Isaiah - Verse By Verse

Isaiah - Day 71

versebyverse | August 10, 2008 15:33

Scripture:  Isaiah 3:18 - 23 (NIV):  "In that day the LORD will snatch away their finery:  the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, the earrings and bracelets and veils, the headdresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, the signet rings and nose rings, the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls."

Thought:  To me, God is merciful to judge us.

Question:  Have I accumulated any objects that God would prefer to strip away?

Here are all the trappings of a woman whose life is filled with the importance of vanity.  God strips them all away in His judgment.  He is not cruel to do so.  All along, all He ever wanted was for women to be as He intended.  The interests listed in these verses have diverted the women to a wrong, outer focus.  God's judgment merely removes those objects of focus, forcing them to look once again at Him.  Their eyes have belonged there all along.  Scripture teaches in I Peter that God desires women to be "ornamented" with their meek and quiet spirits--not their outer jewellry or dress.  We are truly attractive to God when we are inwardly lovely.  How foolish we must appear to Him "all dolled up" on the outside and vacant and/or evil on the inside.

All judgment is a kind of "stripping".  We tend to bury ourselves in so many things.  They divert us from God.  We become preoccupied, sidetracked and too busy with things to focus on God.  God has to act to save the day.  That action is really a very merciful rescue of all of us.  Judgment is that rescue.  Judgment, therefore, is mercy in action.  It is only our evil behaviors that make judgment "unpleasant."  Stripping is unpleasant.  If we had never added all those things to our lives, then we could avoid the pain of being stripped of them.  God is always good.  Even His judgments are good, and not merely because they put out evil; but also because they restore many of those who did the evil.  Some will never bend.  Those are the truly incorrigible who choose to live forever apart from God.

Prayer:  My God and Master, if You find anything in my life that needs to be "snatched away", please do it, Lord!  And may I respond properly to You when You do it.  Amen. 

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