We saw in previous chapters how Isaiah was given a glimpse in a vision of Adonai’s glorious throne room, which so moved him that he immediately answered Adonai’s call on his life.
Despite having to give his people a dire warning message which would make him very unpopular, Isaiah stood up for the truth. He warned the people that they were rushing headlong into disaster.
But he also had words of hope. One day a Messiah would come to save, comfort and bless Israel.
In chapter 11, Isaiah reveals more about the coming Messiah.
Verses 1 and 2 talk about His endowment; that which we see in His first coming.
Verses 3 – 5 talk about His righteous reign – His second coming.
Verses 6 – 9 talk about His kingdom of peace for man and the natural world.
Verses 11 –16 talk about the regathering of Adonai’s people.
References to the regathering are also found in Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Zephaniah and Zechariah. Through them we get a glimpse of Israel in the messianic kingdom.
Verse 1.
“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of its roots.”
Jesse was of course the father of King David. The terms “Rod” and “Branch” are messianic terms. This verse looks forward to the messianic kingdom.
The “Rod” represents a new and greater David. As David gave Israel general (if not complete) righteousness and security. This new David, from his line, will establish an incomparably greater kingdom. The “Branch” is a figurative term (as is “the root of David”) for the greater descendant of the household of David; the Messiah Himself.
Isaiah 4: 2.
“In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped.”
Revelation 5: 5.
“But one of the elders said to me, ”Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
Revelation 22: 16.
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Miryam, the mother of the Lord Yeshua, was a descendant of David’s son, Nathan. Later in her ancestry we find Zerubbabel, another descendant of David. The Lord’s adoptive father, Joseph, was also a descendant of Zerubbabel who led the first return from Babylon.
With the Babylonian captivity of 586 BC, the Davidic dynasty appeared to be dead, but there was life remaining in the stump and root of David’s line. That life was to manifest itself in the Messiah.
Verse 2.
“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.”
The Spirit of the Lord came upon David when he was anointed king (1 Samuel 16: 13; Psalm 51:11). The Spirit also came upon Gideon in the fight against the Midianites (Judges 6:34).
The Holy Spirit will “rest upon” the Lord Yeshua, who will rule the world. The Messiah will be Adonai’s agent for establishing His kingdom.
In this verse we see the triune Godhead in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 61: 1.
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound …”
Luke 3:22.
“And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
In Isaiah chapter 11 verse 2, we see the Spirit-inspired qualities that will allow Messiah to rule justly and effectively. Revelation 1: 4. “the Seven spirits who are before His throne”. This may refer to the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of “wisdom and understanding”. This relates to the power of the mind; the awareness to understand the nature of things and the discernment to differentiate between different things.
Solomon prayed for these (1 Kings 3: 9); for the administrative skills with which to govern the people according to the principles of justice and righteousness.
The Spirit of “counsel and might”. This relates to practical activity. “Counsel” is the ability to adopt the right conclusions and “might” is the power exercised in carrying them out.
The Spirit of “knowledge and the fear of God”. This relates to fellowship with Adonai; and knowledge of Adonai.
Messiah will embody all of these; He will be the ideal king.
Isaiah 33:6.
“Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.”
Messiah will demonstrate in all His life, the correct response to Adonai; He will honour and obey Him.
Proverbs 19: 23.
“The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil.”
Verse 3.
“His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of his eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears.”
Verses 3, 4 and 5 give information concerning Messiah’s righteous reign.
Messiah will rule in wisdom and righteousness with a reverential and obedient attitude to Adonai. The term, “the fear of the Lord”, also implies His standard of moral conduct known through special revelation and accepted by the faithful.
The use of “eyes” and “ears” are the ordinary avenues for a king to obtain the information that is required to govern. But the future king will have supernatural perception beyond these mere human sources.
Verses 4 and 5.
“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 slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.”
The term, “judge”, in this context does not mean to hold to account but rather to act “to act on behalf of.” We see here the absolute equity of Messiah’s reign, His personal righteousness, and His reign of peace and security. From Jerusalem He will rule the world and through Him the world will enjoy peace and security.
He deals with the wicked and offers protection and defense to the innocent and oppressed.
He will conquer by His speech.
Isaiah 49: 2.
“And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword …”
Hebrews 4: 12.
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit …”
Revelation 19: 15.
“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule with a rod of iron.”
Verses 6 – 9.
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. 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.”
All the creatures of the earth will be subject to Messiah’s rule. Such peace will prevail that all enmity among men, among animals and between men and animals will cease in the messianic kingdom.
Dangerous animals will be miraculously regenerated with a new nature which will cause them to protect their natural prey; carnivores will become herbivores. Natural enemies will become companions, and little children will be able to play safely in the vicinity of venomous snakes.
In ancient times, “the knowledge of the Lord” was limited and partial. But in the coming, glorious age, there will be no limit to divine truth.
Jeremiah 31:34.
“No more shall every man teach his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, “Know the Lord”, for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord.”
Verse 10.
“And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious.”
The reason for the transformation of the human and animal worlds is seen here.
A “banner” is a rallying symbol. In the future the Lord Yeshua will be gathering people from around the world to inhabit His kingdom: Jew and Gentile together as Adonai always intended. All the believing host gathered with glad accord, enjoying the universal peace of the messianic kingdom. The seat of His authority (Jerusalem) will be glorious.
Isaiah 66: 18.
“… I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory …”
Isaiah 2:3.
“Many people shall come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Verse 11.
“It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Assyria and Egypt, from Pathros and Cush, from Elam and Shinar, from Hamath and the islands of the sea.”
The first return of Israel was, of course, the Exodus from Egypt.
Here we may be looking at the return from captivity in Babylon and, beyond that, to the future return of the Lord Yesha to establish the messianic kingdom.
The list of nations, “from Assyria … and the islands of the sea”, suggests the latter and world-wide regathering involving them whole earth.
Jeremiah 23:3.
“But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.”
Isaiah 51:11.
“So, the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
Verses 12 and 13.
“He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim.”
This return will be from the world-wide dispersion; from “the four corners of the earth.” Messiah will gather disciples from all over the world. The faithful remnant of Israel will return.
Not only will Adonai destroy the enemies of Ephraim and Judah, but He will remove the ancient animosities between them which we saw in chapter 9 verses 21.
Verse 14.
“But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west; together they shall plunder the people of the East; they shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; and the people of Ammon shall obey them.”
The re-united people of Ephraim and Judah in the future messianic kingdom, are the “they” referred to in this verse. In that day Israel will be free from foreign oppression and will be the dominant political force.
The image contained in the phrase, “they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines”, suggests a bird of prey attacking another bird or similar prey. The “Philistines” were of course Israel’s traditional enemy and may represent here the adversaries of the messianic kingdom.
Israel will extend its power over Edom, Moab and Ammon i.e., modern day Jordan.
Verse 15.
“The Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt; with His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River, and strike it in the seven streams, and make men cross over dry-shod.”
The “River” in scripture is generally the Euphrates. Just as Adonai had dried up the Red Sea (with a mighty wind in Exodus 14: 21 – 29), He will dry up the Euphrates and the Nile, to remove any physical barrier that would hinder the return of His people on foot.
The dried-up Euphrates would also allow progress for the invading armies which will gather in the Valley of Armageddon for war (Revelation 16: 12).
Verse 16.
“There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who will be left from Assyria, as it was for Israel in the day that he came up from the land of Egypt.”
The description of a “highway” symbolizes the certainty of their return. There will be no obstacle in the way of the Lord’s returning exiles.
Isaiah 35: 8 – 10.
“A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”