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Sermon #19 — Isaiah Series

 

Title:                           Christ the Branch

 

Text:                            Isaiah 4:2-3

Subject:                     Christ the Branch

Date:                          Sunday Evening — January 15, 2017

Readings:     Rex Bartley and Merle Hart

Introduction:

 

The title of my message is — Christ the Branch. You will find my text in 4th chapter of Isaiah — (Isaiah 4:2-3). But I want to begin my message in Ezekiel 34. In the 34th chapter of EzekielÕs prophecy, the Lord God denounces all self-serving false prophets, those men who feed themselves upon his sheep rather than feeding his sheep, and declares the certainty of his wrath against them, saying, ÒWoe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?Ó (v. 3) — ÒBehold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their handÓ (v. 10). But this chapter is also a tremendous declaration of GodÕs saving grace in and by Christ our Good Shepherd, and gives assurance of the absolute safety and security of GodÕs elect, the sheep of his pasture. LetÕs read what our God says concerning his sheep in this great chapter.

 

(Ezekiel 34:11-17) ÒFor thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. (12) As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. (13) And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. (14) I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. (15) I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. (16) I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. (17) And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.Ó

 

(Ezekiel 34:22-28) ÒTherefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. (23) And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David (Christ the Good Shepherd); he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. (24) And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David (Christ Jesus) a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. (25) And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. (26) And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. (27) And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. (28) And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid

 

Plant of Renown

 

Then, in verses 29-31, the Lord God promised that he would raise up for his sheep ÒA Plant of RenownÓ that would shelter and protect us from all danger and all shame (vv. 29-31).

 

(Ezekiel 34:29-31) ÒAnd I will raise up for them a Plant of Renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. (30) Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. (31) And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.Ó

 

This Plant of Renown is our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He grew up before the Lord God Òas a tender plant and as a root out of a dry groundÓ (Isaiah 53:2), and grew into stately Tree of Renown in the mountain of the Lord, Òa goodly cedar,Ó under the shadow of which we take refuge and dwell in safety (Ezekiel 17:23-24).

 

The Branch

 

This Plant of Renown, our glorious, famous, renowned Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is set before us as the Branch of the Lord seven times in the Old Testament Scriptures (Psalm 80:15; Isaiah 4:2; 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-16; Zechariah 3:8; 6:12). And this Plant of Renown is my subject tonight. I want to show you the beauty and glory, the blessedness and the fame of Christ the Branch, as he is set before us in the Old Testament.

 

In my text (Isaiah 4:2-3), GodÕs prophet assures us that in this Gospel Day of grace Christ Òthe Branch of the Lord (shall) be beautiful and gloriousÓ in the eyes of all who are saved by his grace, the beauty and the glory of all who trust him.

 

(Isaiah 4:2-3) ÒIn that day shall the Branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. (3) And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.Ó

 

Now, letÕs look at the seven Old Testament prophecies which speak of Christ the Branch, asking God the Holy Ghost to make him Òbeautiful and gloriousÓ to our souls.

 

Psalm 80:15

 

1stPsalm 80 is a prayer to God our Savior, the Shepherd of Israel, desiring him to make his face shine, visit us in grace, to visit his church, the vine he has planted. Look at the language of the prayer in verses 14 and 15, and you will see that we have every reason to confidently expect him to do so.

 

(Psalms 80:14-15) ÒReturn, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; (15) And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the Branch that thou madest strong for thyself.Ó

 

The vine God planted is his church; and the Branch he made strong for himself is Christ our Savior. In this passage, as is often the case, the two are spoken of as one. When the psalmist prayed for God to visit his vine, he was praying for him to visit his Son. If he will do that, (and he most assuredly will), all is well, and we shall be saved (Psalm 80:17-19).

