Isaiah 4:2: “In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious; / And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing / For those of Israel who have escaped.”

July 29th, 2024 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Modern Jewish expositors understand this verse to be about the Messiah, and that the Hebrew word for branch, tsemach, is a Messianic title. As David said in 2 Samuel 23:5, “Although my house is not so with God, / Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, / Ordered in all things and secure. / For this is all my salvation and all my desire; / Will He not make it increase?” King David was talking about God’s promise to give him an offspring that would rule for eternity. Of course David did not have the full understanding we have, as we can look back in retrospect and see more clearly. The Messiah did come from David’s seed, through a young Jewish maiden named Mary.

The life of the Branch will also flow through believers and bear spiritual fruit. John 15:4–5 says:

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

We notice that God wants us to bear much fruit, meaning that He is not satisfied with some or more. He wants much. Just like the branch of a vine or a tree, you and I are connected to our vine, Jesus Christ.

In Hampton Court, near London, there is a grapevine that is estimated to be 1,000 years old. This grapevine has 1 single stem that is almost 2-feet thick. Despite its age the vine produces more than 2 tons of grapes each year. Even though some of the branches are 200 feet from the main stem, they still bear the sweet and delicious fruit because they are connected to the vine. Life flows throughout the vine from that single root, bringing nourishment and strength to each of the branches. Jesus promises to do the same through and for us. He is the true vine, bringing life in order that we might produce lasting spiritual fruit. When separated from the vine, we wither. The vitality of our spiritual life is dependent upon our connection to our root—Christ.

“LORD, please keep us closely connected to You this day, in Jesus’ name we pray.”