Isaiah 28:1-6: a reflection

1Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine! 2Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand. 3The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden under foot. 4The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer, which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it. 5In that day, the LORD of Armies will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the residue of his people, 6and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

The prophet Isaiah contrasts two kinds of crown, two kinds of glory: the fading crown of human pride, and the enduring crown that God himself is to his people. He pronounces woe on the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, soon trodden underfoot; their glory, built on human pride and pleasure, will not last, but will wither like a fading flower. But then he holds out a different crown: In that day, the LORD of Armies will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the residue of his people. Where human glory fades, the LORD himself is an unfading crown of glory to his people. The glory people build on their own pride is a fading flower, soon gone; but the LORD himself is a lasting crown of glory to those who are his. Human glory fades; God himself is the unfading crown of glory for his people. The crown of human pride withers; God is the crown that does not fade. Our true and lasting glory is not our own but God himself.

Notice the two crowns Isaiah contrasts: the fading crown of human pride, and the LORD himself as an unfading crown. The proud glory of Ephraim, built on human pride and pleasure, is a fading flower, soon trodden down; such glory does not last. But the LORD promises to be, in that day, a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of his people. Where human glory withers, God himself is a crown that does not fade. This is a telling contrast: the glory people build on themselves, their pride, achievements, beauty, is fleeting, a fading flower; but the glory of having God himself as our crown is enduring. Our true and lasting glory is not anything we build on our own pride, which fades, but God himself, who is an unfading crown of glory to his people. To seek our glory in ourselves is to build on a fading flower; to have God as our crown is to have a glory that does not fade. The crown worth having is not our own fleeting glory but God himself. Human glory fades; God is the glory that lasts. Our lasting crown is God himself, not our own achievement.

That is worth resting in, for human glory fades, but the LORD himself is an unfading crown of glory to his people. We can build our glory on ourselves, on our pride, achievements, or beauty, as Ephraim did; but such glory is a fading flower, soon gone. The LORD himself, however, is an enduring crown of glory to those who are his. Our true and lasting glory is not our own, which fades, but God himself. When you are tempted to build your glory on yourself, remember that human glory fades, but God is an unfading crown of glory to his people. Find your glory not in yourself, which fades like a flower, but in God himself, who is an unfading crown of glory to his people, as Isaiah contrasted the fading crown of Ephraim's pride with the LORD who becomes a crown of glory and diadem of beauty to the remnant of his people; for the glory we build on our own pride, achievements, or beauty is fleeting, a fading flower soon trodden down, but the glory of having God himself as our crown is enduring, so that our true and lasting glory is not anything of our own but God himself, and to seek our glory in ourselves is to build on what fades, while to have God as our crown is to have a glory that does not fade.

Lord, the prophet Isaiah contrasts two kinds of crown, two kinds of glory: the fading crown of human pride, and the enduring crown that you yourself are to your people. He pronounces woe on the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, soon trodden underfoot; their glory, built on human pride and pleasure, will not last. But then he holds out a different crown: In that day, the LORD of Armies will become a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the residue of his people. Where human glory fades, you yourself are an unfading crown of glory to your people. Show me the two crowns Isaiah contrasts: the fading crown of human pride, and you yourself as an unfading crown. The proud glory of Ephraim, built on human pride and pleasure, is a fading flower, soon trodden down. But you promise to be a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of your people. Where human glory withers, you yourself are a crown that does not fade. This is a telling contrast: the glory people build on themselves is fleeting; but the glory of having you yourself as our crown is enduring. Our true and lasting glory is not anything we build on our own pride, which fades, but you yourself. Let me rest in that, for human glory fades, but you yourself are an unfading crown of glory to your people. I can build my glory on myself, on my pride, achievements, or beauty, as Ephraim did; but such glory is a fading flower, soon gone. You yourself, however, are an enduring crown of glory to those who are yours. When I am tempted to build my glory on myself, help me remember that human glory fades, Lord, but you are an unfading crown of glory to your people; help me find my glory not in myself, which fades like a flower, but in you yourself.