Monday 06 June 2022
- Bible Book:
- Isaiah
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. (v. 1)
Background
When Isaiah was called to be a prophet of God in chapter 6 he was warned that the land would be emptied, the people deported and that all that would be left would be a stump. Further on, Isaiah expects the monarchy to be overthrown but nonetheless that a remnant of the people will be maintained. And then in chapter 11 we have this magnificent piece of poetry which foresees a new King David growing out of the stump of Jesse and a kingdom of peace, which encompasses not just human beings, but all of creation.
The prophecy has a messianic quality for two reasons. The first is in verse 1 when we are told there will be a shoot from the stump of Jesse and then in verse 10 this same Davidic king will be the root of Jesse. How can a king be both a shoot and a root? The paradox is intentional and provides us with an image of new life alongside the foundational quality of God’s upholding of this new life. Alongside this paradox, this individual also has the Spirit of the Lord upon him. This Spirit is not given for a specific task, like Gideon in Judges 6, but it is permanent in the same way as important figures like Moses, Elijah and of course King David.
The second reason is because of the beautiful description of ecological peace in verses 6-9. The picture painted is of a restoration of Eden in which hunters lie down with their prey, children are able to lead them and they are not in danger. Most profoundly the baby can play over the hole where the snake lives, in a reversal of the curse placed upon the snake in Genesis 3: 15 "I will put enmity between ……..your offspring and hers."
Isaiah’s world is full of uncertainty and difficulty and so it is all the more remarkable that in this midst of all of this, he receives this beautiful and profound vision of hope.
To Ponder:
- Read these verses slowly and think about a world before the poetry of these verses. Give thanks for their wonderful inspiration and creativity.
- What does this passage teach us about the meaning of peace. What does it inspire you to do?