Understanding Isaiah (Lesson 6: The Shoot of Jesse, Christ the King)

Introduction:

In our last lesson, we concluded by observing verses six and seven of Isaiah chapter nine, and considering the everlasting kingdom that Christ would be born to rule. This week, we will examine the nature of his kingdom in more detail from the prophecy contained in chapter eleven. But before we get into chapter eleven, it would be beneficial to trace the flow of thought in the remainder of chapter nine, together with that of chapter ten, as a sort of brief introduction to the material at hand.

The latter part of Isaiah chapter nine contains a judgment pronounced against Israel (the northern tribes) because of their pride, the deception of their leaders, whereby they cause the people to wander astray, and their cruelty and injustice to the weak and needy among the people. The agents of God’s judgment against Israel would be Syria and Philistia, who, working together as bloodthirsty jaws (one on either side of the ten tribes), would devour Israel.

Chapter ten begins with a judgment announced in general against all who unjustly oppress the weak and needy. It is not only northern Israel’s wicked rulers, but all who resemble them in these matters of pride, deception, cruelty, and injustice, who will certainly be judged by God. Verses five through nineteen extend God’s judgment to Assyria, who, although used by God to work judgment against Israel, nevertheless stands deserving of judgment herself, being guilty of the same sins as those for which Israel was being judged. Assyria is described by the ridiculous picture of an axe attempting to wield the one who is actually wielding it. God is using Assyria as a man picks up an axe to fell a tree. It is absurd to think of an axe attempting to pick up a man and fell a tree with him, but that is exactly what Assyria thinks she is doing. Therefore, God will utterly destroy her as soon as he is finished using her to judge Zion (cf. verse 12). Although God is using Assyria to judge Israel, he is still the God of Israel, and when he has finished using Assyria, the Holy One of Israel will be as a fire consuming the nation of Assyria (verse 17). Finally, verses twenty through thirty-four bring again to the forefront the doctrine of the returning remnant. Israel was as the sand of the sea; but the destruction wrought by Assyria would be so complete as to leave only a small remnant of this nation that had been so numerous. However, for this remnant, of grace, there would be no cause to fear Assyria’s might. Just as God had miraculously preserved his people from Midian and Egypt, he would thus miraculously preserve his righteous few. Compare Romans 9:27 (and context) for further comment on this prophecy.

At the conclusion of chapter ten, we see Assyria effecting a great destruction, as though she were an axe felling all the great forests of the world. Is all hope then cut off? No, for there remains a stump of Jesse, and from this stump will spring forth the King of the ages, born to rule on the throne of David as God had promised so many years before. Which brings us to our lesson for this week.

The Shoot of Jesse [Isaiah 11:1-16]

This prophecy could not have been more precisely fulfilled than it was when Christ was born to Mary, of the offspring of David, and was supposed to be the son of Joseph, descended from the sons of David which did indeed sit upon the throne for many generations. At that time, the splendor of the Davidic line was indeed cut off to the very root, Mary being of no great fame or influence, and Joseph being but a poor carpenter, with no outward appearance of being royalty at all, and certainly not that line of royalty which should issue forth in a King who would rule the world for all eternity. We have already discussed the imagery of the Branch in lesson four, when we examined Isaiah chapter four. We may learn much of the nature of Jesus’ kingly dominion from this prophecy. The following points are well borne out by the text:

1. Jesus would be the heir of David. (Isaiah 11:1)

Just as God promised to David that one of his descendants would sit upon his throne forever (2 Samuel 7:16), we see that the Messiah would be from the root of Jesse, David’s father, and hence would fulfill this promise made to David so long ago.

2. Jesus would exercise his kingly office by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 11:2-3)

The reign of Christ would be submitted to the power of the Holy Spirit. His judgments would not be delivered on the basis of any arbitrary method of decision, but would be instructed by the Spirit of God. When Jesus began to proclaim the advent of the kingdom, his own testimony accords with this prophecy; hence, we read in Luke 4:18-21 that, at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus read aloud the parallel prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-2 (“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, etc.”) and proclaimed to the people, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Later, when contending with the Pharisees, Christ proclaimed that his testimony was true and his judgment was just because he did not bear witness of himself, but whatever he heard, that he spoke (John 5:30-32). As the Spirit spoke to Jesus the will of the Father, Jesus passed judgment righteously and always in accordance with God’s will.

3. Jesus’ reign would be characterized by righteousness and faithfulness to the word of God. (Isaiah 11:4-5)

The product of Jesus’ Spirit-reliant reigning would be absolute righteousness, which would save the meek and poor but utterly destroy the wicked.

4. The final product of Jesus’ reign would be an absolute, worldwide state of peace. (Isaiah 11:6-9)

Hence he is called “The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Although the world has not yet seen the final effects of Christ’s reign, the outcome is sure. Jesus is still upon the throne, and he is slowly and certainly causing the effects of his great success to cover the earth. Every time the gospel is proclaimed, the peace that Christ died to accomplish is being further secured. The eventual outcome of this unstoppable tide of blood-bought peace is a restored earth no longer touched by the effects of sin, an earth covered by the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea.

5. The subjects of Jesus’ reign would include persons from every nation as the one true people of God, who will dwell with him forever in peace and joyful fellowship. (Isaiah 11:10-14)

We read in verse ten that the Root of Jesse will be an ensign (a flag or banner for rallying around) for the Gentiles. Integral to Jesus’ reign of righteousness and peace will be the task of gathering together the remnant of Judah – which is seen as coterminous with drawing in the Gentiles, who are seen as constituting, together with the dispersed of Israel and Judah, the true people of God (verses 11-12). There will no longer be fighting among God’s people, but instead a love and unity, coupled with a sure triumph over all of God’s enemies (here typified by Edom, Moab, and Ammon – verses 13-14).

6. This gathering of the subjects of Christ the King would take the place of the redemption from Egypt as the highest example of Christ’s saving his people. (Isaiah 11:15-16)

The redemption of Israel from the land of Egypt had long been the ultimate illustration of God’s sovereign deliverance of the people whom he had chosen to set his love and grace upon. Here, we see that this act, as mighty as it was, is in fact just a type and foreshadow of the truly ultimate work of redemption: Christ’s saving and gathering his people from all over the world. Jeremiah 16:14-15 relates this same truth, looking ahead to the time when it would no longer be said, “The LORD lives, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD lives, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.”

Conclusion: A Song of Praise [Isaiah 12]

The prophecy of Isaiah 11 is one of the most glorious and beautiful prophecies of Christ anywhere in the prophets: hence, it is fitting that, at its conclusion, the wonder of what has been related compels the people of God to burst forth in a song of adoration and praise; just as Paul, having spent eleven chapters laying out the riches of Christ’s accomplishment, could not but break forth in wondering adoration of so wise and gracious a God (Romans 11:33-36). The only response we may have, as the people of such a wonderful Savior and King, is earnest and sincere worship, breaking forth from our lips in songs of joyful praise. The foundational principle of Christ’s reign is the salvation that he has wrought for his people. The essence of his kingdom is that it is a kingdom of redemption. Christ is our Savior-King, and all the Old Testament types of provision and kingdom-citizenship have their ultimate reference point in the realities of Christ’s providing for us salvation and transferring us from the kingdom of darkness to make us citizens of his marvelous kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13).

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