Read Isaiah 11

The Messiah and His People

God offers the hope of a better day to His remnant and comfort to the faithful. We will face struggles in this life, both physical and spiritual, but continued reliance upon God and His power will bring tremendous blessings.

Isaiah prophesies of the coming Messiah and identifies the house of Jesse as the source of the promised deliverer. The Messiah will be the Rod from the stem of Jesse, the Branch that grows out of his roots. The enemies of God’s people will be left desolate without even a hint of life remaining, but Isaiah says the house of Jesse will grow strong once again. The apostle Paul makes reference to this prophecy in Romans 15.

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him” (Isaiah 11:1). The three pairs of attributes describing the Messiah should arouse confidence in His disciples. “Wisdom and understanding” have reference to His intellectual prowess and application of that intellect. “Counsel and might” show His ability to direct and advise His people and suppress His opponents. “Knowledge and…the fear of the Lord” refer to His spiritual acumen and respect for the divine mission.

The prophet turns his attention from the King to the citizens of the kingdom beginning in Isaiah 11:6, utilizing figurative language to describe the character of those citizens and how they would interact with each other. There is a description of peaceful cohabitation among several animals that would normally be antagonistic towards each other. Keep in mind that this is figurative language; it is not to be taken literally. The animals are representative of how the citizens of Christ’s kingdom should relate to each other.

Do these descriptions match the way you deal with your brothers and sisters in the Lord? If you have a “wolf” personality, do you peacefully “dwell with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6)? This is what your King expects of you. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, of the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

The kingdom is here. Are you living as a loyal subject to the King, or are you still selfishly looking out for your own best temporal interests?