What is the Branch of the Lord in Isaiah 4:2?

The Branch of the Lord (Jehovah) is the Lord Jesus Christ. After judgment has been executed cleansing is promised and glory is established on Mount Zion.

A title of the Lord Jesus, which He will bear in connection with Israel in the future. Isa. 4:2; Jer. 23:5; Jer. 33:15; Zech. 3:8; Zech. 6:12-13. In two of the passages the words 'unto David' are added, which coincides with the Lord Jesus being the 'offspring' (which is a similar word to 'branch') as well as the 'root' of David. He will be a "righteous Branch and a King." He will "build [or advance in honour] the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." cf. Ps. 85 and Ps. 87. It is a description of the Lord Jesus in the millennium.

The words, "in that day," occur at the beginning of verse 2 as well as in verse 1, and here we see clearly that the "day" in question is the period that introduces the age to come, the time of the second Advent. The word translated, "Branch" is used of our Lord five times in the Old Testament, and has the sense of a sprout — "a Sprout of Jehovah for glory and beauty" (New Trans). Here we see, though somewhat veiled, an allusion to the Deity of the promised Messiah. The figure used is that of a living tree putting forth a sprout which displays its own nature and character. And the living tree here is Jehovah Himself; while the words, "for glory and beauty," carry our thoughts to the robes made for Aaron, and to their typical significance as stated in Hebrews 2:7.

Twice in Jeremiah do we get the Lord Jesus alluded to as the Branch, or Sprout (Jer. 23:5; Jer. 33:15); but there what is emphasised is righteousness. It is the character He displays rather than the Source from whence He springs. Again in Zechariah the expression occurs twice (Zech. 3:8; Zech. 6:12). There the emphasis lies on the fact that though He springs forth from Jehovah, He is to take the place of the Servant, and enter into Manhood to serve. Reading the five occurrences in the fuller light of the New Testament, we see how full were these early predictions as to our blessed Lord. The one in our chapter is the first and deepest of them all.

We learn that in that day “the Branch of the Lord” (Isa. 4:2), or rather the SPROUT “out of the stock of Jesse,” shall be beautiful and glorious. This is none other than Christ, and He shall bear the glory and make the fruit of the earth to be for excellency and comely ornament to His own in that day (Isa. 4:2).

But this time of tribulation, everywhere in scripture connected with the Jews in the last days, before they are delivered, is followed by an outshining of beauty and glory, and abundant mercy for the saved and holy remnant. "In that day shall the Branch of Jehovah be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel" (v. 2). The Branch is a favourite and frequent figure for the Messiah, as the reader of Jeremiah and Zechariah will recognize. He will be there in His beauty and glory, and all will be in unison for the escaped of Israel. However many the slain, this one Man will be the restorer of all breaches, and holiness will be a reality, and not a mere name, in Jerusalem. Yet it is not by the gospel of grace as now, but expressly "by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning." "And it shall come to pass, [that] he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, [even] every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem; when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgement, and by the spirit of burning" (vv. 3, 4). The translation of J. D. Michaelis is "by the righteous zeal of the tribunals and by a destructive wind." Rationalism sinks yet lower than superstition. The truth alone preserves the dignity of the divine word. It is not the church but Israel which is in question, and her purification by judgement, when the manifested presence of Jehovah will follow, and be her security no less than her glory.

In the opening chapters of this book, the prophet looks forward to the time when divine judgment will fall upon the rebellious nation, only a remnant escaping to enter Messiah's earthly kingdom. The blessings of the kingdom will be introduced by "the BRANCH of the LORD" (Isa. 4:2) who, to Jehovah is "beautiful and glorious", and Jehovah's thoughts of His Christ will be shared by the remnant of Israel, for "the fruit of the earth" that hangs upon the Branch of the Lord will be "excellent and comely" for them.

When the Lord came the first time He was rejected by the nation, as foreseen by the prophet in Isaiah 53. God's tender plant, the root out of the dry ground, had no attractiveness for those to whom He came, even as Isaiah wrote, "and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. 53:2). It will be altogether different when the Lord returns in His glory to save the godly remnant from the dreadful conflicts of the last days: they shall indeed see the excellency and beauty of Him who was once rejected and crucified by the leaders and nation of Israel.

