Description
Jesus is presented as the Branch of the Lord who will rule the world with justice and peace. Isaiah gives snapshots both of his victory at Armageddon, and of life on earth during his Millennium reign.
Commentary
Jesus is presented as the Branch of the Lord who will rule the world with justice and peace. Isaiah gives snapshots both of his victory at Armageddon, and of life on earth during his Millennium reign.
Verse 1 introduces Jesus as the Branch from David's royal line. This is clearer in the KJV which translates verse 1, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots". Jesus is the Branch of the Lord in Isaiah 4:2, 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12.
Verse 2 speaks of the Spirit of the Lord resting on Jesus, giving him gifts of wisdom, understanding, power, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. The New Testament gives much greater revelation of the person and role of the Holy Spirit.
Verses 3 to 5 speak of Jesus' anointed and wise rule, and how he will judge the earth with righteousness and justice. Verse 4 gives a glimpse of his victory at Armageddon, "He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed". Various scriptures portray Jesus using his voice as a weapon with which to slay his enemies in the battles of the Great Tribulation, including Armageddon. (Search tags: Weapons of Jesus)
Verses 6 to 9 portray millennial peace that extends even to nature, with animals no longer preying on each other, but the lion eating straw like the ox. This is because "there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea" (similar to Habakkuk 2:14). Christ's kingdom will be all pervasive, with no limits to the peace within his realm. Isaiah gives a similar portrayal of life in the millennium in Isaiah 65:17-25.
Verse 10 describes Jesus raising a banner, and the nations rallying to him. This may be a banner of victory, or it may be a call for volunteers to fight with him. Various scriptures portray the nations streaming to Jerusalem to pay tribute to Jesus (e.g. Psalms 68 and 72).
Verses 11 to 12 describe Jesus regathering both Israel and Judah from all the nations to which they have been scattered. Israel here refers to the lost tribes of the northern kingdom that was exiled by Assyria in 722 BC. God knows who the lost tribes are, and here Isaiah names the places from which this remnant will be gathered, including Assyria (northern Iraq and eastern Turkey), Egypt, Pathros (Upper Egypt), Cush (Sudan), Elam (southern Iran), Shinar (southern Iraq), Hamath (Syria), and the seacoasts (Mediterranean nations or perhaps a way of referring to the whole rest of the world). Revelation 7 describes the angelic sealing of 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes during the Great Tribulation. This occurs during the sixth seal and is to protect them from the trumpet and bowl judgments that follow. So the restoration of the lost tribes of Israel will begin during the Great Tribulation, but it will be completed during the Millennium.
Verse 13 describes the restored unity between Ephraim (the northern tribes of Israel) and Judah (the southern kingdom to which today's Jews belong). After the division of Israel during the reign of Solomon's son Rehoboam, Israel and Judah were enemies for about two hundred years, until the northern kingdom was defeated and exiled by Assyria in 722 BC.
Verse 14 describes the conquest and subjugation by united Israel and Judah of Philistia to the west (Gaza) and of Ammon, Moab and Edom (Jordan and northern Arabia). This might seem at odds with the portrayal of peace in verses 6 to 9. Perhaps these conquests will happen early on during the Millennium, and they wage war in order that peace may be fully established throughout the world. For Israel's territorial conquests in the end times also see Psalm 108:7-13, Isaiah 54:3, Amos 9:11-12, Obadiah 1:17-21, and Zephaniah 2:8-10.
Verses 15 to 16 describe the end-time exodus of scattered Jews and Israelites, especially from Egypt and from Assyria. God will once again divide the 'Gulf of the Egyptian Sea' (i.e. the Gulf of Aqaba) and also the River Euphrates, creating a 'highway' that facilitates their return to Israel. This is likened to the temporary 'highway' that God made across the Red Sea when the ancient Israelites left Egypt. Isaiah also speaks of this end-time exodus and highway in 17:12-13, 19:23 and 35:8.
Verse 1 introduces Jesus as the Branch from David's royal line. This is clearer in the KJV which translates verse 1, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots". Jesus is the Branch of the Lord in Isaiah 4:2, 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12.
Verse 2 speaks of the Spirit of the Lord resting on Jesus, giving him gifts of wisdom, understanding, power, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. The New Testament gives much greater revelation of the person and role of the Holy Spirit.
Verses 3 to 5 speak of Jesus' anointed and wise rule, and how he will judge the earth with righteousness and justice. Verse 4 gives a glimpse of his victory at Armageddon, "He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed". Various scriptures portray Jesus using his voice as a weapon with which to slay his enemies in the battles of the Great Tribulation, including Armageddon. (Search tags: Weapons of Jesus)
Verses 6 to 9 portray millennial peace that extends even to nature, with animals no longer preying on each other, but the lion eating straw like the ox. This is because "there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea" (similar to Habakkuk 2:14). Christ's kingdom will be all pervasive, with no limits to the peace within his realm. Isaiah gives a similar portrayal of life in the millennium in Isaiah 65:17-25.
