Let me invite you to turn with me to Isaiah chapter 11. Isaiah 11 verses 1-9 tonight as we continue as we said, our series in the coming of the Messiah given by the prophet. These prophecies and their fulfillments encourage us to trust in God and in his word. He says, or he does what he says he will do and we can count on him.
And they give us hope just as they did to the first hearers. He promises a future that is better than the past. And they, and likewise we can live in difficult and troubling circumstances knowing that this is not all that there is. It's not always winter and never Christmas.
Last week we looked at Isaiah 9, 1-7. There we saw God promise a child, a son, to be given. And the government will be on his shoulders. This is Jesus who can bear the weight of the welfare of God's kingdom and people on his shoulders.
Tonight we hear the next major prophecy in Isaiah chapter 11 concerning this Messiah. Let me invite you to give your attention then to the reading of God's authoritative word. There shall come forth and shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness. He shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. If he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips, he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist and faithfulness, the belt of his loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb. And the leopard shall lie down with the young goat and the calf and the lion and the fat and the calf together. And a little child shall eat them.
The cow and the bear shall graze. Their young shall lie down together. And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the whole of the cobra.
And the weaned child shall put his hand on the adders den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Amen, this is God's word.
And right in our hearts, let's look at him in prayer. Father, and heaven be our teacher tonight and do good everlastingly to our souls. Honor Jesus among us. In his name we pray, amen.
Well, here in the United States, the Republicans and Democrats are in full swing. I promise this is not a sermon about politics. Gearing up to pick their candidates for the office of president, a position among people, which some have styled the most powerful leadership position in the world and the campaigners, hoping to be nominated, are of course trying to answer the basic questions their future voters have. Questions like, who are you?
Where are you from? What special gifts and abilities do you bring with you? And what's going to be your governing philosophy? And really, what do you envision happening?
What success do you hope to have for us if you become our ruler and king? Well, Isaiah answers just those kinds of questions about the Messiah, because this Messiah who is coming will be the anointed king. He will be ruler and judge of God's kingdom. And four things I want to speak to tonight, the answers to these questions we might put to the Messiah in verse one, who are you?
Where are you from? Versus two and three, what special gifts and abilities do you have versus three to five? What's your governing philosophy? What principles will shape how you exercise your leadership and in the fourth place versus six to nine?
Where will you take us? What's your vision for the future, Messiah? And so in the first place, the first question, who are you and where you come from? Now, in some interviews, that can be just a chitchat kind of question.
Doesn't really matter where you're from, just whether you can get the job done. The first time I encountered this question, and it mattered, I was applying for a youth ministry job. I'm from Ohio, and I was in Jackson, Mississippi, where I was about to go to seminary. So I'm from the north, and that made me a Yankee in the deep, south, and I was applying for an internship at historic first Presbyterian church where their next minister was going to be a ninth-generation elder in the Presbyterian church, nine straight generations of elders, and where kids in my future youth group had names like so-and-so the fourth, and their great grandad, he was an elder in the church.
So, and as, perhaps I'm surprising to you, in the deep south, where are you from? And who are your people? It's an important question, we want to know who you're connected to, and I knew no one from Mississippi when they interviewed me, and I don't think anybody from Mississippi knew me. But finally, one man on the search committee who, I guess, seemed to like me, figured out that he had worked with a man who started college ministry, and that man had a brother who'd been a missionary overseas whose son had come back to the states, and for one week, years ago, had been in my cabin at a camp in Cincinnati.
And you know, they'll see the search committee breathe inside of her league. It was like, we think we like this guy, but there's just no connection. Oh, we got one. It was astounding, it was enough.
Here, the Messiah is going to be connected, and he must be in his case, because he must come from the line of kings as promised to David, that he would have one of his offspring on the throne forever, the qualification for the job. So who is he? Where's he from? First one.
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. Now what does this mean? Well, to its first hearers, it meant there's a coming a time when the Kingly line will seem to be cut off, when the dynasty of David looks decimated like trees cut down, like a fire has ravaged a forest. All that remains is a stump.
Jesse's stump. Jesse was the father of King David. And it will seem like there is no hope for a future king. The kingdom will seem like it's in disarray.
The people will suffer for lack of leadership. And what's going to happen? Having God says, don't give up on following me. Wait on me.
Hope in me. And there will come a shoot from that root. And a sapling will grow, and that sapling will bear fruit. God had promised to David.
He would have a descendant on the throne forever. And here that descendant is said to be from David's father, Jesse. Now in Jeremiah, that branch is said to be from David. Here from Jesse.
Why? I think David, and this is the case, is often called the son of Jesse. And no other Davidic king is ever called the son of Jesse until this one. Christ here is not to be not only the son of David, but as a descendant of Jesse, he is to be David like.
