The ‘Shoot’ and the ‘Root’ of Jesse
Michael Hansen
Advent 2022 / Isaiah 11:1–10
Introduction
The looming threat in the opening chapters of Isaiah’s prophecy is the empire of Assyria. The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali in the northern kingdom of Israel have just been conquered by Assyria and there is the threat that Assyria is going to conquer the rest of the northern kingdom and then turn to the southern kingdom of Judah.
In Isaiah 11 as well as in Isaiah 9, Isiah tells Judah that they have reason for hope even while the threat of Assyrian invasion is imminent.
Despite these circumstances, Isaiah prophecies of a coming king who will be the perfect ruler over a perfect world.
Our passage breaks down into two parts:
1. vv. 1-9 - the “shoot” of Jesse
2. v. 10, - the root of Jesse
The Shoot of Jesse (vv. 1-9)
His Ancestry (vv. 1-2)
Isaiah 11:1–2 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.
Verse 1 opens with a shocking description of the “stump of Jesse”! This is a shocking declaration because it assumes that the house of Jesse has been cut down to a bear stump.
Jesse of course is David’s father. By speaking of the “stump of Jesse” Isaiah was declaring that the House of David was going to become like a mighty tree that has been cut down.
And yet, although Judah and the line of David wil be cut down to a stump, Isaiah declares the hope that a “shoot” will come forth from the felled tree-stump.
While Assyria is the immanent threat to Judah, Isaiah’s prophetic ministry is one that looks beyond the threat of Assyria. Isaiah gives hope to Judah by telling them that Assyria will not defeat them. But this hope is laced with the reality that Babylon will defeat them.
But even beyond Babylonian defeat and exile, Isaiah’s prophecy looks to a future hope for Israel. And this hope will spring forth from the stump of Jesse. As we will see in verse 10, below the stump is a root that can give life and vitality to the House of David and bring new life to Israel and the entire world.
Isaiah describes the shoot from the stump of Jesse in verse 2. Isaiah declares that a sevenfold Spirit will rest upon this “Shoot of Jesse.”
Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the Spirit comes to rest upon men so that they might complete a task for the LORD (e.g. Ex 31:2-3 [Bezalel & Oholiab] & Jdg 6:34 [Gideon]). In addition to this there are examples of those who receive a greater and more permanent anointing of God’s Spirit. Moses (Nu 11:17), Joshua (Nu 27:18), David (1 Sa 16:13), and Elijah and Elisha (2 Ki 2:15) are all examples of this.
But as Isaiah describes the shoot from the stump of Jesse, he describes a sevenfold resting of the Spirit. The Spirit of God will rest upon this promised king in a perfect and complete way that has hitherto been unknown to God’s people.
The Spirit that will rest upon him will be one of:
1. Wisdom and understanding
a. Judicial and governmental attributes (Dt. 1:13 & 1 Ki 3:9)
2. Counsel and power
a. Military strength (Isa 36:5)
3. Knowledge and the fear of the LORD
a. Spirit of loyalty (Ps. 2:11) and worship (Ps 5:7) » Marked David
His Rule (vv. 3-5)
Isaiah 11:3–5 ESV
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 shoot of Jesse is filled with the Spirit so that he might rule!
Verses 3-5 describe what the future rule of this messiah will look like.
Isaiah envisions the perfect king over God’s people.
The context is significant for this because Isaiah ministers in a time of great wickedness in Judah regarding their kings. The House of David and Jesse has not yet been cut down to a stump but it will be. The King’s of Judah are wicked, they deserve to be cut down. But that is not the end. God will raise of a shoot from the stump of Jesse that will rule with justice.
The chief characteristics of the future king in these passages is how he will judge with justice and righteousness.
In verse 4, Isaiah declares that this future king will rule with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips. Isaiah echoes Psalm 2 which speaks of the messianic king breaking the nations with a rod of iron. Isaiah picks up on this by showing that the rod of the messiah is a rod that comes from his mouth.
