Shevo Winda Invincible > GRACE AND TRUTH The next scripture specifically addresses the attitudes of women and the punishment in store for them. Notice: “Moreover the LORD says, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes…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” ( Isa. 3:16-17). Verse 16 is blunt. It requires little explanation. But what does the phrase “wanton eyes” mean? The Hebrew word carries a very different meaning than the English translation. Further study uncovers its true, fuller meaning. Strong’s Concordance defines “wanton eyes” as “…to blink coquettishly [flirtatious].” This obviously means using the eyes for seductive purposes. The American Heritage Dictionary amplifies the meaning of “wanton”: “Immoral or unchaste; lewd.” But what makes the eyes “immoral or lewd”? Lange’s Commentary explains: “The order of thought is as follows: The luxurious pride of women, too, shall be humbled (ver. 16, 17). In ver. 16…The prophet here resumes the thread which had been dropped or broken at the close of ver. 12, and recurs to the undue predominance of female influence, but particularly to the prevalent excess of female luxury, not only as sinful in itself but as a chief cause of the violence and social disorder previously mentioned, and therefore to be punished by disease, widowhood, and shameful exposure.” The Jamison, Fausset, Brown Commentary adds an additional, critical element to the phrase “wanton eyes” that is of central importance to what is being described: “16…and wanton eyes— Hebrew (mesha- ququeroth, from shaquar, to deceive), ‘deceiving with their eyes.’…Lowth, after the Chaldaic, ‘falsely setting off the eyes with paint.’ Women’s eyelids in the East are often colored with stibium, or powder of lead.” Not every scholar agrees with this source, and other authors not included here. But the main thrust of both Jeremiah 4:30 and Ezekiel 23:40 strongly indicate the correctness of this commentary in its reference to eye paint. The Clarke’s Commentary adds fascinating insight into the phrase “replenished from the east.” It is a reference to the Orient, where many cosmetics were produced and sold in ancient times. Notice his reference to Jeremiah and Ezekiel. It is understood that not everything Clarke says about Isaiah 3:16 is accurate, but he adds important information about this phrase. “Her eyelashes, which are long, and, according to the custom of the East, dressed with stibium, (as we often read in the Holy Scriptures of the Hebrew women of old, Jer. 4:30 ; Ezek. 23:40 )…‘But none of those ladies,’ says Dr. Shaw, Travels, p. 294, ‘take themselves to be completely dressed, till they have tinged the hair and edges of their eyelids with alkahol, the powder of lead ore…’ Ezekiel 23:40, uses the same word in the form of a verb, cachalt eynayik, ‘thou didst dress thine eyes with alkahol;’ which the Septuagint render ‘thou didst dress thine eyes with stibium’… compare II Kings 9:30 ; Jer. 4:30 .” Clarke identifies one of the earliest known sources of makeup, which was Israel’s source for these products. Now ask: Why would God include this phrase —“replenished from the east”—in Isaiah 2:6 if “wanton eyes” (just one chapter later) did not have something to do with the kinds of makeup that were obtained from the Orient? There is not enough space to reference the many other available historical facts. But allow the Bible to interpret itself! Once the verses in Isaiah are examined and properly understood, it is clear why God is “provoked” to anger. Cosmetics are being applied to mislead and deceive. A 1770 Pennsylvania law once stated that a man could annul his marriage if he learned that his wife had worn makeup during their courtship, thereby misleading him about her appearance. The first people in America to use facial paint were Indians wearing “war paint.” They did this to deceive their enemies by making themselves appear more fierce than they were. Recall the phrase “stretched forth necks.” Only proud, haughty people walk looking up in the air, full of vanity because of the importance they place on their beauty. God states that He “resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble” (Jms. 4:6 ). Many scriptures describe how He will punish those who do not repent of pride and other attitudes associated with it, such as using makeup for beauty enhancement. Here are a few: Jeremiah 50:31-32 states, “Behold, I am against you, O you most PROUD…And the most PROUD shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all around about him.” Also, “They [God’s people Israel] are VANITY, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish” (51:18). Ezekiel 13:8 states, “Therefore thus says the LORD GOD; Because you have spoken VANITY, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, says the LORD GOD.” Malachi 4:1 reads, “…and all the PROUD, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up…” Finally, Psalm 144:4 adds, “Man is like to VANITY: his days are as a shadow that passes away.” While no one realizes this, and few would accept such understanding, VANITY is a form of natural desire for worship and adoration from other people. Though it springs from inferiority, vanity is the human method of covering this feeling by elevating oneself above others. Only GOD is to be worshipped and adored! When people take this to themselves, it is a form of idolatry and directly violates the Second Commandment. We will later return to the subject of PRIDE—and where it ultimately comes from. It will become clear—plain— why women have always been particularly susceptible to the connection of beauty to pride. II Kings 9:30 and Jezebel The study of makeup would be incomplete without examining one of the most evil women in the Old Testament— Jezebel—and her use of cosmetics. This infamous woman was both a queen and a prophetess who practiced witchcraft. The first reference to Jezebel is found in I Kings 16:29-31 . It introduces background to her time period: “And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife JEZEBEL the daughter of Eth-baal king of the Sidonians, and went and served BAAL, and worshipped him.” Disobeying God is no “light thing.” It is serious —and so are the consequences! Hmmm! I discovered my true beauty the very day I stopped makeup and attachment! The day make up and attachment will finish,how will the Nigerian women look like? I proud of my natural beauty! ¤Warriorsarerisen¤
Posted on: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 07:44:37 +0000
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