The "daughters of Zion" were so caught up with their physical appearance that they failed to hear the fiery denunciations through the Prophet Isaiah against their leaders and their own selves.
We must ask ourselves the question - Are we like the "daughters of Zion" ?
 
Through the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord pronounced judgment on the people of Judah for their evil ways. The situation was very bad.

Isaiah 3:12 relates how "children" were "their oppressors" and "women rule over them." Most commentators agree that this means that the princes and civic rulers were acting like inexperienced children who were unqualified for any government position. Immature, irresponsible, and unwise men were oppressors - exactors, taxers, and collectors of the revenue - over the people. 
 
Isaiah 3:12 - "Women rule over them" - Either the men were under the influence of women - a Jezebel spirit - or they were acting in an effeminate manner, destitute of any manliness or vigor in their decisions.
 
Resultantly, these leaders were causing the people of God to err and destroying the way of their paths. These public teachers and false prophets led the people astray into sin and danger. They promised them liberty and peace though the people walked after the imagination of their evil hearts.
 
Isaiah 3:13 - God had enough of their wicked ways. He stood up to "plead" and "judge the people." He arose to deliver unto them their deserved chastisement; He stood up to contend with them and to inflict punishment upon them.
 
Isaiah 3:14 - They had gone too far. They had crossed the line with God. They were said to have "eaten up the vineyard." The "vineyard" was the country of Judah which these rulers burned up, consumed, and destroyed. Through exactions and oppressions, they spoiled the poor.
 
Isaiah 3:15 - They "beat" God's people "to pieces" and ground "the faces of the poor."
The Prophet questioned their actions - "What mean ye...?"

These two images - "beating God's people to pieces" and "grinding the faces of the poor" - express very strong language that denotes cruel and grievous oppression. These rulers were trampling upon the people of God. As when one grinds a substance on a stone until it is worn away with nothing left, even so did these leaders grind down the people of God to where they were left with nothing.

Isaiah 3:13 says - "The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people."
 
Isaiah 3:14 - Judgment was at the gate. God was preparing His instruments of vengeance on the "ancients" and the "princes" for their wicked deeds.
 
Isaiah 3:16 - Yet, in spite of the sound of thunder in the near distance, announcing the coming of the Lord to visit His people with His wrath and judgment, there was a group totally unaffected by it all. They were "the daughters of Zion." What were they doing through all of God's denouncements through the Prophet Isaiah? They were walking in pride and vanity; luxury and ease.

Isaiah 3:16 - First of all, we read that 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."
 
These women were extremely proud and arrogant. Their lofty demeanor was demonstrated by the manner in which they carried themselves. They would elevate or extend their neck as far as possible as they walked.
 
The word "wanton" - describing their eyes - means to lie, deceive, or entice. There are two explanations for this description. It can refer to the art of alluring by the glance of the eye. Or it can refer to the setting off of their eyes with a type of paint called stibium. Stibium was a powder of lead ore which gave the eyes a dark, majestic shade and set off the whites of the eyes.
 
"Mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet" - These women would walk in a certain manner with their left foot in front and the right foot following the heel of the former. They were said to trip nicely or walk with an affected gait.
 
Isaiah 3:18-19 - They wore ankle rings along with small chains of silver and gold - "tinkling ornaments about their feet" - which made a tinkling noise to attract attention to themselves.
 
Isaiah 3:18-23 - The Prophet Isaiah then goes into an extensive list of the distinct articles of clothing and ornaments which these women wore.
 
"Cauls" - These were straps or girdles about four inches long that were worn on the head. They contained a network of suns or spangles.
 
"Round tires like the moon" - These were small ornaments in the shape of a half-moon that were worn on the neck.
 
"Chains" - These were precious stones or pearls that were ornaments for the neck or ears that resembled the drops of juice falling from a plant.
 
"Bracelets" - These were large ornaments for the wrists.
 
"Mufflers" - These were light, thin veils which produced a trembling effect as they flowed in the wind.
 
"Bonnets" - These were a type of tiara or turban that served as a headdress.
 
"Ornaments of the legs" - These were short chains that extended from one foot to the other to give the women a measured step as they walked.
 
"Headbands" - These were girdles worn on the head.
 
"Tablets" - These were perfume boxes or bottles which contained perfume or fragrant odors.
 
"Earrings" - These were precious stones worn by the women as lucky charms.
 
"Rings"- These were the typical ornaments for the fingers.
 
"Nose jewels" - The left nostril was bored and then ornamented with a ring or a jewel.
 
"Changeable suits of apparel" - These were the costly garments that were laid aside in ordinary life's chores.
 
