Contemplate these questions as you dwell in Isaiah 4:2-6:

1. This passage contrasts the fate of the "Daughters of Zion" with the promise of beauty and glory for the remnant of God's people. How does this distinction highlight the transformative power of God's judgment and grace in separating those who remain faithful to Him? What lessons can we draw from this contrast in our own journey of faith?

2. The imagery of God guiding His people with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night draws parallels to the Exodus. How does this symbolism reaffirm the idea of God's continual guidance and protection for His faithful, even in the face of challenges or storms? How can this assurance influence our trust in God during difficult times?

3. The chapter speaks of a refuge and shelter provided by God. In what ways do you see God providing shelter, both spiritually and emotionally, in your life? How does the promise of God's protection and guidance shape your perspective on facing life's challenges and uncertainties?

Transcript:

As you remember, on Monday, we heard about the Daughters of Zion. Remember, they were the bald women. I shared with you that I remembered the Johnny Dewe public song from the late 90s or maybe the mid-90s, whenever alternative was a big thing, the song Daughters of Zion. And that was the theme, the idea that those who had affluence, those who had money were going to be brought low by the judgment of the Lord. So now we see that judgment was going to come, and then now we're seeing the good part, how God is going to be glorified in that, and how there is going to be a remnant. We saw last time, those who are going to be judged, now we will see those who will remain, those who are faithful to God. There's a major contrast here, and that's what I highlighted here in verse two, if you're watching on video. That day, the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious. Remember what it had to say about the daughters of Zion? Basically, they were bald, ugly, stinky. None of it was good. But now God is going to do something different with this remnant.

That is who we see here. Verse three, and he who is left in Zion remains his Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, those who are the remnant, those who are the people of God, those who are appointed by Him. And God is the one who will come and judge, and He will away the filth, He will cleanse away all the guilt, and then there will be something beautiful and glorious. The ugly, the sinful is gone. And then we see that God is going to create something there in Jerusalem. The idea of Mount Zion here is all of Jerusalem. All this brick coming together of God's goodness and His Holiness and these faithful, all of it coming together. Then we see some very familiar language. You may have noticed it as I was reading it, cloud by day. Where do we know that from? We know that from the exodus. It also says it'll be, Flaming fire by night. The idea here is that God is the one that is guiding His people. We look back to what we know from the Book of exodus, from the exodus itself, that they had a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

What was the point? That God was guiding them. They were following Him. God is the one who leads His people. We see here in verse 6, as it closes up this chapter 4, There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and shelter from the storm and the rain. God is the one who is going to protect His people. He brings out His remnants and He will continue to protect them. He is faithful to do His good work for them. As we think about this passage, we are reminded of what God does for His people, how He cleanses His people, how He brings us to Himself, and how He is our guidance. He is our protection. We understand that because we have been given faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are his remnants. We are the ones who have been reported for life. So may we remember that God is the one who guides us through his word and spirit, that He is the one who protects us from the shelter and from the storm and the rain in our lives.