Sunday, April 8, 2012

Wedding Rings?.....

A little Historical background-
"Its beginnings lie in the deserts of North Africa, where the ancient Egyptian
civilization sprang up along the fertile flood plains of the river Nile. This
river was bringer of all fortune and life to the Pharaoh’s people and from
plants growing on its’ banks were the first wedding rings fashioned. The ring is of course a circle and this was the symbol of eternity for the
Egyptians as well as many other ancient cultures. It had no beginning and no
end, like time. It returned to itself, like life; and the shape was worshipped
in the form of the Sun and the Moon. The hole in the center of the ring is not
just space either; it is important in its own right as the symbol of the
gateway, or door; leading to things and events both known and unknown. They wore it like we do today, on the third finger of the left hand, because
of a belief that the vein of that finger directly traveled from the heart. This
legend was later taken up by the Greeks, when they conquered Egypt under the
generalship of Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. and from them passed onto the
Romans, who called this the ‘vena amoris’, which is Latin for ‘the vein of
love’. After coinage gold was rapidly promoted to first choice and later in
medieval Europe gemstones were again a common addition. With rubies chosen for
their color of red like a heart, sapphires, blue like the sky above, or most
valued and sought after of all; the indestructible diamond. In renaissance Italy silver made a comeback, and was now selected for the new
idea of the engagement, or betrothal ring. Gold however, began to take over again later, and
pushed back silver to the Italian idea of engagement again, with a golden
duplicate of the original replacing it on the wedding day. But one
thought is; as the man, facing his bride, reaches straight out with his right
hand (most people are right handed) he naturally touches her left.
(In the U.S.)This is a modern practice begun mostly during the second world war, a
consequence of increased numbers of men being separated from their loved ones
and seeking a cheering reminder
."
From TheHistoryOf website
"Some have a burden in regard to the wearing of the marriage ring, feeling that the wives of our ministers should conform to this custom. All this is unnecessary. Let the ministers wives have the golden link which binds their souls to Jesus Christ, a pure and holy character and true love and meekness...The fact that a disregard of the custom occasions remark  is no good reason for adopting it. Americans can make their position understood by plainly stating that the custom is not regarded as obligatory in our country." Special Testimonies 1892 E.G.W.
Written during Pre-WW2 America--So you decide
In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 1 Timothy 2:9
(We just try to cover on here every possible topic in scripture we can find)