 

(Psalms 80:17-19) ÒLet thy hand be upon the Man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. (18) So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. (19) Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.Ó

 

The Lord God says, ÒBehold the Man whose name is The Branch.Ó — O my God, how I thank you for giving me eyes to behold and a heart to trust the Lord Jesus, your darling Son, The Branch you brought forth, raised up, and made blessedness to my soul! Truly, he is beautiful and glorious, excellent and comely in our eyes! Let us sit forever under the shadow of this Plant of Renown with delight, and his fruit shall be sweet to our taste. Cause us ever to look to him alone for our everlasting salvation by the unspeakable, infinite mercy of that Man, Christ Jesus, The Branch, who alone is our Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption. Blessed, blessed forever be God, for the Lord Jesus Christ! — ÒBehold the Man whose name is The BranchÓ and eternal salvation is yours. He says, ÒLook unto me and be ye saved!Ó — ÒIn him shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.Ó

 

Isaiah 4:2-3

 

2nd — Now, turn to Isaiah 4:2, and take another look at Christ the Branch.

 

(Isaiah 4:2-3) ÒIn that day shall the Branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. (3) And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.Ó

 

LetÕs look at these two verses line by line. They are bursting with the good news of the gospel.

 

1 ÒIn that dayÓ — That day is not a literal day, or a specified time. It is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2; Isaiah 49:8). It is the day when God visits his elect in the mighty operations of grace, revealing Christ and giving us faith in him.

 

2. ÒIn that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious.Ó — When the Lord Jesus is revealed and the sinner is made to know him and trust him as the Branch of the Lord, the Branch into whom we are grafted and from whom flows to our souls life, and grace, and salvation. Oh, how beautiful and glorious he is in our eyes!

 

3. ÒAnd,Ó when Christ is revealed, once the sinner looks to him in faith, Òthe fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them.Ó — Our Lord Jesus, the Branch, who was brought forth from the earth, as the Fruit of the earth, Òthe first begotten from the dead,Ó now appears excellent and comely for us. — Our blessed Savior sprang forth as righteousness from the earth, when he Òwas delivered for our offences and raised again for our justificationÓ (Romans 4:25; Psalm 85:10-11). — Oh, how excellent and comely he is!

 

(Psalm 85:10-11) ÒMercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (11) Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.Ó

 

4. That cannot be said of everyone, but it can be said and is most assuredly true Òfor them that are escaped of Israel.Ó — ÒUnto you, therefore, which believe he is precious!Ó

 

5. Who are these? They are described in verse 3 as Òhe that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem.Ó — Believing sinners, having escaped the wrath of God, remain among GodÕs people, worshipping him.

 

6. Who are they? They are those who, being grafted into the Branch of Righteousness are Òcalled holy.Ó — Yes, God himself calls us Òholy,Ó because he has made us holy in his Son, with his Son, and by his Son. The Holy One is in us; and we are in the Holy One!

á      He is beautiful and glorious.

á      And he is (as the marginal translation suggests) our beauty and our glory (Ezekiel 16:14).

á      He is holy; and he is our holiness.

 

7. Who are these who have escaped? Who are those who shall escape? They are those, every one of them, whose names are Òwritten among the living in Jerusalem.Ó — If you will refer to the marginal translation, you will see that those words might be more accurately translated, Òwritten to life.Ó In other words, those who have escaped and shall escape the wrath of God, are those whose names were written in the LambÕs book of life before the world began (Revelation 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27).

 

(Revelation 13:8) ÒAnd all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.Ó

 

(Revelation 17:8) ÒThe beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.Ó

 

(Revelation 20:12) ÒAnd I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.Ó

 

(Revelation 20:15) ÒAnd whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.Ó

 

(Revelation 21:27) ÒAnd there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the LambÕs book of life.Ó

 

No wonder, then, that our Savior said, ÒRejoice because your names are written in heaven.Ó Unless our names were written to life in heaven, in the book of life, we shall be cast into the lake of fire. Truly, the Lamb of God, who is the Branch, is beautiful and glorious, excellent and comely, when he gives us faith and causes us to see that our names were written to life before the world began! Is your name written to life in heaven?

 

Illustration: The Retired Soldier

 

Isaiah 11:1

 

3rd — In Isaiah 11:1 our Savior is called Òa Branch;Ó but the word ÒBranchÓ here (and only here) is a different word. It is the word from which we get the word ÒNazarite.Ó In fact, this word is commonly translated ÒNazarite,Ó or ÒNazareth.Ó Yet, the word is, without question, properly translated ÒBranchÓ in Isaiah 11:1. Verse 1 readsÉ

 

(Isaiah 11:1) ÒAnd there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.Ó

 

The Lord Jesus Christ, the only true Nazarite, is that Man who had his family roots of royalty in Jesse, DavidÕs father. And he is the Branch from whom all the blessings of grace, righteousness, and peace, described in the rest of Isaiah 11 flow down to us, because the Spirit of the Lord rests upon him and he judges his people with righteousness, and not according to the sight of the eye nor the hearing of the ear.

