Isa 11:1-2 | KingComments | STEP | When the indignation is over ( ), when the public enemies are destroyed and Assyria is judged ( ), the Messiah and His government, the source of the thousand year blessing of the people of God, can be announced (Isaiah 11-12). The first verses of Isaiah 11 give us the features of the Messiah; in the verses that follow, we see the consequences of His reign. What we find historically in the history of Hezekiah ( ), is only a pre-fulfillment – and only partially – of what is prophetically described here. The promise of the LORD to the house of David – that the remaining stem, after the cutting down of the oak of Jesse, will be a holy seed ( ) – is further elaborated here. Also the promise of Immanuel, God with us ( ), is now further explained. The word “then” in connects Isaiah 10 and Isaiah 11. The picture of the trees of the forest ( ) is now extended. Here we see a great contrast with the end of the previous chapter. It is the contrast between the mighty cedar forest of Lebanon ( ) and the “shoot … from the stem of Jesse” ( ). The cedar forest symbolizes the power (the army) of the king of Assyria. The mighty axe (iron, ) of the LORD is judging the dense forest of Assyria. However, the counsel of the LORD is fulfilled by a shoot. The shoot is a description of Christ. It shows His humble birth as a descendant of the decayed house of David, which here is compared to “the stem of Jesse”. David’s name is not even mentioned, but that of his father Jesse. That tells us that the royal family has sunk back to the insignificance of its origins. The stem indicates the decay of the once mighty royal house of David. The descendants of David went their own way. That eventually leads to the end of the kingship of the house of David, which takes place with the exile to Babylon. But from the stem will shoot a branch, which will take the place of this cut trunk. This is the future Son of David ( ), the King of Israel ( ). That shoot will produce fruit. That fruit is the Lord Jesus. The Hebrew word for ‘shoot’ is netzer , which is derived from the word natzer , a word that comes back in the word Nazareth, from which the word “Nazarene” is derived, a name of the Lord Jesus ( ). Whenever we read about Jesus as a Nazarene – not to be confused with ‘Nazirite’ ( ), which in Hebrew is another word – it is a reference to His humble descent. The two lines of this verse form a parallel. The second line says in other words about the same as the first line. However, it is not a mere repetition. The second line gives further details, supplementing what is written in the first line. Thus Shoot and Branch indicate the same Person. gives a wonderful description of the perfect features and abilities of Christ. Christ is the Greek name which is in Hebrew Messiah . Both Christ and Messiah mean ‘Anointed One’. Anointing is done with oil. Oil in the Bible is a picture of God’s Spirit ( ). The description that follows shows that He was not anointed with oil, but with the Holy Spirit ( ). The sevenfold list of names of the Spirit indicates the fullness of His features ( ; ). There is only “one Spirit” ( ), but He is seen here in the fullness of His workings. The first thing that is said of the Messiah, “the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him”, expresses the perfect pleasure of the Father in Him ( ). On Him the Spirit finds the only suitable place on earth to rest. Here we see God, Christ and the Spirit (cf. ). Next, six features of the Spirit resting on Him are mentioned in three pairs. These pairs are connected by the word “and”. There are a total of seven names for the Holy Spirit Who came upon the Lord Jesus. In the picture we see the seven-armed lampstand, which consists of a shaft and six arms from its sides, three of which come from one side and three from the other side of the shaft ( ). In all the lamps is olive oil, which makes the lamps burn. Oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit ( ). The general name of the Spirit, “the Spirit of the LORD”, we can connect to the shaft. The next six names we can connect two by two to the six arms coming out of its side, three on each side. Remarkable is the explanation of the LORD on the vision of the prophet Zechariah of the golden lampstand and the two olive trees ( ). This explanation reads: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” ( ). The remarkable thing here is that – what is not to be seen in English – this sentence in Hebrew consists of seven words. “The spirit of wisdom and understanding” indicates the power of His thinking, His intellectual capacity. “Wisdom” is the ability to discern the nature of men or things in such a way that it is able to fulfill the will of God in the world (see , where the word “wisdom”, hokmah , occurs for the first time). The Messiah judges all things not by human wisdom, by human standards, but by “the wisdom from above” ( ), through which He is able to fulfill the counsel of God. “Understanding” sees and fathoms the essence of people or things. It is the capacity to make complicated things simple by understanding their various parts correctly. The Messiah fully fathoms what a human being does and why. Nothing is hidden from Him. A foreshadowing of this we see in Bezalel ( ), a man filled with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, Who enables him to build a house for God. “The Spirit of counsel and strength” has more to do with the practice of life. “Counsel” is the capability to draw the right conclusions in a given situation. “Strength” is the capability to carry out conclusions, the outcome of deliberation. The expression “counsel and strength” is also used for strategy and military power ( ). “The Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD” is related to the personal relationship with the LORD. “Knowledge” here is the knowing of the LORD, the knowledge that comes through the intimate fellowship of love. This is perfectly present with the Lord Jesus. He knows the Father. “Fear” is reverence and awe for Him, through which the Lord Jesus lets Himself be guided in everything, so that everything He does is pleasing to the Father ( ). To us, the fear of the Lord is the basis of all other work of the Spirit of the Lord in our life ( ). The Spirit always leads to reverence for God and will never deal with Him in an amicable way, as happens for example in modern Bible translations and in some meetings. The whole life of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, is characterized by fellowship with the Father ( ). He lives in the sphere of the Father and everything in His life is focused on doing the will of the Father. It is His delight, His food, to do that will ( ). That determines His action in Israel and everywhere and anytime. He never judges only by appearance, as we often do. His judgment is not determined by human standards, by what He sees or hears. He does not rely on impressions or rumors. There is no partiality with Him. His contact with the Father is decisive for His judgment ( ). Everything, every part of His body and every sense organ, functions perfectly and shows what is needed. Mentioned are His nose [“His delight” can also be translated as “His smell”], His eyes and ears, His mouth and breath and His loins and waist. As for His nose, we see here that the air He inhales is permeated with the fear of the LORD. He will not use His eyes and ears in a frivolous and superficial way, but to judge all things correctly. He does so thoroughly and righteously. He what lives the heart. The judgment will come from His lips and from His mouth and also in this He will be subservient to God. We see this in the belt or girdle He wears (cf. ), while His waist speak of the strength with which He will show His steadfastness, His faithfulness. The making of a righteous judgment is in the Bible a proof of wisdom ( ). Although He does not need anyone to teach Him in His Divine omniscience either, here He is presented as a Man Who lets Himself be guided in everything by His dealings with the Father. As a result, He always judges perfectly. The Father tells Him what to say and what to speak ( ). He makes the cause of all those who cannot stand up for themselves His own ( ). He cares about their fate. He does not do so on the basis of emotion, on the basis of misplaced pity, but “with righteousness” and “with fairness”. On the earth, that is to say on all the wicked (plural), He will bring judgment with the rod, that is the sword, of His mouth. With the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked, the antichrist ( ). He will not even touch him, but only kill him by the breath of His mouth, that is by His word. In everything He will proceed in a perfectly righteous manner ( ). The strength of His action – “loins” and “waist” represent strength – lies in His perfect righteousness and His absolute faithfulness to God and the truth.

