DELIGHTING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Isaiah 11:1–5 ESV

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 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. 3 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, 4 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. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

I. THE ONE WHO COMES FROM THE STUMP OF JESSE

Isaiah 11:1(ESV) — 1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Isaiah 11:1 ESV

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Acts 13:21–23 (ESV) — 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.

Acts 13:21–23 ESV

21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.

Psalm 132:11 (ESV) — 11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.

Psalm 132:11 ESV

11 The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.

II. THE SPIRIT RESTING UPON HIM

Isaiah 11:2 (ESV) —2 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.

Isaiah 11:2 ESV

2 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.

John 1:32–33 (ESV) — 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

John 1:32–33 ESV

32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

John 3:34 (ESV) — 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

John 3:34 ESV

34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

“3:34 Cf. 1:32–33. See also Rev. 3:1; 5:6. In this context about the Father sending the Son, John is saying that the Father gives to Jesus the Spirit without measure. Others had been and will be empowered by the Spirit to some extent, but Jesus has a measureless anointing from the Spirit.”[1]

“Jesus does not need our mechanisms for power. He has another way to build the world of our dreams. He has the Spirit of wisdom and understanding for leadership, the Spirit of counsel and might for war, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord for holiness. Unlike every other human leader in the sorry length of our history, Jesus is literally qualified to rule the world. We have nothing to fear from him. We are foolish to resist him. We can never be too loyal to him. The anointing of Jesus with wisdom proves that the fullness of the Spirit is not just an emotional blowout.” [2]

“The Holy Spirit has accompanied, supplied, and carried the Son in his human nature from conception to childhood t ministry, to the cross and resurrection, and now in his glory, fully endowed as the Man of the Spirit at God’s right hand.” David Mathias article, Did Jesus Need the Spirit? April 8, 2022 on Desiring God site

III. DELIGHTING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Isaiah 11:3–5 (ESV) —3 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, 4 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. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

Isaiah 11:3–5 ESV

3 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, 4 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. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

“his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. In contrast to the way in which all other human beings live in rebellion against God, the coming Messiah will be the ideal in his human faithfulness, finding deep joy in living before God in reverence (see note on Prov. 1:7), and in promoting reverence among those he rules.” [3]

“Through his (the Holy Spirit) incessant operations, he was enabled to maintain a continual sense of the divine presence, and to act in all things with a view to his Father’s glory.”[4]

Delighting in the fear of the Lord is seeking to please him always:

John 8:29 (ESV) — 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

John 8:29 ESV

29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

Delighting in the fear of the Lord is to seek to glorify him:

John 7:18 (ESV) — 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

John 7:18 ESV

18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

[1]Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2026). Crossway Bibles. [2]Ortlund, R. C., Jr., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Isaiah: God saves sinners (p. 114). Crossway Books. [3]Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1262). Crossway Bibles. [4]Simeon, C. (1833). Horae Homileticae: Proverbs to Isaiah XXVI (Vol. 7, p. 541). Holdsworth and Ball.