The Righteous Reign of the Branch
Isa 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
Isa 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—
Isa 11:3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
Isa 11:4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Isa 11:5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
Isa 11:6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
Isa 11:7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
Isa 11:8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
Isa 11:9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
Isa 11:10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
Isa 11:11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.
Isa 11:12 He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.
Isa 11:13 Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish, and Judah’s enemies will be destroyed; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.
Isa 11:14 They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west; together they will plunder the people to the east. They will subdue Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them.
Isa 11:15 The LORD will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that anyone can cross over in sandals.
Isa 11:16 There will be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt.
1 The peaceable kingdom of the Branch out of the root of Jesse. 10 The victorious restoration of Israel, and vocation of the Gentiles.
The Righteous Reign of the Branch
Isa 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
A shoot. The preceding chapter presents a picture of judgment involving both Assyria and Judah. The beautiful and flourishing “trees” of Judah would be cut down because of iniquity.
The picture resembles that of Dan. 4:10–26, where Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom are likened to a stately tree cut down by divine judgment, leaving only the stump of the tree.
The Lord had great plans for the Hebrew nation when it was first established. It was His purpose that it should be a messenger of light and truth to the world, and that its beneficent influence should continue to grow until it embraced the earth and brought life and peace to all men. But because of disobedience the nation was to be humbled and taken captive.
Nevertheless, through the seed of David a King would arise and accomplish what David and his successors on the throne of Judah had thus far failed to accomplish. When the nation had been cut down, and only a stump, as it were, remained, there would spring forth from the seemingly lifeless roots a Branch that would grow and flourish (see Isa. 4:2; 53:2; Rev. 5:5; 22:16). It would become a “tree” of righteousness, and ultimately fill the entire earth, giving peace and gladness to all mankind.
The picture thus given is one of the coming golden age of joy and splendour, when all the earth will rejoice in righteousness and the enemies of right and peace will be utterly and eternally laid low. To this scene Isaiah returns again and again (see chs. 35:6–10; 65:17–25; 66:22, 23). The picture of Jesus as the righteous Branch is also found in Jer. 23:5, 6; 33:15–17; Zech. 3:8; 6:12, 13. For the dual nature of the promise made to David, see on Deut. 18:15.
Isa 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—
The nature of the Messiah and His mission are clearly outlined in vs. 1–5 (see Isa. 61:1–3; Matt. 3:16, 17; John 1:33; see on Luke 4:18–21).
Wisdom and understanding.
For the Heb. chokmah, “wisdom,” and binah, “understanding,” and the distinction between them, see on Prov. 1:2. For the growth of Jesus in wisdom, see on Luke 2:52 cf. Isa. 50:4. As to the wisdom imparted to Christ in the conduct of His mission, see on Mark 1:35; 3:13.
Wisdom in its highest form comes only from God (see Ps. 111:10). No one can teach God wisdom (Job 38:4–41; Isa. 40:13, 14), because He is all wise. He knows everything, understands everything, and takes everything into consideration—past, present, and future—in all He may say or do.
Knowlege. Heb. da‘ath (see on Prov. 1:2; cf. Job 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Prov. 1:7; Eccl. 12:13). In teaching men the fear of the Lord, the folly of the ways of wickedness, and the wisdom of righteousness, Jesus gave unquestionable evidence that He was the Messiah (see Matt. 13:54; John 7:15; see on Mark 6:2).
Isa 11:3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
He takes delight in performing the will of the Lord. His mind is God’s mind, His will is God’s will (see John 10:30; 14:10). Jesus revealed that He was divine, and lived out God’s righteousness before men; in fact, that was one reason why He came to earth (see on Matt. 1:23; Luke 2:49).
Human beings are likely to judge according to appearances, but the counsel of Christ was, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24; see on 1 Sam. 16:7). It is said of Jesus that “he knew all men” and that “he knew what was in man” (John 2:24, 25). Every Christian should avoid judging “after the sight of his eyes,” and reproving others “after the hearing of his ears.” How many otherwise exemplary Christians form hurried opinions concerning their fellow Christians and criticize them on hearsay evidence!
