Life-Study of Isaiah, by Witness Lee

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II. THE USHERING IN OF THE GOD-MAN, CHRIST,
ISSUING IN THE RESTORATION
OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL

God’s judgment on the haughty nations ushers in the God-man, Christ (4:2, 5-6), issuing in the restoration of the nation of Israel (4:3-6; 2:2-5).

A. The Ushering In of the God-man, Christ

1. "In That Day"

According to 4:2, the ushering in of Christ will be "in that day," that is, in the day of the coming restoration of the nation of Israel.

2. The Shoot of Jehovah
and the Fruit of the Earth

In 4:2 there are two striking expressions: the Shoot of Jehovah and the Fruit of the earth. These two are one pair, illustrating Christ’s two natures: the divine nature and the human nature. The Shoot of Jehovah refers to Christ’s deity, showing His divine nature, and the Fruit of the earth (Luke 1:42) refers to Christ’s humanity with His human nature. As the Shoot of Jehovah, Christ comes out of God. As the Fruit of the earth, Christ, having a human body made of dust, grows out of the earth.

In the book of Isaiah, Christ is unveiled as the God-man, the Shoot of Jehovah with beauty and glory and the Fruit of the earth with excellence and splendor. In the restoration, to those of Israel who have escaped, Christ in His deity will be beauty and glory, and in His humanity He will be excellence and splendor.

The Shoot of Jehovah denotes that Christ is a new development of Jehovah God for the Triune God to branch out Himself in His divinity into humanity. This is for Jehovah God’s increase and spread in the universe. The Fruit of the earth denotes that Christ, as the divine Shoot of Jehovah, also becomes a man of flesh from the earth. This is for the Triune God to be multiplied and reproduced in humanity. As a man with the divine life, He is a seed, a grain of wheat, to produce many grains through His death and resurrection (John 12:24).

Such a God-man, Christ as the Shoot of Jehovah and the Fruit of the earth, is ushered in by God’s judgment. In particular, He is ushered in by war, which is used by God to judge the nations. The more war there is, the more Christ will be ushered in. Many believers can testify that they were saved during a time of war.

Out of the Christ who is ushered in by judgment issues the restoration of the nation of Israel. Therefore, God’s judgment eventually results in Christ, the God-man, with restoration.

(Life-Study of Isaiah, Chapter 4, by Witness Lee)