Overall imagery: The picture is a community without leaders--children and women are doing the leading. No one wants to lead or wants responsibility for the mess. The reason for this dynamic is that Israel has been brazenly proud, provoking the Lord.
The image is that they will reap what they have sown--bad fruit or good. The Lord stands up as if to judge in a courtroom. (Isaiah 3:13 "The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.") Israel is accused of poor stewardship of His vineyard, especially Israel's leaders, "for you have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of poor is in your houses" (Isaiah 3:14). God's people=the vineyard. This vineyard imagery also is echoed in Isaiah 5:1, Isaiah 5:7, Psalm 80, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea. Leadership is accused of being materialistic and abusive of the poor.
Isaiah paints a picture of the denigration of Israel to come through Babylonian captivity. The wealthy daughters of Zion will be stripped of all of the little elements that comprise their beauty: jewelry, perfumes, linens. Their men will die in wars. Her gates shall mourn and she will be desolate on the ground.
1. Jerusalem will suffer the loss of steward leadership. The wealthy women will be stripped of their beauty and men will die in war. Her gates will mourn. Israel will sit on the ground desolate. There will be 7 women to 1 man!
I came across this comment on women's feet "mincing" while looking for information about ancient robes:
"The sages of the Talmud said the women Isaiah critically depicted as “mincing” as they walked (3:16) meant that they had put fragrant myrrh and balsam in their shoes and kicked when they spotted young men, to spread the fragrance." -Miriam Feinberg Vamosh, "Pink Wool To Ponchos: What People in Ancient Israel Really Wore," Haaretz
2. 2 Kings 24:10-16 realizes the prediction of this chapter, which happened in 586 BC. At that time, Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar. Jehoiachin, Judah's 8 year king, his mother, his wives, officers, etc. surrendered. Nebuchadnezzar stripped the temple of all its richness from Solomon. He took into captivity all the princes, craftsmen, 10,000 men, leaving only the poorest behind.
Isaiah 4:2-6
3. The promise that "the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious"(v.2). Those that remain are purified the filth and washed the blood (v3). This anticipates also the survivors of the Great Tribulation. The branch could be seen as the Church but is more likely the Messiah.
Jeremiah 23:5
"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth."
The BKC commentator says that the two kingdoms will be reunited into a single kingdom and experience safety:
Romans 11:26-27 "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, "There shall come out of Zion, the Deliverer, and shall turn away godliness from Jacob." Paul here is quoting Isaiah 59:20-21. BKC: When Paul says all Israel will be saved, he does not mean every person, as Ezekiel 20:34-38 talks about the rebels being separated out, "And I will purge out from among you the rebels...." (v. 38)
BKC: After this, God will establish his new covenant and regenerate Israel, "After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts...they shall all know me...I will forgive their iniquity, I will remember their sins no more." Jeremiah 31:33-34
4. Who or what is the branch?
The branch is Israel. It will be A) beautiful B)glorious
Jeremiah 33:15 The branch will A) grow up/through David B)He will execute judgement C)He will execute righteousness.
Isa 4:5 Then the LORD will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land.
A man in close fellowship with God will have wonderful flashes of sagacity, even about small practical matters. The gleam of the pillar will illumine conscience, and shine on many difficult, dark places. The ‘simplicity’ of a saintly soul will often see deeper into puzzling contingencies than the vulpine craftiness of the ‘prudent.’ The darker the night, the brighter the guidance. -Andrew MacLaren
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