(Isaiah 11:1)

This verse from Isaiah announces the coming of a new ruler. During Isaiah’s time,

there was some uncertainty within the nation of Israel. This is the time of the Divided

Kingdom—for after King Solomon the kingdom was divided into the North and the

South each with its own ruler. Also, during the time of Isaiah the nation of Assyria was

a powerful nation that people were worried that they would come and conquer them.

This was a reality for both the North and the South since they were important lands to

establish trade routes.

This verse and the larger section of Isaiah 11 have the prophet announcing that there will

be a new ruler who will rise up. This ruler will come from the line of Jesse. This is a

significant line for Jesse was the father of King David. Thus, this pronouncement would

have resonated with many of the people for many would have most likely wanted to look

back to the time of David as the good old days and wanted to recreate this ‘Golden Age

of Israel.’ Isaiah doesn’t stop at announcing that a new ruler will come, but goes go to

proclaim what kind of leader he will be.

He will be one who the Spirit will rest on, who will have knowledge and the fear of the

Lord, and he will judge with righteousness. Isaiah goes on to give almost an impossible

image of what this new kingdom will look like. It will be a time when the wolf will live

with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the kid, and a nursing child will play over

the hole of the asp. All of this points to a time of peace and tranquility. A time when

natural enemies will live with each other and dangerous animal will not be a threat.

To a nation who lives in fear of the possibility of an invading army, this is good news

that one is coming who will be able to bring peace and bring an end to the threat that they

most likely sensed within their everyday life.

Most likely, the people who first heard Isaiah’s words thought that this person would

come in their time. However, we know that this ultimate leader would come many years

later. For we believe that the one who the prophecy proclaims is none other than Jesus of

Nazareth.

And even for us today, we know that even though Jesus has come into the world and i

s the King that Isaiah is announcing, our world does not resemble the world that Isaiah

describes—for I do not think that any of us would let our children play near the hole of a

poisonous snake. The fulfillment of this prophecy will ultimately be accomplished in the

hereafter; however, we can still work to achieve a greater level of peace and hope within

our world today.