The Branch Of The Lord
THE BRANCH OF THE LORD
In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. 3 And it will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy-- everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 4:2-3). This is the first time in the Bible that the Messiah is described in terms of a Branch. It seems to look back to the Lampstand which stood in the Tabernacle. This Lampstand had seven branches. It also had flowers and fruit built into its design. It was a representation of the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life had stood in the Garden of Eden. It symbolized continued relationship with God. When that fellowship had been broken, mankind had been cast out of the Garden and had been banned from the Tree of Life. That fellowship had been restored. It had been restored through a new promise and a new covenant. It was the promise of a Redeemer - a Life-Bringer. That redemption was found within the nation of Israel. It was to Israel that the Tabernacle was entrusted. It was in Israel that the Temple was constructed. It was Israel who fathered the prophets and it was Israel to whom were given the oracles of God.
Psalms 80:8-9 describes Israel as a vine which was transplanted from Egypt and replanted within the land of Canaan. But Israel in itself was unable to provide redemption. Israel was itself in need of redemption. The faithful city had become like a harlot (Isaiah 1:21). Jerusalem had become a spiritual Sodom and Gomorrah Isaiah 1:9-10; Isaiah 3:9). The good news is that there is the promise of a Branch. It is described as the "fruit of the earth (the Hebrew can read “the fruit of the land”). This can be understood in one of two ways:
It can refer to the fact that Messiah is to come from the land of Israel - an indication of His birthplace.
It could be a veiled reference to the One who was crucified, dead and buried - and who then came forth from the earth. From this time onward and through the rest of the Old Testament prophets, there continues to be a promise of One who will be known as the Branch.
1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a BRANCH from his roots will bear fruit.
2 And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:1-2).
5 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD,
“When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
6 “In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
‘The LORD our righteousness.'” (Jeremiah 23:5-6).
15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. 16 In those days Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she shall be called: the LORD is our righteousness. (Jeremiah 33:15-16). The image that is seen in these verses is of a tree that is grown by the Lord and which has a stem that is Jesse from which comes a shoot. This small shoot grows into a branch that bears great fruit.
Then say to him, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD.'” (Zechariah 6:12).
Zechariah ties the idea of the Branch to the promise that He would branch out from where He is. It is significant that Jesus described Himself as the “True Vine” (John 15:1). He went on to say that any branch that is unfruitful or that is not a part of the vine is thrown aside and cast into the fire.