THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Isaiah: Jahweh Is Salvation

Part XX. Hoping In God's Future Messianic Kingdom Opposite Current Evils

(Isaiah 11:1-16)

I. Introduction

A. We learned from Isaiah 10:5-34 that God would judge Assyria, the rod He would use to punish Israel, for Assyria would proudly lift up herself in her role as God's disciplinary rod versus humbly submitting to Him.

B. Isaiah 11:1-16 suddenly looks to the distant future, to Messiah's Kingdom to contrast it both with Israel's sin and the sinful reign of Assyria, an empire to rise though Assyria's empire would fall, B. K. C., O. T., p. 1056.

C. We view that passage for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. Hoping In God's Future Messianic Kingdom Opposite Current Evils, Isaiah 11:1-16.

A. In striking contrast to the Lord's figuratively cutting down the forests and great trees of Assyria's leaders and soldiers (Isa. 10:33-34), the Messianic Kingdom would rise from a Shoot that would grow up from the cut off stump of Jesse, David's father, a picture of the restoration of the Davidic Kingdom after judgment, Isaiah 11:1.

B. This Branch, the Messiah, would have the Holy Spirit rest on Him (Matthew 3:16-17), and the Holy Spirit's sevenfold fullness would be seen in His ministry as (1) the Spirit of the "I AM" Jahweh, (2) the Spirit of wisdom, (3) the Spirit of understanding, (4) the Spirit of counsel, (5) the Spirit of power, (6) the Spirit of knowledge and (7) the Spirit of the fear of the Lord, Isaiah 11:2. [These sevenfold characteristics of the Spirit are needed in consecutive order of distributions to the seven eras of Church History in Revelation 2-3!]

C. Consequently, Messiah would rule in great contrast to the wicked rulers of men in Isaiah's era, Isa. 11:3a-5:

1. Messiah would delight in revering God, seeking to do the Father's will at every turn, Isaiah 11:3a; Ibid.

2. Messiah would not judge by external, superficial knowledge, but by righteousness and justice will He render judgments for the oppressed while striking down the wicked with His words, Isaiah 11:3b-4.

3. Indeed, righteousness and faithfulness would be a part of Him as if He wore them as a belt and sash, 11:5.

D. Messiah's righteous rule would be marked by the blessed removal of the Adamic curse, Isaiah 11:6-9:

1. The wolf would live with the lamb, and the leopard would lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together would be led by a little child, with former enemies all being friends, Isaiah 11:6.

2. The cow would feed with the bear and their young would lie down together, and the lion would not prey on cattle, but instead eat straw like an ox, Isaiah 11:7 NIV.

3. The infant child would play near the cobra's hole, and the young child would put his hand into the viper's nest, but they would neither harm nor destroy in all of God's holy mountain of Zion, Isaiah 11:8-9a NIV.

4. Indeed, the earth would be full of the knowledge of the Lord like the waters that cover the sea, a dramatic change from the world in Isaiah's era, and, indeed, in our era today, Isaiah 11:9b NIV!

E. The Messiah would be a means for the rallying of the nations, Isaiah 11:10: The Root of Jesse, focusing on Messiah as rising up from the cut off tree of the fallen Davidic Kingdom, would stand as a banner for the peoples of the world, and the nations would rally to Him, and His place of rest would be glorious.

F. Isaiah 11:11-16 refers to the Lord's gathering of Israel and Judah from all over the world in the Kingdom era:

1. A remnant would come from the north (Hamath), from the south (Egypt and Cush), from the east (Assyria, Elam and Babylon) and from the west (islands), the four quarters of the earth, Isa. 11:11-12, Ibid., p. 1057.

2. The rift between the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah would be healed (Isaiah 11:13), and they would together swoop down as a single military force on the Philistines to the west and plunder their foes to the east, with Edom, Moab and Ammon being subject to them, Isaiah 11:14.

3. When the Millennial Kingdom would begin, God would prepare the way for His people to return to Israel:

a. God would dry up the Gulf of Suez to enable Jews to return from Egypt and Cush and He would split the Euphrates into shallow canals crossable by foot so they might return to Israel from the east, Isa. 11:15.

b. There would also be a highway for the remnant of His people left in Assyria as there was for Israel when they came up out of Egypt in the first Exodus, all so they might return to the Land of Israel, Isaiah 11:16.

Lesson: Messiah's kingdom will be righteous, peaceful, nurturing, unified and blessed opposite the sin, unrest, destruction, division and lack of blessing under the reigns of wicked Israel, Judah and Assyria in Isaiah's era.

Application: (1) May we hope in Messiah Jesus' blessed Kingdom to come when facing the world's current evils. (2) May we like Jesus rely on the Holy Spirit's power for victorious ministry today in our service for the Lord.