Oh these things? I'm so glad you asked!
These are called Tzitzits.
...........uh......ok........Thanks Dwells, that helped out alot. What the heck is a Tzitzit and why are you wearing them?
Hey that is another great question, I'm so glad you asked reader!
Tzitzit is a Hebrew word, its meaning is the same as tassels or fringes and I wear them because God commanded his children to do so, and I desire to be obedient to God.
Whoa hang on a sec Dwells, I've read my Bible plenty and I don't remember there being anything in there about having funny looking string thingys hanging from my clothes.
Ok, here, let me show you. It comes from the book of Numbers.
And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall say to them to make tzitzit on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue cord in the tzitzit of the corners. And it shall be to you for a tzitzit, and you shall see it, and shall remember all the commands of יהוה and shall do them, and not search after your own heart and your own eyes after which you went whoring, so that you remember, and shall do all My commands, and be set-apart unto your Elohim. I am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, to be your Elohim. I am יהוה your Elohim.
Bemiḏbar (Numbers) 15:37-41 TS2009
.............wow.......I never read that before........
It's ok reader, most people in the church today haven't read thru the book of Numbers. To be honest it's a real snooze fest for most, this person begat that person and that person and lived to be X of number years old and had other sons and daughtees, blah blah blah. I'll admit, I've struggled to get thru the whole book without nodding off.
Look another Picture!
side profle of the Tzitzit
Ok hang on a sec Dwells, that verse says it's for Israel, so does that mean you are a Jew?
Lol. Oh reader, that is a very common misconception. Israel is made of 12 tribes, the "Jews" come from one of those tribes, the tribe of Judah.
Ok so you're not a Jew so you must be from one of the other 11 tribes then right?
Well......Yes and no. Yes I am a part of the tribes of Israel but I was not born in to any of those tribes. The previous statement of Israel being made of 12 tribes isn't exactly a complete statement, you see anyone who takes the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(Israel) as their God and agrees to take his laws as the laws they live their life by, then enters in to Covenant with God and becomes a part of Israel. You can see examples of this with the Egyptian midwives to the Hebrews in Exodus 1:21, Rahab at Jericho in Joshua 6:25, and also Ruth in the book of Ruth. From the very beginning God has always made a way for gentiles to be in covenant with him. See Exodus 12:49, Leviticus 19:34, and Leviticus 24:22 where God said you will have ONE law for the native born and the stranger(gentile) who sojourns with you. Now compare this thought with what the Psalmist said here,
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; Psalms 19:7 NKJV.
Do you see that, it says the law of God is perfect for converting the soul. Converting the soul how? Converting the soul from being outside of covenant with God to being IN covenant with God.
Wait wait wait, you're telling me that to be in covenant with God I have follow his laws?
I'm not telling you that reader, God did. This example is made very clear throughout the old testament and is even reiterated in the New covenant ( see Jeremiah 31). You can't have a covenant with God without the laws of God.
But Dwells didn't Jesus do away with all those old laws? I mean I was told we don't have to follow those laws or they are only for the Jews.
Ok reader let's break that down, first I already covered that Jews are just one tribe and the laws are for all of Israel which is anyone who seeks to be in covenant with God. If you think you don't have to follow the laws of God, that's fine, just realize that puts you in a position of being OUT of covenant with God. As far as Jesus doing away with the old laws, let me just show you what he said.
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Matthew 5:17-18 NKJV
Ok see Dwells he said he came to fulfill the law, that means I don't have to.
Hold up a sec there reader, you are getting a little ahead of yourself, he said that he did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill, let's look at those two words
Destroy, to obliterate, bring to ruin, decimate, to bring to a state of nought.
Fulfill, to bring to completion or to bring something to fruition. To make something complete.
Ok now with those two words expounded upon, do you still think Jesus was saying he kept the law so you don't have to?
I don't know Dwells, it still seems like fulfill means he did it so I don't have to. I think the law is done away with.
Ok then reader, let's take a look at the next part of his statement. Jesus went on to say that until heaven and Earth pass away, not one jot or tittle would pass from the law til all be fulfilled.
Yeah whats a jot and a tittle? Those words don't make sense to me.
Jesus was using what's called a Hebrew idiom. The jot represents the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet and a tittle represents the largest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. So what Jesus was saying was until heaven and Earth pass away, not one letter, from the smallest to the greatest will pass from the law. Take a look around reader, the Earth is still here isn't it?
....yeah it's here.
Then so is the law. It's really that simple.
Another side of the story.
But why does God want me to wear these things?
That's an easy one reader, to remind you of all his commandments. They are to be on the edges of your garments to serve as a daily reminder to you.
But Dwells, do they have to hang so far down, can't I just keep them short so they aren't as noticeable to others but still remind me?
Well reader the Bible doesn't give any instructions on the proper length of Tzitzit, it just says to have them on your garments. I can give you an example of why I think they should be visible to others. Let me remind you again what the verses said.
so that you remember, and shall do all My commands, and be set-apart unto your Elohim. Numbers 15:40
You see the Tzitzit sets you apart to God from the rest of the world AND it shows the rest of the world you are set apart. Now let me explain why I think others need to be able to see your Tzitzit. Recently I was at the Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival and there were thousands of people there, I was walking along with my family when suddenly a man reached out his hand to me and said "Shalom Brother!" Shalom means Peace in Hebrew and it's a typical greeting.
Thanks I was just about to ask what that word meant
So I had never met this man before, had no idea who he was, but he saw my Tzitzit, and when he greeted me, I saw his and we instantly knew each other were set apart believers following God's commands. We asked where each other was from and quickly established we had some mutual friends. Pretty soon his family came along and we stood around talking for a good bit. It was a wonderful experience. This is perfect example of why I think our Tzitzits should be seen.
That's pretty cool Dwells. That makes sense to me
It does to me too, but not only that, my Tzitzit remind me of God's commands, but also your Tzitzit can remind me of God's commands and vice versa.
Yeah I can see that. Thanks Dwells. I appreciate you taking the time to explain all this.
Thank you reader, I appreciate you taking the time to hear me out on this. Have a good day my friend.
You too Dwells.........Shalom?
😀
SHALOM!