On Israel

"Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing [skipping] 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 [headbands], and their round tires like the moon [crescent], The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers [veils], The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets [beads], and the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels, The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples [cloaks], 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 [elegant robe] 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" (Isa. 3:16:26). "Hear this word, ye kine [female cattle] of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters [husbands], Bring, and let us drink. The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Lord" (Amos 4:1-3). "But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth... And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not" (I Tim. 5:6,13). And we can't leave out this classic quote from Solomon that agrees with everything else here: "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair [beautiful] woman which is without discretion" (Prov. 11:22). I believe that is enough to sufficiently make the point of what God does NOT want to see in his women.

Now let's look at the other side of that coin: "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness [bashfulness] and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" (I Tim. 2:9-12). And in like manner another apostle said this: "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands" (I Pet. 3:3-5). Here also is another worthy passage on the subject: "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life... She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy... Favour [charm] is deceitful, and beauty is vain [empty]: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised" (Prov. 31:10-12,20,30). So here is the question posed by these opposing views of scripture in regard to women who are in covenant with God: If you're a woman, do you want to be identified with the way of women in this world, or admire "celebrities;" or be admired for being like unto such? And if you're a man, do you admire in women what God detests, or do you want a woman who has interest in being admired after the manner of this world? Or... in either case, would you rather be blessed? And before I get some ridiculous comment from someone who doesn't like the article, take it up with the one who dictated the holy scriptures to those who wrote them. In case you didn't notice, pure scripture is the only thing quoted and stated here. God bless.