Beauty For Ashes

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, TO GIVE UNTO THEM BEAUTY FOR ASHES, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”

Isaiah 61:3, NKJV

Prophet Isaiah in the above verse was stating part of the roles and functions of the anointing. Ashes in the Bible is a symbol of deep grief, mourning and penitence. Job was said to sit in ashes after he got news of losing his children, possessions and struck with painful boils (Job 2:8). Tamar, the daughter of David was said to put on ashes after she was raped by her half brother Amnon (2 Samuel 13:19). Many are in deep mourning at this time due to the loss of loved ones to COVID-19. Some people have suffered losses of jobs, health, opportunities, etc. Many are hopeless because of what life has thrown at them. Below are some truths to consider:

Isaac received beauty for ashes: “And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother” (Genesis 24:67). Because Isaac was born to Sarah when she was 90 years and being her only child, he was very pampered. Isaac and Sarah shared a serious bond. The death of Sarah had a devastating blow on Isaac. The scripture quoted says Rebekah, the new found wife of Isaac became a special comfort to him. She filled the gap Sarah left in Isaac’s life. Our God is a Restorer who heals wounds and binds up the broken-hearted. He gives beauty for ashes once we do not give up hope and trusts implicitly in Him.

Jacob received beauty for ashes: “But when they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived (and warmth and life returned)” (Genesis 45:27). Jacob had thought his son Joseph was dead after his brothers sold him to slavery, and in turn lied to him that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast. Jacob was devastated because Joseph was his favorite son. He never really recovered from the news of Joseph’s death. By divine orchestration, after 22 years Joseph was found and reconciled to his brothers. When the news got to Jacob that Joseph his son was alive and was Governor in Egypt, the Bible says his spirit revived, and warmth and life returned to him. God compensates those who mourn in Zion and gives them beauty for ashes (Psalm 30:11).

The nation Israel received beauty for ashes: Prior to 1948 there was no nation called Israel. The Jews were scattered all over the world while the Arabs occupied the Promised Land. They suffered under Adolf Hitler who wanted to exterminate all of them in the Holocaust and in the process killed six million Jews. They were scattered all over the world and were dominant in Europe, and having no homeland of theirs they were persecuted, harassed and oppressed wherever they found themselves. They were hated because of their religious inclination and economic prowess. Satan drummed up hatred for them because of God’s special interest in them. With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Jewish independence lost 2000 years prior was renewed. The Prophet Ezekiel affirmed that the dry bones God asked him to prophesy over was the nation of Israel. From hopelessness and despair their homeland was restored. They got beauty for many years of ashes.

CONCLUSION: Have you suffered loss of any kind in this pandemic? The God of Heaven appoints to those who mourn in His Kingdom beauty for ashes. The one thing that guarantees restoration, renewal and recovery from God is being in His kingdom. It is those who mourn in Zion (His kingdom) that has the guarantee of their ashes being replaced by beauty. Are you a member of His kingdom? If no, accept Jesus Christ today.