Jesus was an ensign for the people

JESUS WAS AN ENSIGN FOR THE PEOPLE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Isaiah11:10 10In that day the Rootof Jesse will stand
as a banner for the peoples;the nations will rally to
him, and his resting place will be glorious.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Biblical Illustrator
There shall be a root of Jesse, whichshall stand for an ensign of the people.
Isaiah11:10
Messiah, the root of Jesse
J. Benson, D. D.
If, through the infallible guidance of the Divinely inspired apostles and
evangelists, we canfind the Messiahspokenofin many passagesofthe Old
Testament, in which we should not otherwise have found Him; in many others
He is so evidently intended and set forth, that, even without that guidance, no
intelligent person, possessedof any degree of spiritual discernment, can fail of
discovering Him (Psalm 2:7, 8; Isaiah9:6; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah61:1; Isaiah
35:4-6; Isaiah50:6; Psalm 22:16-18;Psalm69:21; Isaiah52:13; Isaiah53:2, 3;
Daniel Daniel9:26 Zechariah 6:12, 13). This paragraph is so manifestly meant
of Christ, and of His kingdom, that it is perfectly incapable of any other
application.

I. THE PERSONAND ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL OFFICESOF THE
MESSIAH, — "A ROOT OF JESSE";"AN ENSIGN OF THE PEOPLE."
1. In the preceding verses, He is setforth in His human nature, as the "Rod"
which should "come forth out of the stem of Jesse," "the Branchwhich should
grow out of his roots" (Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah3:8); but here, in His Divine
nature, in which alone He could be the "rootof Jesse";the creating "word"
(Colossians1:16). The word here rendered "root," is properly so translated,
and never means branch, or rod. This is the case likewisein Revelation5:5. In
Revelation22:16, we find both natures mentioned and distinguished; and also
in Romans 1:3; Romans 4:2. His office. "He shall stand for an ensignof the
people." Where they may take oath and swearallegianceto the greatKing
and bind themselves by covenantto be His loyal subjects. Where they may
enlist, and engage to be His faithful soldiers to their life's end. But how is He
an ensign, a banner, or standard, visibly displayed? By manifestation of His
real character, and showing Himself to be the very Messiahthat should come.
By unfurling and unfolding the truth in His doctrine. By exerting and
displaying His power in miracles. By manifesting His love in all His actions
and sufferings. As lifted up upon the Cross (John12:32). As exalted to the
Father's right hand (Acts 2:33). As preachedand declaredto every creature,
to every nation under heaven, for the obedience of faith. As coming in the
clouds of heaven, gathering His elect, gathering "all nations and tongues," to
see His glory.
II. THE APPLICATION THAT IS TO BE MADE TO HIM BY THE
GENTILES. "To Him shall the Gentiles (Hebrews, 'the nations') seek." He
Himself came to seek and save the lost, and He is often found of those that
before sought Him not. Those, however, that are first found of Him do
themselves also seek Him.
1. But for what purposes? As an infallible Teacher, fortruth and grace. As a
Mediator, for pardon, etc. As an all-sufficient Saviour, expecting deliverance
from the powerand pollution of sin, from the flesh, the world, and the devil.
As their rightful Sovereign, to give law to them, to rule, protect, and exalt
them. As the Captain of their salvation, to go before them and conquer for
them, to enable them to conquer, and to crownthem as victorious.

2. But how do they seek Him? By desire, earnest, constant, increasing, restless
(Isaiah 55:1; John 7:37; Revelation22:17). By prayer (Joel2:32; Acts 2:21;
Romans 10:13; 1 Corinthians 1:2). By faith and trust (Isaiah 28:16; Romans
10:11;Romans 15:12).
III. THE EFFECTSTHAT SHALL FOLLOW. "His rest shall be glorious."
As a Teacher, the "light of the world," and as made of God to His people
"wisdom," He gives rest to the understanding from the uncertainties of error,
by the clearand satisfactoryknowledge ofthe truth, and faith therein, or "the
full assurance ofunderstanding." As a Priest, and as made of God to us
"righteousness,"He gives restto the conscience. As a Saviour from sin, and as
made of God unto us "sanctification,"He gives rest to the will, affections, and
passions, humbling our pride, subduing our rebellious dispositions (Matthew
11:29). As a King, by delivering, defending, governing, ordering, disposing,
and making all things work for good, and setting up His kingdom in our
hearts, He gives us rest from cares, fears, andanxieties. As the Captain of our
salvation, He gives the rest consequenton victory over our enemies, in
deliverance from all tormenting fear of them, even the fearof death, and
enabling us, while on earth, to live in peace, love, and harmony, with one
another. He gives rest to the earth during the millennium (Isaiah 11:6-9;
Isaiah9:7; Isaiah 32:15-19;Micah 4:1-4; Zechariah 14:6-9).
(J. Benson, D. D.)
The root of Jesse
H. M. Booth, D. D.
I. THE SURROUNDINGSWITHWHICH THE REDEEMER WOULD BE
CONNECTED. He was to be "a root of Jesse."Elsewhere in his prophecy
Isaiahspeaks ofHim as "a root out of a dry ground." The dry ground in
which this root yielded the Plant of renown was the barren soilof a corrupt
age, a worn out civilisation, a depraved humanity. His descentfrom Jesse
associatedHim vitally with a notable family of the Jews. But centuries had
passedsince the descendants of Jessehad made themselves conspicuous. The

energy of that vigorous family had expended itself in the luxury and the
frivolity of many kings. Josephof Nazareth, the village carpenter, and Mary
his espousedwife, were the living representatives ofan illustrious ancestry;
and they were so poor and so humble that Bethlehem, their native city, had no
welcome for them when they went thither to be enrolled. The Child Jesus
shared their lot. He could not have frequented the schools,forHis townsmen
were astonishedat His wisdom when He began to teach. He evidently had the
Old TestamentScriptures in His hands, and He had the swatinfluence of His
mother, and the wise counsels ofJoseph, and He had the synagogue. Thatwas
His environment — so far as His environment was helpful. He could draw no
inspiration from the ordinary Jewishlife of Nazareth, and still less from the
Greek or Roman life of Galilee. His Jewishlineage is unquestioned, and yet
there is nothing Jewishabout Him. He is larger than the nation, largereven
than the race. None of the important laws of heredity can explain Him.
II. THE ATTITUDE WHICH THE REDEEMERWOULD ASSUME. He was
to "stand for an ensignof the people." Ideas are symbolised by standards. A
national flag represents a national idea. Isaiah declaredthat Jesus would
"stand for an ensignof the people" — not of the Jews merely, but of the
Gentiles also;and Jesus made a similar declarationconcerning Himself. "And
I, if I be lifted up from the earth," etc. He anticipated universal supremacy.
This is surely a very remarkable expectationto be cherishedintelligently by
an ordinary Jew of that period of history. Raciallines were then sharply
drawn. Yet Jesus — a Jew, and a Jew in a small provincial town, rose to an
appreciationof the essentialonenessofhumanity, and presented Himself, with
His idea, as the ensign of the people, so that Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews,
was able to write to the Gentiles of Ephesus:"Ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God."
This expectationwas not cherished by one who was marching at the head of
an invincible army, but by a very humble young man in the quiet village of
Nazareth. He had never been abroad. He had enjoyed but little contactwith
the world. Yet He made this claim of universal authority. The sobriety of His
claim will appear, and the wisdom of His purpose will be evident, if attention
is directed to the characteristicsofHis idea, and if the trend of human
progress is regarded. The idea of Jesus, the idea illustrated by His character

and life, the idea around which Christendom is crystallising, is clearly
expressedin the words, "not to be ministered unto, but to minister." This
idea, the service of self-sacrifice, is one which is capable of transforming life.
Now that idea is beginning to assertits power.
III. THE INFLUENCE WHICH THE REDEEMERWOULD EXERT. "His
rest shall be glorious." This is the promise of peace which Jesus Himself
repeated. Very simple are the terms, and yet men draw back from their
simplicity. They want the rest, but they do not want to kneelat the feet of
Christ. This work — so glorious — is not an experiment. It has approved
itself. In Christ, all men may find rest.
(H. M. Booth, D. D.)
The holy war
F. W. Brown.
Our Lord as an Ensign—
I. MUSTERS HIS FORCES FOR THE BATTLE. Under the Old Testament
dispensation, JehovahrevealedHimself as the Lord of hosts — as a man of
war; and God manifest in the flesh was the Captain of salvation, and setup
His standard for men to rally around, that they might overcome sin without
and sin within. As soldiers of the Cross, we are to muster around our great
Ensign, for discipline, drill, and for battle. The royal proclamationhas gone
forth; war has been declaredagainstthe powers of darkness;the trumpet of
the Gospelhas sounded, calling upon "all the world" and "every creature";to
it the Gentiles have come, and the Church militant is going forth in this holy
war.
II. MARCHES WITH HIS FORCES TO THE BATTLE. He goes in front as
Leader and Commander, to guide, stimulate, and cheer. The strength of His
arm and the light of His eye are to act as inspiration to His troops.

1. He goes before in His example. He fought with Satan, and He overcame the
world. He conqueredits frowns and smiles, and always went His way. "He
was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."
2. He goes before us in precept. He has given us commandments how we shall
march and how we shall fight; and He is ever present to give powerto His
Word by the illumination and demonstration of His Holy Spirit. The early
Christians were heroic and successfulin battle, for they realisedthe presence
of the great Ensign with them.
III. MINGLES WITH HIS FORCES IN THE BATTLE. "His restshall be
glorious." It shall not be a doubtful or drawn battle; it shall end in complete
victory. The Saviour, when He finished the greatatonement, ascendedup on
high, and "satdown" in peace and power, — He entered into glorious rest.
(F. W. Brown.)
Jesus the Ensign
J. W. Cole.
I. THE WORK OF CHRIST.
1. Jesus may be calledan ensignbecause He is a gathering or rallying point
for men. There always have been persons who have stoodforth prominently
from their fellows, in travel, in science, in ethics, in art, in song. These have
founded particular schools ofthought or philosophy, and men have claimed
them as leaders, rangedthemselves round their standards, and been proud to
be called by their names. Such individuals have been "ensigns of the people,"
gathering or rallying points for their own followers. Justso is Jesus
preeminently "an ensign for the people."
2. An "ensign," is a banner to fight under. The watchwordof the true believer
in Jesus is, "Jehovahnissi!" There are different regiments enrolled in the
Lord's sacramentalhost, and therefore are they spokenof as "an army with
banners"; but every sectionalflag droops and dips in the dust as it is borne
before the "Captainof our salvation."

