Isaiah 4

CHAPTER 4THEME: Conditions that did prevail during the Babylonian captivity and will prevail at the establishment of the KingdomThis chapter is a continuation of one complete prophecy which began in chapter 2 and will conclude in chapter 5. In these chapters we actually have a synopsis of the entire Book of Isaiah, because he touches all the bases here that he will touch upon in the rest of the book. Chapter 4 is the briefest chapter in the book; it is only six verses long. We have set before us a description of the conditions which prevailed at the time of the Babylonian captivity and also of the conditions which will exist during the Great Tribulation period right before the setting up of the messianic Kingdom. The structure of the chapter is very simple. The first verse is the only one that depicts conditions during the time of the Great Tribulation, or the last days. The remainder of the chapter sets before the reader the preparation that will be necessary for entering the Kingdom. This section, of course, is entirely anticipatory.

Isaiah 4:1

These conditions will prevail because of the frightening casualties of war. That has been true of all wars, and these conditions will exist in the time of the Great Tribulation. In other words, because the manpower population will be so decimated by war, there will be a surplus of women, so much so that seven women will be willing to share one man in that day! And all of them will be willing to hold down a job. I suppose a man will do nothing in the world but keep books for the women and make sure that they turn in their proper share. It is an awful condition that will prevail.

After World War II we experienced, to an extent, a manpower shortage in this country and also following our involvement in the Vietnam War. At that time, when I heard that there was something like a surplus of 80,000 women, I kidded my wife that she had better take good care of me as there just weren’t enough men to go around!

Isaiah 4:2

“In that day” refers to the Day of the Lord. This phrase will occur again and again in Isaiah (and in all the prophets), and it will be mentioned in the New Testament. Joel particularly will have something to say about it. It begins as every Hebrew day always beginsat sundown. It begins with darkness and moves to the dawn. It begins with the Great Tribulation and goes on into the millennial Kingdom. There is also a reference in this verse to the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is “the branch.” There are eighteen Hebrew words translated by the one English word branch. All of them refer to the Lord Jesus. In this verse the word branch means “sprout.” Later, we are going to be told that He is a branch out of a dry ground. He is something green that has sprung up in the desert.

Isaiah 4:3

There will be those of God’s people, both of Israel and the Gentiles, during the Great Tribulation, who will survive that period. (Those who are martyred will, of course, be resurrected at the end of that time.) In Matthew the Lord Jesus expressed it in a way that may seem strange, but He is looking at the end of the Tribulation when He says, “…he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mat_24:13). Well, they were sealed at the beginning to make sure they got through it. The Shepherd is able to keep His own sheep, and therefore they are going to endure unto the end. We have the same thought in Revelation 7 which speaks of that great company, both Jew and Gentile, who were sealed at the beginning of the Great Tribulation and came through that period.

Isaiah 4:4

Zec_13:1 tells us, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” God’s people must be prepared to enter the Kingdom. This brings up a very pertinent question. Each year as we stand on the threshold of a new year, we say we are going to do better. We have been saying the same thing for years. My question is, “Are you fit today for heaven?” Suppose God took you to heaven as you are right now. Would you be fit for heaven?

I cannot answer this question for you, but God is going to have to do a great deal of repair work on Vernon McGee to make him ready for heaven. That is what life is all about: it is a school to prepare us for eternity. Many people make a sad mistake to think that this life is all there is. Preparation is made on earth for eternity. Suppose God took you to heaven as you are, would you be a square peg in a round hole? I am afraid I would be.

Beloved, it does not yet appear what we shall be. He is going to have to make some changes.

Isaiah 4:5

The glory of God will be upon every house in the Kingdom, not just upon the temple. What a glorious thing that will be!

Isaiah 4:6

Security will come to the nation Israel in that dayat last. Today Israel does not have peace. Therefore this prophecy is not being fulfilled. The Jews are not back in the land with every man dwelling under his vine and fig tree in peace. Note that peace always follows grace, mercy, and cleansing. The problem has never been with a political party. The real problem has never been with a foreign country. The problem is in the human heart. We war because it is in our hearts. Man is a warlike creature because he is a sinner and he refuses to deal with that question. There will be one war right after the other until the heart of man is changed.