Isaiah 31:4
For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
Isaiah, whose name means Jehovah is salvation, began prophesying as a young man in the reign of Uzziah and continued through Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah between 760 and 698 B.C. in crucial times in Judah typical of the great days to come. He is the Gospel prophet, speaking more than any other Old Testament prophet of the last days, the sufferings and work of Jesus Christ, and the kingdom of glory to come.
The verse stands in the first part of the book, chapters 1-39, and in the group of prophecies in chapters 24-35 that look forward especially to the last days and to judgments upon the earth. It belongs also among chapters 28-33, which give mighty prophecies of the future, near and far. Those chapters strongly denounce Ephraim and Judah while looking forward to the coming and reign of Christ, and because Israel there is typical of conditions in the Christian age, they concern the Christian age.
Its setting is a warning against trusting in Egypt's alliance and in human strength, portraying human frailty. It condemns Israel's forsaking of God and seeking help from Egypt as rebellion and spiritual unfaithfulness. The warning against Egypt is joined to the assurance that the Lord himself would fight for Zion.
Like a lion and a young lion roaring over its prey, the Lord is fearless and resolute in defending Mount Zion and its hill, or Jerusalem. He will not be afraid of the voice of a multitude of shepherds called forth against him, nor yield or retreat for their noise. His coming down to fight for Mount Zion is part of his coming in judgment and defense of Jerusalem, alongside his powerful voice, fiery anger, and deliverance of the city.
The lion clinging to its prey figures the intensely aggressive strength of God's love fighting for the sinner against all the powers of darkness and evil influences. As a hungry lion tasting blood fiercely clings to its prey, so the Lord, having tasted the joy of redeeming his children, clings to them and guards them from evil and comes down to fight for Mount Zion and its hill. That gentle yet fighting love has been the motive power of conflict with evil ever since the original rebellion in heaven, where there was war because love could not compromise with evil and Satan and his deceived followers were cast down.
The assurance that the Lord himself would fight for Zion was fulfilled when Sennacherib's army was struck while he was away from Jerusalem and he returned to his own land in defeat. While strongly denouncing Ephraim and Judah, the verse looks forward to the coming and reign of Christ. Because Israel in these prophecies is typical of conditions in the Christian age, it concerns the Christian age.
The same charge against trusting Egypt applies to churches that seek union with civil power instead of relying wholly on God. God will not share his glory with another.