What is the meaning of Isaiah 4:3? Whoever remains in Zion The verse opens with a picture of survival after divine judgment. Isaiah has just described the Lord washing away filth and purging bloodshed (Isaiah 4:4), so those who “remain” are the remnant preserved by God’s mercy. • Throughout Scripture the Lord keeps a faithful core when many fall away (Isaiah 1:9; Romans 9:27). • This remnant is not self-selected; it is protected by God, much like Noah in the flood (Genesis 7:23) or the 7,000 who did not bow to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). • By setting the scene in Zion—His chosen mountain—God shows that His covenant purposes stand even after severe cleansing (Psalm 132:13-14). and whoever is left in Jerusalem The repetition underscores the physical reality: real people in a real city. Judgment hasn’t wiped them out; it has refined them. • Zechariah 13:8-9 speaks of two-thirds cut off, one-third refined. The survivors “left” are that purified third. • Jesus foretold a similar preservation during end-times turmoil in Jerusalem (Luke 21:24; Matthew 24:22). • God’s promises to David’s city remain intact; He never abandons the place of His Name (1 Kings 11:36; Psalm 48:1-8). will be called holy Survival is not the only mark—character is transformed. Holiness here is a public recognition: people look at the remnant and see God’s stamp. • Leviticus 20:26, “You are to be holy to Me, because I, the LORD, am holy,” undergirds Isaiah’s claim. • Hebrews 12:14 warns that without holiness no one will see the Lord; this remnant meets that standard. • Zechariah 14:20-21 foresees even the bells on horses inscribed “Holy to the LORD,” echoing this universal holiness in restored Jerusalem. • Revelation 21:27 confirms that only the holy enter the New Jerusalem, linking Isaiah’s prophecy to the ultimate fulfillment. all in Jerusalem who are recorded among the living The phrase points to divine bookkeeping. Survival and holiness belong to those whose names are already written. • Exodus 32:32-33 introduces the “book” from which names can be blotted; Isaiah shows names that remain. • Daniel 12:1 promises deliverance “everyone who is found written in the book.” • Malachi 3:16 records a scroll of remembrance for those who fear the LORD. • Luke 10:20 has Jesus telling His disciples, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” • Revelation 20:12-15 places this “book of life” at the final judgment, sealing eternal destiny. Being “recorded among the living” assures more than physical life; it certifies everlasting fellowship with God. summary Isaiah 4:3 sketches a purified remnant in Zion: survivors of judgment, residents of Jerusalem, publicly recognized as holy, their names unerasably written in God’s book of life. The verse assures readers that after cleansing comes restoration, and that God always preserves a faithful, sanctified people whose eternal future is secure. |
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