One of the troubles in Israel’s society during the days in which it was backslidden was that the roles of men and women were reversed. God created man and woman equal. In regard to salvation and justification by faith, men and women are equal as well. None are justified by keeping the law. All are the children of God who come to Him by faith in Christ Jesus. All that are the children of God have been baptized into Christ and have put on Christ. “24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:24-28)
Even though men and women are equal in creation and equal in salvation, God did give them different roles. This was especially true after the fall, when the woman had been deceived by the serpent in the garden. Paul explains when he talks to Timothy about women in the church, “12) But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13) For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14) And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (I Timothy 2:12-14)
The men were to take responsibility for ruling and guiding a nation. Sometimes a woman did take that responsibility. One well known example of this was Deborah, a prophetess during the time of the judges. This story can be read in Judges chapters four and five. Barak was told by God to take ten thousand men with him to go fight Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, and God would deliver Sisera into Barak’s hand. But Barak was afraid. He did not want to go alone, so he went and asked Deborah to go with him. She agreed to go. However, because Barak was afraid and did not want to take the leadership and gave that leadership to a woman, the honor of victory was given to a woman as well. God would still deliver Sisera into Barak’s hand, but Barak would not have the honor of victory. That honor went to Jael, Heber’s wife. Sisera fled to Heber’s house, where Jael covered him with a mantle and gave him milk to drink. Soon Sisera fell fast asleep. While he was sleeping, Jael took a nail or peg from the tent and hammered it through his head at his temples and fastened it to the ground. Thus Sisera died. In Judges chapter five, Deborah and Barak sang a song of victory. In that song, Jael was blessed for her courageous deed. “Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent.” (Judges 5:24) God’s design is for the men to have courage and take leadership in nations. They are to be strong and valiant.
First God deals with the haughty women that were key figures of society in backslidden Israel. “16) 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… 18) 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, 19) The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, 20) The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, 21) The rings, and nose jewels, 22) The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, 23) The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. 24) 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.” (Isaiah 3:16,18-24)
I will not take the time to try to explain all the fancy things the women wore or what they did for their hair or their attire, but one can look in Strong’s Concordance or some commentaries and get a good idea. One thing is evident, they were dressing to impress and to draw attention to themselves. Their hair had to be just right. Their clothes had to be just right. They carried around glasses (mirrors) and tablets (smelling boxes or perfume boxes). It was important to them to look just right and smell pretty at all times. They wore tinkling instruments on their feet to make sure that they made noise so that people, especially the men, would look and take notice of them. God would take all these things from the women and do away with them. There would be no more sweet smell or pretty hair. Instead of well set hair, they would have baldness. Their perfume would be gone, and they would stink. Instead of a pretty stomacher, they would be girded in sackcloth. All this was judgment upon them because they were haughty, that is, contemptuously or disdainfully proud.
While the women were haughty, the men were weak. According to synonym.com, weak means, “wanting in moral strength, courage or will” “Not having authority, political strength, or governing power” No manly fortitude. Fortitude means “courage, resoluteness, endurance, and bravery.” That is what should have been expected of the men as they directed, led, and defended their nation. Instead, the men would face judgment too, and there would be great sorrow and mourning in the nation. “25) Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. 26) And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.” (Isaiah 3:25,26)
Is there hope for such a nation as this? Yes, there is hope. That is found in the Hope of Israel, the fountain of living waters. Those who forsake the fountain of living waters will be ashamed; but those who seek to the fountain of living waters will be healed. “13) O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. 14) Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. (Jeremiah 17:13,14) Even today, that fountain of living waters is available to those who would come and be healed. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17)