3. An "ensign" is a guide to travellers. And such is Christ to the travellers
from earth to heaven.
II. THE REST OF CHRIST. "His rest shall be glorious."
1. Becauseit will be the rest which follows victory.
2. The rest of abiding peace. In 1815, whenthe British Parliament were voting
honours and emoluments to Wellington, and considering "the measures
necessarytowards forming a peace establishment," suddenly all their plans
were interrupted and their peace projects dissipatedby the intelligence that
Napoleonhad escapedfrom Elba. Nothing like this will occurduring the rest
of Christ; His enemies once subdued will be subdued forever.
3. Becauseit will be the rest which follows successfulattempts at salvation.
Like the restof the life boat crew, whenthe mariners have been all brought
from the tempest tossedand torn and tottering wreck;like the restof the
firemen when they have rescuedthe last inmate who was ready to perish from
the burning building. His rest shall be glorious, for "He shall see of the travail
of His soul and be satisfied."
4. Becauseit shall be the restof socialenjoyment, unmarred by pain or
sickness, by separationor death.
5. The rest of joyous activity.
6. A rest of unending duration.
(J. W. Cole.)
Christ the Ensign for His people
E. Auriol, M. A.
I. THE PERSONOF CHRIST.
II. THE EMBLEM BY WHICH HE IS REPRESENTED.
III. PRACTICAL APPLICATION.

1. The need we have of the Holy Spirit's work. Christ may be faithfully and
constantly preached, but it is by the Holy Spirit convincing us of our need,
and giving us a living faith, that we range ourselves under His banner.
2. We must expect a conflict.
3. Christ will come to take His saints to Himself, to claim that glory which He
has purchasedby having died for them.
(E. Auriol, M. A.)
His restshall be glorious
The Christian's glorious rest
T. Snow, M. A.
I. CONSIDERWHEREIN THIS REST CONSISTS.
1. In that greatobedience which Christ has rendered unto God, in the human
nature, for man. There is a rest of conscienceto those who are in Christ.
2. Another ground of this rest of the spirit is in the victory that Christ has
obtained over all His enemies. Death, sin, Satan, the world. The enemies of the
believer are vanquished through Christ Jesus.
II. IN WHAT SENSE IT MAY BE CALLED GLORIOUS.
1. It is glorious to God the Father;whose wisdom and love it manifests. It is
glorious to God the Son; who obtained it for His whole spiritual Church by
His incarnation and toil and agony. It is glorious to God the Spirit; who
foretold it, who describedit, who reveals it, and seals them for it. It is glorious,
because allGod's attributes are honoured in it. His justice is satisfied:His
mercy also is infinitely displayed.
2. The rest is glorious and honourable to all those who are brought into it. For
they are washedfrom their sins wholly, through the blood of the Lamb, and
stand as candidates for heaven in those blessedgarments, which grace has
purchased for them and calledthem to wear. They ceasefrom the impious

intention of asking heaven for their own obedience, from a deep and heart-felt
conviction of God's infinite holiness and their own unworthiness. They place
the crownof honour on the head, where God would have it placed — evenon
that head that wore the crown of thorns.
3. There remains a more glorious rest hereafter.
(T. Snow, M. A.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(10) In that day there shall be a root of Jesse . . .—The “root,” as in Isaiah
53:2; Deuteronomy 29:18, is the same as the “rod” and “branch” growing
from the rootin Isaiah11:1. The new shoot of the fallen tree of Jesseis to
grow up like a stately palm, seenafaroff upon the heights of the “holy
mountain,” a signal round which the distant nations might rally as their
centre. So the name of “the root of David” is applied to the glorified Christ in
Revelation5:5; Revelation22:16. The word for “seek” implies, as in Isaiah
8:19; Isaiah 19:3; Isaiah55:6, the specialseeking forwisdom and illumination.
His restshall be glorious.—Better, his resting-place shallbe glory; i.e., he shall
abide evermore in the eternal glory which is the dwelling-place of Jehovah.
BensonCommentary
Isaiah11:10. And in that day, &c. — We have here the latter part of this
prophecy, which sets forth some more illustrious events of this kingdom, with
their consequences. The events are set forth Isaiah11:10-16, and are three.
1st, The remarkable conversionof the Gentiles, Isaiah11:10. 2d, The calling
of the dispersedJews to the communion of the kingdom of Christ, Isaiah
11:11 to Isaiah 14:3 d, A diminution of the powers of the adverse empires,
Egypt and Assyria, Isaiah11:15-16. The consequenceofthese events is

representedto be a remarkable thanksgiving of the Jewishpeople, converted
to the Messiahforthe redemption granted to them, Isaiah12:1-6. There shall
be a root of Jesse, &c. — This verse, is more literally rendered, And it shall be
in that day, — Namely, in that glorious gospelday, that the Gentiles shall seek
to the root of Jesse, whichstands for an ensignof the people; and his rest shall
be glorious. By the root of Jesse,we may either understand a branch growing
from that root, and so may interpret it of Christ’s human nature, or, referring
it to his divine nature, we may take it for a root properly so called, as the
expressionis to be understood Revelation22:16; where Christ is represented
as being as well the root, as the offspring of David. Which shall stand, or
which stands, for an ensignof the people — Which shall grow up into a great
and high tree, shall become a visible and eminent ensign, which not only the
Jews, but all nations may discern, and to which they may and shall resort; to
it shall the Gentiles seek — As the gospelshallbe preachedto the Gentiles, so
they shall receive it, and believe in the Messiah;and his rest — That is, either,
1st, His resting-place, his temple, or church, the place of his presence and
abode; shall be glorious — Filled with greaterglory than the Jewish
tabernacle and temple were;only this glory shall be spiritual, consisting in the
plentiful effusion of the gifts and gracesofthe Holy Spirit. Or, 2d, The rest
enjoyed by those who are true worshippers in this temple, or true members of
this church: their restof grace, offaith, hope, and love: the restconsequenton
the justification of their persons, and the renovation of their nature; the rest
which they enter into by believing, (Hebrews 4:3,) which they receive in
consequence ofcoming to Christ, wearyand heavy laden, and learning of him,
Matthew 11:28; their peace with God, peace ofconscience, andtranquillity of
mind, is glorious, for it passethall understanding, Php 4:7. And it shall be
much more glorious in a future world, when they enter the rest remaining for
the people of God, Hebrews 4:9. Then their restshall be not only glorious, but
glory: and glory shall be their rest, as the words may be also rendered.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
11:10-16 When the gospelshould be publicly preached, the Gentiles would
seek ChristJesus as their Lord and Saviour, and find rest of soul. When
God's time is come for the deliverance of his people, mountains of opposition
shall become plains before him. God can soonturn gloomy days into glorious

ones. And while we expect the Lord to gatherhis ancientpeople, and bring
them home to his church, also to bring in the fulness of the Gentiles, when all
will be united in holy love, let us tread the highway of holiness he has made for
his redeemed. Let us waitfor the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal
life, looking to him to prepare our way through death, that river which
separates this world from the eternal world.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
And in that day - That future time when the reign of the Messiahshallbe
established;Note, Isaiah3:2; Isaiah4:1. The prophet, having describedthe
birth, and the personalcharacteristicsofthe greatpersonage to whom he
referred, togetherwith the peacefuleffects of his reign, proceeds to state the
result of that reign in some other respects. The first is Isaiah11:10, that the
"Gentiles" wouldbe brought under his reign; the secondIsaiah 11:14, that it
would be attended with the restorationof the scatteredpeople of Judea; and
the third Isaiah11:15-16, that it would be followedby the destruction of the
enemies of the people of God.
There shall be a root of Jesse - There shall be a sprout, shoot, or scionof the
ancient and decayedfamily of Jesse;see the note at Isaiah 5:1. Chaldee,
'There shall be a son of the sons of Jesse.'The word "root" here - ‫ׁשרׁש‬ shoresh
- is evidently used in the sense of a rootthat, is alive when the tree is dead; a
root that sends up a shoot or sprout; and is thus applied to him who should
proceedfrom the ancientand decayedfamily of Jesse;see Isaiah53:2. Thus in
Revelation5:5, the Messiahis called'the" root" of David,' and in Revelation
22:16, 'the root and the offspring of David.'
Which shall stand - There is reference here, doubtless, to the fact that military
ensigns were sometimes raisedon mountains or towers which were
permanent, and which, therefore, could be rallying points to an arm or a
people. The idea is, that the root of Jesse,that is, the Messiah, shouldbe
conspicuous, and that the nations should flee to him, and rally around him as
a people do around a military standard. Thus the Saviour says John 12:32 :
'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.'
For an ensign - Fora standard, or a sign round which they shall rally.

Of the people - That is, as the parallelism shows, ofthe Gentiles.
To it shall the Gentiles seek - The paganworld shall look to it for safety and
deliverance. In the Scriptures, the world is spokenof as divided into Jews and
Gentiles. All who are not Jews come under this appellation. This is a distinct
prophecy, that other nations than the Jews should be benefited by the work of
the Messiah, andconstitute a part of his kingdom. This fact is often referred
to by Isaiah, and constitutes a very material feature in his prophecies;Isaiah
42:1, Isaiah42:6; Isaiah 49:22;Isaiah 54:3; Isaiah60:3, Isaiah60:5, Isaiah
60:11, Isaiah60:16; Isaiah61:6, Isaiah61:9; Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah66:12, Isaiah
66:19. The word "seek" here, is used in the sense ofseeking as a Deliverer, or
a Saviour: they shall apply to him for instruction, guidance, and salvation; or
they shall apply to him as a nation looks to its deliverer to protect it; compare
Isaiah8:19; 2 Kings 1:3; Isaiah65:1.
And his rest - The rest, peace, and quietness, which he shall give. This
evidently includes all the rest or peace which he shall impart to those who seek
him. The word ‫החונמ‬ menûchâh sometimes denotes "a resting place," ora
habitation Numbers 10:33;Micah 2:10; Psalm132:8; but it also denotes "a
state of rest, quietness;" Ruth 1:9; Jeremiah45:3; Psalm23:2; Psalm95:11;
Deuteronomy 12:9; Isaiah28:12; Isaiah46:1. Here it evidently means the
latter. It may refer,
(1) To the peace which he gives to the conscienceofthe awaenedand troubled
sinner Matthew 11:28-30;or
(2) To the prosperity and peace which his reign shall produce.
Shall be glorious - Hebrew, 'Shall be glory.' That is, shall be full of glory and
honor. It shall be such as shall confersignal honor on his reign. The Chaldee
understands this of his place of residence, his palace, orcourt. 'And the place
of his abode shall be in glory.' The Vulgate renders it, 'and his sepulchre shall
be glorious.'
'By his rest, we are not to understand his grave - or his death - or his Sabbath
- or the resthe gives his people - but his place of rest, his residence. There is
no need of supplying a preposition before glory, which is an abstractused for

a concrete - glory, for glorious. The church, Christ's home, shall be glorious
from his presence, andthe accessionofthe Gentiles.' - (Alexander.) This is a
beautiful rendering; it is, moreover, consistentwith the letter and spirit of the
passage. Some include both ideas.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
10. root—rather, "shootfrom the root" (compare Note, see on[705]Isa 11:1;
Isa 53:2; Re 5:5; 22:16).
stand—permanently and prominently, as a banner lifted up to be the rallying
point of an army or people (Isa 5:26; Joh12:32).
the people—peoples, answering to "the Gentiles" in the parallelmember.
to it … seek—diligently(Job 8:5). They shall give in their allegianceto the
Divine King (Isa 2:2; 60:5; Zec 2:11). Horsley translates, "OfHim shall the
Gentiles inquire"; namely, in a religious sense, resortas to an oracle for
consultationin difficulties" (Zec 14:16). Compare Ro 15:12, which quotes this
passage, "InHim shall the Gentiles trust."
rest—resting-place(Isa 60:13;Ps 132:8, 14;Eze 43:7). The sanctuary in the
temple of Jerusalemwas "the resting-place of the ark and of Jehovah." So the
glorious Church which is to be is described under the image of an oracle to
which all nations shall resort, and which shall be filled with the visible glory of
God.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
A root; a branch growing upon the root; of which see on Isaiah 11:1.
Shall stand for an ensign; shall grow up into a great and high tree, shall
become a visible and eminent ensign. Of the people; which not only the Jews,
but all nations may discern, and to which they may and shall resort.

