It appears to be tradition in our society that children are asked what they would wish for in the year to come. Children possess an innocence, and a capacity for faith, that, as the years progress, tends to fade in the human soul. We live in an age where the terrors of the world are visible to our children, both in the home, on the street, and at the school. If they don’t see violence there, they can easily find it on the internet, and learn of the war-torn countries where the civilians, especially women and children, suffer as the men go to war. Their resounding request reflects both the innocence of their heart, and the desire that things be as they ought to be. I believe their request represents the innate desire of mankind, knowing what ought to be, though it is not. That request that resounds in the heart and soul of all who recognize the value and dignity life is this: world peace.

World peace accomplished would first mean a relinquishment from war. There would be no more fighting, killing, loss of loved ones. It would also include the removal of enmity between man, ethnicities, and nations. It would mean people working together for the common good of all people, that all would flourish, and none would be under poverty or political oppression. Do I sound like I’m running for [political] office?

The world believes that, if we put forth the right energy, the right political platform, the right rules and regulations, the right diplomatic incentives, The right allies, well written and informed treaties, we can have this world peace! Thousands of years of history have proven that there is nothing new under the sun. We can have a populous who desires peace, but that peace will always be dictated and enforced by in imperfect, make-believe and self-proclaimed king. It will not be true peace. The peace the world desires, and so desperately needs, can only be administered by a perfect King, a true King, anointed by God.

The historical context of the passage: Isaiah prophesied to a divided Israel. All biblical prophesy has an immediate and future fulfillment. This division was not of God, but the result of sin, and a power grab within the people of Israel. Israel had 3 kings under one monarchy (Saul, David, then Solomon), and after Solomon died, the 10 northern tribes rebelled, and forsook the scripture that the scepter was to stay with the tribe of Judah. They wanted a kingdom that looked like the nations, and that is what they received. There was fighting between the kingdoms, and within the kingdom for the throne. This division and unrest culminated in 722 BC, when Syria and the Northern Kingdom of Israel joined forces to invade Judah. As this was about to take place, Isaiah went to Ahaz, king of Judah, and invited him to place his faith in Yahweh, even offering a sign. Ahaz wouldn’t have it, and decided to trust the power of man, and make an alliance with Assyria. Isaiah responded that God would give a sign anyhow, that “the virgin shall be with child, and shall call his name Immanuel” and by the time the child could learn how to refuse evil and choose good, the king of Syria and the king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, would be defeated. They would be defeated by Assyria, who would later be defeated by Babylon and Judah would also be carried off into captivity.

History lesson? Because it gives context to what the people where thinking, and feeling. The house of Israel was divided. Judah had been conquered. It had seemed as if God had failed in His promise, that there would be a king on the throne of David. This would communicate either that God had abandoned his people, or that God was not strong enough to deliver, to save, that the gods of the nations were more powerful. Neither was true. Israel was in the position she was because of disobedience. God had not abandoned his people, but had disciplined them, and was cleansing them. God was not lacking in power, but instead was using the nations to purify his bride, and bring forth His eternal king. Isaiah was pointing to the one King in whom the nation could hope, the one king whom would reunite Israel under one head. So, As Israel would hear the passage we read today, the would hear it under the oppression of Babylon. They would hear this message as a war-torn country, a people who live in fear, under the rule and oppression of a foreign nation, one whom despised them. They would hear these words when it would have seemed that all hope of restoration was lost, that the nation was a felled tree, in the shadow of the cedars of Lebanon.

These are the headings under which we will look at the text:

The Promised King (Root / Shoot; Indwelled by the Spirit, Spirit )

Who is… The True Judge (Not deceived, judgement flows from His character)

Who brings… True And Lasting Peace (Predator and Prey, Nature changed, Seed and Snake - curse reversed)

In A Glorious Kingdom (Source of true wisdom, Reconciles all nations

Isaiah 11:1–10

[1] There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

[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 the fear of the LORD.

[3] And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,

or decide disputes by what his ears hear,

[4] but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

[5] Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,

and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

[6] The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,

and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;

and a little child shall lead them.

[7] The cow and the bear shall graze;

their young shall lie down together;

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

[8] The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,

and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

[9] They shall not hurt or destroy

in all my holy mountain;

for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea.

