His Dominion

“the annointed one, the leader appointed by God to carry out the special mission of redemption and liberation.” - Millard J. Erickson

Three questions this text will answer:

What is the source of our help?

What is this King like?

What will a world under the hand of God’s blessing look like?

Isaiah 11:1–12 ESV

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

I. What is the source of Israel’s help?

Isaiah 10:33–34 ESV

Behold, the Lord God of hosts will lop the boughs with terrifying power; the great in height will be hewn down, and the lofty will be brought low. He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an axe, and Lebanon will fall by the Majestic One.

Help comes from unexpected places, in unexpected times, and in unexpected ways.

A. A shoot growing from the stump of Jesse.

Sometimes there isn’t a quick fix but that doesn’t mean God has abandoned you. He operates in His time.

“at the right time”

Romans 5:6 ESV

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

God keeps His promises on His timeline.

II. What is this King like?

A. A king after God’s own heart.

B. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him.

If you follow Jesus but you begin to hope in something else, don’t be surprised when God comes after that thing.

God often uses things that are unimpressive to the world to point to hope.

God delights in using things the world sees as foolish.

III. What will a world under God’s hand of blessing be like?

A. He will rule righteously and faithfully over a different kind of kingdom.

Not the Jewish kingdom but the Kingdom of God.

B. He will regather Israel.

Jesus will make all things new.

“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”

I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head; “There is no peace on earth,” I said; “For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail,The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men.”