Parading our sin

The words of Isaiah 3:9 strike me here.

The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.

Woe to them!  They have brought disaster upon themselves.

It seems more and more that this is true in our society.  People no longer are ashamed of their sin.  They’re proud of it.  They boast of it.  And if anyone tries to condemn them, they accuse that person of being “intolerant.”

Solomon wrote that there was nothing new under the sun, and that is very true.  The sins of Sodom have never really disappeared, and as bad as Sodom was, we’re not too far from that either.

But with sin will come shame.

Isaiah condemned the rich for their ill-treatment of the poor (as I said, nothing new under the sun) and then went on to condemn in particular the wives of the men who took advantage of the poor.

They too flaunted their sin, perhaps in two ways.  One was in showing off their riches gained at the expense of the poor, but there also seemed to be an element of sexual sin as well.

Isaiah wrote,

The Lord says, “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, strutting along with swaying hips, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.”  (Isaiah 3:16)

But then Isaiah wrote that the day would come when all of it would be snatched away.

War and exile would come, and at that time, all their riches would be stripped from them and all they would have left would be their shame.

Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding.

Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle.

The gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!” (Isaiah 3:24-4:1)

Culturally, the last part of this verse is a little difficult to understand, but in those days, for women to be without a husband and children were an utter disgrace.

And with many of the men of the city dead from battle, the women would be so desperate to find a husband, they would be willing to take anyone, even one that couldn’t adequately provide for them.

The point is, however, that ultimately with sin, comes shame.

You may parade your sin.  You may be proud of it.  But in the end, it leaves you with nothing but shame.

So let us not embrace sin as so many do.  Let us flee it, and instead run to the one who not only takes away our shame, but imparts to us glory and honor.