[10] In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. (ESV)

The Promised King (Root / Shoot; Indwelled by the Spirit, Spirit )

Who is… The True Judge (Not deceived, judgement flows from His character)

Who brings… True And Lasting Peace (Predator and Prey, Nature changed, Seed and Snake - curse reversed)

In A Glorious Kingdom (Source of true wisdom, Reconciles all nations

[Pray]The Promised King (Root / Shoot; Indwelled by the Spirit, Spirit )

[1] There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Isaiah, when he was commissioned by God to be the prophet to the nation, was forwarded that Israel would fall, but God would preserve a remnant. The tree of the monarchy would be felled, but the stump would remain. Look at chapter 6:13. After the tree falls, a stump remains. Then he comments: “The holy seed is its stump.”

Fast forward to chapter 9, and Isaiah informs us about this stump. The stump he spoke of is the line of the kings of Judah. The stump is Jesse, the first God-appointed king of Israel (Saul was chosen by the people). Jesse’s son, the only one who could be Jesse’s son, was David. Isaiah foretold that there would be a king who arose from the line of David, but also would come as another David, one after God’s own heart. This would be a God-appointed King who would reign and rule in glory, under the Spirit of God, the blessings of God, and the peace of God. 

Furthermore, this Promised King arises not from the stump, but from the root! Don’t be confused - the shoot from the stump and the branch from the roots are the same branch. The stump is representative of the genealogy of the kings of Judah. Isaiah was stating that the King that will proceed from the stump of Jesse, yet has its origins in the root, which pre-existed Jesse. This is the King from of old. This branch which springs forth and produced fruit is the coming forth of the holy seed.

A shoot from a stump is not a promising site. It’s still fragile, easily clipped or chopped down. The image by itself is just a glimmer of hope, easily crushed. However, Isaiah says this shoot will bear fruit. It will come to maturity. It will spread out its branches and provide food and safety for all who will find shade under it. There is a certainty about it. This certainty is brought about by God. This is a God-appointed King, who is indwelled by God. Read with me:

[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 the fear of the LORD.

[3] And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

Whereas other kings may have had seasons where God’s presence was with them, this King enjoys constant communion with God, and the Spirit rests upon him. The word from which we read rests, has the idea of dwelling, remaining, and unmovable. This King, whom they’ve longed for, will have the Spirit of God, which will not be moved.

This passage laid out the seven-fold characteristics of the Spirit which this King possessed: Spirit of the LORD, Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord.

The Promised King and the Spirit of the LORD (Yahweh).

The promised King pre-existed Jesse, and was himself the holy seed. This promised King was and is none other than God himself. He possessed the Spirit of the Lord, for He was and is the Lord. And he possesses within himself all the attributes of the Spirit of God. These are attributes other kings of Judah possessed in part, but this King possesses in full.

Wisdom: the application of knowledge. Solomon was known for his wisdom, so much that Queen Sheba lost her breath when she grasped the depth of his understanding. The wisdom of this King surpassed that of Solomon. The promised King is a better King. 

Understanding: To know how things work. Understanding increases strength. It enables one to make proper decisions that effect the future.

Counsel: strategy. Specifically in a military context, strategy was important for the safety of the nation.

Might: power. A king of might has the ability to put down their foes and protect the weak. This is divine power, which no man can combat.

Knowledge: divine knowing that is hidden from the eyes of men. To have the Spirit of Knowledge is to know the things only God can know.

Fear of the Lord: We know the fear of the Lord to be the beginning of wisdom. It is the fear of the Lord that guards our way, keeps us from falling. This King will forever be steadfast as our perfect King, for he has the Spirit of the fear of the Lord, and he delights in it! He delights in the ways of the Lord, His precepts, His rule! He has a heart after God, like David, only this King is greater than David.

Both David and Solomon fell. They were imperfect kings. They were merely human. This promised King was and is divine. Think of the promise this was to the people of Israel, who were scattered, oppressed, under the rule of other nations. This promised King, His dominion will reign forever and bring peace…

For He alone is the One Who is… The True Judge

[3b] He shall not judge by what his eyes see,

or decide disputes by what his ears hear,

[4] but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

[5] Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,

and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

This judge is not deceived!

Have you ever been accused, or even found guilty, of doing something you did not do? All the signs point to your guilt, and yet you were not the perpetrator? This has happened to me, twice that I can think of. 

This judge has divine knowledge. He doesn’t judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes based on biassed testimony, what his ears hear. He makes judgements that are righteous because He knows all truth! And he decides not according to politics or power or prestige, but with equity he decides for the meek of the earth. Do you know how good that is? God is not a respecter of persons. There is nothing you or I can give to God that he doesn’t already possess! There is no one person more important that the other, or that can bring more value to the Kingdom of God.

I’ve heard it said by well-meaning Christians: “Man, such and such is wealthy, and if we could lead that person to Jesus, think of the influence, the resources, God would gain!” 