‏ Isaiah 11:1-2

Introduction

When the indignation is over (Isa 10:25), when the public enemies are destroyed and Assyria is judged (Isa 10:5-19), the Messiah and His government, the source of the thousand year blessing of the people of God, can be announced (Isaiah 11-12). The first verses of Isaiah 11 give us the features of the Messiah; in the verses that follow, we see the consequences of His reign.

What we find historically in the history of Hezekiah (2Kgs 19:32-34), is only a pre-fulfillment – and only partially – of what is prophetically described here. The promise of the LORD to the house of David – that the remaining stem, after the cutting down of the oak of Jesse, will be a holy seed (Isa 6:13) – is further elaborated here. Also the promise of Immanuel, God with us (Isa 7:14 ; Isa 8:10), is now further explained.

The Messiah and the Realm of Peace

The word “then” in Isa 11:1 connects Isaiah 10 and Isaiah 11. The picture of the trees of the forest (Isa 10:33-34) is now extended. Here we see a great contrast with the end of the previous chapter. It is the contrast between the mighty cedar forest of Lebanon (Isa 10:34) and the “shoot … from the stem of Jesse” (Isa 11:1). The cedar forest symbolizes the power (the army) of the king of Assyria. The mighty axe (iron, Isa 10:34) of the LORD is judging the dense forest of Assyria.

However, the counsel of the LORD is fulfilled by a shoot. The shoot is a description of Christ. It shows His humble birth as a descendant of the decayed house of David, which here is compared to “the stem of Jesse”.

David’s name is not even mentioned, but that of his father Jesse. That tells us that the royal family has sunk back to the insignificance of its origins. The stem indicates the decay of the once mighty royal house of David. The descendants of David went their own way. That eventually leads to the end of the kingship of the house of David, which takes place with the exile to Babylon.

But from the stem will shoot a branch, which will take the place of this cut trunk. This is the future Son of David (Mt 1:1), the King of Israel (Jn 1:49). That shoot will produce fruit. That fruit is the Lord Jesus.

The Hebrew word for ‘shoot’ is netzer, which is derived from the word natzer, a word that comes back in the word Nazareth, from which the word “Nazarene” is derived, a name of the Lord Jesus (Mt 2:23). Whenever we read about Jesus as a Nazarene – not to be confused with ‘Nazirite’ (Num 6:1), which in Hebrew is another word – it is a reference to His humble descent.

The two lines of this verse form a parallel. The second line says in other words about the same as the first line. However, it is not a mere repetition. The second line gives further details, supplementing what is written in the first line. Thus Shoot and Branch indicate the same Person.

Isa 11:2 gives a wonderful description of the perfect features and abilities of Christ. Christ is the Greek name which is in Hebrew Messiah. Both Christ and Messiah mean ‘Anointed One’. Anointing is done with oil. Oil in the Bible is a picture of God’s Spirit (Zec 4:2-6). The description that follows shows that He was not anointed with oil, but with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). The sevenfold list of names of the Spirit indicates the fullness of His features (Jn 3:34; Rev 1:4 ; Rev 3:1 ; Rev 4:5 ; Rev 5:6). There is only “one Spirit” (Eph 4:4), but He is seen here in the fullness of His workings.

