Season 6, Podcast 60, Isaiah 11:1-10, “The Stem of Jesse.”

Season 6, Podcast 60, Isaiah 11:1-10, “The Stem of Jesse.”

The entire focus of Isaiah is on Christ.

Isaiah 11:1

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

The stem of Jesse is Christ. Jesse, of the House of Judah, was the father of David and through the lineage of David the Christ child shall be born as prophesied by Isaiah.

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

With clarity Isaiah further describes the attributes of Christ.

Isaiah 11:2-5

2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

The rod of his mouth refers to the word of God. The “rod of his mouth” is in parallel to “the breath of his lips.” The words smite and slay are war images. But Isaiah is not speaking of staves or knives or swords or spears. He is speaking of eternal law. Smite and slay refer to the law of justice. Justice is unconditional, and those who do not obey the word of God, meaning the words of Christ, will be punished in full by the law of justice. 

But also from Christ, and only from Christ, comes the law of mercy. Those who seek the mercy of Christ will escape the law of justice. The above verses speak primarily of the law of mercy as it applies to judgment. Christ is attended by the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, by the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge. He shall judge with righteousness and equity. He is girded about with righteousness and faithfulness.

Isaiah refers to two major appearances of Christ. One is in the meridian of time when he dwells among the Jews in Jerusalem. When Christ was born on earth, the Jews were under captivity by the Romans. In fact, between the time of Isaiah and the birth of Christ the Jews were either severely battered or completely conquered by the Assyrian Empire, the Babylonian Empire, the Persian Empire, The Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire. Soon after the crucifixion of Christ, as prophesied by Christ, the Jewish state was destroyed by the Romans leading to the Diaspora or scattering of the Jews over the earth. 

Two is during the millennium, often referred to as the Second Coming. Therefore, both times he will be accompanied by justice and mercy. The time of the Millennium, though preceded by tremendous destruction of the wicked, will be an idyllic time.

Isaiah 11:6-9

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.