To it shall the Gentiles seek;as the gospelshall be preachedto the Gentiles, so
they shall receive it, and believe in the Messiah. His rest; his resting-place, as
this word frequently signifies, as Genesis 8:9 49:15 Psalm 132:8,14 Isa 34:14
Micah2:10; his temple or church, the place of his presence and abode.
Shall be glorious;shall be filled with greaterglory than the Jewishtabernacle
and temple were; of which see on Haggai2:9; only this glory shall be spiritual,
consisting in glorious ordinances, in the plentiful effusions of the excellent
gifts, and graces, andcomforts of the Holy Spirit.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,.... The Messiah, so called, either
with respectto his human nature, who was to spring from Jesse;so the
Targum,
"and there shall be at that time a sonof the sons of Jesse;''
who, when incarnate, was like a root under ground, hidden to men, as to the
glory of his person, and the fulness of his grace, and was mean, abject, and
contemptible in their view; or rather with respectto his divine nature, just as
he is called "the root and offspring of David", Revelation5:5 the former as
God, the latter as man; and so the phrase may denote his eternity, being
before Jesse, orany other man or creature whatever;and his being the
Creatorand preserverof all, of Jesse, andof all others;and, as Mediator, he is
the rootfrom whom Jesse, andall the electof God, are; they have their being
in him; they are rootedand grounded in him; and are bore by him as the
branches by the root; and they have their life and nourishment, their
fruitfulness, holiness, and perseverance thereinfrom him. This is understood
of the Messiah, by ancient and modern Jews (e):
which shall stand for an ensignof the people; in the ministration of the
Gospel, for the gathering of the people of God to him, to enlist in his service,
and fight under his banner, where they may be sure of victory; an ensign set
up, a banner displayed, is for the gathering of soldiers together;it is a sign of
preparation for war, and an encouragementto it; and is sometimes done when

victory is obtained, see Isaiah 5:26 and is a direction where soldiers should
stand, when they should march, and who they should follow, as well as it
serves to distinguish one company from another; and of all this use is the
preaching of Christ and his Gospel:
to it shall the Gentiles seek;that is, to Christ, signified by the root of Jesse,
and setup for an ensignof the people; being sought out by him in redemption
and calling, and being sensible of their need of him, and that there is
something valuable in him, having had a manifestation of him to them; and
therefore seek to him, not out of curiosity, nor with worldly views, nor in the
last, but in the first place, and chiefly; not hypocritically, but sincerely, and
with their whole hearts; not carelessly, but diligently and constantly;not
partially, but for everything they want; principally for the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness, foreternal glory and happiness, and for a justifying
righteousness, as the title to it: or to him shall they "betake themselves"(f),
see Deuteronomy12:5 as to an ensign, standard bearer, captain-general,
leaderand commander of the people; or as to a stronghold, for protection
from enemies;or as to a city of refuge, to secure from avenging justice and
wrath to come;and, under a sense ofdanger and ruin, to one that is able to
save;and for help to one that is mighty; or him "shall" they "consult" (g); or
seek to him for advice and counsel, see Isaiah8:19 who is a most proper
person to be consulted on all occasions, he being the wonderful Counsellor,
Isaiah9:6. This is a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles, and which had its
accomplishment, in part, in the first times of the Gospel, and will be
completely fulfilled in the last days:
and his rest shall be glorious; either that which Christ gives to those that seek
unto him, and which is both a spiritual rest here, from the burden and guilt of
sin, and the tyrannical power of it; from the bondage, curse, and
condemnation of the law;from a sense ofdivine wrath; and a rest in
afflictions, though not from them; and an eternal rest hereafter, a "rest in
glory" (h); as the words may be rendered here; it will be a glorious one, the
bodies of the saints at death rest in the grave, and their souls in the arms of
Jesus;and after the resurrection, body and soulwill rest togetherfrom sin
and Satan, from unbelief, doubts, and fears, and from all enemies;or else this
rest is what Christ himself enjoys. Some understand it of his death, which,

though ignominious in itself, yet glorious in its consequences;a glorious
display of the condescensionand love of Christ was made in it; and glorious
things have been effectedby it: others, of his grave, which was an honourable
man's; his grave was made with the rich; though perhaps better of his rest in
glory; when he had done his work, and satdown at the right hand of God, he
was crownedwith glory and honour; or rather it may designhis church,
which is his rest, Psalm 132:13 which is glorious, with his righteousness, grace,
and presence, andbeing put in order by him, as an army with banners; and
especiallyit will be, when all the glorious things spokenof it shall be fulfilled.
(e) Zohar in Exod. fol. 71. 1. BereshitRabba, sect. 98. fol. 85. 3. Midrash in
Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 97. 2. BaalHatturim in Numbers 26. 10. (f) "non
significatquaerre, sed tendere, aut se confere", Bootius, Animadv. l. 1. c. 5.
sect. 6. (g) "Ad eum consulent", Junius. (h) So Ben Melechobserves thatis
wanting, and the sense is "in", or, "with glory".
Geneva Study Bible
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,which shall stand for an ensign
of the {e} people; to it shall the Gentiles seek:and his {f} rest shall be glorious.
(e) He prophecies of the calling of the Gentiles.
(f) That is, the Church which he also calls his rest, Ps 132:14.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
10. This verse occupies a position somewhatdetachedfrom those that follow,
as is shewn by the repetition of the introductory formula in Isaiah11:11. The
thought also is distinct and complete. It is a prophecy of the attractive
influence of the true religion over the nations of the world; and resembles ch.
Isaiah2:2-4, although here the personalMessiahis the central figure. Comp.
John 12:32.

The constructionof the sentence involves a casus pendens (Driver, Tenses,pp.
264 ff.). Render thus: and it shall come to pass in that day, the rootof Jesse
who shall stand as a signal to the peoples—to him shall, &c.
a root of Jesse]i.e. the “branch from the roots,” of Isaiah11:1. The expression
seems to have become a technical title of the Messiah(cf. ch. Isaiah 53:2; Sir
47:22;Revelation5:5; Revelation22:16). The variation of the figure from
Isaiah11:1 rather tells againstthe Isaianic authorship of this passage.
an ensign] as rallying-point, see on ch. Isaiah5:26.
to it shall the Gentiles seek]Rather, of him shall nations enquire—a phrase
used of the consulting of an oracle (ch. Isaiah8:19, Isaiah19:3). The Messiah
is to be the greatreligious Teacher andAuthority of the world.
his restshall be glorious]his resting-place (Genesis 49:15,—here alone usedof
a royal residence)shall be glory, cf. ch. Isaiah4:5.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 10-13. -THE JEWS AND GENTILES SHALL BE GATHERED
TOGETHER INTO MESSIAH'S KINGDOM. It is characteristic of"the
evangelicalprophet" that he dwells earnestlyand frequently on the calling of
the Gentiles (see Isaiah2:2; Isaiah19:22-25;Isaiah 25:6; Isaiah27:13, etc.).
The prophecies to Abraham had repeatedly declared that "in him," or "in his
seed," "allthe families of the earth should be blessed" (Genesis 12:3;Genesis
18:18;Genesis 22:18;Genesis 26:4);and some of the psalmists had echoedthe
glad sound and spokenof God as worshipped generally by "the nations"
(Psalm 117:1;Psalm 148:11). But the idea had takenlittle hold upon the
chosenpeople generally; and was practically new to them when Isaiah was
inspired to preach it afresh. To render it the more palatable, he unites with it

the promise of a greatgathering of the dispersed Israelites from all quarters
to the banner of Messiah, whenit is setup. Verse 10. - There shall he a root of
Jesse. The "root" ofthis place is the same as the "rod" and "branch" of ver.
1. The "rod" springs up out of a "root," and is inseparably connectedwith it.
Which shall stand for an ensignof the people; rather, of the peoples. The
"rod" shall lift itself up, and become an ensign, seenfrom afar, and attracting
to itself the attention of "the peoples" or "nations" generally. The Acts and
Epistles show how speedily this prophecy was fulfilled. Greeks, Romans,
Galatians, Cappadoeians, Babylonians (1 Peter5:13), saw the ensign, and
sought to it. His rest shall be glorious; rather, his resting-place;i.e. his
Church, with which he abides forever (Matthew 28:20). The Shechinah of his
presence makes the Church "glorious" (literally, "a glory") throughout all
ages;but the glory will not fully appear till the time of the "new heavens and
new earth" (Isaiah 65:17; Roy. 21, 22.), when he will dwell visibly with it.
Keil and DelitzschBiblical Commentary on the Old Testament
This is the standard according to which He will judge when saving, and judge
when punishing. "And judges the poor with righteousness,and passes
sentence with equity for the humble in the land; and smites the earth with the
rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He slays the wicked. And
righteousness is the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His hips."
The main feature in Isaiah11:4 is to be seenin the objective ideas. He will do
justice to the dallim, the weak and helpless, by adopting an incorruptibly
righteous course towards their oppressors, anddecide with
straightforwardness forthe humble or meek of the land: ‛ânâv, like ‛ânı̄, from
‛ânâh, to bend, the latter denoting a person boweddown by misfortune, the
former a personinwardly boweddown, i.e., from all self-conceit(hōcı̄achl', as
in Job 16:21). The poor and humble, or meek, are the peculiar objects ofHis
royal care;just as it was really to them that the first beatitudes of the Sermon
on the Mount applied. But "the earth" and "the wicked" (the latter is not to
be understood collectively, but, as in severalpassagesin the Old Testament,
viz., Psalm68:22; Psalm110:6; Habakkuk 3:13-14, as pointing forward
prophetically to an eschatologicalperson, in whom hostility towards Jehovah
and His Anointed culminates most satanically)will experience the full force of
His penal righteousness.The very word of His mouth is a rod which shatters

in pieces (Psalm2:9; Revelation1:16); and the breath of His lips is sufficient
to destroy, without standing in need of any further means (2 Thessalonians
2:8). As the girdle upon the hips (mothnaim, lxx την̀ ὀσφύν), and in front upon
the loins (chălâzaim, lxx τὰς πλευράς), fastens the clothes together, so all the
qualities and active powers of His personhave for their band tzedâkâh, which
follows the inviolable norm of the divine will, and hâ'emūnâh, which holds
immovably to the course divinely appointed, according to promise (Isaiah
25:1). Specialprominence is given by the article to 'emūnâh; He is the faithful
and true witness (Revelation1:5; Revelation3:14). Consequentlywith Him
there commences a new epoch, in which the Son of David and His
righteousness acquire a world-subduing force, and find their home in a
humanity that has sprung, like Himself, out of deep humiliation.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Isaiah11:10 Then in that day the nations will resortto the Rootof Jesse,Who
will stand as a Signal for the peoples and His resting place will be glorious.:
in that day: Isa 11:1 2:11 Ro 15:12 Rev 22:16
Will: : Isa 59:19 Ge 49:10 Jn 3:14,15 12:32
Signalfor the peoples:Isa 60:3,5 66:12,19 Mt2:1,2 8:11 12:21 Lk 2:32 Jn
12:20,21 Ac 11:18 26:17,18 28:28 Ro 15:9-12
glorious:Heb. glory, Ps 149:5

