Isa 4:3 | KingComments | STEP | Against the black background of the painting of the calamity of Zion because of the judgment a beautiful scene of restoration is shown here from onward. After the first trial with His people, which is broadly measured in Isaiah 1, the LORD has already given a promise of restoration ( ). That restoration is about the same time as here. Only in Isaiah 2 the glory of Zion is described from the point of view of the nations, while here it is the glory of Zion from the point of view of the LORD. Isaiah here again makes the great jump from the present to the glorious time under the reign of the Lord Jesus, for He is the LORD. As so often the expression “in that day” ( ) refers to that time. That expression is also found in and describes there the terrible consequences of judgment. That both and begin with it, accentuates the contrast. Some translations have instead of “the Branch [or: Sprout] of the LORD” erroneously “what the LORD makes sprout out”. For it is not about a work of the LORD that He makes something to sprout, but about a Person , “the Sprout”, and that is the Messiah. The word ‘sprout’ contains the thought of the power of life ( ). The expression ‘sprout’ is already seen by the Aramean Targum as an indication of the Messiah, that is the Lord Jesus. Both the Hebrew word for ‘sprout’, tsemach , and the Greek word for it, anatole , also means (sun)rising. “Sunrise” is also a name of the Lord Jesus. This is how Zechariah, the father of John the baptist, calls Him ( ). However, normally the ‘rising’ (sun) or the ‘sprout’ (plant) comes from the bottom to the top, while the Lord Jesus is the ”Sunrise from on high”. He comes from the top down. The name Sprout for the Lord Jesus we find in different compositions and shows us each time a different glory of Him that we can connect with the Gospels. He is called: 1. “The Sprout [or: Branch] of the LORD” ( ). This is the Name that reminds us of the Gospel according to John. This Name speaks of His Godhead which is brilliantly described by John in his Gospel. 2. “A righteous Sprout [or: Branch]” ( ). This is in connection with Him as the righteous King. This is how we see Him in the Gospel according to Matthew. 3. “My servant the Sprout [or: Branch]” ( ). In the Gospel according to Mark we see Him as Servant. 4. “A man whose name is Sprout [or: Branch]” ( ). That brings us to the Gospel according to Luke, because in that Gospel He is presented as Man. The Lord Jesus “will be beautiful and glorious” or, as can also be translated, He will be “for glory and for beauty”. These words remind us of the description of the priestly garments ( ). He is a glorious ornament for the remnant. It is a piece of jewelry of a completely different nature than the jewelry the conceited women of Zion adorn themselves with ( ). Also “the fruit of the earth” or “the fruit of the land” (that is Israel) is an expression we can apply to the Messiah. It shows Him as the immaculate Man, Who sprouts up in the midst of all death and destruction caused by the lineage of the first Adam. He is the “root out of parched ground” ( ). Here we see God’s wisdom as an answer to the problem of the sin of His people. For the first time in this book we see a Person Who will act on behalf of the remnant of the people. We will meet Him more often. He connects Himself in splendor with those who are “of the survivors of Israel”, that is with the believing remnant, or the third part of the people who remain after the judgments ( ). For them, He will be “the pride and the adornment [literally: glory]” at that time. He will free them from His enemies and be their Head. His glory will shine upon them. The fact that they ‘survived’ indicates how fierce and devastating the great tribulation will be, which is spoken about elsewhere. Through His connection with them, this remnant will be called “holy” ( ) and will be able to take the place of Israel. This goes beyond being holy, because it implies not only a separated place, but also a special relationship. It is similar to a girl who is called “holy” in the Hebrew language because of her union with her fiancé. That it is a remnant is strikingly expressed in the words “left” and “remains”. They have not perished in the judgments and may enter the realm of peace (cf. ). Through the holiness that will characterize the remnant, Israel will respond to its original calling ( ). It is a chosen remnant consisting of all those who are written down in the book of God’s counsel in connection with Jerusalem (cf. ; ; ; ). This important theme is elaborated in detail in Isaiah 40-66. In that part, the place of Israel as the failing servant of the LORD – Israel who is deaf and blind – ( ) is taken by the perfect Servant of the LORD, the Lord Jesus. He then makes Himself one with the believing remnant of Israel, through which Israel, then restored, will again be seen as the servant of the LORD. It is also our calling to be completely separated for God. Because He is holy, we must be too: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” ( ). Therefore, we are exhorted to “cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit” ( ).

