Thursday - Isaiah 4 - The Branch of the Lord

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OMEDAY the Lord Jesus Christ will return to us to make off with us in what we commonly call the rapture of the church.  It could happen today.  After that, here on this earth there will be significant troubles for 7 years leading up to the 2^nd advent of Christ.  At that time, He will conquer the world physically, and will establish a righteous regime in Jerusalem which will extend to every corner of the earth, and that will continue for a full 1000 years.  During the last half of the 7 year period of tribulation, things will get rather difficult for the Jewish people.  In fact, of all of the persecutions which they have endured over the many centuries of their existence, this last campaign against them will be the most intense of them all.  But, their torments will come to an end, their tribulations will be followed by a time period of unparalleled KINGDOM success for them.

Here in Isaiah 4:2 we have a reference to Christ in His kingdom, which could easily be missed by a casual reader of the text (Isaiah 4:2-4). The glory of God's manifested presence will be reminiscent of the glory that accompanied Israel during their exodus from Egypt during the days of Moses (Isaiah 4:5-6).  In that day, all who have their names written down in the Lamb's book of life will live in peace and harmony, worshiping the King of Kings as He sits upon the throne of His ancestor and favored son, David.

The use of the term "branch" in connection with the Messiah is common in the Bible.  And truly, Christ is a living branch springing forth from the severed lineage of David the king of Israel.  Even more so, although He was hanged on a rugged tree and even died there, yet we know that he sprang forth again from the ground a mere three days later and lives now never to die again.

Again, Solomon wrote in Proverbs 11:28, "The righteous will flourish like a branch."  Well, we know that Jesus was and is "The Righteous" in the purest and most perfect sense.  Surely the principle of the proverb will be seen most intensely in Son of God!  As Isaiah says, "The branch of the Lord will be (both) beautiful and glorious..." in the day when His shadow spreads uninhibited across the face of the whole earth (Isaiah 11:1, 60:21, Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 3:8 & 6:12).