not be able to tell who is old and who is young! Seriously though, the beard is an indicator of age and manhood. According to the order/model of life YHWH has given us, both age and manhood are to be revered and celebrated. By our actions and attitudes we disagree with GOD’s model.
So that is my story on why I have grown a beard.
The following link has a great teaching about the beard from a Biblical and historical standpoint. I highly recommend giving it a listen if the topic interests you. He has a much better laid out explanation that what I can give here.
http://lazarusunbound.com/audiosermons.shtml
~Pa
Paul, I am hoping that you wrote this article on Beards–not Amy. Kidding.
I too was complelled to grow a beard, although the biblical conviction of it didn’t really start until after it “grew on me”. Up here in Lancaster County, beards are everywhere, not a single person has said a word.
Your blog is great, and you are a good writer. Keep it up!
Ben
Newfarmer,
I was the single awkward kid in high school who had a full beard at 15, and have kept a closely shaved one ever since. The single exception being one summer where I created controversy similar to yours, only by loosing it!
But of particular interest to me is your question of, “could it be that the Father wanted me to keep a beard?” Now, I confess that I am actually quite attached to my beard, and it to me! But I wanted to discuss a few of the verses you used to support Biblical beardhood.
I love your view that the Law is of immense benefit, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) The first verse I was ever taught to memorize was Psalm 1, where David meditates on the Law day and night! Jesus himself came not to abolish the Law, but rather fulfill it, and upholds it until heavens and earth pass away. (Matthew 5:17) But there is an idea which I do not see reflected in your writing, and would love to see what you think about it!
You see, in fulfilling the requirements of the Law himself, I believe Christ inverted the Church from that of the Old Testament from being inwards to outwards.
Consider:
Romans 7:1-4 states that, dead to the law which only binds the living, we now are joined to each other, and Christ himself instead. So in your quotation of Romans 7:12, we see that the law is holy because of the life it could not bring to us. In 6:14, we see that we are in fact not under law but rather grace. Galatians 3:23-25 affirms the law as our tutor until we might be justified by faith in Christ.
On this topic, there is something that might be of particular interest to you that my pastor only recently learned from a man who has studied classical Hebrew all of his life. He claimed that God never originally intended to place Israel under the law, but did so because of their stubbornness.
Look closely at Exodus 18, where God desires to make them a kingdom of priests to the nations, and then shortly thereafter brings down the law in Exodus 19 instead. This seeming inconsistency is explained in Deuteronomy 5, which explains that God’s people drew back from him and sent Moses, instead of themselves meeting God as he desired.
Now look at the New Covenant (which is the literal translation of Testament in Greek.) In 1 Cor. 9:22, we see Paul speaking of becoming all things to all men that some might be saved. Jesus himself sends out his disciples to the ends of the earth in Matthew 28:19. And while we are still set apart, 1 Peter 2:9 speaks of it being so that we might “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Therefore, Paul urges us, we aught to strive to be set apart in our behavior, rather than our appearances.
In the Torah, God asks his people to separate themselves from the nations around them that all the earth might see who they are, and come to them to seek the Lord. But in the New Testament, Christ sends his people out into the world, to become all things to all people but still true to Christ and his commandments. This is so that God’s temple might reach the furthest corners of the earth by the means of his people, the individual living stones which comprise it. (1 Peter 2:4-12)
The reason I speak any of this at all, is because I latched on to your second paragraph speaking of being holy and separate. Yes, being set apart is of immense importance! But this seems not to be in practice of outward appearance, as it was with Israel in Leviticus 19:27, when God wanted his people to abstain from shaving their beards as was the custom of the pagans around them. But rather than an outward sacrifice, as Jesus reiterates 3 times in Matthew alone, quoting Hosea 6:6 (Matthew 9:13, 12:7, 22:23) he would rather see steadfast love that manifests itself in actions towards others. This is therefore our reasonable act of worship, and the holiness he desires to see.
I fear that I often sound fanatic or accusatory in my passions, but I write only because I hope to shed more light on what God desires from us, especially as relates from the law! I reflect that, perhaps my diatribe is already known to you, and by it you affirm the father and speak “amen!” Or maybe by some chance, someone else should stumble across it even as I have, and it speak truth to them.
Keep strong on your beard growing, and I heartily affirm you on resisting our culture’s obsession with youth! I look forward to any response.
In His Grasp,
Jacob Cotten
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