"The BRANCH" is also seen in Isaiah 11 as "a rod" coming forth out of the stem of Jesse, confirming the prophecies of David that Messiah would come from the royal line. As in Isaiah 4, so in chapter 11, the blessings of the Millennium are viewed as the fruit of the coming of the Branch of the Lord. On earth, at His first coming, there was constant fruit for the Father from the Son, the true Vine, the One upon whom the heavens were opened, and the Father's voice heard to declare Him as His beloved Son in whom all His pleasure was found. (Jeremiah writes of the coming Messiah as the "righteous BRANCH" [Jer. 23:5; Jer. 33:15]; Zechariah also writes of Him as the BRANCH [Zech. 3:8; Zech. 6:12]: these are Scriptures that have particular reference to the second coming of the Lord to Israel.)

Isaiah, like the psalmist of Psalm 72, looks forward to the coming day in chapter 4, and writes, “In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel” (verse 2). When the Lord Jesus was on earth the prophet showed that there would be no beauty for Israel’s eye, even if He was altogether lovely in the eye of God His Father, His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased, the true vine that brought forth fruit delightful to Him. When the Lord returns to earth, Israel, those who have come through the judgments of the tribulation, will see that Messiah, the BRANCH that was fruitful for God when He was rejected by the nation, is “beautiful and glorious.”

The prophet in Isaiah 11:10, sees Jesus as “a ROOT of Jesse”, for He is both the root and the Branch, that which produces the fruit, and that which supplies the nourishment. Again he refers to “that day the day of Christ’s glory, when He “shall stand for an Ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious. Israel will rally round Him whom once they had rejected, and the Gentiles who, in Pilate, had united to cast Christ out of this world, will seek Him. Since the rejection of Christ this world has known nothing but conflict and unrest, but when He returns His rest shall be glorious. The rest that this poor world shall enjoy under Christ will be characterised by His glory that fills the earth.

The millennium will be a wonderful time for those who trust in Messiah, and are truly subject unto Him, for "In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel; and it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem" (Isa. 4:2-3). The Lord Jesus as the BRANCH will give infinite delight to God, even as when here the TRUE VINE He brought unbroken pleasure to His Father. For men, as the fruit of His work on the cross, and as flowing from His beneficent reign, there will be peace and joy.

In the Old Testament many names are used to speak of the Lord Jesus: The Holy One, My Servant, etc. In Isaiah 4: 2-6 we find another name for this blessed Person who was to come to the nation of Israel: "The Branch of the Lord." This description is very different from that which we find in Isaiah 53, "... despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Here we read of One who is beautiful and glorious and excellent and comely. He is portrayed as a Redeemer for His people Israel, as we find so plainly described in Matthew's Gospel. In that Gospel we read of His rights to the throne of David. The first chapter establishes His rights to that throne and the angel was able to tell Joseph that He would save His people from their sins. Although He was despised and rejected by His own people, the Lord Jesus could still promise His disciples that they would have a part in His future kingdom. Although the Nation as a whole rejected our blessed Lord, there were those that could look on to the day when they would have high positions in His future kingdom. In Jeremiah 23: 5-6 we read more about the future kingdom of the righteous Branch who would reign and prosper and also execute judgment in the earth. The Lord Jesus warned His disciples to be watchful and spoke in many parables of the future judgment which has been delivered into His hands. Although the disciples must have been staggered when they saw their Master taken captive and crucified, their sorrow was turned into joy when they saw Him in resurrection and received the commission to teach and preach in His Name.

In the Old Testament many names are used to speak of the Lord Jesus: The Holy One, My Servant, etc. In Isaiah 4:2-6 we find another name for this blessed Person who was to come to the nation of Israel: “The Branch of the Lord.” This description is very different from that which we find in Isaiah 53, “ … despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” Here we read of One who is beautiful and glorious and excellent and comely. He is portrayed as a Redeemer for His people Israel, as we find so plainly described in Matthew's Gospel. In that Gospel we read of His rights to the throne of David. The first chapter establishes His rights to that throne and the angel was able to tell Joseph that He would save His people from their sins. Although He was despised and rejected by His own people, the Lord Jesus could still promise His disciples that they would have a part in His future kingdom. Although the Nation as a whole rejected our blessed Lord, there were those that could look on to the day when they would have high positions in His future kingdom. In Jeremiah 23:5-6 we read more about the future kingdom of the righteous Branch who would reign and prosper and also execute judgment in the earth. The Lord Jesus warned His disciples to be watchful and spoke in many parables of the future judgment which has been delivered into His hands. Although the disciples must have been staggered when they saw their Master taken captive and crucified, their sorrow was turned into joy when they saw Him in resurrection and received the commission to teach and preach in His Name.