The Road to Jesus Leads to Holiness
During the days of Isaiah, he calls on them not to trust their human leaders (2:22). In chapter 3, Isaiah gives a comprehensive list of various leaders, political, military, spiritual. The problem of the leadership is found in 3:8: “For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.”
Isaiah also denounces the women of Jerusalem because they thought more about their own physical appearance than they did of obeying the commands of the Lord (3:16ff).
To these who would not listen to the God of heaven (1:3), God says He is going to send Israel a leader (4:2-6). Consider these thoughts…
We know this “Branch of the Lord” is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. They need to come to Jerusalem to learn the ways of the Lord (2:3). The Branch is the One who will lead them and teach them. This is the first time we have this reference to the Branch and Isaiah will elaborate further on this leader (11:1, 10 – identifying Him as the seed of David). Jeremiah (23:5-6; 33:15-16) and Zechariah (3:8; 6:9-13) will also pick up on the “Branch” and further identify Him for us – most notably, that He will be both King and Priest. As Priest, He will provide the forgiveness of sins that Judah needed – by the sacrifice of Himself. Israel’s problem was sin; the Branch is the answer.
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Through this Branch, the one who was left in Zion and in Jerusalem would be called “holy.” That’s what Israel needed; that’s what separated them from the God of heaven – they were not holy. God had called Israel, when He brought them out of Egypt and assembled them around the base of Mount Sinai, to be a “holy nation, a royal priesthood” (Exo. 19:6). By and large, they failed to do that. The Branch, though, would make them holy.
The “Lord” will wash the filth of the daughters of Zion and purge the bloodshed from her midst. This cleansing is pictured as effected by the “spirit of judgment” and the “spirit of burning.” If we read the word “spirit” as “Spirit,” then we’ve got a picture of the purifying work of the Holy Spirit who would come with the promised Messiah and bring about judgment and cleansing. Compare Zechariah 13:1.
As a result of this washing, the Lord will create a cloud of protection during the day – just as God protected Israel when they left Egypt and stood at the Red Sea (Exo. 13:21-22; 14:19-20, 24). The flaming fire would cover them by night, providing guidance and protection. I might also suggest that this smoke and fire are reminiscent of God’s presence in the temple; so here again, we have pictured the establishment of a new, spiritual temple (cf. 2:1-4).
The key point in chapters 3 & 4 of Isaiah is this: Israel’s leaders were not guiding men back to God. Subsequently, God would provide His own leader (4:2). To Him, the “survivors” would listen! Then, they can be holy.
