In earlier chapters, God calls Israel a “godless nation” and “people of my wrath” (Isa 10:5-6). The “him” is therefore Assyria. Israel is living as a godless nation not because they have no God, but they chose to live as if they have no God! They are an apostate nation rebelling against Him! They acted without reference to God and continue to do evil. Thus, Assyria is like a saw in the hand of God (Isa 10:15). At the end of the chapter, God also addresses Assyria in (Isa 10:33-34). Though God is using them to judge Israel, He will also judge Assyria.
Thus previously, we’ve seen how through judgement for Israel. God’s wrath discipline them and also promises to punish Assyria for their pride. Today, we continue reading about God’s promise of hope and redemption.
(A) The character of the Branch: Fruitful & spirit-filled (Isa 11:1-2)
As we begin Isa 11 today, we should remember that there is no break and section headers for the early readers of the book of Isaiah. Isa 10 flows and connects to Isa 11. In Isa 11:1, we read of the shoot that comes from the stump of Jesse.
Matt 1:6,17 helps us to see the link between Jesse’s seed and Christ. This shoot will have a royal lineage for he will come from the line of David. We are meant to think back to the covenant with David and earlier in Isa 7, we read of how God addressed Ahaz and the house of David, to remind them of who they are. Matthew helps us see that Isa 11 is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the promised Messiah, the King who will reign forever.
We’ve also seen this theme previously in Isa 7:10-14 and Isa 9:1-7. We’ve already been seeing bits and pieces about this promised One in earlier chapters. But what is the difference in today’s passage? This Messiah is borne out of a failed ancient dynasty. Ahaz did not trust in God and instead relied on his own alliance and strategy. God intends for the seed to hail from a very specific line. From the royal tribe of Judah stretching into the family line of Jesse and the lineage of King David -- we see an interruption and a break in the exile -- and then it will spring forth a shoot again.
This shoot goes on to produce flowers and then when these flowers are pollinated, fruit forms. The survivors are really those that put their faith and trust in God and follow Him even when it’s difficult (c.f. Isa 4:2). God designed and intended for fruits to have seed, as we’ve read right in the beginning in Gen 1. Thus, the imagery of fruit-bearing also shows us that the survivors will not just remain as they are but will continue to make more of their kind.
This is a beautiful picture of fresh hope and life -- interrupted by the exile of God's people -- but now a tiny, fragile little shoot emerging signalling new beginnings. New shoots always indicate something rejuvenated life at the unseen root level. Where Israel produced bad fruit, Christ produces good. We are also assured that the promised Messiah will produce more and more of those that will be like Him.
A shoot and branch have unimpressive beginnings and it can appear as weak. Do we lose sight of the true glory that is in Christ? Do we look at the Branch and not see the fruit to come? When we look at the struggles and trials of this life, also look at what God has provided for us in Christ. He came as a Branch, but will continue to grow and will eventually bear fruit. He is also producing fruit in our lives as He sanctifies us. And, may the Spirit help us to see fruit in the lives of others. This fruit is imperishable and will live on to testify to HIs goodness and will bring Him praise. Do we anticipate this fruit or do we give up and not give the best of ourselves to cultivate this fruit?
We also learn that the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him (Isa 11:2a) and He will be Spirit-filled. He will be equipped for leadership (“wisdom and understanding”), war (“counsel and might”), holiness (“knowledge and the fear of the LORD”) and there is a sense of completeness. He did not just show up through the lineage, but showed up fully equipped and qualified to lead the world.
Years later, we see this being fulfilled in Jesus’ life. Jesus was baptised (Lk 3:21). Now, sinners were baptised as an outward manifestation of their inward repentance (Lk 3:3), so why did Jesus have to do it? It is significant then, that a sinless Christ was baptised by John! Jesus confirms His mission on earth. He was baptised into the filthy waters of our baptism. He took on all our sin and filth.
We also read that the Spirit descended on him (Lk 3:22). God also expresses His pleasure in the Son at the baptism because of His obedience to His God-given purpose. Thus, Lk 3 gives us the Trinity present in one place at the baptism of Jesus. This reminds us that Jesus is the Spirit-dwelled Messiah who has the pleasure of God in all He says and does.
At the start of His ministry, Jesus boldly proclaims that He has the Spirit of the LORD and has been anointed for the job (Lk 4:17-19) . He is the prophesied Messiah that was spoken of in Isa 61. He is a prophet, but is also a Deliverer. He is a God who saves His people from slavery to sin. This is what He is here to liberate His people from.
