One of my pet loathings is the ‘selfie’ photograph, the pathetic placing of the face in a suitably attractive pose. Even young men do it! This chapter is about similar ways women use to attract men (or to boast before other women). God also speaks of the death of many men for their allowance of paganism into society. Because mighty men die, leaving men who are less than able, and rule is given to useless youngsters who forget God, the whole nation falls into selfishness and hardship. When God’s path is covered and people do what they like, the nation fails and falls into ruin. Today, too, men are losing their might and ability to be men, as godless ideologists try to stamp out masculinity, with its created aggressiveness when needed. It seems even women want their modern men to be effeminate and ‘soft’!
Verses 1-5
- “For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,
- The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
- The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
- And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
- And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.”
Isaiah here speaks of something that was current in Judah - the loss of support (called the stay and the staff) by Jehovah, Who no longer gave food and drink to the people, but allowed the rampages of enemies to restrict these sources of life, denying them even to the rich, famed and princes (v2&3). No-one escaped the loss of supplies. Much of this was located in Jerusalem, which came under siege. We receive plenty from the Lord when we live by holiness, otherwise we lose it.
Because the people lived against the laws of Jehovah, He no longer helped them, but gave them over to those unable to rule well (children and babes used as a symbol). Because their leaders were unsuitable, the people would be oppressed, not just by the enemy, but by fellow Jews, whose attitude towards elders and sages was below contempt and respect. Thus, those who should have ruled did not, and those incapable took their place… a recipe for certain disaster that we see everywhere today. These were rewards for their sins, which always slide downwards into tyranny and general social loss. Everything they relied on from the Lord was no longer there. Losing our mighty men is a disaster, for when they are gone there is no-one to take their place, and a nation falls. This is blatantly evident today as weak ineffectual men pretend to be strong.
We see these present in our modern day (of course, EVERY period is ‘modern’ at the time) – the loss of good and intelligence men, replaced by fools and liars, and those without ability (in both secular and church life). The West is being eroded by idiocy and wicked laws and attitudes, all of which claims to be progressive and good, but which ruin society as a whole. The incapable and godless replace those whose abilities and talents were given by God, to enable a nation to live prosperously. So, the nation, having lost what was better, settle for what is poor and unsustainable. In this way they become lawless, petty and vicious. We see this in the UK, as all reference to God is taken away and what is sinful is put in His place. Government, police, army, hospitals… all are now reliant on evil policies that help no-one, destroying what was once a ‘green and pleasant land’.
Verses 6-9
- “When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:
- In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.
- For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
- The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.”
At such a time (attacks from enemies) the people look for someone to take the place of foolish rulers. That someone dressed the part and looked like a ruler (but, as with many in government today, though they look the part they have no genuine thoughts or actions), so the people clamoured to him “be thou our ruler”! We expect someone else to sort things out! But, the one they choose does not want to rule, for he feels inadequate for the role (v7). He says Jerusalem was ruined, so he cannot heal it. Judah has fallen to enemies, not because of lack of ability but because of refusal to obey God (v8).
When this happens in any city or nation, it will fall, because God is no longer its mentor or king. The same happens in individual lives – where there is no love of God or His word, an individual will fall, live in misery (if only in his/her head), and be incapable of living a good life, his mind being on himself and not holiness. Such might seem capable outwardly, but inwardly the soul is void of truth and ability.
Though things get worse and worse, the people, lacking in God’s help, sink lower each day. Their sinfulness will be seen in their faces (just as you can see a hardened criminal by his face). They sin like Sodom – casting aside God and sinking into wicked evils of immorality. And they show it openly, as do modern homosexuals and the rebellious. Their souls are finished! They live in evil and enjoy it.
Verses 10-14
- “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
- Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
- As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
- The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.
- The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
- What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.”
Isaiah calls on every righteous person to keep being righteous, for God will give back good and plenty, immediately or in time. But the wicked do not fare well – he shall gather further evil rather than good, and every day will be filled with his own sins. Those who are too young ruled and many rulers were women, upturning the Creation model of womanhood. This occurs today as ‘quotas’ are demanded to employ more women, whether or not they have ability. And so the lives of a nation can be ruined. The basic rule of God is for men to rule and women to assist them. When this is not observed nations falter and make mistakes.
Meanwhile, God declares His overall rule and has judged the people for their laxity. In particular, God judges those who rule and who should know better. By ignoring God’s requirements they eat up all the food and take what little the poor have, for themselves. Jesus later accused the Pharisees of this, and today we see those who rule further ruining the poor by taking what little they have for their own enrichment. God sees, and He is angry. He sees how rulers grind the poor into dust while building up their personal wealth. Just as politicians do today. It would be just for them to crash in a heap and lose everything they have gained.
Verses 16-26
- “Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:
- Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.
- In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,
- The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
- The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
- The rings, and nose jewels,
- The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
- The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
- And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
- Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
- And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.”
‘Moreover’ says Isaiah – in addition… God sees the women of Judah taking control and acting immorally. They are “walking and mincing” as they go (many homosexuals copy this behaviour), “tinkling with their feet”. That is, they wanted to be noticed, and were sensual; as they walk they take tiny steps to look cute and pretty. Henry says they act ‘coquettishly’ – they flirt without having any real affection or a hint of seriousness. Is this not like many women today? Is this not why they spend many hours trying to impress, and take countless ‘selfy’ photos of themselves in self-gratifying poses? Is it not why they wear next to nothing in the evenings? Or, even by day? And why they deceive males who do not recognise they are being taken for fools? Such women at the time wore bangles and devices (small bells) that tinkled as they walked, again to attract attention.
Such women were blighted with scabs on their heads, and, so it seems, He afflicted their private parts with some kind of problem. Today, huge numbers of women are thus afflicted because of loose immorality. God would make their foot bangles and lace worn on their heads ugly. And He would remove the beauty of the round discs (copying the shape of the moon) worn around their necks. In this way God would take away all the things used by women to attract men… including the chains (pearl earrings), bracelets (wrist bands) and mufflers (long veils that moved with motion). God also included taking away their bonnets (fancy turbans), and ornaments of the legs (chains and foot bracelets), headbands (sashes), earrings, and tablets (ornaments hanging from the face/head). Also condemned – nose rings with jewels and multiple finger rings. Do we recognise all these things used by modern women?
Jehovah does not end there, but also includes many changes of clothing that can be easily removed (mantles - cloaks), with or without wimples (veils or wide cloaks), and fancy crisping pins (bags or purses), glasses (shiny metals used as mirrors), fine linen frontlets worn under the cloak, hoods (turbans with diadems), vails (very big veil over head and shoulders). In other words, God condemned the total look of Jewish women, who borrowed their appearances from pagan nations, for the sole purpose of looking good and attracting men.
Jehovah also condemned the perfumes used to attract (v24), which God would make rotten. The female loin clothing (girdle) would be torn to tatters, the woman’s well-worked hair would look awful and she would lose her hair. Instead of wearing a stomacher (rich clothing) she would end up with sackcloth. And instead of having beauty, she would have scarred skin (can also mean being branded). It is very clear that God will reduce a woman’s natural beauty to ugliness. Note how today many women (especially lesbian) prefer to look ugly?
Fully copying pagans, Jewish men would die in battle or simply by being ambushed; the mighty men would all be killed in war… a disaster for everyone else. The gates of Jerusalem would mourn and cry out, and the city would simply sit down and accept her fate. There can be no doubt that Isaiah was talking about the state of the nation. His words apply to our own condition today… but who will listen?
© 20 April 2025
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Published on www.christiandoctrine.com
Bible Theology Ministries
Swansea
Wales
United Kingdom