Then - Always be alert to this expressionof time so that enabled by prayerful
dependence on your Teacherthe Holy Spirit (1Cor 2:10-13), you can
profitably observe and query this "time phrase," especiallyin prophetic
writings, as it marks a sequence (Webster- Then - "following next after in
order of position, narration, or enumeration : being next in a series.")
Brenton's English of the Greek Septuagint(Lxx) renders Isaiah11:10 as
follows…
And in that day there shall be a Rootof Jesse, andHe that shall arise to rule
over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles trust (hope), and His rest shall be
glorious.
Paul quotes from the Greek rather than the Hebrew in Romans 15:12…
And againIsaiah says, "THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE,
AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM
SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE."
In that day - What day? The day of universal peace when the Messiahreturns
to rule and reign over the regeneratedearth during the Millennium.
See RelatedTopic - Day of the Lord.
Compare Isaiah's other uses of the time phrase in that day - Isaiah 2:11, 17,
20; 3:18; 4:1, 2; 5:30; 7:18, 20f, 23; 10:20, 27;11:10; 12:4; 17:4, 7, 9; 19:16, 18,
19, 21, 23, 24; 20:6; 22:8, 12, 20, 25; 23:15;24:21; 25:9; 26:1; 27:1, 2, 12, 13;
28:5; 31:7; 52:6; Jer 4:9; 48:41;49:22, 26; 50:30
The nations (01471)(goy) - The Gentiles, synonymous with the peoples. Isaiah
has numerous prophecies that deal with the nations and peoples (Gentiles) -
Isaiah2:2, 3, 4, 12:4, 42:1, 6, 49:6; 52:10;60:3; 66:18.
Jamiesonon signalsays that Messiahwill
permanently and prominently, as a banner lifted up to be the rallying point of
an army or people (Is 5:26; Jn 12:32).
Will resort(KJV = seek)(01875)(darash)means to seek withcare, to inquire,
to care about, to study, to investigate, to examine, to ask.

Paul translates this Hebrew verb darash in Isa 11:10 with the Greek verb
elpizo (word study), which conveys the primary meaning of to hope, which
conveys the idea of that in which one hopes as being so certain as to surely
come to pass! (Does this not call for an "Amen"?)The idea is to look forward
with confidence to that which is goodand beneficial. Elpizo means to express
desire for some goodwith the expectationof obtaining it (cp Titus 2:13-note).
Thus the KJV renders Ro 15:12KJV with the word "trust."
The Rootof Jesse -This is another name for the Messiah, the Shootand the
Branch of Isaiah11:1. Messiahpictured as Root indicates that Jesse sprang
from Him. John gives us a similar picture of Messiahin the Revelation…
One of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping;behold, the Lion (Messiah)that is
from the tribe of Judah, the Rootof David, has overcome so as to open the
book and its sevenseals.” (Rev5:5-note)
I, Jesus, have sentMy angelto testify to you these things for the churches. I
am the root and the descendantof David, the bright morning star. (Rev 22:16-
note)
Mal Couchwrites that…
As the ‘root’ of David, He existed before David, that is, He is eternal. And as
the ‘offspring’ or descendantof David, He is the rightful Heir to the throne of
David, and the One who will fulfill the covenantedblessings promisedto
David.” (Mal Couch, ed., A Bible Handbook to RevelationGrand Rapids, MI:
Kregel Publications, 2001)
JESUS CHRIST
KING OF KINGS
Dr John Walvoordexplains that Jesus Christ will be the King of kings in His
millennial kingdom…
In Psalm 2:6, in spite of the opposition of the kings of the earth, God declares
His purpose: “Yet I have setmy king upon my holy hill of Zion.” This purpose
will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom in the reign of Jesus Christ as the

Son of David. As Lewis Sperry Chaferhas succinctlystated: “Every Old
Testamentprophecy on the kingdom anticipates His kingly office:
(a) Christ will yet sit on the throne as David’s heir (2Sa 7:16; Ps 89:20-37;Isa
11:1-16;Jer 33:19, 20, 21).
(b) He came as a King (Luke 1:32, 33).
(c) He was rejectedas a King (Mark 15:12-13;Luke 19:14; cf. Ge 37:8; Ex
2:14).
(d) He died as a King (Mt 27:37).
(e) When He comes again, it is as a King (Rev 19:16; cf. Luke 1:32, 33)”
(Chafer, Systematic Theology, VII, 233).
Walvoord explains that Jesus Christ will be the King of kings in His millennial
kingdom…
In Psalm 2:6, in spite of the opposition of the kings of the earth, God declares
His purpose: “Yet I have setmy king upon my holy hill of Zion.” This purpose
will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom in the reign of Jesus Christ as the
Son of David. As Lewis Sperry Chaferhas succinctlystated: “Every Old
Testamentprophecy on the kingdom anticipates His kingly office:
(a) Christ will yet sit on the throne as David’s heir (2Sa 7:16; Ps 89:20-37;Isa
11:1-16;Jer 33:19, 20, 21).
(b) He came as a King (Luke 1:32, 33).
(c) He was rejectedas a King (Mark 15:12-13;Luke 19:14; cf. Ge 37:8; Ex
2:14).
(d) He died as a King (Mt 27:37).
(e) When He comes again, it is as a King (Rev 19:16; cf. Luke 1:32, 33)”
(Chafer, Systematic Theology, VII, 233).
The fact that Christ will reign over the earth is of course imbedded in
practically every prophecy concerning the millennial kingdom.

The absolute characterof His reign
is indicated in Isaiah11:3-5.
This central prophecy is confirmed by the angelto Mary in announcing the
coming birth of Christ in these words:
He shall be great, and shall be calledthe Son of the MostHigh: and the Lord
God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over
the house of Jacobforever;and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Lk 1:32,
33).
It should be clearfrom the details surrounding these predictions that these
prophecies are not being fulfilled in the present age, nor are they a description
of the sovereigntyof God in the heavenly sphere.
Many other Scriptures can be cited to substantiate the reign of Christ as King
in the millennium of which the following are representative:Isaiah2:1-4-note;
Isa 9:6, 7-note;11:1-10 ; 16:5 ; 24:23 ; 32:2 ; 40:1-11 ; 42:3, 4 ; 52:7-15 ; 55:4 ;
Da 2:44-note; Da 7:27-note;Mic 4:1-8; 5:2-5 ; Zech 9:9; 14:16, 17 . These
passagesif interpreted in the ordinary literal meaning lead to the conclusion
that Christ is the King who will reign over the earth in the millennial period.
(The Righteous Government of the Millennium)
Jamiesonadds that Messiahis
“Notmerely ‘a suckercome up from David’s ancient root’ (as Alford limits
it), but also including the idea of His being Himself the root and origin of
David: compare these two truths brought together, Mt 22:42, 43, 44, 45.
Hence He is callednot merely Sonof David, but also David. He is at once ‘the
branch’ of David, and ‘the root’ of David." (Comments on the Revelation)
Who will stand as a signal for the peoples (Gentiles) - While the Messiah's
coming kingdom will fulfill His promises to Abraham (Ge 15:18, 19, 20, 21
17:7, 8; 22:17, 18), to David (2Sa 7:16) and to Israelas a nation (Jer 31:31, 32,
33, 34), His kingdom will also be a kingdom for Gentile believers and the
MessiahHimself will serve as the banner or rallying point for all the nations.
Zechariah alluded to this same truth in chapter 14…

And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be
the only one, and His name the only one… Then it will come about that any
who are left of all the nations that went againstJerusalem(Referring to those
Gentiles who had placedtheir faith in the Messiah)will go up from year to
year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feastof
Booths. (Zec 14:9, 16)
Isaiah11:10, 12 are in essence a fulfillment of the promise God made to
Abraham…
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Ge 12:3).
Comment: Clearly all the families refers to both Jew and Gentile families.
Luke records a parallel description of Jesus serving as a signal for the peoples
(Jesus speaking)And they (an allusion to Gentile believers) will come from
eastand westand from north and south, and will recline at the table in the
kingdom of God. (Lk 13:29-note).
Signal(05251)(nec/nes)means a banner, an ensign, a standard, a signalpole
(woodpole which was visible when raised - Nu 21:8), a signal(non-verbal
communication - Nu 26:10, Jer4:6), a sail(for a boat - Isa 33:23). Nec/nes
served as a rallying point or standard which drew people togetherfor some
common action for or for the communication of important information. The
banner could be an ornamental piece of cloth on the end of a staff or pole as a
leader’s signal. Usually the signal was placedon a high place in the camp.
Here the signalpole stands for (is a metaphor if you will) the MessiahWho
was raised(pun intended) to give hope to the Gentiles. Hallelujah! AMen
Nec/nes - 21vin the OT - Ex 17:15; Nu 21:8, 9; 26:10; Ps 60:4; Isa 5:26; 11:10,
12; 13:2; 18:3; 30:17;31:9; 33:23; 49:22;62:10; Jer4:6, 21;50:2; 51:12, 27;
Ezek 27:7.
NAS = banner(2), distinguishing mark(1), sail(1), signal(4), standard(12),
warning(1).

