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CHRIST THE BRANCH Isaiah 4:2: “In 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.” The “branch” in the verse is Christ. See Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12 for confirmation. Actually, the word “branch” is used in four different contexts for describing Christ in the Old Testament, each one corresponding to His portrayal in each of the four gospels. In Matthew, Christ is portrayed as the King, in Mark He is God’s faithful servant, in Luke He is the son of man, and He’s the Son of God in John, the book that promotes His deity. The breakdown is as follows:Matthew – King – Jeremiah 23:5Mark – Servant – Zechariah 3:8Luke – Son of Man - Zechariah 6:12John – Son of God – Isaiah 4:2; 11:1 This fourfold depiction also corresponds to the four cherubims in Ezekiel, the four horns on the brazen altar, the four divisions of the twelve tribe encampment around the tabernacle, and a few other fours. The word of God is a gold mine . . . if only we will slow down and take the time to dig and appreciate it.