Isaiah 48:4 English Standard Version (ESV) Because I know that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew and your forehead brass,

When I was in the army we had brass belt buckles and officers like to see them shine. We would be told to use Brasso to make them shine. It was ornamental and had no practical purpose. In Vietnam we wore blackened belt buckles. Anything that reflected light was useless and dangerous to one’s safety.

Now why did that come to mind? It is a matter of experience and we do not all share the same experiences. What does it matter if I think of brass as being ornamental? It only holds meaning to me and is of little or no use to anyone else. We might classify this as opinion. Opinions are not doctrine.

Other versions use the word bronze. Bronze reminds me of the vessels of service in the wilderness tabernacle as described in Exodus 26. Nothing ornamental there. It had practical applications.

The forehead in Eastern religions represents the location of the third and all Seeing Eye. Some wear a red dot in that location, not very ornate, definitely not brass by design. Why did I think of that? Does it matter? Is it relevant? The connection may only exist in my mind but others might “get it”. Agreement on thinking once again does not identify doctrine. We do so love to have others agree with us.

When does symbolism matter and when is it something to let fall by the wayside?

Memory is a tricky thing. While the Spirit brings things to us by remembrances, so does the flesh. Spiritual insight is vastly different than our ability to reason. Not everything we see in scriptures has to be significant to everyone. This one issue of my thinking about brass is a good example of what doesn’t really matter.

I am free to think but must be careful about how I share my thoughts.