In the wilderness, Moseslifted up bronze serpent on pole (nec) (Nu 21:8,9)
which was a "signal" to the Israelites who had been bitten by the serpents that
they might obtain healing and life, this signal serving as a shadow or type (See
Study of Biblical types) of the lifting up (crucifixion) of the Messiahandthe
healing He provided from the deadly "bite" of sin (cp Jn 3:14, 15).
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and setit on a
standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks
at it, he shall live." And Moses made a bronze serpent and setit on the
standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he lookedto
the bronze serpent, he lived.
There are severalrelateduses of nec/nes in Isaiah…
Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and
setup My standard to the peoples;And they will bring your sons in their
bosom, And your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. (Isa 49:22)
Comment: God would raise His hand and His banner, the Messiah, to
summon the Gentiles to usher Israelites back into their homeland (cp Isa 5:26;
11:10, 12;13:2; 30:17;62:10).
Go through, go through the gates. Clearthe way for the people;Build up,
build up the highway (cp Isaiah7:3; 11:16; 19:23;33:8; 35:8; 36:2; 49:11;
59:7); Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples (Gentiles). (Isa
62:10)
Comment: God was calling His people Israelto prepare for the return of the
Redeemerto the land of Israel. They were to raise the banner to announce to
the Gentile nations that the Lord was coming to Jerusalem.
JEHOVAH NISSI— THE LORD IS OUR "SIGNAL"
In Exodus after Israeldefeated the Amalekites at Rephidim (resting place)
Moses recordedthe first use of nec/nes in Scripture…
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this in a book as a memorial, and
recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from
under heaven." 15 And Moses built an altar, and named it The LORD is My

Banner; 16 and he said, "The LORD has sworn; the LORD will have war
againstAmalek from generationto generation." (Ex17:14, 15, 16-note)
Moses namedthe altar JehovahNissi -The LORD Our Banner to
commemorate Israel's defeatof the Amalekites. Mosesalso reminded Israel
that the LORD would be at war againstthe Amalekites from generationto
generation, which many commentators parallel with the conceptof spiritual
warfare which is lifelong lot for every believer (For more discussionsee notes
on Exodus 17:8-16).
When the Israelites fought the Amalekites at Rephidim, Mosesheld up his
hand, thus becoming in a sense a living banner symbolizing God’s presence to
help His people win the victory (Ex 17:8-16). After the battle, Moses built an
altar and calledit JehovahNissi -The LORD Our Banner (Ex17:15, KJV; The
Lord Is My Banner). Beloved, the Lord is also our BannerWho goes outin
front of us as we march forth before in battle (cp spiritual warfare). While we
have a responsibility to march forward and fight the goodfight of faith for the
glory of Jehovah, we must do so remembering that the battle is the Lord's!
(1Sa 17:47, 2Chr 20:15, 16, 17, Ps 46:11)
Resting place (04496)(menuchah)means resting place or a place to repose
when tired (Ge 49:15;Nu 10:33;Dt 12:9; 1Ch 28:2ESV;Ps 132:8, 14;Isa
11:10;28:12; 32:18;Mic 2:10). Menuhah also conveys the idea of rest in the
sense offreedom from activity or labor, being at peace in mind and spirit, or
exhibiting relative inactivity (Ru 1:9; 2Sa 14:17;1Ki 8:56; 1Ch 22:9; Ps 95:11;
Jer 45:3)
Menuchah - 23vin the OT - Ge 49:15; Num 10:33;Dt 12:9; 28:65;Jdg 20:43;
Ru 1:9; 2Sa 14:17; 1Ki 8:56; 1Chr 22:9; 28:2; 2Chr 6:41; Ps 23:2; 95:11;
132:8, 14;Isa 11:10;28:12; 32:18;66:1; Jer45:3; 51:59; Mic 2:10; Zech 9:1.
NAS Usage = comforting(1), permanent(1), place(1), place of rest(1),
quartermaster*(1), quiet(1), rest(8), resting(1), resting place(7), resting
places(1).
Glorious (03519)(kabod)is derived from a root which means to be heavy or
weighty but is only rarely used literally. The fig use ("heavy with sin") is the

more common use and gives rise to the idea of a "weighty" person in society,
one who is honorable, impressive, worthy of respect, which is the meaning in
>50% of the OT uses. The most significantuse of kabod is to describe the
glory or splendor of God. Glory is a “technicalterm for God’s manifest
presence (Ex 16:7) and is often connectedwith the cloud (Ex 16:10 - see
Shekinahglory cloud) and with the Ark of the Covenant. God's glory is
essentiallythe profound, glowing, visible, confluent expressionof His
attributes which bear witness to an even more transcendent and
incomprehensible reality of His essence.
His resting place will be glorious (Isa 32:17,18 66:10-12Ps 91:1,4 116:7 Jer
6:16 Hag 2:9 2Th 1:7-12 Heb 4:1,9-16 1Pe 1:7-9 5:10) - It will be glorious
because the Glorious One, the Messiahis there, the One Who is our Rest
forever (cp Mt 11:28, 29).
ISAIAH 11: “The Root And The Shoot Springs Forth From Jesse”
By
Jim Bomkamp
Back Bible Studies Home Page
1. INTRO
1.1. In our last study we lookedat how now that Assyria had been used as
the toolof the Lord to judge the nations that it would itself be judged by the
Lord
1.1.1. Godoftenhas used wickednations for His purposes in history past,
howeverHis using them does not mean that they have inherited His favor

1.1.2. The Assyrians were the tool of the Lord to judge rebellious Israeland
Judea, howeverbecause of the way in which they carried out that judgment
they will likewise be judged themselves
1.1.3. In that chapterwe were confronted with the sovereigntyof God as we
saw God choose to use a wickedAssyria as His toolin executing His wrath
upon unrepentant nations, including Judea and Israel, and yet afterwardhold
those same Assyrians accountable fortheir actions as He another nation to
judge them just they were used
1.2. In our study today we are going to look at more of Isaiah’s prophesy
concerning the coming Messiah. Isaiahtells us that a ‘root’ and a ‘shoot’ shall
come forth from Jesse,how the natures of both man and animals will be
changedduring the Millennial Reignof Christ, and how that there will be a
secondremnant that will be raised up of God’s faithful, howeverthis remnant
will be a remnant of all Israelwhich will come from all corners of the earth to
Israel
1.2.1. We will see how that Isaiahcontinues His theme of the coming Messiah,
as we see that the Messiahwillbe descended from Jesse
1.2.1.1.Wewillalso see how that He is anointed by the Holy Spirit
1.2.1.2.Wewillsee how that He will be just, fair, and righteous
1.2.2. The natures of man and animals to be changed must only occurduring
the Millennial Reign of Christ
1.2.3. The faithful remnant of Israel must be that which occurred when Israel
became a nation in 1948, andthen when all Israelshall turn to Christ and be
savedduring the 7 yearTribulation of the book of Revelation
2. VS 11:1 - “1 Then a shootwill spring from the stem of Jesse,And
a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” - Isaiahtells us that a shootand a
branch will come forth from Jesse
2.1. The previous chapter had ended with Isaiahtelling us that the
Assyrians would be felled like the trees in a forest, and he had mentioned
previous to that statement that Israel would be judged and fall (albeit this

would occur not at the hands of the Assyrians but rather the Babylonians), so
it would make sense that in Isaiah’s mind he saw Israel also as being cut down
much like a forest. However, here we see that the tree trunk that was cut
down will againbring forth a branch for the tree’s root is still alive.
2.2. Here in chapter 11, Isaiah uses an interesting analogyfor declaring
the coming of the Messiah. As we know King David was descendedfrom
Boaz, Obed, and Jesse. Indeclaring the coming of the MessiahIsaiahcould
have said that it would be from King David that this One would come,
howeverIsaiah saw that it was Lord who was the originator and that He had
existed before even Jesse,forthe Lord was the originator of the root from
which Jesse hadcome.
2.3. We already saw that in Is. 4:2 that Isaiahhad spokenof the ‘branch’
of the Lord who was to come and that He would be beautiful and glorious, “2
In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit
of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel.”
2.3.1. Whenwe lookedat that verse we noted that the Messiahwas oftenin
the Old Testamentspokenof as being the branch, as we saw from Jer. 23:5-6
and Zech. 3:8, as for example.
2.4. In Isaiah 53:2, when Isaiahis going into detail about the Servant
(another metaphor for the Messiahto come)he says that He will grow up
before Him as a tender shootand a root out of parched ground, “2 ForHe
grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched
ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him,
Nor appearance that we should be attractedto Him.”
2.4.1. This proves that the Messiahof this chapter is also the suffering servant
of chapter 53, and also that the same Isaiah of Jerusalemis the author of both
the first and the latter part of the book of Isaiah.
3. VS 11:2 - “2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The
spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counseland strength, The
spirit of knowledge and the fearof the Lord.” - Isaiahtells us that the
Messiahwill be anointed with the Holy Spirit in a three-fold work

3.1. Jesus was filled (controlled and empowered)with the Holy Spirit all
throughout His life, and we can see this because He always lived a holy and
sinless life as the scripture affirms in many places.
3.2. We see atJesus’baptism that He was endowedwith a special
anointing of the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit descendedupon Him and He
was ‘Baptized’ (immersed) in the Holy Spirit. This baptism of the Holy Spirit
was a specialanointing that was usedby God to prepare and catapult Jesus
into His ministry as He was at the age of 30. Immediately after Jesus’
‘baptism’ of the Holy Spirit we see that He went into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil before beginning to minister.
3.3. Isaiahmentions in severalplaces abouthow that the Messiahwould
be anointed by the Holy Spirit, for instance:
3.3.1. Isaiah42:1, “1 ”Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosenone
in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring
forth justice to the nations.”
3.3.2. Isaiah61:1, “1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Becausethe
Lord has anointed me To bring goodnews to the afflicted; He has sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives, And freedom to
prisoners;”
3.4. In Acts 10:38 in Peter’s sermonhe preachedabout how that Jesus
was anointed by the Holy Spirit and went about doing goodand healing, “38
“You know of Jesus ofNazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit
and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were
oppressedby the devil; for God was with Him.”
3.5. When we study the gifts of the Holy Spirit (from 1 Cor. 12-14, Eph. 4,
and Romans 12)we are brought to the realization that Jesus was filled with
every gift of the Holy Spirit for the scripture says that He was given the ‘Spirit
without measure’(John 3:34).
3.5.1. Likewise, itis the case with most of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we
can look at the life of our Lord as recordedin the scriptures for illustration of
how the gift is to be manifested.

3.6. Here in these verses we see a three-fold work of the Holy Spirit which
enabled Jesus to do the things that He did.
3.6.1. Wisdomand understanding
3.6.1.1.Wisdomis the proper application of truth in a situation.
3.6.1.1.1.This is not knowledge,but the proper application of spiritual
knowledge.
3.6.1.1.2.This is such a valuable gift to have, and in the church we see so many
times that people show a reallack of wisdom, for they sayand do the most
foolish things.
3.6.1.2.Understanding is to have insight into the mysteries of God that can
only come through direct revelation from God.
3.6.1.2.1.Wesee in1 Cor. 2:14 that the natural man does not understand the
things of God for they are foolishness to him and he cannotunderstand them.
3.6.1.2.2.The Holy Spirit has to reveal all truth to the believer, as Jesus saidin
John 14 that when He came that He would do.
3.6.1.3.InEph. 1:17, the apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians that the Lord
would give them the Spirit of wisdomand understanding in spiritual things,
“17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to
you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge ofHim.”
3.6.1.3.1.This ought to be the prayer of us Christians for ourselves today.
3.6.1.4.InCol. 2:3 Paul wrote that in Christ were hidden all of the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge,“3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.”
3.6.2. Counselandstrength
3.6.2.1.Jesus wasthe ‘parakletos’, ‘comforter’or‘counselor’, to the disciples
while He was on earth with them, howeverbefore He left He said that He
would send to them ‘another’ comforter, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). The

Holy Spirit then performs the same function (counselor)in the life of the
believer that Jesus did while with His disciples.
3.6.2.1.1.Counselcanalso refer to advocacy, as in the case ofa lawyer who
appears in behalf of someone else in a court of law. Jesus now constantly
intercedes before the Fatherin heaven for eachbeliever (Heb. 7:25).
3.6.2.2.Jesus toldHis disciples in Acts 1:8 that when the Holy Spirit came
upon them that the would receive power(dunamis) and that this power would
enable them as His disciples to spread the gospeland made disciples
throughout the whole world. This ‘strenght’ that they would need from the
Holy Spirit is describedby the Greek word ‘dunamis’ from which we get our
word dynamite.
3.6.3. Knowledge andthe fearof the Lord
3.6.3.1.Oneofthe gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Cor. 12 is the gift of
‘knowledge’. This gift is manifested when a person suddenly understands
something about a matter which he could not have gotten through the normal
means by which we come to comprehend things.
3.6.3.1.1.Wesee anexample of this gift working in Jesus whenHe was
introduced to Nathanaelin John 1:48. Jesus saidto Nathanaelthat he was a
man in whom was no guile and then Jesus mentioned that He had seenhim
under the fig tree. To this Nathanaelresponded that Jesus truly was the Son
of God, the King of Israel.
3.6.3.1.2.Jesus toldthe disciples repeatedlythat one of them was a demon,
speaking ofJudas, and the gospels saythat He knew what was in men (John
2:25).
3.6.3.2.The fearof the Lord means ‘reverence’of the Lord.
3.6.3.2.1.ThoughJesus Himselfwas God the Son from all eternity,
nevertheless He had more true reverence of God than any man.
3.6.3.2.2.Wesee the tremendous thankfulness to the Father by the Lord in His
prayers recordedin the gospels.

