ISAIAH
Isaiah 4:2-3

quote:

"In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. 3 And it will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy-- everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem"

The conclusion of this prophecy comes in the blessed promise of the Messiah! Similar Messianic passages are found in Jeremiah --

Jeremiah 23:5-6
"'Behold, the days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, 'The LORD our righteousness.'"

To express how the Messiah will spring forth Isaiah relies on the Hebrew word "tsamach", which is usually used of the shooting forth of plants and herbs. The sprout is that shoot which comes from the tree of David. It springs to life from the decayed tree of David's dynasty and rises to more glorious heights than before.

The thoughts behind the title "Branch of the Lord" are also those of fruitfulness and life. Jesus used the same imagery when He said that He was the vine and we are the branches.

John 15:5
"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."

The future glory and true beauty of Israel will be found in God Himself and more specifically in the Messiah. The words used to describe the "Branch of the Lord" are also applied to the Lord in the following passages:

Isaiah 28:5
"In that day the LORD of hosts will become a beautiful crown And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people;"

Isaiah 60:19
"No longer will you have the sun for light by day, nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory."

With the mention of the remnant we are made aware of God's covenant faithfulness to His promise that a remnant would be saved. Moses prophesied in Deuteronomy 30:1-10 that a portion of Israel would return to the Lord after having passed through judgment and the concept of this remnant is carried on throughout Isaiah and other prophetic books. Those who were left and those who remained in Jerusalem were the remnant who were to be called holy. (Exodus 19:6). Those who remain after God's judgment are written down in the book of life for eternal life. For the preserved remnant who came through judgment and who trusted in the promise of the Messiah before His appearing, that promise would be all the more beautiful. How glorious and beautiful is our Lord Jesus, Who was promised, Who came and Who is to come again!