 

If you will turn back to Numbers 6, you will see this clearly. All the blessings of grace, righteousness, and peace are given to us, according to righteousness and truth, because of the faithful obedience of Christ the Nazarene, the Nazarite, required and described in Numbers 6:1-21. Upon the basis of the NazariteÕs obedience, because he is the Branch of grace from whom we get all, the Lord God commands Moses (the law) to bless us, and promises that he shall perform the blessing (Numbers 6:22-26).

 

(Numbers 6:22-26) ÒAnd the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (23) Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, (24) The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: (25) The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: (26) The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.Ó

 

Jeremiah 23:5-6

 

4th — Now, turn with me to Jeremiah 23:5.

 

(Jeremiah 23:5-6) ÒBehold, 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. (6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.Ó

 

In just a minute, weÕre going to look at Jeremiah 33:15-16. There the language is almost exactly the same as the language used here; but the slight differences are very significant. Both passages are talking about this Gospel Day of grace and salvation. Both are assurances that all GodÕs elect, all the Israel of God shall be saved.

á      In chapter 33, the Lord God speaks of his Son as Òthe Branch of Righteousness.Ó Here he calls him Òthe Righteous Branch.Ó Our Lord Jesus Christ is both the Branch who is Righteous and the Branch through whom righteousness flows.

á      In chapter 33 he tells us that Òhe shall grow up unto David.Ó Here he says, ÒI shall raise unto David.Ó — In chapter 33 it was promised that our Lord Jesus would Ògrow up unto David,Ó speaking of his own accomplishments as our Mediator. Here it was promised that the Lord God would, Òraise unto David a righteous Branch,Ó speaking of him as the Mediator raised up by God the Father.

á      In chapter 33, he says, Òhe shall execute judgment and righteousness.Ó Here he says, Òhe shall execute judgment and justice.Ó But the words are the same in both places in the original. — ÒHe shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth,Ó both speaking of the satisfaction of GodÕs law and justice.

 

The matter of truly great significance I want you to see this. In Jeremiah 23:6 we are told that, as the result of ChristÕs finished work of righteousness, we are called to — ÒBehold the Man whose name is the Branch,Ó called by every sinner who trusts Christ alone as Savior, Jehovah-tsidkenu — ÒThe Lord our Righteousness.Ó In chapter 33 (v. 16), we are told that, as the result of his finished work, all who trust him are called by the Triune God Jehovah-tsidkenu — ÒThe Lord our Righteousness!Ó Every believing sinner truly is one with Christ, and, drawing all righteousness from him, we are the very righteousness of God in him!

á      His obedience is our obedience.

á      His death is our death.

á      His satisfaction is our satisfaction.

á      And his righteousness, being made our righteousness by God himself, is our righteousness!

á      As it is written, ÒAs he is so are we in this world!Ó

 

Jeremiah 33:15-16

 

5th — Now, letÕs read Jeremiah 33:15, where our Savior is called Òthe Branch of Righteousness.Ó

 

(Jeremiah 33:15-16) ÒIn those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. (16) In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.Ó

 

He is the Branch who brought in everlasting righteousness for us, by his obedience to God as our Substitute, living and dying as our Representative. By his life and death in our place, our blessed Savior fully satisfied all the requirements of GodÕs holy law and inflexible justice on our behalf, executing Òjudgment and righteousnessÓ (the just verdict of righteousness) in the earth, by whom we are made the very righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). So complete and perfect is our righteousness in him that all his redeemed, the whole Israel of God, are named after him, Òthe Lord our Righteousness.Ó That is because we are one with him, truly one with him!

 

Zechariah 3:8

 

6th — Turn over to the 3rd chapter of ZechariahÕs prophecy — Zechariah 3:8.