3.6.3.2.3.InHeb. 2:11-13, the author writes of Jesus as leading in the worship
of the Fatherbefore His throne, “11 Forboth He who sanctifies and those who
are sanctifiedare all from one Father; for which reasonHe is not ashamed to
call them brethren,12 saying, “I will proclaim Thy name to My brethren, In
the midst of the congregationI will sing Thy praise.” 13 And again, “I will
put My trust in Him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children whom God has
given Me.””
4. VS 11:3-5 - “3 And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He
will not judge by what His eyes see, Normake a decisionby what His ears
hear; 4 But with righteousnessHe will judge the poor, And decide with
fairness 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 slaythe wicked. 5
Also righteousness willbe the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt
about His waist.” - Isaiahtells us that the MessiahwhenHe comes will be just
and fair
4.1. Having told us that the Messiahwould have the Spirit of the ‘fear of
the Lord’, he now tells us that the Messiahwill ‘delight’ in the fear of the
Lord.
4.2. Isaiahtells us that the Messiahwill not judge by what ‘His eyes see’
or ‘His ears hear’, which means that He will not judge by outward
appearances but rather on the basis of the heart and motives of people.
4.2.1. In fulfillment of this prophesy, in Matt. 15:16-20 we read what Jesus
said to the Phariseeswho had accusedHis disciples of not washing their hands
in the traditions of the Pharisees,and from this we see that Jesus judgedthose
Pharisees because ofwhat He knew filled their hearts, “16 And He said, “Are
you still lacking in understanding also?17 “Doyou not understand that
everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is
eliminated?18 “But the things that proceedout of the mouth come from the
heart, and those defile the man.19 “Forout of the heart come evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.20“These are
the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashedhands does not
defile the man.””

4.2.2. We saw alreadythat Jesus knew what was in man. Jesus knew the
hearts of men, as we see in incident after incident in the gospels.
4.3. Isaiahtells us that it is with ‘righteousness’thatthe Lord will judge
the poor, as it is only one who has true righteousness thatis truly qualified to
be a judge of men.
4.3.1. Jesus warnedHis disciples not to judge, but rather to leave judgment to
the Lord, for only the Lord canjudge fairly for only He knows not only all
that has happened (being omniscient) but also the hearts of people.
4.4. The judgment that comes from the Lord will come from His mouth
and lips, for His judgment will be righteous and just and just as He spoke the
world into existence He will also pronounce judgment upon the world.
4.4.1. In Rev. 19:5 we read that Jesus, whenHe appears at the end of the 7
year Tribulation of the book of Revelation, will smite the nations with His
mouth, “15 And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may
smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the
wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.”
4.4.1.1.SeeRev. 1:16.
4.5. Isaiahtells us that when the Messiahcomes that righteousnesswill be
the belt around His loins and faithfulness the belt around His waist. The Lord
will be under-girded by these traits as they will characterize all that He does.
4.5.1. In Rev. 19:11, we read the description of Jesus coming upon a horse at
His secondcoming at the end of the 7 year Tribulation, and He is described as
faithful and true and judging the world in righteousness, “11 And I saw
heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called
Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wageswar.”
5. VS 11:6-9 - “6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the
leopard will lie down with the kid, And the calfand the young lion and the
fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear
will graze; Their young will lie down together; And the lion will eatstraw
like the ox. 8 And the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the

weanedchild will put his hand on the viper’s den. 9 They will not hurt or
destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of
the Lord As the waters coverthe sea.” - Isaiah tells us that when Messiah
comes that the natures of the animals upon this earth will be transformed
5.1. The descriptions given by Isaiah here tell us that this period of time
being reflectedin these verses has to do with the Millennial Reignof Christ
upon the earth that will ensue just after His secondcoming at the end of the 7
year Tribulation of the book of Revelation. We know that this is what is being
describedbecause:
5.1.1. Life described here is more like this earth than life during the new
heavens and new earth. There are children here indicating that the normal
reproductive process is continuing and that the physical bodies of people are
very similar if not identical as they are today.
5.1.2. Thoughlife is similar as it is today, the curse that came upon the earth
as a result of man’s sin (see Genesis 3)is being reversed. The nature of man
and animal is transformed.
5.2. Kids often ask if there will be animals in heaven, and here we see that
at leastduring the Millennial Reignof Christ that this is the case.
5.3. The animals’ digestive systems have been transformed for we see that
at that time that lions, bears, and cows will all be eating straw.
5.4. The animals’ natures have been transformed, for now predators,
such as the wolf, are lying down with the lambs, and a young boy is leading
the dangerous predators and a young child is safely playing near the whole of
the poisonous vipor, which will not harm it.
5.5. Neither personnor beastwill destroy other creatures, and the reason
for this is that the knowledge ofthe Lord will at that time coverthe entire face
of the earth. Mysteriously, to know the Lord and His ways will transform
every creature upon the entire earth.
6. VS 11:10 - “10 Then it will come about in that day That the
nations will resortto the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signalfor the

peoples; And His resting place will be glorious.” - Isaiahtells us that it is the
One who is the ‘root of Jesse’to whom the nations will resort
6.1. In Isaiah’s prophesy, the root is the same as the branch (chapters 4
and 11), who is the same as the sonborn of the virgin (Is. 7:14), who is the
same as the son who would would be given and upon whose shoulders the
government will rest (chapter 9), and who is described as ‘Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace’(chapter9).
6.2. According to Strong’s Hebrew dictionary, the Hebrew word
translated ‘signal’in these verses, ‘nace’, means:
6.2.1. Something lifted up, standard, signal, signal pole, ensign, banner, sign,
sail
6.2.1.1.standard(as rallying point), signal
6.2.1.2.standard(pole)
6.2.1.3.ensign, signal
6.2.2. The wordis also translated in other verses as, “standard, ensign, pole,
banner, sail, and sign”
6.3. In Heb. 10:7, Jesus is quoted as saying that ‘in the volume of the book
it is written of Me,’ indicating that all of the scripture from Genesis to
Revelationis really a revelation of Jesus to us.
7. VS 11:11-12 - “11 Thenit will happen on that day that the Lord
Will againrecoverthe secondtime with His hand The remnant of His people,
who will remain, From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar,
Hamath, And from the islands of the sea. 12 And He will lift up a standard
for the nations, And will assemble the banished ones of Israel, And will gather
the dispersedof Judah From the four corners of the earth. 13Thenthe
jealousyof Ephraim will depart, And those who harass Judah will be cut off;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, And Judah will not harass Ephraim.” -
Isaiahtells us that the Lord will a secondtime return a remnant of His people
to Jerusalem

7.1. As we have seenfrom the beginning in Isaiah, after revealing the
judgment that shall come upon the land the prophet always returns to the
theme of the return of a faithful remnant to the land. This is a new revelation
of a remnant howevergiven by Isaiah.
7.1.1. Theseversesspeak ofyet another, or second, return of a remnant.
7.1.2. This secondremnant will not come from captivity in Babylon, as the
first remnant came under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, this remnant will
come from all nations.
7.1.3. This secondremnant will not be just a remnant of Judea which returns
to Jerusalemas happened at the end of the Babylonian captivity of Judea
under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, but a remnant of Ephraim (the
northern kingdom) and of Judah (the southern kingdom).
7.1.3.1.The northern kingdom went into captivity under the Assyrians about
140 years before Judea’s captivity to the Babylonians, and they never
returned to the land.
7.1.3.2.The northern kingdom will howeverone day have a faithful remnant
return for we read that during the 7 yearTribulation of the book of
Revelationthat 144,000Jewishevangelists willbe saved by Christ and that
there will be 12,000 fromevery tribe from that group.
7.1.3.2.1.Onlythe Lord knows where those northern tribes have been
dispersedto, and one day He will bring back to the land 12,000from each
tribe who will discovertheir Messiahand be saved. They will look on Him
whom they have pierced and mourn as for an only son(Zech. 12:10).
7.1.4. This secondremnant is then the return of the nation of Israelto the
land which occurred in 1948 under the United Nations charter. This remnant
of Israel will also return to discovertheir Messiahduring the 7 year
Tribulation of the book of Revelation(In Rom. 11:26 it says that all Israel
shall be saved in that day.).
8. VS 11:14-15 - “14 And they will swoopdown on the slopes of the
Philistines on the west; Togetherthey will plunder the sons of the east; They

will possessEdomand Moab; And the sons of Ammon will be subjectto
them. 15 And the Lord will utterly destroy 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 sevenstreams, And make men walk over dry-shod.” - Isaiah
tells us that this secondfaithful remnant of the end-times will be victorious
over all of it’s enemies
8.1. Since 1948, it is a fact that there is not a battle that Israelhas fought
againstthe Arab nations that it has not won. It has been everso evident that
the Lord’s hand has been with Israelsince they were re-establishedas a
nation.
8.2. The battle described in Exekiel38 is another battle in which Israel
will be victorious, and this battle will be won by the Lord defeating her
enemies.
8.2.1. We don’t know if this is the same battle as the battle of Armegeddon,
howeverseparate ortogether, the scripture tells us that Israelshall not be
conquered, but the Lord shall be her strength.
8.3. One thing is obvious about the battles describedin these verses, they
have not occurredup to this point in time.
8.3.1. The Lord has not struck the Nile River in Egypt, nor made it into 7
streams, as Israelwas coming againsther to conquer.
8.3.2. Likewise, Ammon and Moabare on the eastside of the Jordan River,
and Israelhas not conquered and subjugated that land to this point in time.
9. VS 11:16 - “16 And there will be a highway from Assyria Forthe
remnant of His people who will be left, Just as there was for Israel In the day
that they came up out of the land of Egypt.” - Isaiahtells us that in the day
that the Lord begins to conquer Israel’s enemies that He will make a highway
up to Assyria
9.1. The Assyrians were locatednorth of Israel, so this will be a road that
will go up north out of Israel, which the Lord is going to create.

