1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
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 of the fear of the LORD;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
9 They shall not hurt nor 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 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
11 And 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, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
Isaiah Chapter 11 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible is a profound and prophetic chapter that encapsulates the essence of the coming Messiah, the utopian era of peace, and the ultimate redemption of Israel. The chapter is a beacon of hope, not just for the people of Israel, but for all of humanity, as it outlines God's divine plan for a world where justice, righteousness, and peace reign supreme. The chapter is not only a testament to the theological depth of the book of Isaiah but also a testament to the transformative power of the word of God as revealed through the prophets.
Isaiah Chapter 11 opens with a vivid prophecy of the coming Messiah. Isaiah speaks of a 'branch' that will spring from the 'stump' of Jesse - Jesse being the father of King David, and the 'branch' referring to a future descendant. "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:" - Isaiah 11:1 This prophecy foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ, who, according to the New Testament, is a direct descendant of David. The imagery of a 'branch' sprouting from a 'stump' signifies the promise of new life and hope arising from a place of apparent desolation and despair.
The Messiah is described as being filled with the Spirit of the Lord, possessing wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. "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 of the fear of the LORD;" - Isaiah 11:2 These attributes highlight the divine nature of the Messiah, who is endowed with the fullness of God's Spirit. The Messiah's reign is characterized by righteousness and faithfulness, with a particular emphasis on justice for the poor and the meek. "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." - Isaiah 11:4 This serves as a powerful reminder of God's concern for the marginalized and the oppressed, and His call for us to champion the cause of justice.
Isaiah 11 paints a compelling picture of a utopian era of peace, often referred to as the 'peaceable kingdom'. "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." - Isaiah 11:6 This vision of harmony between natural enemies - the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the goat, the lion and the calf - serves as a metaphor for the reconciliation of all hostilities and conflicts in the world. It signifies a time when the power dynamics are so radically transformed that the weak and the vulnerable no longer fear the strong and the powerful.
This utopian vision extends beyond the animal kingdom to human relationships as well. Isaiah speaks of a time when the 'earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea'. "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." - Isaiah 11:9 This suggests a world where all people have a deep and intimate knowledge of God, leading to a society characterized by peace, justice, and righteousness.
The latter part of Isaiah Chapter 11 speaks of the ultimate redemption of Israel. Isaiah prophesies that God will gather the 'outcasts of Israel' and the 'dispersed of Judah' from the four corners of the earth. "And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." - Isaiah 11:12 This prophecy points to a future time of restoration and reunification for the people of Israel. It signifies God's unfailing promise to bring His people back to their land, no matter how far they have been scattered.
Isaiah further prophesies that the enmity between Ephraim and Judah will cease, symbolizing the end of internal conflicts and divisions within the nation of Israel. "The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim." - Isaiah 11:13 This prophecy not only speaks of national unity but also points to a greater spiritual unity among God's people.
In conclusion, Isaiah Chapter 11 is a rich tapestry of divine promises and prophetic insights. It reveals the heart of God - a heart that yearns for justice, peace, and reconciliation. It offers a glimpse into God's ultimate plan for humanity - a plan characterized by the reign of a righteous Messiah, a world filled with the knowledge of God, and the restoration of His chosen people. Regardless of the challenges and trials we may face, Isaiah 11 serves as a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty and His unfailing love for His creation.
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