Hope Given Through the Messiah - the Lord Jesus Christ

Conflict, strife, war, terrorist attacks, murder, abuse—we live in a world of lawlessness and violence. No community escapes the criminal, wicked behavior of sinful hearts. Despite the peace and comfort that we experience at times, the world is full of crime, corruption, wickedness, and evil. Disorder and disturbance occur within every community and they occur often. How many families are ripped apart by divorce? How many neighbors are alienated from one another due to petty differences? How many co-workers are jealous of each other or prejudiced and discriminatory toward fellow workers? How many people are envious of others or feel slighted by them and begin to slander their names? When we consider all the disturbances that take place every day, we must acknowledge that we live a world that knows very little peace or tranquility. Disturbance and disorder—ranging from mild agitation to major conflict and war—affect every one of us.

Within society and within the heart of every human being is a longing for peace and tranquility. The good news is that there is great hope and a wonderful promise for the world. The LORD promises a day in which there will be no more war or conflict, a day in which the human heart will rest in peace and tranquility. This day will be when the Lord Jesus Christ returns and sets up His kingdom on earth. This is the wonderful message of Isaiah 11:1-12:6. The Savior is returning to establish God’s kingdom on earth, a kingdom of perfect righteousness and justice.

As we study this passage, we must keep in mind that is a prophecy about the coming Messiah, the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. With this prophecy Isaiah closes the first section of his great book. No more fitting milestone could be chosen for closing this first section.

1. The coming of the Savior: From the Branch of Jesse, David’s father (Is. 11:1).

Isaiah 11:1 “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.”

2. The qualification of the Savior: God’s Spirit rests on Him (Is. 11:2).

Isaiah 11:2 “The Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.”

3. The future work of the Savior (Is.11:3-16).

Isaiah 11:3–16 “And He will delight in the fear of Yahweh, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor render a decision by what His ears hear; 4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with uprightness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will put the wicked to death. 5 Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist. 6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a young boy will lead them. 7 Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 And the nursing baby will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. 9 They will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh As the waters cover the sea. 10 Then it will be in that day, That the nations will seek the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a standard for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious. 11 Then it will be in that day, that the Lord Will again acquire the second time with His hand The remnant of His people, who will remain, From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Ethiopia, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, And from the coastlands of the sea. 12 And He will lift up a standard for the nations And assemble the banished ones of Israel, And will gather the scattered of Judah From the four corners of the earth. 13 Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, And those who assail Judah will be cut off; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, And Judah will not assail Ephraim. 14 And they will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the west; Together they will plunder the sons of the east; They will stretch out their hands over Edom and Moab, And the sons of Ammon will obey them. 15 And Yahweh will devote to destruction The tongue of the Sea of Egypt; And He will wave His hand over the River With His scorching wind; And He will strike it into seven streams And make men walk over dry-shod. 16 And there will be a highway from Assyria For the remnant of His people who will remain, Just as there was for Israel In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.”

4. The song of praise for the Savior: True reasons to praise the LORD in that day (Is. 12:1-6).

Isaiah 12:1–6 “Then you will say in that day, “I will give thanks to You, O Yahweh; For although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, And You comfort me. 2 “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not dread; For Yah—Yahweh Himself—is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.” 3 Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation. 4 And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to Yahweh, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.” 5 Praise Yahweh in song, for He has done majestic things; Let this be known throughout the earth. 6 Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”