Isaiah 4

CHAPTER 4

The Branch of the Lord (4:1–6)

1 In that day . . . This verse concludes the vision of judgment described in the preceding chapter. As a result of that judgment, so many of Judah’s men will be killed that women will outnumber men by seven to one. The widows of the dead will seek to marry the few men that remain in order to have the security of a family name and also to bear children if they are childless—and thus remove their disgrace.²²

2 In that day . . . Suddenly the vision changes. “That day” is no longer a day of judgment (verse 1); it has now become a day of redemption, of SALVATION.²³

We have already seen Isaiah change abruptly from scenes of judgment (Isaiah Chapter 1) to scenes of redemption (Isaiah 2:1–5). From this we can understand that the “day of the Lord” includes both judgment and redemption—judgment for the wicked and redemption for the RIGHTEOUS.

In a preliminary way, this judgment and redemption may occur during our earthly lives. For example, in Isaiah’s vision here, an earthly Judah has been judged and its survivors have been “redeemed” so that they can rebuild their land. But there is also to be a final judgment and redemption, when we will all stand before God and be eternally condemned or redeemed according to what we have done on earth (see 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11–12,15). As we read Isaiah’s alternating descriptions of judgment and redemption, we must understand that they apply not only to life on earth but also to the life to come.

The first question that arises concerns the meaning of the term Branch of the LORD. Here its primary meaning is the “remnant of Judah”—those Jews who would survive God’s judgment and return from Babylon to resettle their land (see Isaiah 1:9). God would give renewal of life to this “branch” and bring forth the fruit of the land—physical fruit and spiritual fruit. God would revive not only the Jews but their land as well. All this came true when the Jews returned to Judah from exile in Babylon, as described in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

But the term “Branch of the Lord” has another meaning: it is a name for the Messiah, Christ.²⁴ Yes, in this verse the “Branch” refers to the renewed community of Judah; but one day that community would be embodied in one Man, Jesus. Isaiah’s vision,then, applies both to the near future and also to a more distant future. God had a greater blessing in store for the Jews than just a fruitful land; He was planning to come to them Himself and redeem them (and us) eternally by the sacrifice of His body on a cross.²⁵

3 Isaiah’s vision of restoration continues. The remnant of Jews in Jerusalem (and Judah) will be called holy; the word “holy” means “set apart” for God. Their names will be recorded, both in the Jews’ historical records and also, we can assume, in the Lord’s book of life (Exodus 32:32–33; Revelation 3:5; 20:15).

4–6 The purpose of the Lord’s judgment against Jerusalem and Judah is not only to destroy the evil there but also to purify what remains; the Lord will do this by means of His purifying fire and judgment (verse 4). Then the Lord’s glory will appear over Mount Zion (Jerusalem) as a cloud of smoke and a glow of flaming fire; and over His GLORY will be a canopy, a covering of cloud²⁶ (verse 5). This “canopy” will provide shelter and refuge to those who dwell in God’s presence (verse 6); God Himself will be their shade and their hiding place (see Psalms 32:7; 121:5–6).