Dear friends, God is not in need of your green paper. The heart of the king is water in his hands; he sets up kingdoms and tears them down; he is not in need of what we might have or bring. This is good news, because His judgement isn’t swayed by what we own or possess, but he has perfect knowledge and makes perfect judgements for all who are on the earth.

Furthermore, He will administer justice! And His justice will be perfect!

and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

The image of striking the earth with the rod of His mouth, some commentators say is the preaching of the gospel. The gospel is this: All mankind have rebelled against their Creator, their true King, and are therefore treasonous outlaws, deserving of a traitor’s death.

[4] But God… being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—[6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:4–10

The rod of his mouth is the gospel, and the rule is this: if you would open your eyes, and see the goodness and kindness of God, and come, repent of your sin, you will be saved and live in peace that only He can provide. 

But if you will not, if you refuse the goodness of God, if you refuse the glory, power, might, love, kindness, and authority of His rule, you will perish, for with his breath he shall kill the wicked. There is nothing more wicked to God than refusing His Son, the embodiment of His love for us rebellious sinners.

And His judgement is perferct, for His judgement flows from His character. 

That is the meaning of the personification of righteousness as the belt, and faithfulness as his loins in verse 5. These attributes are so close to the person of God that they are like his closest and most secure garments.

This is why it is only this Promised King …Who brings… True And Lasting Peace

Look at verse 6 - 9 with me:

[6] The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,

and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;

and a little child shall lead them.

[7] The cow and the bear shall graze;

their young shall lie down together;

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

[8] The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,

and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

[9] They shall not hurt or destroy

in all my holy mountain;

for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea.

Do you see the pattern of life under His reign? The very pattern of life has changed, and will continue to be changed into this pattern. True and lasting peace will happen when human nature will finally return to that which it was in the garden. There will be no Predator and Prey, in fact, they will lay down together. There will be no emnity, nor reason to fear the beast, the wolf, the leopard, for man will exercise dominion over them— a child will exercise dominion over them.

The nursing child will play over the hole of the cobra, the weaned child shall put his hand on the viper’s babies, and not be bitten! Isaiah is making reference to the very curse of God in Genesis chapter 3. Genesis 3:14–15

[14] The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

cursed are you above all livestock

and above all beasts of the field;

on your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.” (ESV)

Do you see what Isaiah was referring to? The enmity between mankind and the serpent will be reversed. The very animal used by Satan to fall mankind will become the playmate of the nursing child, the offspring!

The reason we, normal people, hate snakes, is because of the fall! They won’t give us the heibie-geibies anymore! There will be no reason for fear, for man and beast will be reconciled under the reign of this Promised King, the King of Peace!

There is another reference here that, if you’re paying attention, you may have caught. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Remember that all biblical prophesy has an immediate and future fulfillment? The offspring, or seed in some translations, is that of the promised King. He was promised to us in the 3rd chapter of Genesis. The bruising (or crushing) of the head of the serpent, of Satan and his kingdom, his plan to destroy the world and all the good that God had created, was set in motion when Jesus, our promised King, our King of Peace, was crucified for us. His heal was bruised in the crushing of the serpent. But it was just his heal… he would rise from the dead, and therefore prove his kingship, for all eternity! 

This King draws us in, invites all who would come, into His glorious Kingdom!

His Glorious Kingdom

[9b]for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea.

[10] In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

The people of Israel, both north and south, saw this as a promise to reconcile the people of Israel; and thus recover one strong kingdom from the two waring nations. That stood as a beacon of hope for the people, those most innocent and yet effected by their nations at war.

The promise was much bigger than that. The Promised King was not promised to merely bring peace to Israel, but to the world. Jesus is the King for which World Peace will actually be realized! He is the King of Peace! And this is so, for under His reign, all of our nature, yours and mine, and all of humanity, and all creation, will be truly and finally changed! For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea! And His reign will reach far beyond Israel, for He will stand as a signal and all nations will come to him! 

And his resting place shall be glorious… 

The queen of Sheba fainted at the sight of Solomon’s kingdom. How much more glorious will be the glory of the Root of Jesse, He who existed before Abraham was, He who spoke the world into existence, and upholds the universe by the word of His power. The glory of His kingdom will be marked with true peace, glorious shalom. 

What does this mean for us now, we who live in the 21st century? We live in a time of great unrest, uncertainty, fear, hatred, and violence. It can appear as if the world is spinning out of control. All attempts towards peace are thwarted by selfish ambition. 

Encouragement:

God is sovereign. 

God will bring His Kingdom of Peace.

We pray, Come, Lord Jesus!