9.2. Upon this highway the Israelites will walk without fearof reprisal of
any kind.
GENE BROOKS
Isaiah10:5-12:6 -- The Rootof Jesse
Requestfree DVD or CD of this messagefrom genebrooks@yahoo.com.
Include your mailing address.
Opening thought: If you have a garden, you know something about pulling
up weeds. I was explaining to Luke and Rachelthe other day about weeds. I
told them that they have roots, roots that will grow a new weedin only
another day or two if you don’t take them out of the soil and throw them
away. On the other hand, you don’t want to accidentallyuproot your
vegetables. Ifyou do, they will die. No root, no fruit.

Today we are going to talk about a Root, a Shootfrom a stump, a Man that
Isaiahsays fulfills the promises and sets aright the things of this world. This
root cannotbe uprooted. This root is a righteous one.
Pray and Read: Isaiah10:5-12:6
Contextual Notes:Isaiah 10:1-4 belongs with Isaiah 9 and gives the basis for
northern Israel’s judgment. That judgment was fulfilled during the early
years of Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kings 18:9-12). Then Assyria turned its attention
to Judah (10:11). Beginning in 10:5, Goddeclares Assyria’s judgment because
Assyria destroyedrather than disciplining Israel(10:5-19). A remnant
remains which God will preserve (10:20-34). The flow of the passagenow
gives us the primary messageofthese chapters.
The Holy One of Israel, the Messiah, will one day come and the kingdom of
God will replace the kingdoms of men. That Rootof Jesse, empoweredby the
Holy Spirit, will judge in righteousness and bring peace evento nature (11:1-
9). All nations will submit to the Lord and Israel will return to their homeland
(11:10-16). In that day Israelwill praise the Lord for their salvationand make
him knownto all the world (12:1-6).
One of the blessings ofpreaching through a book of the Bible is that we have
the benefit of locking in on the context of a passage ofScripture, so that it does
not somehow standalone, but we have the understanding of what goes before
and after that passage. Today’s sectionis a greatexample. Isaiahshows us the
greatvision of the Man whom he calls the Rootof Jesse. We cangain insight
because Isaiahhas used this image before at 4:2.

Key Truth: Isaiah wrote Isaiah 10:5-12:6 to show Israel that restorationof
themselves, the nations, and the planet will come at the return of Christ.
Key Application: Today I want to show you what God’s Word says about
living a holy life in light of coming judgment and salvation.
Sermon Points:
The Rootof Jesse is our SovereignJudge (Isaiah 10:5-34)
The Rootof Jesse is our Righteous King (Isaiah11:1-9)
The Rootof Jesse is our Glorious Rest(Isaiah 11:10-16)
The Rootof Jesse is our SalvationSong (Isaiah 12:1-6)
Exposition: Note well,
1. THE ROOT OF JESSE IS OUR SOVEREIGN JUDGE (Isaiah10:5-34)
a. 10:5: God’s sovereigntyenables him to use even Israel’s enemies to
accomplishhis purposes. Isaiah calls on Judah to see God’s hand in the
painful experience with Assyria they are about to encounter.
b. APPLICATION: Some of us find ourselves in a painful time right now.
We have receiveda diagnosis ora report card or have a relationship not doing
well. Look for God’s hand in this circumstance and praise him through it. He
is there, and he is there for your good, not your harm.
c. 10:7: While God is using the Assyrian army as discipline, Assyria’s motive
is rooted in godless arrogance,pride, and greed. Godwill punish the king of
Assyria (10:12). It is intent that makes a difference. God is not as concerned
about outward actions as he is about motives. He will judge both actions and
motivations.

d. 10:17: In a single day – the destruction of Judah’s enemy, Isaiahsaid,
would happen in a single day. And it did (2 Chronicles 32:20-21:20 King
Hezekiahand the prophet Isaiahson of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven
about this. 21 And the LORD sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting
men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he
withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his
god, some of his sons cut him down with the sword. Isaiah 37:36 – 36 Then the
angelof the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five
thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people gotup the next
morning—there were all the dead bodies!). The historian Herodotus wrote
that a disease came into the Assyrian army through mice and fleas (10:16),
killing 186,000men.
e. But there is more to this single day. Isaiahuses the term in 9:14; 10:17;
47:9 to refer to the destruction of wickednessin a single day. Revelation18:8
picks up Isaiah’s idea in describing the judgment on the woman Babylon,
“Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and
famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges
her.”
f. In the book of Esther, the evil Haman sent dispatches throughout Persia to
liquidate the Jews ‘in a single day’ (Esther3:13), but this is the book of the
GreatReversal, and instead, Haman was hanged on the gallows he erectedfor
Mordechai. Zechariahwrites of the Coming Great Reversal. Godsays, “Iwill
remove the sin of this land in a single day” (Zechariah 3:9).
g. Just as the Assyrian Army was gatheredto destroy Jerusalemand all the
enemies of Judah were destroyedin a single day, so one day at Calvary, the
hordes of hell gatheredto destroy the Holy One of Israel, but in a Great
Reversal, ChristJesus destroyedthem through his own death in a single day.
In a single day, he overthrew death and hell and made a way where there was
no way, bringing life and hope and restorationto everyone who would receive
him.

h. 10:20: The results of discipline: Those who survive the invasion will ‘truly
rely on the Lord.’ Suffering purges those who will not believe and deepens the
faith of those who do.
i. APPLICATION:Are you surrounded and hounded by enemies? We serve
a SovereignJudge. Have you been betrayed or cheatedon? We serve a
SovereignJudge. Do you face mistreatment and prejudice? The Rootof Jesse
is our SovereignJudge. Have you been falsely accusedand harassed?The
Rootof Jesse is our SovereignJudge. Do you sit here today without the
personalassurance ofsalvationin Christ? The Rootof Jesse is our Sovereign
Judge. He will judge fairly and perfectly, and if you are without Christ, you
will be judged with a sentence that lasts foreverin hell. The Rootof Jesseis
Sovereignbecause he has all powerand authority to do whateverhe chooses.
He is our Judge because he sits enthroned over the universe. One day the Root
of Jesse willtake up your case. Whatwill the SovereignJudge rule? Will he
rule againstyou because ofyour wickedness,orwill he rule in your favor
because ofHe Himself was your Savior who defeatedyour enemies in a single
day?
2. THE ROOT OF JESSE IS OUR RIGHTEOUS KING (Isaiah 11:1-9)
a. 11:1: The stump of Jesse – Jessewas the father of David (1 Samuel 16:1;
Ruth 4:22). With the title, Branch (4:2; 6:13), identifies the person here as the
Messiah, the descendantof David destined to rule the earth. The word here
for ‘shoot’is netzer, the same word from which we get the word, Nazarene
(Matt. 2:23).
b. 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord – (1 Sam 10:6; Luke 3:21-22). This man filled
with the Spirit will have wisdomand understanding (Gen. 41:39;Exod. 31:2-
3; 1 Kings 3:12; Eccl. 2:26), abundant counseland power (Judges 15:14:Dan
5:14), and knowledge andthe fearof the Lord (Psalm 111:10). It will produce
a righteousness andjustice, the same word pair found in 1:27; 5:7, 16; 9:7, all
referring to the Messiah.
c. 11:3-5 – Messiahwill judge with a pure motive in contrastto 10:7-11 and
6:9-10. As God, Messiahknows perfectly, so he can judge with perfect
righteousness. His decisions, so unlike human government that takes note of a

person’s wealth and socialstanding, insteadwill be in favor of the poor of the
earth. He will enforce that judgment absolutely with the rod of his mouth
(Psalm 2:9: You will rule them with an iron rod; Rev. 12:5; 19:15).
d. APPLICATION: Jesus is coming back. He will rule on his father David’s
throne at Jerusalem. Some view this as the millennial reign of Christ on earth.
Some view this as eternity when Christ will reign forever, but the similarities
are so close, the important thing is that the Rootof Jessewill one day reign in
righteousness. He will right every wrong. He will correctevery injustice. He
will rule with absolute purity. Our frail governments will cede their authority
to the king of kings. That should give you greathope. He is your king, if you
have a personalrelationship with him. He ever lives to make intercessionfor
you. He is your righteous king, and he loves you and favors you.
3. THE ROOT OF JESSE IS OUR GLORIOUS REST (Isaiah11:10-16)
a. 11:10 – A banner for the nations: Here it is a standard or a flag, raised
with the intent of rallying people around it. The term ‘peoples’indicates the
Gentile nations. Isaiah sees a messianic age in which all the nations will have a
knowledge ofChrist. Our God is a missionary God!
b. 11:11 – “a secondtime:” Many find this phrase significant. Some of the
Jews returning to the Holy Land after the Babylonian Captivity, partially
fulfilling the OT predictions of a regathering. In 70AD the Jews were
scatteredamong the nations a secondtime, as the Romans destroyed
Jerusalemand expelled all the Jews from Judea. This seconddiaspora was
more severe than the first, and Jews settledin every nation of the earth but
their own. Some take this “secondtime” to mean a secondregathering in the
end times, perhaps beginning in 1948.
c. ILLUSTRATION: The author of Hebrews teaches us in chapter 4 that
hearing Christ and believing in Him will give us Rest, just the opposite of
what Judah wantedto do (Isa. 6:9-10).
d. APPLICATION: Are you resting in him? Do you find your rest in Christ
Jesus? Being a Christian does not mean you work harder to be good. It means
you restbetter in Him and allow His Life to be lived through you. That restis

for all the nations. Our God is a missionary God! Therefore our lives must be
missionary lives. We must pray, go, and give until all have heard the good
news of Jesus Christ. What are you doing to be part of Christ’s commissionto
go to the nations? Are you raising the banner of Christ at your work? Are you
raising the banner with your friends? Are you raising the banner with your
family? Are you making Christ knownin your circle of influence?
4. THE ROOT OF JESSE IS OUR SALVATION SONG (Isaiah 12:1-6)
a. 12:2 – Isaiahplays on the significance ofhis own name, which means,
“Godis my salvation.”
b. The call to put away fearis followedby a call to praise (12:4ff) for the
wells of salvation.
c. Jesus told us to go to the nations (Matthew 28:18-20;Acts 1:8; 9:15). After
this Isaiahwill turn to the nations until chapter 27, pronouncing judgment on
all them.
d. This thanksgiving hymn brings to an end this sectionof Isaiah, just as in
chapter 5. And just as the end of the Torah.
e. APPLICATION: When Jesus becomesLord of your life, he places a song
of praise there. Your heart overflows, thanking him for what he has done for
you. Christ is our song. He is beautiful, our sweet, sweetsong. Do you have
that song in your heart? Perhaps you do not because you do not know him as
your Savior. Let me invite you now to respond to Him, giving your life to him
and making the Rootof Jesse your Salvation. He will make your heart sing.
Perhaps you are in Christ, but you have forgottenthat glorious song. You
have drifted. Sin has clouded the sheetmusic. You no longersing the song of
salvationas you once did. Todayis the day to renew your walk with Christ.
Let the Rootof Jesse restore the Joyof your salvation(Psa. 51).