 

(Zechariah 3:8) ÒHear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.Ó

 

Here, the Lord God promised that he would send our Savior to perform his great purpose of grace in saving his people, making all his elect to be men wondered at, saying, ÒI will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.Ó He is the fruitful Branch, by whomÉ

á      Satan is spoiled.

á      GodÕs elect are plucked as brands out of the fire.

á      GodÕs chosen ones are washed.

á      Our filthy garments are taken away.

á      By whose hand our iniquities are made to pass from us.

á      Who clothes poor sinners with a change of raiment, even the garments of salvation.

á      And sits the fair miter of Òholiness to the LordÓ upon us, making us kings and priests unto our God.

á      It is he who removed the iniquity of Israel, all the host of his elect, in one day, by his one great sacrifice for us!

 

Zechariah 6:12

 

7th — In Zechariah 6:12 we have the last of these seven distinct prophecies in the Old Testament identifying our Lord Jesus Christ as the Branch of the Lord.

 

(Zechariah 6:12) ÒAnd speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the Man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD.Ó

 

Here the Lord God calls for us to ÒBehold the Man whose name is The BRANCHThis word ÒBehold,Ó is a call to faith. The Lord God here says to all who read and hear the words of this prophecy to behold, look to, believe in, and trust this Man, whose name is the Branch, the Lord Jesus Christ, his dear Son. Mark the wonderful features of his person; and behold him. He is Òthe Branch.Ó This is one of the prophetic names of him, in whom all the Old Testament saints lived and died in hope, the One they trusted as the Redeemer of Israel, and in whom they were accepted of God. — ÒThe man whose name is The BRANCH

 

May God the Holy Spirit give us grace to hear and heed the call, and enable us to behold this wonderful Man, whose name is the Branch. You will notice that Zechariah was inspired to write his name in all capital letters, as if to call our attention to the importance of this name for our Savior. The Lord God calls for us to trust his Son, ÒThe Branch.Ó Then he gives us seven assuring descriptions of this Branch, to encourage us to trust him. This is The Branch that GodÕs right hand planted. The descriptions of this Branch, his person, his glory, and his character, are all things that identify The Branch as our Lord Jesus Christ. They have their accomplishment in him alone. Look at them with me, one by one, and behold the Lord Jesus, ÒThe Branch.Ó

 

1. ÒBehold the Man.Ó — That Man of whom the Scriptures speak, Òwhose name is The Branch,Ó is the Man God promised to send as our Redeemer and Savior, the Man promised to our fallen parents in Genesis 3:15.

á      The Seed of woman.

á      The Seed of Abraham.

á      The Seed of David.

á      The Son of God.

á      The Son of Man.

 

How blessed! Yes, he is Òthe Man,Ó truly and properly man, as well as truly and properly God, all man and all God. Otherwise, he could never have saved us. As Robert Hawker put it, ÒGod and man, forming one Christ, alone could be suited for a Mediator to accomplish redemption by his blood.Ó This man is ÒThe Branch,Ó the ÒPlant of RenownÓ God planted and raised up for us, under whose shadow our souls are made to dwell in safety.

 

2. ÒAnd he shall grow up out of his place.Ó — That certainly has reference to our SaviorÕs incarnation and virgin birth. This Man, ÒThe Branch,Ó did not grow up by the sowing and planting of man. No man had a hand in his being. This Òholy thingÓ was conceived in the womb of a virgin by the Holy Spirit.

 

When the Lord God said, Òhe shall grow up out of his place,Ó he described our SaviorÕs virgin birth; but there is more here than just his virgin birth. When the Lord God declares, Òhe shall grow up out of his place,Ó there is clearly a reference to eternity. His Ògoings forth have been from of old from everlastingÓ (Micah 5:2). What is his place? The place from which he comes is heaven itself (2 Corinthians 8:9).

 

(2 Corinthians 8:9) ÒFor ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.Ó

 

His place, the place from which he grew is the eternal counsels of the triune God (Proverbs 8:23, 30-31).

 

(Proverbs 8:23) ÒI was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.Ó

 

(Proverbs 8:30-31) ÒThen I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; (31) Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.Ó

 

The Psalmist asked, ÒWho shall declare his generation?Ó Yes, he is a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch out of his roots. And he is, himself, the Root of David, planted in the eternal purpose of GodÕs own sovereign decree, and budding forth as ÒThe BranchÓ in his incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and glory.

