THE VEIL OF THE WOMAN
THE VEIL OF THE WOMAN
Carolyn Sissom
April 5, 2009
6:00 p.m. service
This teaching is a re-run which I have taught many times over the years. I pulled it out to teach on Sunday evening because there have been two incidents in the past month where there needs to be clarification of the role of the woman in the Church as well as the Lord’s right to choose a woman for public Christian ministry. The Lord used a rod; ass; ram’s horn; ox; goad; nail; barley cake; pitchers; jawbone, millstone; mantle; ditches; empty vessels; cruise of oil; ravens; worm; wind, fish; gourd; cock, rock, and many other weak things to confound the mighty. Is it not possible then that he can use a woman? (Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible) You have to forgive me that I am always surprised that this is still an “issue” for some Christians. This is not an “issue” for me and never has been. I am truly not persecuted any more by those people who have “religious issues” about women pastors. However, I still find it a necessity to make clear what the Lord has revealed to me concerning this matter.
In this matter, I can say like Paul, “Don’t trouble me. I bear upon my back the stripes of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Answering the call came at a high price. The Lord Jesus paid the cost. However, he asked me to walk it out. All you men preachers looking to take over a church started by a woman need to go to work and get your own. If the Lord has called you to pastor, He will open the door and set you in to the Office.
I remember when “The Call” came to start a church. It was by visitation and great power. Due to the extraordinary and even dramatic visitation of the Lord in my ministry at that time, I just naturally assumed that all of Christendom would celebrate this Divine Call of this ordinary woman. Well, was I in for a shock, not only did most of the church leaders of that day not celebrate it, but the persecution began in full force.
Well, this naïve preacher lady was shocked and confused. The Lord spoke to me. He gave me a Word of Wisdom and instruction that I have never deviated from nor will I ever forget it. I offer this Word of Wisdom to all women and men who are called, chosen and commissioned to full-time public ministry.
The Lord said, “Carolyn, never tell a man of God your gifts and callings, I will tell the ones I want to know.” This one sentence from the Lord totally liberated me from having to promote, prove anything to anyone, validate or defend the ministry to which I had been commissioned. What a blessed Grace He imparted to me in that one word.
A few years prior to this, a Man of God came to me and told me the Lord had told him to ordain me. Well, I knew I had a call on my life, but “ordination” was way out of my comfort zone. I told him, “The Lord never told me I was to be ordained. I will pray and let you know.” I had no clue that all of Pentecost was looking for someone to ordain them. Well, I did pray. The Lord spoke to me in a dream. He said, “Carolyn, I ordained you years ago and now I will cause men to ordain you.” This they have done. I have never solicited or sought the ordination of any Man of God. They have always approached me after the Lord spoke to them. “For no man takes this honor upon himself, but he that is called of God.” (Hebrews 5:4)
This is His promise to me. Because of this promise, I do not receive “butting” or “aggressive” ministries with big egos who promote themselves. Being emboldened does not mean that we become steam rollers except over the works of darkness.
July 12, 2000
The Lord woke me in the night, He said, “Teach on the veil of the woman.” The Greek word for veil is exousia which means authority. (1 Co. 11: 2-26)
Read: 1 Co. 11: 1-16:
Paul is requesting that the church keep tradition. The subject is the veiling of women. Paul’s reasoning is the principle of subjection. Women’s subjection to man is understood not in the sense of inequality or inferiority, but in the terms of Christ’s relation to God; projecting himself in the Son, a man and a Bride who would be the Glory of the man, even as the man was the Glory of God.
Because the sinless Son maintains total allegiance to the Father, He now reigns with all power in Heaven and earth. Yet, he still abides in faithful submission to the heavenly Father. He delights to do his Father’s will and not his own.
Subjection is one of the mysteries of God. “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.” (Eph. 5:32) It is God’s way for his people…to make way for the flow of His anointing and power from the Throne. Subjection is not intended as a hierarchy in the marriage or the Church. “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” (Eph. 5; 21)
(Vs. 3) The head is symbolic of authority and supremacy. Christ is perfecting man in his own image and likeness that we may be an expression of His own Glory in the earth. For the man, the head covering of the Jewish male symbolized failure to accept: “the light of the gospel of Glory of Christ, who in the image of God should shine on them.” (2 Cor. 3: 14—4:1)
“The head of every man is Christ.” The head of the woman is man. The head of Christ is God.” These three statements express partnership as clearly as subordination. It is subordination among partners; man is to woman as God is to Christ.
(Vs. 5) Paul is here dealing with the symbol of the veil, not the ministry of women.
(Vs.7) Man is the crown of God’s creation and honors and magnifies Him. (Ps. 8:5, 6) He was made “in God’s image”. He was to be one who could represent God himself on earth. Upon this man God laid great authority and power to rule the earth.
(Vs.7) “Woman is the glory of man.” “It is not good that man should be alone, I will make a helpmeet for him.” One that would be his Glory, one to make him complete.
