Hello Beloved,
As we continue our study of the names and titles of Jesus, we are currently in the Old Testament. Last month, we considered the title of the Jesus as “Immanuel.” This month we will consider the messianic title of “Branch.” In days of old, the branch metaphor was often related to the descendants of a king (Ezek 17:3, 10; Dan 11:7), and the Bible depicts this metaphor of Jesus as the righteous “Branch” that shoots from the dynasty of David. We often reflect on Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah 11:1, which states, “There shall come forth a shoot (my emphasis) from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit” Isaiah 11:1 (ESV). Several other prophetic passages also depict Jesus as the “Branch:”
“Branch of Yahweh” (Isa 4:2)
“Branch of David” (Jer 23:5–6)
“The Branch, My Servant” (Zec 3:8)
“Branch, a man” (Zec 6:12)
Elmer Towns indicates that the four passages exhibited above which describe the “Branch” communicate an interesting kaleidoscope of colorful metaphors that appear to parallel an emphatic description of Jesus from each of the four gospels (Elmer Towns, The Names of Jesus, 48). First, the prophet Jeremiah writes, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land” Jeremiah 23:5 (ESV). Towns connects Matthew’s emphasis of Jesus as “King” with Jeremiah’s description of the Messiah. Second, the prophet Zechariah states, “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch” Zechariah 3:8 (ESV). Towns connects Zechariah’s emphasis on the Messiah as “Servant” from this passage with the broad emphasis on Jesus as “Servant” from the gospel of Mark. Of course, the prophet Isaiah also greatly emphasizes the connection of the “Servant” with “Messiah” in his four servant songs located in the second half of his prophetic book. Third, Zechariah also writes of the Messiah, “And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD” Zechariah 6:12 (ESV). Towns emphasizes the humanity of Jesus from this allusion and connects Zechariah’s description of the “Branch” with Luke’s use of the “Son of man” in his gospel. Finally, Isaiah writes:
In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain. Isaiah 4:2-6 (ESV)
Towns connects Isaiah’s portrayal of the “Branch” that encompasses the very identity of the Lord Himself in all His divine glory with John’s description of Jesus with the Word who was with God and was God (John 1:1). As Jesus was the “Servant” who suffered for our sin in His first coming, we await the fulfillment of His kingdom, which will be inaugurated in His second coming. At this time, King Jesus, the righteous Branch, will sit on His throne and execute justice and righteousness. Until next time, this is Pastor Daniel writing, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”