TRUE BEAUTY AND GLORY

Passage: Isaiah 3:16-4:6

Key verse: 4:2

NIV

16 The Lord says,
    “The women of Zion(A) are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,(B)
    flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
    with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
    the Lord will make their scalps bald.(C)”

18 In that day(D) the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,(E) 19 the earrings and bracelets(F) and veils,(G) 20 the headdresses(H) and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 the signet rings and nose rings,(I) 22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks,(J) the purses 23 and mirrors, and the linen garments(K) and tiaras(L) and shawls.

24 Instead of fragrance(M) there will be a stench;(N)
    instead of a sash,(O) a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;(P)
    instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;(Q)
    instead of beauty,(R) branding.(S)
25 Your men will fall by the sword,(T)
    your warriors in battle.(U)
26 The gates(V) of Zion will lament and mourn;(W)
    destitute,(X) she will sit on the ground.(Y)

4 1 In that day(Z) seven women
    will take hold of one man(AA)
and say, “We will eat our own food(AB)
    and provide our own clothes;
only let us be called by your name.
    Take away our disgrace!”(AC)

The Branch of the Lord

2 In that day(AD) the Branch of the Lord(AE) will be beautiful(AF) and glorious, and the fruit(AG) of the land will be the pride and glory(AH) of the survivors(AI) in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion,(AJ) who remain(AK) in Jerusalem, will be called holy,(AL) all who are recorded(AM) among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth(AN) of the women of Zion;(AO) he will cleanse(AP) the bloodstains(AQ) from Jerusalem by a spirit[a] of judgment(AR) and a spirit[b] of fire.(AS) 5 Then the Lord will create(AT) over all of Mount Zion(AU) and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night;(AV) over everything the glory[c](AW) will be a canopy.(AX) 6 It will be a shelter(AY) and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge(AZ) and hiding place from the storm(BA) and rain.

Footnotes
  1. Isaiah 4:4 Or the Spirit
  2. Isaiah 4:4 Or the Spirit
  3. Isaiah 4:5 Or over all the glory there
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

16 The Lord said:
(A)Because (B)the daughters of Zion are haughty
    and walk with outstretched necks,
    glancing wantonly with their eyes,
mincing along as they go,
    (C)tinkling with their feet,
17 therefore the Lord (D)will strike with a scab
    the heads of (E)the daughters of Zion,
    and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.

18 In that day the Lord will take away (F)the finery of the anklets, the (G)headbands, and the (H)crescents; 19 the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; 20 the (I)headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; 21 the signet rings and (J)nose rings; 22 the (K)festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; 23 the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.

24 Instead of (L)perfume there will be rottenness;
    and instead of a (M)belt, a rope;
and instead of (N)well-set hair, (O)baldness;
    and instead of a rich robe, a (P)skirt of sackcloth;
    and (Q)branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men shall fall by the sword
    and your mighty men in battle.
26 And (R)her gates shall lament and mourn;
    empty, she shall (S)sit on the ground.

4 (T)And seven women (U)shall take hold of (V)one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; (W)take away our reproach.”

The Branch of the Lord Glorified

2 In that day (X)the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and (Y)the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3 (Z)And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called (AA)holy, everyone who has (AB)been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4 when (AC)the Lord shall have washed away the filth of (AD)the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by (AE)a spirit of burning.[a] 5 Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies (AF)a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be (AG)a canopy. 6 (AH)There will be a (AI)booth for shade by day from the heat, and (AJ)for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

Footnotes
  1. Isaiah 4:4 Or purging
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The women of Zion were haughty. Their glory was in how others viewed them and looked up to them as objects of desire. The Lord would take away all the things they held high and make them objects of shame in their own eyes. Zion, personified as a woman, would sit destitute on the ground, in tears. While our bodies and image are important, it is not all we must rely on or put our hope in. There are better things in life than riches and meticulously constructed appearances.

God is the redeemer of our community and our lives. One day, a new beauty and glory would arise, not from the elite of society or through outward adornment, but from the remnant of survivors. Those who remained faithful would find the redeeming power of God to be their glory and stronghold from past wounds and future threats. When our glory is in God who gave us life and a story of redemption, we can all shine true beauty and bear good fruit.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to true beauty that does not seek human approval or adoration but comes from your redeeming love.

One Word: Redeeming glory