Isaiah 3:16-24

Isaiah 3:16-26 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)


16Moreover 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:

17Therefore 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.

18In 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,

19The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,

20The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,

21The rings, and nose jewels,

22The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,

23The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.

24And 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.

25Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

26And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.


In Isaiah this morning.
Several verses popped out.
The one above I wonder how many have read?
The footnote in my bible said that these verses are not an indictment against clothing and jewelry, but a judgment on those who use them lavishly while remaining blind to the needs of others.... to use what you have to help others, not impress them.
AMEN.

And:
Isaiah 6:9
Isaiah 6:9-13 (The Message)
The Message (MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
[The Message at Navpress] [NavPress]

9-10He said, "Go and tell this people:

"'Listen hard, but you aren't going to get it;
look hard, but you won't catch on.'
Make these people blockheads,
with fingers in their ears and blindfolds on their eyes,
So they won't see a thing,
won't hear a word,
So they won't have a clue about what's going on
and, yes, so they won't turn around and be made whole."

11-13Astonished, I said,
"And Master, how long is this to go on?"
He said, "Until the cities are emptied out,
not a soul left in the cities—
Houses empty of people,
countryside empty of people.
Until I, God, get rid of everyone, sending them off,
the land totally empty.
And even if some should survive, say a tenth,
the devastation will start up again.
The country will look like pine and oak forest
with every tree cut down—
Every tree a stump, a huge field of stumps.
But there's a holy seed in those stumps."

What struck me about this is that Isaiah was told to go and tell those who even wouldn't listen.
And he knew they wouldn't listen yet he still told them.
I've found myself in that same position over the past few months.
The attribute of Isaiah I found today that gives me encouragement is that he carried out a CONSISTENT
ministry even though there was little positive response from his listeners.
That will be my prayer, to be consistent and just because some do not listen, to still go.

And:
Isaiah 10:1-4
Isaiah 10:1-4 (The Message)
The Message (MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
[The Message at Navpress] [NavPress]

Isaiah 10
You Who Legislate Evil
1-4 Doom to you who legislate evil, who make laws that make victims— Laws that make misery for the poor,
that rob my destitute people of dignity,
Exploiting defenseless widows,
taking advantage of homeless children.
What will you have to say on Judgment Day,
when Doomsday arrives out of the blue?
Who will you get to help you?
What good will your money do you?
A sorry sight you'll be then, huddled with the prisoners,
or just some corpses stacked in the street.
Even after all this, God is still angry,
his fist still raised, ready to hit them again.

The footnote in my bible reads:
God will judge crooked judges and those who make unjust laws.
(abortion!) Those who oppress others will be oppressed themselves. It is not enough to live in a land founded on justice; each individual must deal justly with the poor and the powerless. Don't pass your responsibility off to your nation or even your church. You are accountable t God for what you do for the poor.

AMEN!
I hear a lot that "my church does that" or "we do that" or "we have that covered."
Just because you gave some toiletries or money or made some cookies or bought some toys doesn't mean that your responsibility is over. Just because your pastor or your devotional told you to go and you listened doesn't mean you went!
It's not enough to pass off the responsibility to others...
not to the "evangelists" or the "pastors" or the "outreach ministries."
Nope.
Can't get to heaven with a copy of your taxes that said you gave...
that's not fruit.
GO.

Will you pray with me:
Dear JESUS,
I praise your holy name!
I have been a person of unclean lips, forgive me!
Have mercy upon me, JESUS!
I thank YOU for your mercy!
Lord, send me!
Give me the courage!
Cover my inequities dear GOD!
Lord, forgive my transgressions!
Let me not be selfish or haughty or unpleasing in your sight, dear GOD!
Let me go to bring mercy upon the oppressed and poor in your sight!
Let me not be discouraged for greater is YOUR WORD and POWER, AMEN!
Lord, help me to be consistent, to not serve two masters or hang on to things
of the past as you have cast them faraway~ those very things that may cause me to stumble
or think I am not good enough~
your word is perfect~
let my mouth be used to preach it and pierce the hearts of many~
that they may come to know the power of your almighty hand~
LORD, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace,
JESUS, be magnified on this day, Oh GOD in the hearts and minds of our children~
use them that they may have the attributes of Isaiah whose eyes were opened, mouth was used
and total surrender unto YOU, dear GOD~
let them have that encouragement that comes from you~
to preach the gospel, to say "here am I Lord, send me" wherever YOU want them to go
to bring glory to your name, dear GOD!
Lord, change hearts and minds of the women in my city that pass of the responsibility of
feeding the hungry and defending the widows and poor to others~
that they would know that YOU are a God of justice and it takes obedience in YOU
to deliver justly to those in need.
Let your words come down swiftly, let their ears be opened, let my ears be opened and let
me not backslide, but be consistent~
In a loving way help me confront those who are in sin that YOU may be seen and heard.
Jesus, I pray in your powerful name, AMEN.