Isa 11:4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
With righteousness.
The judges were corrupt, taking advantage of the poor and the unfortunate, and the rich were grinding down widows and orphans (Isa. 1:23; 10:1, 2; Jer. 5:28; Amos 2:6; 4:1; 5:10, 11; 8:4–6; Zech. 7:10). The spirit of the promised Messiah was in striking contrast with the spirit of the times. Justice, equity, mercy, and a sympathetic consideration for the needs of the poor and downtrodden are the principles constantly set forth as characterizing the ideal king (see Ps. 72:2, 3, 12–14).
Smite the earth. Isaiah pictures Messiah returning to the earth to subdue His enemies and to take His kingdom (see Dan. 2:43, 44; Rev. 19:11–21; cf. Rev. 12:5; 14:14–20). Then He will “smite” the When Christ sets up His kingdom He will “break in pieces and consume” all the kingdoms of earth (Dan. 2:44) and “rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers” (Rev. 2:27; cf. Ps. 2:8, 9). In Rev. 1:16 “a sharp two-edged sword” is pictured as coming from the mouth of Christ, and in 2 Thess. 2:8 He is described as destroying the Antichrist “with the spirit of his mouth” (see also Hosea 6:5). As Christ created all things by the word of His mouth (Ps. 33:6, 9; John 1:1–3), even so will He destroy all that is evil.
Isa 11:5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
Messiah is pictured clothed in garments of righteousness. The figure implies a strict regard for justice and truth, integrity and faithfulness. Messiah is to be the very embodiment of righteousness. In contrast, Antichrist is said to work “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:10). The followers of Christ are to wear the same garment of righteousness He wears (see on Matt. 22:11, 12; cf. Isa. 61:10; Rev. 3:18).
Isa 11:6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
Messiah’s kingdom will see a change in the animal kingdom as well as in human beings. Bloodshed and cruelty will be no more. The basic instincts of the animal world will be entirely transformed. The law of God’s kingdom will be the law of life and love. Neither death, nor sickness, nor pain will be known there in any form.
Isa 11:7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
There will be no carnivorous animals in the earth made new. All creatures will live on terms of perfect friendship with one another and with man.
Isa 11:8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
As the young of animals will have no fear of creatures that, in this world, are their deadly enemies, so in the new earth little children will have nothing to fear. Enmity and fear, among either animals or men, will be utterly unknown in the earth made new.
Isa 11:9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
My holy mountain.
That is, the kingdom of Christ, which will fill the entire world (Dan. 2:35). It will be holy because God is holy and because its inhabitants will share His nature. There they will neither hurt nor destroy, because the interests of one will not conflict with those of another. The well-being of each will be the well-being of all. Selfishness will be a thing of the past. The only thought of man will be to do good unto his neighbor and to live to the glory of God.
One pulse of harmony will beat throughout the vast universe (GC 678).
Isa 11:10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
This is a prophecy of Christ and of the giving of the gospel to all the world. In every part of the earth the Messiah will be held up before men and women as the means of salvation from sin. Messengers of Christ will stand before men and women as His representatives, pointing to Him as the ensign to guide the peoples of earth in the way of light and blessing.
Those who find Christ find peace and rest, a peace that the world cannot give and that the wicked can never know. The most blessed experience possible for man is to enjoy the “rest” Christ offers, rest from the cares and burdens of sin (see on Matt. 11:28). Thus man may find in this world a brief and happy foretaste of the glorious rest and peace of the eternal world.
Isa 11:11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.
The second time
That is, in contrast with the first time, the original deliverance from Egypt. The Hebrews always looked back with joy upon their release from the bondage of Egypt and their entry into the Promised Land. Now there was to be another deliverance, from Babylonian captivity.
God designed that when the Jews returned from captivity, having learned the lessons He intended them to learn, they would quickly measure up to His glorious plan for them as a nation Thus the world would soon be prepared for the coming of Messiah and the proclamation of the gospel.