It is the word of the messiah that will break the nations and it is the word of the messiah that he will exercise rule.Jesus is this messiah that Isaiah speaks of and that it is he who is ruling over the nations with the word of his power (Rev 19).
We as God’s people must be reassured that Jesus is ruling by his word. We must content ourselves with his word, trusting that he will break the nations who are in opposition to him by his word. As his people you must hold on to his word
His World (vv. 6-9)
Isaiah 11:6–9 ESV
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.
Verses 6-9 speak of the world that the Messiah will usher in when he comes according to the promise of Isaiah.
The way this world of peace that the Messiah will bring in is described in verses 6-7 is by speaking about the relationship between various types of animals. Wolves and lambs, leopards and goats, calves and lions: we consider these animals to be in hostility to one another, so this imagery is astounding.
However, when the Bible speaks of animals, especially in a context like this, animals almost always represent people. In the Mosaic Law, certain animals were considered clean and others unclean. Certain animals were animals that could be used in sacrifices while others were not allowed. But these different types of animals stood in for people.
Clean animals were like Israelites and unclean animals were like the gentiles. What we see in this vision of Isaiah is clean and unclean animals living at peace with one another. Isaiah envisions a future day when the messiah king that shoots up from the stump of Jesse will rule over a world where the division between Jew and Gentile are broken down. He will be a king that rules over all people and the result will be as miraculous as wolves and sheep, leopards and goats, calves and lions all living in harmony and peace with one another.
As mentioned last week, we see that this has come to pass under the reign of king Jesus throughout the last 2000 years. Wherever the proclamation of the gospel has gone, the result has been the easing of hostilities between peoples formerly opposed to one another. They have been united under the banner of King Jesus.
How much more ought this to characterize the life of the church. If Isaiah’s vision is that the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord so that there is peace in all his holy mountain, then the church should be a place where peace and harmony amongst Christians is normative.
Of course there will be squabbles between Christians in the church as we sin against one another and work through the process of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. But it is not the conflict that should mark us but rather our peaceable lives of love toward one another! As Paul writes in Galatians 6:10 “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
The Root of Jesse (v. 10)
Isaiah 11:10 ESV
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.
If the opening statement of this passage would have given pause to the its original hearers, this final statement would have put them in awe!
For in the sweep of this passage, Isaiah is declaring how God will act mightily to bring about the salvation of the nations!
As already mentioned, Isaiah has already rung the death-knell of Judah and the House of David! David’s House, the Tree of Jesse, is going to be cut down to a mere stump.
And yet, Isaiah prophecies that this is not the end for God’s people! God is going to save his people by raising up a shoot from the stump of Jesse. Out of the line of David, the House of David will be restored. The once great tree will be established against. It will be like a tree that gives nesting to the birds of the nations.
But it is here in verse 10 where Isaiah declares something even greater than all that. Isaiah announces that the shoot of Jesse is none other than the root of Jesse. The one who is to come from the stump of Jesse is none other than the root and foundation of the House of Jesse.
The questions one must ask is “who established and founded the House of Jesse and the David dynasty?”
The answer of course is that God himself did. It was God who promised David in 2 Samuel 7 that he would establish his house forever and that his son would sit on his throne and rule.
Isaiah declares to Judah that when God fulfills his promises to David, He Himself will rule his people as the son of David.
We learn this in the Gospels when Jesus declared of himself, “Before Abraham was, I am!” And again Jesus makes this point of himself when he asked the Pharisees, “David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.” ( Mk 12:37)
Conclusion
The great throng in Jesus’ day heard him gladly.
Hear Jesus gladly this morning. What Isaiah saw in the distance we see clearly in the pages of Scripture. Jesus is both the root of Jesse and the shoot from Jesse. He is both David’s son and David’s Lord!
He stands now as a signal for the peoples and the nations inquire of him. His resting place is glorious as he has taken his seat at the right hand of God the Father Almighty!
Hear Jesus gladly this morning as he declares his forgiveness over you, as he reveals himself to you from His Word, as He invites you to His table, and as He sends you from his presence with His good word!
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