Although Isaiah understands Jerusalem to have a special place in God's plan to reveal his power and might to the nations, he prophesies punish-ment on Jerusalem's sin which must be destroyed before the city can be used by God for his holy purposes. This destruction is the theme of Isaiah 5, in which the warning, 'You are doomed', is repeated six times; this theme recurs in Isaiah 29 and 30. But like Amos and Hosea, Isaiah foretells the survival from the judgement of a remnant whom God will use for his purposes (4:2-6). 'Everyone who is left in Jerusalem, whom God has chosen for survival, will be holy. By his power the LORD will judge and purify the nation and wash away the guilt of Jerusalem and the blood that has been shed there' (4:4). The name of Isaiah's son, Shear Jashub, signified 'a remnant will repent'.

The nation will be punished but a remnant will escape through whom God will work to build a purified nation for the future. The teaching about the remnant has been stated in Amos (Amos 3: 12,5 :15,9:8-10), with a prophecy of restoration (Amos 9: 11-15), and Isaiah takes it up in Isaiah 4:2-3, 6:13, 7:3, 10:19-21,28:5-6, 37:4, 37:31-32. Later, Jeremiah and Ezekiel continue with teaching about the remnant who will be found among the exiles in Babylon, not among those who were left in Judah, after 587B.C. Amongst the exiles there would be those who would turn to God in new understanding and faith. God will gather these together to restore them to their land.