 

What a Branch he is of never-failing loveliness, everlastingly luscious and fruitful, in all the proclamations of his Gospel, converting sinners, and comforting saints! Our Savior is an eternally perennial Branch to all his redeemed in grace and glory.

 

3. ÒAnd he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord.Ó — This is stated twice, as if to show us what an important and sure promise this is. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Builder of his house, the church of God (Matthew 16:18), which is here (and throughout the Word of God) said to be his temple, his dwelling place.

á      The Church is compared to the temple of the Old Testament, because the temple was placed on a mountain, lifted above the earth, highly exalted and safe.

á      The materials used to build the temple were choice stones and excellent timbers, symbolizing GodÕs elect, who are as lively stones built up into a spiritual house, fitly compacted together.

á      The temple was a magnificent, glorious place (Psalm 87:3). — ÒGlorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God. He whose word cannot be broken, formed thee for his own abode.Ó — Oh, what glorious things our God has spoken concerning his church! She is a people — chosen in love — redeemed by blood — called and kept by grace — and there is no spot in her!

á      It is called Òthe temple of the Lord,Ó because he built it, he dwelled in it, there he was worshipped, there he revealed himself, and there he met with his people (Exodus 25:22; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

 

(Exodus 25:22) ÒAnd there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.Ó

 

So it is with the church of God. Christ is the Foundation and Chief Cornerstone of it; and he is the wise master Builder who builds it. He builds it on himself and for himself. — By His Spirit. — By his grace! — By his Word. — But Christ is the Builder.

 

4. ÒAnd he shall bear the glory.Ó— Who else? He bought it with his blood. He builds it out of nothing. He makes it glorious in himself, with his own glory. Therefore, the glory of his house shall be hung on him alone (Isaiah 22:24). — Truly, ÒHis glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon himÓ (Psalm 21:5). — ÒHis work is honourable and gloriousÓ (Psalm 111:3). — ÒAnd blessed be his glorious name forever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and AmenÓ (Psalm 72:19).

 

5. ÒAnd (he) shall sit and rule upon his throne.Ó — Look yonder, there, in heaven, having finished all his work on earth, our Savior is at ease and rests; and his rest is glorious! He rules over all flesh to give eternal life to his elect, his ransomed ones, to save, protect, and perfect the purchase of his blood.

 

6. ÒAnd he shall be a Priest upon his throne.Ó — ÒThe man whose name is The Branch,Ó the One we are called to trust, our all-glorious Christ, is both Priest and King. By his one great sacrifice of himself, he has put away our sins forever. By his precious blood, he has perfected us forever. He is now seated upon his throne as our King, the King of Glory, crowned with glory and honor. He ever lives as our High Priest. He is both our Priest and our King. That means that all he seeks in his intercession for us, as he appears in the presence of God for us, presenting his blood, his sacrifice, and his righteousness to the Father, he shall have. This Priest is the King! He has power and authority, as the King of Glory, to effectually apply the benefits of his work, and to effectually bestow the blessings of his grace, and to effectually accomplish the desires of his heart upon his people.

 

7. ÒAnd the counsel of peace shall be between them both.Ó — That simply means, ÒThe man whose name is The Branch,Ó our almighty Christ, shall, by his sovereign dominion and eternal, effectual priesthood, fulfill all the covenant of peace toward us, for us, and in us, by his omnipotent grace! To put it another way, ÒHe shall save his people from their sins!Ó

 

Oh, may God give you grace to ÒBehold the Man whose name is The BRANCH

 

Behold the Man who is ÒThe BRANCH,Ó

The true and living Vine,

Both Òbeautiful and glorious.Ó —

JehovahÕs Branch is mine!

 

All life, and grace, and righteousness,

I draw from Christ the Vine,

JehovahÕs Branch of Righteousness. —

JehovahÕs Branch is mine!

 

Quickened and kept alive by grace,

From Him my fruit I find,

The Branch God made strong for Himself. —

JehovahÕs Branch is mine!

 

His vineyard, under His own care,

Is fenced with power divine;

The Branch of God, Plant of Renown,

JehovahÕs Branch is mine!

 

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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