“It seems to me that Isaiah uttered not a prophecy but a gospel.”

Jerome (347-420 A.D.) 

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Isaiah the Prophet 

The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (Isaiah 1:1) 

Isaiah means “The Lord is salvation.” He was married and had two sons. 

Tradition regarding his father, Amoz: He was the brother of King Amaziah, which means that Isaiah was 2nd cousin to King Uzziah. Is this why Isaiah had access to the royal court? Is this why he is named as court historian for both King Uzziah and King Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles? 

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The book of Isaiah has two distinct partsChapters 1-35 Isaiah speaks from viewpoint of his time ( 700 B.C.)

Chapters 36-39: a historical section which connect the parts

Chapters 40-66 Isaiah speaks from the viewpoint of Judah’s exile after the destruction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem fell in 586 B.C., more than 100 years after Isaiah’s ministry! Some have suggested that because the two parts are very different and even have different styles, that two authors produces what we call the book of Isaiah. But there are a number of similarities between the parts and one author can use different styles, especially if writing a portion of it at a later date. The New Testament, however, provides enough evidence for us. In his gospel, John reveals that he saw Isaiah as the author of the entire book, as does the Apostle Paul in his letters. The date for Isaiah’s writing (740-700 B.C.) has also been questioned because Isaiah is so specific in his prophecies. However, we believe that God gave Isaiah the words to write—and God knows the future!  Click to continue

Gospel Gems…In Isaiah?

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Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.” Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. (John 12:37-41)  

Isaiah 4:2-6 The Branch of the Lord 

 

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2 In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit

of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

The Branch of the Lord 

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13     The LORD takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people. 14     The LORD enters into judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: “It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. 15     What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

Isaiah 3According to Isaiah 3, what was part of Israel’s problem?

Their leaders had ruined his ‘vineyard,’ his people. They had unjust judges who showed no mercy and oppressed the poor.

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The Branch of the Lord 

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16 The LORD says, “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles. 17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the LORD will make their scalps bald.” 25 Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle. 26 The gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

Isaiah 3According to Isaiah 3, what was another issue for God’s people

Men had abandoned their godly calling to lead his people. Haughty women—worldly, vain, immodest, unfaithful—were ruling over the people. Click to continue

The Branch of the Lord 

A coin from the time of Roman emperor Vespasian (70-79 A.D.) depicts Jerusalem as a dejected woman sitting beneath a palm tree with a soldier next to her. She looks at the ground, mourning the loss of her warriors and defeat at the hands of the Romans. Isaiah saw this kind of destruction coming in 586 B.C. at the hands of the Babylonians and Jesus foretold Jerusalem’s destruction by the Romans in 70 A.D

“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people...Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:20,23,24)

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The Branch of the Lord 

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2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4Why would Isaiah review Jerusalem’s sins when he will be proclaiming the gospel in chapter 4? Because the people would then see that God is faithful—even when they are not. They would see their sinfulness, the Lord’s anger over their sin, and God’s mercy.

In spite of Judah’s disobedience and the impending punishment, the Lord still had a promise for his people. What is it?

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That a branch—a shoot from the royal house of Judah would come. The Branch is the Messiah who would come from David’s line, at Bethlehem in Judea.

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The Branch of the Lord 

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2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4The Lord kept the promise of this verse “in that day,” long after the time of Isaiah and his first hearers. Someone might object, “How could the believers in Judah receive any comfort from something that happened long after their time?” How would you answer? They knew that God had not abandoned them. They were saved by faith in God’s promise of a deliverer. God would not be going back on his promise despite their sin; they could hear that good news (gospel) and trust in their Savior. Helpful verses: John 8:56, 12:41, Romans 8:24-25 Click to continue

The Branch of the Lord 

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2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4In 53:2-3 Isaiah says that the Messiah has no beauty, but in this verse he calls the Branch “beautiful and glorious.” Which is correct? They both are! In chapter 53 he is speaking about Jesus’ physical appearance—he came into the world as a human being, born as a baby, grew to manhood, just like anyone else. Though he was also true God, you couldn’t tell by looking at him. Here it speaks of Jesus just as the words of “Beautiful Savior” (CW 369) do—beautiful in what he does for us in a spiritual sense. “Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown,” “Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer”. Click to continue

The Branch of the Lord 

2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4Another name for “survivors” in the sense Isaiah uses it here would be remnent. Isaiah even names his firstborn son Shear-Jashub (7:3) to be a living proclamation of the Lord’s promise. Shear-Jashub means “A remnant will return.”

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The Branch of the Lord 

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2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4 The language of these verses could mean that the destruction of Jerusalem would sweep away the unbelievers and leave only the believers. Or it could mean that the Spirit of God would use the experience of judgment to purify the faith of the believing remnant. Which interpretation do you prefer and why? The picture of purifying—comforts the sinner. The picture of God sweeping away unbelievers so that his children will remain is also comforting. Both are accurate pictures.

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The Branch of the Lord 

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But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Philippians 4:3

Members of the Old as well as the New Testament church can be described as “holy” and “written among the living.” What do the New Testament parallels to Isaiah’s words in 1 Peter 2:9-10 and Philippians 4:3 tell you about our God and his promises?God is unchanging in his nature and his love. He made OT believers holy by trusting in the promise of a Savior and he makes NT believers holy by trusting in the promises made because the Savior has completed his work of redemption. Either way, we are saved by Christ’s work and by our trust in him.

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The Branch of the Lord 

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2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4What part of Israel’s history comes to mind when you read verse 5? The Exodus from Egypt.

Cloud and Fire at that time were used by God as

Exodus 13:21-22 _________

Exodus 14:19-20 _________

Exodus 40:34 _________Click to continue

Guidance

Protection

Presence

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The Branch of the Lord 

2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4When Babylon swept in and overtook God’s people in judgment, a remnant of believers would still exist. God would be with them. We can see in this picture God’s care for his people in the future. The assembly on Mount Zion is his Church. Just as God watched over his people and was with them in the past, he would be in the future. We are protected by our God as we go through life in this world until the day comes when the whole unbelieving world is swept away and only believers remain and are taken to be with the Lord where he will be their shelter and refuge for eternity.

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The Branch of the Lord 

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Christians today sometimes feel sorry for themselves. How might you answer someone who says, “The Israelites saw the cloud and fire. Peter, James and John saw Jesus, the Son of God. Why don’t we receive signs of God’s presence today?

We do! In the family of believers we stand among people who are God’s miracles, who have been changed and made holy. We have his powerful Word to speak to us. We have Baptism, which is visible and by which God acts upon the heart of a person. We have the Lord’s Supper, which is visible and is God coming to us in a very real, personal way.

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2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4

The Branch of the Lord 

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How does Christ protect his people against all harm and danger? Sends his angels to protect, uses all things—even difficulties for our good, will remove us from this world eventually—away from all harm and danger for eternity.

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2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the LORD will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.  

Isaiah 4

Summary 

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The “Branch of the LORD” is beautiful and glorious. He will purify and preserve the faith of his people despite the unbelieving world around them. He will guide them always and shelter them from all danger