TRUE BEAUTY AND GLORY

Isaiah 3:16-4:6 / Keywords 4:2

In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.

3:16 The Lord says,

    “The women of Zion are haughty,

walking along with outstretched necks,

    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.”

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

24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench;

    instead of a sash, a rope;

instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;

    instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;

    instead of beauty, branding.

25 Your men will fall by the sword,

    your warriors in battle.

26 The gates of Zion will lament and mourn;

    destitute, she will sit on the ground.

4:1 In that day seven women

    will take hold of one man

and say, “We will eat our own food

    and provide our own clothes;

only let us be called by your name.

    Take away our disgrace!”

The Branch of the Lord

2 In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit[a] of judgment and a spirit[b] of fire. 5 Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory[c] will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.

Footnotes

a. Isaiah 4:4 Or the Spirit

b. Isaiah 4:4 Or the Spirit

c. Isaiah 4:5 Or over all the glory there

1. 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.

 

2. 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