"Mantles" - These were the fuller tunics that had sleeves and reached down to the feet. They were worn over the common ones and were loose and crossed over at the bosom.
 
"Whimples" - These were a broad, wide garment that was thrown over the entire dress in which the women slept.
 
"Crisping pins" - These were purses or moneybags that were attached to the waist of the women.
 
"Glasses" - These were copper, highly polished looking glasses, resembling our mirrors. They were nearly round and inserted in a handle of wood, stone, or metal.
 
"Vails" - These were very transparent, silken garments worn only by the most elegant type. They covered the head and shoulders.

Here were these women who were living in the midst of the certain judgment of God. His wrath was ready to be poured out upon the leaders of the land who were oppressing the people and causing them to err and go astray from the paths of righteousness.
 
These same women were also under the judgment of God and didn't realize it. They had forsaken the Lord. He was not in all their thoughts. They weren't in the least concerned about their spiritual condition or that of their nation. They were too caught up with their outward attire - their physical appearance - the things of the flesh - earthly matters - to recognize their pitiful condition before a Holy God. (This is not to say that jewelry, perfume, or makeup is wrong. The extreme overemphasis of these women on their physical appearance at the expense of their spiritual condition was the error in their lives.)
 
Isaiah 3:17 and 3:24 both relate the denouncements of the Lord against them - "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...And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be a 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."
 
We can all agree that a women's hair is her beauty. God would then humble and punish these women by causing a sickness to come upon them which made their hair fall out where they become bald.
 
He would "discover their secret parts."  This refers to the custom - of conquering nations - to strip their captives naked and make them travel in this condition, exposed to the elements. 
 
"Instead of a sweet smell there shall be a stink" - These women prided themselves in the use of baths, rich oils, and perfumes to keep themselves always well perfumed. God would cause these same bodies - which they spent so much time on preserving in beauty - to die and give off the most offensive smell.
 
"Instead of a girdle a rent" - The garments that they wore were very loose. In order to run, dance, or labor, they girded themselves with a beautiful girdle. However, instead of the costly one, they would be reduced to wearing a cord which was an emblem of poverty, humiliation, and calamity.
 
"Instead of well set hair baldness" - These women spent hours braiding and adorning their hair.  Because they left God out of their lives, He would give them baldness where they would have no more hair to spend endless hours adorning. They certainly would now have more time for Him, wouldn't you agree?
 
"Instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth" - The "stomacher" was a platted or stiffened ornament worn on the breast. God would replace it with a coarse cloth that was commonly worn in times of affliction and was emblematic of grief.
 
"Burning instead of beauty" - Instead of a fair complexion which they nourished and cherished with care, they would have a sunburned countenance that was baked in the long exposures to the sun in their   weary and prolonged journeys of captivity.

The Lord is wanting to wake us up this day to the lateness of the hour in which we live. We, too, live in a nation where corruption abounds on every turn. From the leaders on down to the common people, Sin is rampant. And it is no different for the people of God. Sad to say - the churches are filled with adultery, fornication, homosexuality, divorce and remarriage, teen pregnancies, abortions, etc. in the same magnitude as that found in the world.
 
"He that has an ear to hear" can hear the sound of the rumblings of thunder in the distance. This nation can't go on much longer without coming face to face with the angry countenance of a Holy God.

Sorry to say - there is such an emphasis - even in the Church world - on the carnal,  fleshly, and worldly -  at the expense of the spiritual or the ways of the Holy Spirit. More than ever, people are so caught up with their flesh and the accumulation of things. There is an overemphasis on the physical body like never before.
 
Preachers, for example, aren't selected because they have just come out of the "desert" with a burning message from God. On the contrary, they are selected because they are handsome and charismatic or have alot of money and countless degrees from some major university or seminary. Many look and act more like slick car salesmen than they do fiery prophets of God - and the people love to have it so!
 
The "daughters of Zion" were so caught up with their physical appearance that they had no time for God in their lives. They were too busy dressing up their physical appearance while their spirits were starving. They were too obsessed with vanity and pride to hear God's warning calls to repentance.

If you will notice, the very thing - that the "daughters of Zion" put before God - is the very thing that He took from them. They placed their beauty and physical appearance before Him so He had no other choice than to take it from them. He turned their "beauty" into ashes.

Can you hear the sound of the trumpet in the distance calling all to repentance from Sin?
Do you see the judgment clouds hanging over the horizon?
Are you hearing the Spirit's call to renounce the flesh and the world before you end up under the judgment of God with the heathen who refuse to turn from all Sin?

Did it cause you to wake up and do an inventory of your life...to fall on your face and repent before God for placing other things before Him?

May God Bless His Word.
Connie