Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 4:6

"And there shall be a pavilion for a shade in the day-time from the heat, and for a refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain." — Isaiah 4:6 (ASV)

And there shall be a tabernacle — The reference here is to the “tabernacle,” or sacred “tent,” that God directed Moses to make in the wilderness. The image of the cloudy pillar mentioned in the previous verses seems to have suggested to the prophet's mind the idea of the tabernacle over which that pillar rested.

However, the principal idea here is not a tabernacle as a symbol of divine protection or divine worship, but of a place of refuge from a tempest—that is, that they should be “safe” under His protection. In Eastern countries, people primarily lived in tents. Therefore, the idea is that God would provide them with a place of shelter, a hiding place from the storm.

In the daytime from the heat — The heat in those regions was often very intense, particularly in the vast plains of sand. The “idea” here is, therefore, one that is very striking. It means that God would provide them with a refuge that would be like the comfort derived from a tent in a burning desert.

For a place of refuge — A place to which to flee in the midst of a storm, as a tent would be.

A covert — A place of retreat, a safe place to retire to. The figure used here is often employed in the prophets (Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 32:2).

In Eastern countries, this idea would be very striking. While traversing the burning sands of a desert, exposed to the rays of a tropical sun, nothing could be more welcome than the cool shadow of a rock. Such figures are, therefore, common in Eastern writings to denote protection and agreeable shelter from calamities (see the note at Isaiah 32:2).

The idea in these verses is:

1. That God will be a defender of His people.

2. That He will protect their families, and that His blessing will be upon their dwelling places (compare the note at Isaiah 59:21).

3. That they may expect His blessing on their religious assemblies.

4. That God, through the promised Messiah, would be a refuge and defense.

The sinner is exposed to the burning wrath of God and to the storms of divine vengeance that will beat forever on the naked soul in hell. From all this burning wrath and from this raging tempest, the Messiah is the only refuge. Through Him, God forgives sin; and united to Him by faith, the soul is safe.

There are few images more beautiful than this. Soon the storms of divine vengeance will beat on the sinner. God will summon him to judgment.

But then, he who has fled to the Messiah—the Lord Jesus—as the refuge of his soul, will be safe. He will have nothing to fear, and in His arms will find defense and salvation.