Monday, December 17, 2018
by Doyle McDaniel
Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the
Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of
knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what
his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide
with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the
breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness
the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf
and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over
the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his
dwelling shall be glorious.
The branch from a stump or the root of Jessie is an analogy of ancestry. The family tree so to speak. Isaiah
promises that a descendant of King David, whose father was Jessie, would establish God’s Kingdom on earth
righting all the devastation of generations and generations.
Understanding the context of the passage, we see that both Kingdom Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and the
Kingdom of Judah (the Southern Kingdom) were a MESS! Politically, morally, socially and religiously in all ways
their world was ill. The priests were corrupt. Social justice was unknown. Leadership sought protection and
safety by making alliances with pagan nations rather than trusting in Jehovah God.
Isaiah was a messenger from God with a message for the people of God. He predicted and warned judgment was
coming at the hands of the Assyrians, but he also gave predictions which were to give the people of God hope for
the future.
The predictions of national disaster and calamity came true just as Isaiah said. First, came the fall of Israel at the
hands of the Assyrians in 722 BC. Then came the fall of Judah in 586 BC. The Promised Branch, the root from the
stump of Jessie, came to pass with the birth of Jesus, the Christ, in the “fullness of times.” Isaiah predicted both
the first Advent of Christ as well as His Second Advent; His first coming as well as His second coming.
The Christ was to be born, live among us as the God-Man, die a horrid suffering death, be raised from the dead
and come again to establish His Kingdom restoring nature to an environment of a righteousness and
peacefulness.
Some predictions came true within a few years. Some predictions came true after several generations. Some are
yet to come true. But, they are all given to build confidence in the Lord and to give hope to His people. God
keeps His promises!
What do we take from all this? First, God loves His people despite their sin and waywardness. His love and
compassion for His creation is boundless and full of grace and mercy. Second, God keeps His Word! The Branch
from Jessie’s Root is in fulfillment of His promises made to King David. God always keeps His word. Of that we
can be confident!
The Branch has come to redeem us and will come again to restore the Earth and its fullness. The Lord will right
the ship. Be faithful, be glad and joyful for His promises come true.