But again Israel failed, and the deliverance here promised will be accomplished at the end of the world, when God sets His hand to deliver His people from this evil world and to lead them into the heavenly Canaan (see on Rev. 18:4).
Isa 11:12 He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.
Insofar as the literal nations of Israel and Judah were concerned, the literal fulfillment of the promise here made came with the restoration from Babylonian captivity. However, their failure to live up to the glorious privileges vouchsafed to them upon return from captivity made their rejection as a nation inevitable (see on v. 11).
Therefore, in principle, this promise is to be fulfilled to spiritual Israel, the church. Accordingly, these words point to the great work of deliverance from sin now going on in every part of the world. Everywhere men and women are acting as ensigns, or beacons, for heaven, guiding men and women into the way of light and truth. The work now being witnessed is in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, and is an earnest of greater things yet to come (see on Rev. 18:4).
Isa 11:13 Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish, and Judah’s enemies will be destroyed; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.
The history of the people of God was a history of jealousy, envy, trouble, dissension, and war. Isaiah’s vision of the future would not be perfect or complete if it did not envisage a healing of the old wounds and a reconciliation between Israel and Judah. Before the final extinction of the northern kingdom, Hezekiah put forth earnest efforts to bring about a spirit of reconciliation by inviting the members of the northern tribes to come to Jerusalem for the celebration of the national Passover (2 Chron. 30).
Isa 11:14 They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west; together they will plunder the people to the east. They will subdue Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them.
The peoples here mentioned were the traditional enemies of Israel. This prophecy was conditional upon Israel’s faithfulness to God (see Jer. 18:7–10). As a result of Israel’s persistent failure to cooperate with God she forfeited His blessing, and He could not subdue her enemies as He would have done.
In principle, however, this promise will be fulfilled to the church today, for God will vanquish all her enemies (see Dan. 7:18; 12:1; Rev. 19:2; see on Deut. 18:15). The setting up of Messiah’s kingdom will see the utter defeat of all His enemies. When Christ comes, the kingdom He sets up (see Matt. 25:31) “shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever” (Dan. 2:44).
Isa 11:15 The LORD will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that anyone can cross over in sandals.
The gulf of the Egyptian sea.
That is, what is now known as the Gulf of Suez—an arm of the Red Sea—the waters of which would again be dried up, perhaps figuratively rather than literally, to facilitate another miraculous and glorious deliverance from Egypt.
The Euphrates would be dried up to prepare the way for deliverance from Babylon. The two nations of antiquity that most heavily oppressed the Hebrew people were Egypt and Babylon, and both of these powers were smitten by the hand of the Lord in order to accomplish the deliverance of His people.
Egypt was smitten at the time of the Exodus, when the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea. Babylon was smitten near the end of the 70 years of captivity (which was still future in the time of Isaiah), when the Euphrates was turned out of its course by Cyrus in order that he might capture the city of Babylon (see Isa. 44:27, 28; see on Jer. 51:36).
It was after his capture of the city of Babylon (see on Ezra 1:1) that Cyrus issued his decree permitting the Jews to leave Babylon, return to Judea, and rebuild the Temple (2 Chron. 36:22, 23; Ezra 1:1–6). As God delivered the Hebrews from the Egyptians, and later from the Babylonians, so will He deliver all His faithful people at the close of time.
Isa 11:16 There will be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt.
As God led His people safely through the “terrible wilderness” (Deut. 1:19), and a thousand years later brought them back from Babylon (see Isa. 19:23–25; 35:8), so He will safely conduct His remnant people through the great time of trouble forecast by Daniel (see on Dan. 12:1; cf. Jer. 30:7).
Assyria. That is, Mesopotamia, the homeland of Assyria. In the days of Isaiah, Babylon was a province of Assyria Ezra 6:22).
The marvellous power of God displayed in the land of Egypt and at the Red Sea lived on in the memory of God’s people, whose minds ever reverted to these dramatic events as evidence that their God was the true God and that they were His chosen people.