The first thing that is said of the Messiah, “the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him”, expresses the perfect pleasure of the Father in Him (Mt 3:17). On Him the Spirit finds the only suitable place on earth to rest. Here we see God, Christ and the Spirit (cf. Rev 1:4). Next, six features of the Spirit resting on Him are mentioned in three pairs. These pairs are connected by the word “and”.

There are a total of seven names for the Holy Spirit Who came upon the Lord Jesus. In the picture we see the seven-armed lampstand, which consists of a shaft and six arms from its sides, three of which come from one side and three from the other side of the shaft (Exo 25:31-32). In all the lamps is olive oil, which makes the lamps burn. Oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit (1Jn 2:20 ; 27). The general name of the Spirit, “the Spirit of the LORD”, we can connect to the shaft. The next six names we can connect two by two to the six arms coming out of its side, three on each side.

Remarkable is the explanation of the LORD on the vision of the prophet Zechariah of the golden lampstand and the two olive trees (Zec 4:1-6). This explanation reads: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zec 4:6). The remarkable thing here is that – what is not to be seen in English – this sentence in Hebrew consists of seven words.

“The spirit of wisdom and understanding” indicates the power of His thinking, His intellectual capacity. “Wisdom” is the ability to discern the nature of men or things in such a way that it is able to fulfill the will of God in the world (see Exo 28:3, where the word “wisdom”, hokmah, occurs for the first time). The Messiah judges all things not by human wisdom, by human standards, but by “the wisdom from above” (Jam 3:17a), through which He is able to fulfill the counsel of God. “Understanding” sees and fathoms the essence of people or things. It is the capacity to make complicated things simple by understanding their various parts correctly.

The Messiah fully fathoms what a human being does and why. Nothing is hidden from Him. A foreshadowing of this we see in Bezalel (Exo 35:30-31), a man filled with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, Who enables him to build a house for God.

“The Spirit of counsel and strength” has more to do with the practice of life. “Counsel” is the capability to draw the right conclusions in a given situation. “Strength” is the capability to carry out conclusions, the outcome of deliberation. The expression “counsel and strength” is also used for strategy and military power (Isa 36:5).

“The Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD” is related to the personal relationship with the LORD. “Knowledge” here is the knowing of the LORD, the knowledge that comes through the intimate fellowship of love. This is perfectly present with the Lord Jesus. He knows the Father. “Fear” is reverence and awe for Him, through which the Lord Jesus lets Himself be guided in everything, so that everything He does is pleasing to the Father (Jn 8:29).

To us, the fear of the Lord is the basis of all other work of the Spirit of the Lord in our life (Pro 1:7a). The Spirit always leads to reverence for God and will never deal with Him in an amicable way, as happens for example in modern Bible translations and in some meetings.

The whole life of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, is characterized by fellowship with the Father (Isa 11:3). He lives in the sphere of the Father and everything in His life is focused on doing the will of the Father. It is His delight, His food, to do that will (Jn 4:34). That determines His action in Israel and everywhere and anytime. He never judges only by appearance, as we often do. His judgment is not determined by human standards, by what He sees or hears. He does not rely on impressions or rumors. There is no partiality with Him. His contact with the Father is decisive for His judgment (Jn 5:30).

Everything, every part of His body and every sense organ, functions perfectly and shows what is needed. Mentioned are His nose [“His delight” can also be translated as “His smell”], His eyes and ears, His mouth and breath and His loins and waist.

As for His nose, we see here that the air He inhales is permeated with the fear of the LORD. He will not use His eyes and ears in a frivolous and superficial way, but to judge all things correctly. He does so thoroughly and righteously. He what lives the heart.

The judgment will come from His lips and from His mouth and also in this He will be subservient to God. We see this in the belt or girdle He wears (cf. Lk 12:37b), while His waist speak of the strength with which He will show His steadfastness, His faithfulness. The making of a righteous judgment is in the Bible a proof of wisdom (1Kgs 3:16-28).

Although He does not need anyone to teach Him in His Divine omniscience either, here He is presented as a Man Who lets Himself be guided in everything by His dealings with the Father. As a result, He always judges perfectly. The Father tells Him what to say and what to speak (Jn 12:49).

He makes the cause of all those who cannot stand up for themselves His own (Isa 11:4). He cares about their fate. He does not do so on the basis of emotion, on the basis of misplaced pity, but “with righteousness” and “with fairness”. On the earth, that is to say on all the wicked (plural), He will bring judgment with the rod, that is the sword, of His mouth. With the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked, the antichrist (2Thes 2:8). He will not even touch him, but only kill him by the breath of His mouth, that is by His word.

In everything He will proceed in a perfectly righteous manner (Isa 11:5). The strength of His action – “loins” and “waist” represent strength – lies in His perfect righteousness and His absolute faithfulness to God and the truth.