Isaiah 4:2

In that day. See on v. 1. This again refers to the day of God’s judgment on Israel, but this verse introduces another and brighter aspect of the picture. While the day of the Lord will bring doom to the wicked, it will also bring salvation to the righteous (see Matt. 16:27; Rom. 2:6-10; Rev. 22:12). Verses 2-6 present a picture of Christ, “the branch” (see on Isa. 11:1), as Redeemer and Deliverer, and of the glorious work He will do for His people. Originally this prediction was to have been fulfilled to literal Israel, but owing to their failure as a nation it will be fulfilled, in principle, to spiritual Israel (see pp. 25-38), at the second coming of Christ.

The branch. Compare the Messianic prophecies of Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5, 6; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12, where Christ is referred to as “the Branch” (see PK 592). Israel would be desolate, as it were a withered tree (see Isa. 5:7), but a branch of righteousness would spring from the seed of David and bring forth fruits of righteousness. Literal Israel would perish as a nation, but Jesus would ultimately cause the earth to flourish with righteousness. This picture of a desolate earth at length bearing abundant fruit appears repeatedly throughout the Scriptures (see Ps. 72:16; Eze. 34:27; 47:6-9; Hosea 2:15, 21, 22; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13).

The fruit of the earth. The original Land of Promise was a fruitful land (Ex. 3:8; 33:3; Num. 13:27; Deut. 8:7-10). It would bring forth its fruits in abundance if God’s people would only be faithful to Him (Deut. 28:1-12). But if they should prove unfaithful, there would be drought, desolation, and death (Lev. 26:14-39; Deut. 28:15—48; Hosea 2:1-13). In the end God would be gracious to His people and they would be restored to His favor. Indeed, the entire earth would be restored and the fruit of righteousness would fill it (see Isa. 35; 44:3-6; 55:10-13; 60:21; 61; 62; Jer. 3:18, 19; Eze. 34:25-31; Hosea 1:10; Joel 2:19-27; Amos 9:13-15; cf. 2 Peter 3:13).

Escaped of Israel. That is, the remnant that survives. The recently discovered Dead Sea scroll 1QIs (see Vol. I, p. 31; Vol. IV, pp. 86-88) adds, “and of Judah.” Isaiah makes it clear that those who have remained true to the Lord, and through whom God brings blessings to the earth, will escape the ravages of war mentioned in ch. 3:25, 26 (see chs. 10:20-22; 37:31, 32). At the time of Sennacherib’s invasions all the land of Judah, with the exception of the city of Jerusalem, fell temporarily into the hands of the Assyrian invaders. In Jerusalem alone a small remnant was left. Except for that remnant the destruction of Judah would have been as complete as that of Sodom and Gomorrah (ch. 1:9). To this small remnant Isaiah gave the gracious promise: “The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: for out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this” (ch. 37:31,32). As there would be a remnant in those days that would not fall into the hands of the enemy, so in these last days there will likewise be a remnant whom the Lord will preserve and who will not fall into the hands of the evil one (see on Deut. 18:15; Vol. IV, pp. 35, 36; see GC 37; PK 592; PP 283-288).