‏ Isaiah 4:3

Christ and Zion

Against the black background of the painting of the calamity of Zion because of the judgment a beautiful scene of restoration is shown here from Isa 4:2 onward. After the first trial with His people, which is broadly measured in Isaiah 1, the LORD has already given a promise of restoration (Isa 2:1-4). That restoration is about the same time as here. Only in Isaiah 2 the glory of Zion is described from the point of view of the nations, while here it is the glory of Zion from the point of view of the LORD.

Isaiah here again makes the great jump from the present to the glorious time under the reign of the Lord Jesus, for He is the LORD. As so often the expression “in that day” (Isa 4:2) refers to that time. That expression is also found in Isa 4:1 and describes there the terrible consequences of judgment. That both Isa 4:1 and Isa 4:2 begin with it, accentuates the contrast.

Some translations have instead of “the Branch [or: Sprout] of the LORD” erroneously “what the LORD makes sprout out”. For it is not about a work of the LORD that He makes something to sprout, but about a Person, “the Sprout”, and that is the Messiah. The word ‘sprout’ contains the thought of the power of life (Isa 11:1). The expression ‘sprout’ is already seen by the Aramean Targum as an indication of the Messiah, that is the Lord Jesus.

Both the Hebrew word for ‘sprout’, tsemach, and the Greek word for it, anatole, also means (sun)rising. “Sunrise” is also a name of the Lord Jesus. This is how Zechariah, the father of John the baptist, calls Him (Lk 1:78). However, normally the ‘rising’ (sun) or the ‘sprout’ (plant) comes from the bottom to the top, while the Lord Jesus is the ”Sunrise from on high”. He comes from the top down.

The name Sprout for the Lord Jesus we find in different compositions and shows us each time a different glory of Him that we can connect with the Gospels. He is called:

1. “The Sprout [or: Branch] of the LORD” (Isa 4:2). This is the Name that reminds us of the Gospel according to John. This Name speaks of His Godhead which is brilliantly described by John in his Gospel.

2. “A righteous Sprout [or: Branch]” (Jer 23:5 ; Jer 33:15). This is in connection with Him as the righteous King. This is how we see Him in the Gospel according to Matthew.

3. “My servant the Sprout [or: Branch]” (Zec 3:8). In the Gospel according to Mark we see Him as Servant.

4. “A man whose name is Sprout [or: Branch]” (Zec 6:12). That brings us to the Gospel according to Luke, because in that Gospel He is presented as Man.

The Lord Jesus “will be beautiful and glorious” or, as can also be translated, He will be “for glory and for beauty”. These words remind us of the description of the priestly garments (Exo 28:2 ; 40). He is a glorious ornament for the remnant. It is a piece of jewelry of a completely different nature than the jewelry the conceited women of Zion adorn themselves with (Isa 3:16-23).

Also “the fruit of the earth” or “the fruit of the land” (that is Israel) is an expression we can apply to the Messiah. It shows Him as the immaculate Man, Who sprouts up in the midst of all death and destruction caused by the lineage of the first Adam. He is the “root out of parched ground” (Isa 53:2).

Here we see God’s wisdom as an answer to the problem of the sin of His people. For the first time in this book we see a Person Who will act on behalf of the remnant of the people. We will meet Him more often.

He connects Himself in splendor with those who are “of the survivors of Israel”, that is with the believing remnant, or the third part of the people who remain after the judgments (Zec 13:8). For them, He will be “the pride and the adornment [literally: glory]” at that time. He will free them from His enemies and be their Head. His glory will shine upon them. The fact that they ‘survived’ indicates how fierce and devastating the great tribulation will be, which is spoken about elsewhere.

Through His connection with them, this remnant will be called “holy” (Isa 4:3) and will be able to take the place of Israel. This goes beyond being holy, because it implies not only a separated place, but also a special relationship. It is similar to a girl who is called “holy” in the Hebrew language because of her union with her fiancé. That it is a remnant is strikingly expressed in the words “left” and “remains”. They have not perished in the judgments and may enter the realm of peace (cf. Mt 24:40-41).

Through the holiness that will characterize the remnant, Israel will respond to its original calling (Exo 19:6a). It is a chosen remnant consisting of all those who are written down in the book of God’s counsel in connection with Jerusalem (cf. Lk 10:20; Phil 4:3; Heb 12:23; Rev 17:8).

This important theme is elaborated in detail in Isaiah 40-66. In that part, the place of Israel as the failing servant of the LORD – Israel who is deaf and blind – (Isa 42:19) is taken by the perfect Servant of the LORD, the Lord Jesus. He then makes Himself one with the believing remnant of Israel, through which Israel, then restored, will again be seen as the servant of the LORD.

It is also our calling to be completely separated for God. Because He is holy, we must be too: “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1Pet 1:16). Therefore, we are exhorted to “cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit” (2Cor 7:1).