ALAN CARR
Bring the lost sheephome. - As you read Isaiah11:10-16, you getthe idea that
the Lord is bringing His people home. He’ll take care of all the problems, all
the things that are standing in the way, and His people will come home. It’s
not too unlike how a Shepherd brings his flock home. He wants us to be a part
of what He’s doing now to bring the lostsheep home. This is an excerpt from
Phillip Keller’s A Shepherd Looks at the Good Shepherd and His Sheep
(pg.349-450):
How does an easternsheepman gather up his stray sheep? How does He
bring home the wanderers and stragglers? He does not use dogs the way
westernsheepmen do. He does not resort to horses or donkeys to herd them
home or round them up. Nor does he employ helicopters or Hondas as some
westernranchers do. No, the easternshepherd uses his own pet lambs and
bellwethers (sheepthat take the initiative, sheepthat are leaders)to gatherin
lost sheep. Becausethese pets are so fond of being near him and with him, he
has to literally go out into the hills and rough country himself taking them
along, scattering them abroad. There they graze and feed alongside the wild
and waywardsheep. As evening approaches the shepherd gently winds his
way home. His favorite pet lambs and bellwethers quietly follow him. As they
move along in his footsteps, they bring with them the lost and scatteredsheep.
It is a winsome picture full of pathos. In Matthew 10 Christ actually took his
twelve men and scatteredthem out among the lost sheepof Israel(vs. 6). He
warned them that He was sending them out as sheepin the midst of predators
who might try to prevent them from bringing home the lost (vs. 16). But they
were to go anyway, because the presence ofHis Spirit would be with them to
preserve them in every danger. This is a precise picture drawn for us in bold
colors of what our Good Shepherd requires of us. He does not demand that we
embark on some grandiose schemes ofour own designto do His work in the
world. He does not suggestthat we become embroiled in some complex
organizationof human ingenuity to achieve His goalof gathering in lost souls.
He simply asks me to be one who will be so attachedto Him, so fond of Him,
so true to Him, that in truth I shall be like His pet lamb or bellwether. No

matter where He takes me; no matter where He places me; no matter whom I
am alongside ofin my daily living, that person will be induced to eventually
follow the Shepherd because I follow Him.
EXPOSITORYNOTESON THE PROPHET ISAIAH
by
Harry A. Ironside, Litt.D.
Copyright @ 1952
ISAIAH CHAPTERS ELEVEN AND TWELVE WHEN GOD’S ANOINTED
TAKES OVER
THERE is a very close connectionwith that which now comes before us and
that which we have seenin the last chapter. After the Assyrian is destroyed
and Israelwill have been delivered from all her enemies, we have the peaceful
reign of Him who is the Rod out of Jesse’s stem, the Branch of the Lord who is
to bring all things into subjection to God and rule with the iron rod of
inflexible righteousness.
Of Him we read:

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branchshall
grow out of his roots: 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 of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick
understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of
his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:but with righteousness
shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth:
and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of
his lips shall he slaythe wicked. And righteousness shallbe the girdle of his
loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins” (verses 1-5).
Here we have the One who is presentedin the Book of the Revelationas
having the sevenspirits of God: that is, the Holy Spirit in the sevenfold
plenitude of His power. Coming by virgin birth through David’s line He is the
Branch out of the root of Jesse,the father of David. Upon Him rests “the
Spirit of the Lord,”
- The Spirit of wisdom, - And of understanding, - The Spirit of counsel, - And
of might, - The Spirit of knowledge, - And of the fearof the Lord, - The fearof
the Lord is the spirit of reverence.
We are told in John that the Fathergiveth not the Spirit by measure to His
beloved Son (3:34).
From the moment of His birth the Lord Jesus was under the controlling
powerof the Holy Spirit, for as Man on earth, He chose not to actin His own
omnipotence but as the Servant of the Godhead.

After His baptism in the Jordan, the Spirit was seendescending upon Him as
a dove. This was the anointing of which the Apostle Peter spoke, in
preparation for His gracious public ministry. Neverfor one moment was He
out of harmony with the Spirit. It was this that made it possible for Him to
grow in wisdom as He grew in stature, and in favor with God and man.
Confessedly, this mystery is great:that the Eternal Wisdom should have so
limited Himself as Man in all perfectionthat He grew in wisdom and
knowledge from childhood to physical maturity as under the tutelage of the
Father, who by the Spirit revealed His will to Jesus from day to day, so that
He could say, “I speak not mine own words but the words of Him that sent
Me.”
And as to the works He wrought, He attributed them all to the Spirit of God
who dwelt in Him in all His fullness. Scripture guards carefully the truth of
the perfectManhood of our Lord, as also that of His true Deity. We see Him
here as the Servant of the Lord speaking and acting according to the Father’s
will. So His judgment was inerrant and His understanding perfect.
When in God’s due time He takes overthe reins of the government of this
world, all will be equally right and just at last. David’s prophetic words will
be fulfilled when there shall be “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling
in the fear of God” (II Samuel23:3). Earth’s long centuries of selfish misrule
will have come to an end, and Israeland the nations will enjoy the blessings of
Messiah’s gracious andfaithful sway; then all wickednesswill be dealt with in
unsparing judgment and the meek of the earth will be protectedand enter
into undisturbed blessedness. In that day the curse will be lifted from the
lowercreationand the very nature of the beasts of the earth will be changed.
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with
the kid; and the calfand the young lion and the fatling together;and a little
child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones

shall lie down together:and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the
sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weanedchild shall put
his hand on the cockatrice’den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge ofthe Lord, as the
waters coverthe sea” (verses 6-9).
Those who attempt to spiritualize all these expressions must needs take the
beasts here to representviolent and savage men whose hearts will be changed
by regeneration. But the prophet gives no hint of such an application of his
words. He very definitely speaks ofthat which God will do for the animal
kingdom in the day when the curse will be lifted. There is no hint that the
prophet was speaking allegoricallyorthat his language is to be interpreted
other than in strict literality. It seems evident that when the SecondMan, the
Last Adam, is set over this lower universe, that ideal conditions will prevail on
earth, such as characterizedthe world before sin came in to mar God’s fair
creationwith its sad entail of violence and rapine on the part of the beasts of
the earth and the evil effects upon the bodies of men and women, resulting in
sicknessand death.
All this will be undone in the day when Christ shall come as the Restorerof
all things spokenby the prophets, and “the earth shall be filled with the
knowledge ofthe Lord as the waters coverthe sea.”
While the millennium is not to be confounded with the new heavens and the
new earth, it will nevertheless be a period of wonderful blessing for all who
shall dwell in the world when in the administration of the fullness of the
seasons, Godshallhead up all things in Christ.
“And in that day there shall be a rootof Jesse, whichshall stand for an ensign
of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek:and his rest shall be glorious. And it

shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand againthe
secondtime to recoverthe remnant of his people, which shall be left, from
Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam,
and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he
shall setup an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts ofIsrael,
and gathertogetherthe dispersedof Judah from the four corners of the earth.
The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries ofJudah shall be
cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim”
(verses 10-13).
It is when Jesus returns in glory and as the Rootof Jesse fulfills the promises
made to David that all these things shall come to pass. Then Jacob’s prophecy,
as given in Genesis 49:10, willhave its glorious fulfillment, “Unto Him shall
the gathering of the people be.”
In that day we are told God will not only magnify Him in the eyes of Israel,
but also unto Him shall the Gentiles seek.
His own earthly people, scatteredfor so long among the nations, will be
gatheredback to their ownland. Many have thought that the promises of
their restorationwere fulfilled long ago when a remnant returned in the days
of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. But here we are informed definitely,
“The Lord shall set His hand againthe secondtime to recoverthe remnant of
His people”;and we learn that they will return - not limply from Babylon as
before - but from all the lands where they have been dispersed throughout the
long centuries of their sorrow and suffering. Israeland Judah, no longer
divided, will be drawn to the Lord Himself - the Ensign to be setup in that
day - and shall flow togetherto the land of their fathers, no longer as rival
nations but as one people in glad subjection to their King and their God.

The closing verses ofthe chapter give further details as to the manner of their
return, assistedby the nations that were once their enemies.
“But they shall lay upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they
shall spoil them of the easttogether:they shall lay their hand upon Edom and
Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. And the Lord shall
utterly destroythe tongue of the Egyptian sea;and with his mighty wind shall
he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and
make men go over dryshod. And there shall be an highway for the remnant of
his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israelin the day
that he came up out of the land of Egypt” (verses 14-16).
Certain geographicaland geologicalchangesare indicated here which no
doubt will be effectedat the time when the feet of our Lord shall stand again
upon the Mount of Olives, and there shall be a greatearthquake with far-
reaching results, as foretold in Zechariah 14.
The twelfth chapter gives us the song of joy and triumph which will rise
exultantly from the hearts of the redeemed of the Lord as in the days when the
people sang of old on the shore of the Red Sea after all their enemies had been
destroyed.
“And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast
angry with me, thine angeris turned away, and thou comfortedstme. Behold,
God is my salvation;I w1ll trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord is my
strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy
shall ye draw waterout of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say,
Praise the Lord, callupon his name, declare his doings among the people,
make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done
excellentthings: this is knownin all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou

inhabitant of Zion: for greatis the Holy One of Israelin the midst of thee”
(verses 1-6).
It is a blessedand precious experience when the heart is fixed upon the Lord
Himself and when the soul realizes the gladness ofreconciliationto the One
againstwhom it had sinned, so as to be able to say, “ThoughThou wast angry
with me, Thine angeris turned away, and Thou comfortedst me.”
It means much to know God as the One through whom deliverance has been
wrought and who is Himself “salvation.” This is the end of all worry and
anxiety. And so we hear the remnant saying, “I will trust, and not be afraid.”
Faith is the antidote to fear. As we learn to look to God in confidence all
anxiety disappears, for we know that He who savedus will stand betweenus
and every foe. He does not leave His people to fight their battles in their own
power, but He is the Strength of all who restupon His Word.
From the wells of salvation, so long spurned by the self-righteous Jew, seeking
to save himself by his own efforts, the returned remnant draw the water of life
as they call upon His name and bear witness before all the world to the
salvationHe has wrought.
The psalm, for it is a psalm, ends with a callto praise and adore the God of
Israel, who will dwell in the midst of His redeemedpeople in that day of His
manifested glory. Even now those who come to Him in faith can make this
song their own as they know the reality of His saving grace.
~ end of chapter 11, 12 ~

http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/
The Coming and Consummation of Jehovah’s Kingdom
Isaiah11:1 - 12:6
Dr. S. Lewis Johnsoncontinues his exposition of Isaiah's prophecy concerning
the promised Messiah. Passagesthat confirm Jesus ofNazarethas the
Messiahare expouded.
SLJ Institute > The Prophets > Isaiah> The Coming and Consummation of
Jehovah’s Kingdom
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