What does this mean for us today? We read the words of 1 Pet 4:14, where Peter writes to the Christians and reminds them of who they are though they are dispersed. He encourages them to continue to live out their identity, In particular, he reminds them that the Spirit of glory and of God rests on them. This is the same Spirit that rests on Christ! And what are they to do? They are now able to suffer for His name.
People in Isaiah’s day, Peter’s day, all had to live by faith and in hope. The people Isaiah wrote to never saw Christ and in fact, He would not come for another 600 years. But they clung on to these words and continued to remind themselves and each other of these words, and also to wait expectantly. We know something else that they didn’t know and we see how Jesus has fulfilled these words. These are truly words of hope and comfort for He is a totally equipped Messiah that will come! Let us too, continue to cling on to these words and help each other to live by faith for we are also waiting for Him to come. Sometimes following Him may seem costly, but let us rest in the fact that we have this same Spirit of the Lord!
(B) The nature of his rule: Righteous and faithful (Isa 11: 3-5)
What else do we know about this Branch? His delight will be in the fear of the LORD (Isa 11:3a). This is not a fear like one is terrified, but is more of an awe or reverence. Christ will take delight in this fear. He will display a loving regard for the Heavenly Father! This is not merely a reverence just because God is divinely powerful. He will have proper regard for God’s nature — his holiness, purity, justice, loving, merciful, wise nature. It is not limited merely to one attribute but is really about who God is! This might be strange for us at first read, because it’s not something that we immediately think of when we think of delight.
Notice how the Trinity is present here — Branch (Son), Spirit and the Father that sends. We see also how the Branch responds to the Father who sends Him — in loving obedience.
He does not rely on what He sees or hears, and is not one who judges superficially (Isa 11:3b). He judges based on an objective righteousness and equity. In our world, justice can be crippled because we don’t have enough evidence and appearances can deceive us. Unlike fallible human judgment (based on what we see and hear), He will be wise and doesn’t need to be based on just the human senses.
This is a King that will judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth (Isa 11:4). This is unlike Israel’s previous kings! His righteous rule will also extend beyond Israel into the nations (c.f. Isa 2:4) . Weapons of war made to destroy are now made into tools for agriculture and cultivation.
When we read Isa 11:1-3, we immediately think of Jesus and how He has fulfilled it. Yet when we read Isa 11:4, we know that it hasn’t been fulfilled completely. By now, we should be familiar with the idea of multiple horizons of fulfilment. One analogy for us city dwellers is to imagine taking in the view of the CBD from an office building. When one looks far into the distance, the buildings seem to be just a compressed plane of office buildings. Due to the density of buildings, it can look just like a unified block. Only when you walk the ground will you be able to see that the buildings are distinct and separate and are of different distance to you.
When Isaiah wrote these, he saw all the events as all in the future. But as we read closely, we can see how some parts have already been fulfilled, but we continue to look beyond that to its complete and full fulfilment.
At the end, we don’t just see righteousness that protects the meek. This is a righteousness that also takes action against the wicked. The Branch is not soft or weak, nor is He hesitant about bringing about justice. His righteousness shall be the belt of his waist and faithfulness is the belt of his loins (Isa 11:5). Belts are usually used to bring together loose articles of clothing and when we tuck in and tighten up, it is a picture of readiness. He is ready for action and ready to act on behalf of His people. You will never catch Him off guard. He is on guard and is watching over His people. He is looking to carry out swift justice on behalf of His people.
Two images are used here in Isa 11:4. The first is the “rod of his mouth” and the second is “the breath of his lips”. The former corresponds to an image of a warrior on His triumphant return. This Branch is passionate about carrying out justice with the truth of His words. He does so easily, with the breath of His lips.
Have there been moments in your life recently when you’ve justified in your heart to speak harshly to someone? Have you reasoned that it’s ok to sin against God in word, deed and thought? Maybe you’ve rationalised it by saying you’ve endured some extreme circumstances this week. Hear the words of Isaiah. We have a Judge in Jesus who is not slow to act. He will judge the living and the dead when the time is right.
If you have been tempted to take justice in your own hands to let the other feel the full brunt of your wrath and displeasure, remember you have a perfect Judge who will act in perfect justice on your behalf. Wait on Him and rely on His perfect judgement.
If you have been tempted to be your own judge and justified sin in your own life, remember that He doesn’t judge wth His eyes and ears. He knows the struggles of your heart. Come before Him in repentance and ask Him to help you to delight in the fear of the Lord.