(Vs. 10) The woman should have a symbol of authority on her head because of the angels. A study by Paul Marsh on the life among veiled women in Asia reveals that this “exousia” has a dual interpretation. It not only means to be under authority, but it is a sign of her own authority. Within the realm of subjection, the woman has a place of authority, dignity, respect and security. This is provided by the veil itself which preserves her dignity in contrast to the unveiled woman whose bare face was the evidence of loose morals. The veil was the Corinthian woman’s greatest right and security. In the Christ realm, there is no shame.
(Vs. 11 & 12) Throughout, the apostle is reasoning not on the basis of her inferiority, but of her partnership with man. Neither is independent of the other and as Christians—in the Lord—this relationship is enhanced. In Christ the submissive wife is not despicable. “Everything comes from God”. Woman was made from man, but now he is born of her—and God makes both. “Judge for yourselves”,
A final appeal based on humanity’s sense of propriety.
Rebecca, Isaac’s bride is a type of the Bride of Christ and of the veiled one. The promise that was given to Rebecca was that she would be the mother of thousands of millions. This seed of Rebecca is a betrothal unto the Lord (male and female) of the Bride who walks in faithfulness to her husband. Rebecca takes Sarah’s place as the mother of this chosen family. When Rebecca saw Isaac, “She took a veil and covered herself.” This was an act of humility, respect and honor in the presence of her master. (Gen. 24)
I am not implying ladies that we should wear a veil. Absolutely not!! The reasoning here is spiritual in application. I want to contrast this blessedness with the Hagar who is a victim of bondage. The veiled woman is a free woman. We are “bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh”: Both of Christ and our husbands. (Eph. 5:30)
“For I am jealous over you with a Godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” (2 Co. 11:2)
When God’s order is violated, it springs from a spirit of rebellion that has characterized this age. The children seek to be free of authority from parents. Husbands and wives do not respect one another. The husbands are rebellious from Christ. The problems in our homes are the fruit of self-will and rebellion.
“The husbands likewise because they are in Christ have a much higher responsibility, and are admonished to give honor unto the wife, the weaker vessel, as being together in the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.”
This honor is again described by Paul as abundant honor”. A people so honored of the Lord with the honor that he places upon them, that out of their lives comes a reflection of the Glory of God in Jesus Christ “with the same care for one another.”
The servant (Holy Spirit) in the story of Rebecca had special gifts for her. Gifts of gold, silver and raiment. Silver speaks of our redemption and purification. Jewels of gold speak of divine nature and character. Raiment speaks of His virtues. (Gen. 24)
We have fallen short of this Glory. The fall of the Bride (male and female) can always be attributed to pride, and to false confidence in her position (Hagar). ‘But you did trust in your own beauty” (Ezekiel 16:15)
Our history as a Church parallels the history of Israel as a nation. “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” Yes, our nation is filled with broken homes, violence in our schools, rebellious children, self-will, self-indulgence, greed, and immorality. C. S. Lovett wrote, “God has placed woman as the carrier of morals. When she becomes immoral, the nation will follow.” Yet, “Woman is the glory of man.”
The good news is, our God is preparing a Bride, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: For the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife has made herself ready.” (Rev. 19:7)
“Her ‘hair” is grown…for her hair is her glory, and speaks of the covering of her Master. She is washed with the “washing of the water of the Word.” Her garments are of embroidered work and fine linen…for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints...She is covered with silk, and decked with ornaments: “bracelets” on her hands, that she might serve her Master in truth and sincerity; a precious jewel on her forehead, that she might partake of the Mind of Christ; “earrings” on her ears, that she might clearly hear the voice of her Beloved; decked with gold and silver; for the glory she displays is not to be her own carnal self, but the ornaments of a “meek and quiet spirit”…the gold of his divinity, and the silver of His redemption and purification of her life. She partakes of flour, honey and oil…the ingredients of the bread of God, “one bread, one loaf” mingled with the holy oil of His anointing, that she might become exceedingly beautiful” and prospered into a KINGDOM…a KINGDOM OF JOY, PEACE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS..” (Ezekiel 16: 2-14) (Paraphrasing from G. Warnock)
Our veil of subjection is exchanged for His Glory. “But we all are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
What beauty was that? Nothing less than what she has received as a gift from her Lord: “for it was perfect through my splendor which I have bestowed upon you, says the Lord.” (Ezekiel 16, 14, 15)
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
This, my friends is My Stand on this matter.
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
This teaching should not be interpreted as the conviction or opinion of those wise and honorable men from whom I received reflections from their Glory to write this. The reasoning and conclusions are my own. This is not taught prophetically or by divine revelation as some of my other teachings, but from the personal journey of the ashes of my own depravity. It is intended to be a Praise of the Grace of God of women loved by God with divine, “exousia” (authority). “When I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, Live! Yes, I said to you in your blood, Live! (Ez. 16:6)
Resources:
Holy Spirit
King James Bible
F.F. Bruce Bible Commentary
Paul Marsh
George H. Warnock.