“In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel.” (Isaiah 4:2, ESV)
“Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy.” (Isaiah 4:5, ESV)
It is difficult to walk in darkness and the only way we can get through the darkness successfully is with a shining light. Anyone who has stumbled when walking in a pitch-dark room understands this. It is the same as we walk through this life. As we go through life and experience its ups and downs, we long for the time when things will be different. We see the effects of sin all around us. We experience the problems of a sin fallen world where we find darkness. Thus, we long for a time and place when the darkness will recede, and the light will prevail.
Isaiah wrote of a day when everything shall be different. It is a day when the darkness will be driven out. It will be a glorious day and those of faith will see it. Here Isaiah records a few thoughts about this day. Though the nation of Israel would experience dark times of judgment, he presents a glorious day to come. He wrote, “the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious.” What is this “branch of the Lord?” The righteous branch is the Messiah, our Savior and God, Jesus Christ. See the words of Jeremiah.
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” (Jeremiah 23:5, ESV)
Isaiah is speaking of the Messianic reign of Christ on the earth. He is the “righteous Branch” that produces the fruit of righteousness in God’s people. Isaiah indicated that the Messiah, Jesus, shall be beautiful with honor and abundant glory.
Isaiah further stated that the Lord will cover “Mount Zion” and the people of God with “a cloud by day and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night.” This refers to that special time when God will manifest His presence gloriously with His people.
Remember that God manifested Himself this way with the children of Israel in the Exodus from Egypt. In this presence, He guided the nation. He also provided protection for them as He did from Pharaoh’s army, covering them with His presence.
We have two encouraging thoughts in this picture. The first is an eschatological (future events) picture of the time when the Lord will reign on the earth. We who are believers long for the day when the Lord will return and establish His glorious reign on the earth.
The second has a present encouragement. While we long for the return of Christ, we have a present experience of that wonderful day. Why do I say this? It is because every believer has received the “righteous Branch,” that is Christ. He has manifested Himself in the believer and in the church, which is His body. Today the true church experiences the manifest presence of God, which is a covering of glory over us, with us and within us.
Renewing the Heart 