Veils: Supernatural Markers and Deeper Truth

[SDG]

A couple of days ago, we shared evidence of elements within the movement led by Herbert Armstrong that believe long hair results in increased/decreased angelic protection.

But did you know that various Christian groups, including some Messianic groups, that have similar beliefs held by Holy Magic Hair believers, also?

Many of these groups believe the veil is a marker for angels and fallen angels (demons) and hence, can provide a higher degree of protection or can lead to demonic oppression. One writer at a messianic website explains:

Those who do not take the Scriptures seriously may be amused by the idea that the presence or absence of a piece of cloth can affect angelic and demonic activity. After all, if angels and demons are real, do they really need to see a headcovering to tell them the woman is submitted to authority? Don't they already know such things? Even unfallen angels are not omniscient; there are many things they do not know.

As it is with man, so it is with angels. There are "secret things"; which Yahweh has not revealed to angels, and other things which He has revealed to them. Yahweh has decided that He will show the angels and demons His authority, and the woman's submission to His authority, by means of a visible, tangible covering on the woman's head.

In an article entitled, "The Power of the Covered Head" by Kay Miller, we find how this error manifests in the account of a Christian woman who puts her faith in the headcovering in fully liberating a woman who has already turned over her life to Jesus Christ through repentance. The work of the Holy Spirit in her life seems not to be complete in her oife ... as apparently she is either oppressed (or possessed) and it is not until the veil is placed on the repentant woman's head that an exorcism of sorts can take place.

Ms. Miller testifies:

One weekend we were all gathered together for a time of special meetings. She responded at one of the invitations and her repentance was undoubtedly genuine. There was a brokenness in her that we had never seen before. Her childlike joy was a blessing to all of us, and we praised God for His power to bring her to true repentance and conversion.

Later, throughout the following day she was asked about wearing the head veiling - would she want to yield herself in this way to God's authority over her life, and have the protection of the angels over her? She was full of doubts and fears at the very suggestion, so we didn't press the issue.

But the turmoil within her continued. One moment she wanted to, and the next moment she didn't. Somehow she couldn't seem to lay the thought aside. Finally, on her own, she asked for a veiling, and when one of the sisters was putting it on her she began to cry. She cried so hard they came to ask the rest of us sisters what to do.

I asked her, "Don't you want to wear it?" She insisted that she did, so I asked her, "Then why are you crying?" She didn't know why - only that she felt so frightened. We asked her if we should take It off, and she said "No", and then "Yes", and then she didn't know. We decided to pray for her, and as we did we asked the Lord to give her a peace and even a joy about this - like the joy she had when she first realized her sins were forgiven. But her crying continued and her sobs became more violent. We were perplexed.
Finally we decided to take the veiling off, thinking perhaps that the trauma of her conversion made this too much for her to handle at this lime. We explained to her why we were taking it off and told her to forget about it at this point and just concentrate on Jesus and what he has done for her. Her violent crying stopped, but she was not at all happy; in fact, she looked simply miserable.
After talking to her for awhile, I gave her a hug. She began to cry again, and clung to me almost frantically. I didn't know what to do. I said to her bluntly, "You will just have to tell Satan to leave you alone in Jesus' name!", not knowing why I said it, or that I was going to. She took me literally and said it out loud. Then she began to scream it out with such violence that some of the sisters went after the brothers to help us.
While everyone gathered in prayer, she was delivered that evening from Satan's control. Her joy was so contagious and so complete, we couldn't help but rejoice with her. She was a different person. And before we had scarcely adjusted to this new young woman, she asked for the veiling again. This time her face was radiant as she wore it, and there was no fear.

The point I would like to bring out In this testimony is the rewards of a simple, uncomplicated obedience to God's Word. The power of wearing the veiling is evident. Even the demons tremble before it! We praise God for the way He used the veiling to bring out the evil roots that we had no way of knowing were there. If these inner bondages had not been exposed by the turmoil of putting on the veiling, she certainly could not have gone on with the Lord. And of course, God receives all the glory.

I'm not sure He does? Various theological dilemmas come to mind after reading this testimony. I think the trained believer can spot what they are.

Moreover, believers in the power of headcoverings are not shy in their belief that indeed these headcovering are not just marker but conduits of the supernatural. The messianic writer states,

To the natural mind, a piece of cloth on a woman's head may seem to be a weak, foolish instrument for imparting divine revelation of Yahweh's authority to angelic and demonic beings. But the Bible tells us that Yahweh has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and "Yahweh has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty" (1 Cor.1:27).
Readers of the New Testament may recall that when "handkerchiefs or aprons" which Paul had touched were brought to the sick and the possessed, "the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out" (Ac.19:12). This passage confirms the fact that a piece of cloth can, indeed, be used as an instrument to display Yahweh's authority to evil spirits, and affect what happens in the spiritual realm, which in turn affects what takes place in the physical realm.

Many of the arguments of the Holy Headcovering believers parallel those who believe in Holy Hair. This blogger cannot seem to reconcile how this is any different than those who put their faith in other religious relics, even those reifying patron saints.

Of course, these veils are spiritualized to the point that believers are "convicted" into believing that this is an Apostolic truth in which Satan seeks to hide from the rest of the Body. Watchman Nee, perceives the importance of this "revelation":

"This is a most excellent testimony to the angels, to the fallen and to the unfallen ones. No wonder Satan persistently opposes the matter of head covering. It really puts him to shame. We are doing what he has failed to do. What Yahweh did not receive from angels, He now has from the church."

Those who have this "deeper revelation" usually engage in double speak as not to appear judgmental. Although never condemning a woman's soul to hell directly not wearing the headcovering, or not cutting her hair for this extra "power", it is implied in questioning a woman's election and spiritual depth. Roman Miller, in The Hidden Power of Woman states:

Am I saying, then, that any woman who refuses to wear a veiling is not a Christian? Not directly. However, I add without apology that no one is a Christian in a true sense of the word who has not sincerely repented of their own thoughts and ways and made Jesus the Lord of their lives. Jesus never saves anyone whom He does not also govern.

... On the other hand, 1 Cor. II is written for the benefit of any woman who wants to enter into a deeper life with God. It is the woman who wants God's best that will not passively accept her failures, but longs for victory in the areas of her personal life and experience. She wants to enter into the full power that God desires to give her.