Monday, August 21, 2023

Gerard Van Groningen on "The Branch" in the Book of Isaiah

  

The Branch

 

The phrase ṣemaḥ yhwh (branch of Yahweh) (Isa. 4:2) appears a number of times in Isaiah’s prophecy (through different Hebrew nouns) and in those of later prophecies as well (Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6-12). amaḥ means to “sprout” or “spring up” as plants do when coming up form the soil or as a twig coming from a trunk which grows into a branch. As Isaiah uses the term, he has a tree or vine in mind form which a shoot or branch grows. In this passage the branch is said to be Yahweh’s branch (KJV) or Branch (NIV); it is Yahweh’s, a shoot which Yahweh has caused to some forth, not in the sense of a growth coming form Yahweh himself. In other passages it is explicitly stated wat the source of the branch is: it is the stump of Jesse’s house (11:1), specifically, Jesses youngest son, David (Jer. 23:5-6; 33:15-16). The branch of Yahweh, therefore, refers to the Son of whom Yahweh spoke when he promised that the Davidic house would be an everlasting dynasty (2 Sam. 7:11-16). In spite of the dire threats Isaiah had to proclaim, he is called to remind the covenant people that Yahweh’s promises to David will not be forgotten. The Davidic family tree will continue to grow until it becomes the developed fruit-producing means that Yahweh intended it to be on behalf of his covenant people.

 

When speaking of the Branch of Yahweh, notably, its fruit, Isaiah employs terminology taken from the Mosaic account of Israel’s redemption from Egypt and Yahweh’s providential protection of and care for his redeemed people while in the wilderness (4:5-6). In fact, the cleansed Yahweh covenanted with his people and provided miraculous means for Israel’s guidance, security, and protection. Isaiah has a long historical perspective; what Yahweh had done for his people in the days of Moses and had promised to David is not forgotten. In fact, what was began in the past is certainly to be consummated.

 

The Branch of Yahweh is described by Isaiah in terms of verdant growth and the rich produce of the land. The Hebrew terms for beauty and glory which describe the Branch are parallel to the terms for excellence (gā’ôn) and beauty (tip’eret), which describe the fruit of the land. The obvious reference Isaiah has in mind is that the covenant people are to be planted in the Promised Land and from that place are to serve Yahweh and be his agent of service in the world among the nations (Gen. 12:1-3). To the degree Yahweh had blessed his people on the days of Moses and David, he would make promises to Abraham, namely, that his offspring would be numerous prosperous, and famous in the land “flowing with milk and honey” (Exod. 13:5; Deut. 6:3). From that land, covenantal blessings are to flow forth to the nations. This is possible because from the seed in the land, from the royal house arising from that seed, will come the One who will bring all of Yahweh’s promises and plans to fulfillment.

 

In summing up what Isaiah has prophesied thus far (4:2-6), it is well to repeat that Isaiah, in using the phrase Branch of Yahweh (v. 2), is referring to the promised Messiah (the narrow view of the messianic concept), who is to come form the Davidic dynasty, which, in turn, is part of the people Yahweh covenanted with at Sinai and all this in fulfillment of his promises to Abraham and in keeping with his purposes with and for Adam. Isaiah has much more to proclaim about this descendant of David. He, however, as he preaches about Judah’s sin and prophesies concerning the coming judgment, proclaims the sure working out of both Israel and Judah’s salvation through the promised Messiah. (Gerard Van Groningen, Messianic Revelation in the Old Testament, 2 vols. [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1990 repr., Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock, 1997], 2:519-21)