Verse 10 describes Jesus raising a banner, and the nations rallying to him. This may be a banner of victory, or it may be a call for volunteers to fight with him. Various scriptures portray the nations streaming to Jerusalem to pay tribute to Jesus (e.g. Psalms 68 and 72).
Verses 11 to 12 describe Jesus regathering both Israel and Judah from all the nations to which they have been scattered. Israel here refers to the lost tribes of the northern kingdom that was exiled by Assyria in 722 BC. God knows who the lost tribes are, and here Isaiah names the places from which this remnant will be gathered, including Assyria (northern Iraq and eastern Turkey), Egypt, Pathros (Upper Egypt), Cush (Sudan), Elam (southern Iran), Shinar (southern Iraq), Hamath (Syria), and the seacoasts (Mediterranean nations or perhaps a way of referring to the whole rest of the world). Revelation 7 describes the angelic sealing of 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes during the Great Tribulation. This occurs during the sixth seal and is to protect them from the trumpet and bowl judgments that follow. So the restoration of the lost tribes of Israel will begin during the Great Tribulation, but it will be completed during the Millennium.
Verse 13 describes the restored unity between Ephraim (the northern tribes of Israel) and Judah (the southern kingdom to which today's Jews belong). After the division of Israel during the reign of Solomon's son Rehoboam, Israel and Judah were enemies for about two hundred years, until the northern kingdom was defeated and exiled by Assyria in 722 BC.
Verse 14 describes the conquest and subjugation by united Israel and Judah of Philistia to the west (Gaza) and of Ammon, Moab and Edom (Jordan and northern Arabia). This might seem at odds with the portrayal of peace in verses 6 to 9. Perhaps these conquests will happen early on during the Millennium, and they wage war in order that peace may be fully established throughout the world. For Israel's territorial conquests in the end times also see Psalm 108:7-13, Isaiah 54:3, Amos 9:11-12, Obadiah 1:17-21, and Zephaniah 2:8-10.
Verses 15 to 16 describe the end-time exodus of scattered Jews and Israelites, especially from Egypt and from Assyria. God will once again divide the 'Gulf of the Egyptian Sea' (i.e. the Gulf of Aqaba) and also the River Euphrates, creating a 'highway' that facilitates their return to Israel. This is likened to the temporary 'highway' that God made across the Red Sea when the ancient Israelites left Egypt. Isaiah also speaks of this end-time exodus and highway in 17:12-13, 19:23 and 35:8.
Tags
Places: Israel, Judah, Ephraim, Philistia, Gaza, Ammon, Edom, Moab, Jordan, Arabia, Egypt, Assyria
Symbols:
Tags: Israel plunders her enemies, Restoration of Israel and Judah, Lost tribes of Israel, Return of exiles to Israel, Millennium, Millennial reign, Millennial peace, Nations bring tribute to Jesus, Jesus as the Branch, Highway of Holiness, End-time exodus, Weapons of Jesus, Voice of Jesus, Jesus raises a banner, Jesus musters an army, Israel inherits land from her enemies
Symbols:
Tags: Israel plunders her enemies, Restoration of Israel and Judah, Lost tribes of Israel, Return of exiles to Israel, Millennium, Millennial reign, Millennial peace, Nations bring tribute to Jesus, Jesus as the Branch, Highway of Holiness, End-time exodus, Weapons of Jesus, Voice of Jesus, Jesus raises a banner, Jesus musters an army, Israel inherits land from her enemies
An Ideal King Establishes a Kingdom of Peace
11 A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots.
2 The Lord’s Spirit will rest on him – a Spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a Spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a Spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.
3 He will take delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances, or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.
4 He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed.
5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips.
6 A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along.
7 A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.
8 A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand.
9 They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea.
Israel is Reclaimed and Reunited
10 At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic.
11 At that time the Lord will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts.
12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel’s dispersed people and assemble Judah’s scattered people from the four corners of the earth.
13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end, and Judah’s hostility will be eliminated. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.
14 They will swoop down on the Philistine hills to the west; together they will loot the people of the east. They will take over Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be their subjects.
15 The Lord will divide the gulf of the Egyptian Sea; he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River and send a strong wind, he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, and enable them to walk across in their sandals.
16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria for the remnant of his people, just as there was for Israel, when they went up from the land of Egypt.
11 A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots.
2 The Lord’s Spirit will rest on him – a Spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a Spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a Spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.
3 He will take delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances, or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.
4 He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed.
5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips.
6 A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along.
7 A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.
8 A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand.
9 They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea.
Israel is Reclaimed and Reunited
10 At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic.
11 At that time the Lord will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts.
12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel’s dispersed people and assemble Judah’s scattered people from the four corners of the earth.
13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end, and Judah’s hostility will be eliminated. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.
14 They will swoop down on the Philistine hills to the west; together they will loot the people of the east. They will take over Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be their subjects.
15 The Lord will divide the gulf of the Egyptian Sea; he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River and send a strong wind, he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, and enable them to walk across in their sandals.
16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria for the remnant of his people, just as there was for Israel, when they went up from the land of Egypt.
(NET)
