Isaiah’s Remit: Isaiah 1-6 (4)

Pray Psalm 80.14-18.
Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts;
Look down from heaven and see,
And visit this vine
And the vineyard which Your right hand has planted,
And the branch that You made strong for Yourself.
It is burned with fire, it is cut down;
They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,
Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.
Then we will not turn back from You;
Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.

Read Isaiah 4.

Reflect.
1. What do the references to cloud and smoke and flaming fire indicate? What is God promising His people, even as He brings His judgment against them?

2. The short-term reference in these verses is to the cleansing that will occur while Israel is captive in Babylon. But how can you see that this cleansing points forward to a greater cleansing yet to come?

Meditate.
“In that day” in verse 2 corresponds to “In that day” of verse 1, as though the events described were coincidental. Verse 1 is a scene of desperation, while verse 2 offers assurance and hope.

Isaiah holds out hope for the remnant who will be left in Jerusalem after the judgment of God. He says their restoration is at hand, even amid the rubble of wrath. The branch of the Lord here refers to His vine, His people, of whom all that is left is but a twig (cf. Ps. 80.8-16). In a larger and further sense, the Branch of the LORDis that Branch of David Who will be known as “The LORD is Our Righteousness,” even our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Jer. 23.5, 6; Zech. 3.8). 

He is not the primary focus here, however. Rather, God is addressing that remaining branch of His people, those left behind in Jerusalem (Jer. 39.10) on whom He will bestow restoration, making them a type of the Branch to come. 

God considers His poor remnant beautiful and glorious, because they have come though His judgment and remain in the land of promise. He holds out to them the promise of blessing, shelter, and glory, for He will be present with them and tabernacle among them by day and by night. But they must believe His Word and return to trusting in Him, letting go of every sinful practice which was the occasion of His wrath and walking in all His ways, doing all His will, and trusting daily in His presence and provision. 

The principle seems to be that restoration to the Lord and the blessings of His covenant are always available to those who repent of their sins, look to the Lord and His promises, and take up the daily work of obedience, trusting in Him and His presence to provide for and protect them, and to make His glory known. The remnant branch of Israel would know the glory of God again; and when the greater Branch came, then full restoration would begin.

Prepare.
1. Meditate on Jeremiah 39.1-10. The people left in Jerusalem and Judah by the Babylonians were the outcasts and poor of Israel. They would have been too great a burden to take to Babylon, so the Chaldeans rejected them and let them remain in the land. How did God feel about this “branch” of His people? What does it mean that they would be “called holy”? Should we as believers identify with them? Explain.

2. Of what would the promise of “a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night” have reminded this remnant? How did this branch realize that? How do we? Why, in the face of judgment, does the Lord point forward to a time of hope and restoration? Does He still do this?

3. God promises a tabernacle to provide shelter and rest for His people. How can you see that this promise points forward to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. John 1.14, where the word dwelt is, in the Greek, ἐσκήνωσεν, “He tabernacled”)?

The greatest cleansing is the spiritual washing that washes away the filth of the soul. The inspired word speaks of such a washing: “The Lord shall wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Israel and shall wash away the blood from their midst.” Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD), Christ the Educator 3.9.48

Cleanse me of all my sins, Lord, and bring fuller restoration to me in Jesus, so that I can…

Pray Psalm 80.
This is a psalm seeking the Lord to lift His judgment from His people and restore them to His salvation and glory. Pray for the people of God all over the world today, that the Lord would restore us, and look favorably upon us, that we might realize more of His great salvation.

Sing to the Lord.
Psalm 80 (St. Theodulph: All Glory, Laud, and Honor)
O God of grace, restore us, and shine on us Your face!
O save us, Lord, work for us; renew us by Your grace!
Give ear, O gracious Savior, Who leads us as Your flock:
Stir up Your pow’r and favor, our King and Lord and Rock!

How long will You ignore all Your people’s fervent prayer?
Shall bitter tears fall ever? O Lord, renew Your care!
Our neighbors mock and scorn us, they laugh at our distress;
Renew, O Lord, and turn us, look down on us and bless!

You set us free from sin, Lord, and planted us in grace;
We rooted in Your strong Word have spread from place to place.
Our shadow covered mountains, our branches reached the sea;
Your grace flowed like a fountain of life, abundantly.

Now You in wrath have spoken and bruised Your chosen vine.
We languish, Lord, are broken by wrath, deserved, divine.
Once more, Lord, hear our pleading: return and heal this vine!
Look down on us, so needy, and show Your love divine!

Though we be burned and perish because of Your command,
Revive us, Lord, and cherish this son of Your right hand.
Then let us not return to our sinful, selfish ways,
But call on You and learn to surround You with our praise.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006).All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).