As David came from Jesse, so will the next king. But where the first David ultimately failed in his rule, this new David, so to speak, will succeed. The Messiah is a better descendant of Jesse. And this is who is promised.
And some in that day, as people today say, God wants me to have health and wealth here and now, or certainly in the next few years, or in the next few months, or in the next few days. And God says, my time table is not your time table. I am not in a rush. In fact, it's going to be, he doesn't tell them how long.
It's going to be over 500 years. Getting worse before it gets better. There's not a short term fix to their problems. This is the sentence of David will come at a time when it seems David is cut off.
The last ruler we know of in Kings from David's line over Jia, he is captured under Nebuchadnezzar's assault. And as the people kill off his children, they put out his eyes and they carry him into captivity so that the last thing he sees and what he remembers for the rest of his life is his line cut off. Things are going to get worse for Israel before they get better. But half a thousand years later, a rose will bloom in Israel.
And Christ will come from Jesse as a new and better David. That's who he is. That's where he's from. He's qualified.
Secondly, what special gifts and abilities will he bring to the table? Can he really do the work? Is he equipped to take on the task? Well, this is important.
On one man's shoulders, the way to the kingdom will sit. To one man, the growth and expansion as well as the well-being defense of the whole realm is given. He's going to need to be strong and he's going to need to be wise. And verse 2 says, in the spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.
The spirit here spoken of is the Holy Spirit who gives all these things knowledge and wisdom and understanding and discernment, particularly the spirit needed to govern wisely as ruler and judge who helps him know what to do and helps him do it. He of course has the spirit without measure, without restraint. The Holy Spirit we know filled Jesus from birth. It adds his baptism in his public ministry.
The spirit came and descended or rested on him like a dove, visually picturing the presence of the spirit with him in his ministry and throughout his life in ministry he depended upon that spirit. And so in Isaiah 9, the previous prophecy we looked at, we see the divine Messiah, mighty God, right? No less God than God the Father or God the Holy Spirit. In accordance with that divinity, he is one with the Father and one with the spirit.
And he's called mighty God, an everlasting Father. But here in Isaiah 11, he is human. And in accordance with his humanity, he relies upon the spirit of God to enable him to accomplish the work he has called to do. And if no less than the Son of God himself and human flesh needed the spirit of God, to walk with God in communion, to be faithful to God as a true human, how much more do we ourselves need the help of the spirit to walk as Christians in this life?
The Bible says from Jesus we have his spirit, out of his bounty, because he has the spirit he gives. And he gives his people, he equips us. And the spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our everlasting salvation. So here the Messiah has all that he needs in God.
Advise his spirit. He's up for the task. Now the third question is, well, what's going to be his governing philosophy? Sure, he's got gifts and talents and abilities.
He's equipped by the spirit. But as he carries out his duties, doing the work of a king and a judge, what can we expect from him? And there are a number of things highlighted here. Let me just quickly highlight five.
He in the first place delights in true religious devotion to the Lord. Verse three, and his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. Now that might mean that he himself delights to show reverence and respect to the Lord. And he certainly does.
Jesus did, like none ever has. But it might also mean this, that he delights when he finds that in others. It's what he looks for in people. Jesus was so obviously unimpressed, as you remember in his earthly ministry, with the head knowledge of the Pharisees, who knew the Bible seemingly back and forth, but who were so puffed up with pride, because they knew so much instead of being humbled by the truth and loving and respecting the God of grace.
Jesus said, whoa, the people who times mint and deal, but didn't care for mercy and justice. He however commended the widow who gave all that she had, just a dime or a dollar to the work of the Lord, out of love and devotion for her God. What does he want to see in you and in me? Outward conformity to the law, not merely that.
Regular attendance in public meetings, not just that. What does a good parent want from their children, grudging and reluctant lip service to the list of chores? Or joyful and grateful affection and respect? In this he delights.
It is his delight even to give this to those who come to an empty handed and say, I don't have this. And so he delights in true religious devotion in the fear of the Lord. And secondly, he does not look only on the outward, but he looks at the heart. He shall not, it says, judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide disputes when he hears with his ears.
He doesn't make snap decisions swayed by the persuasive speech of liars. He doesn't give weight to who it is that talks first or who talks loudest or who has the most expensive lawyers. He'll be manipulated by our promises. He can't be bribed with our money.
He isn't persuaded by a three-piece suit. You can't dress up and outwardly impress him. He gets to the heart of the matter. He judges justly with righteousness and equity.
He's impartial and equitable. He always does what's right and fair, because he knows what's truly in the heart. Thirdly, this is a king who protects the most vulnerable. Verse four, but with righteousness, he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.
Where there is corruption in courts of law, it is almost inevitable that the poor suffer first and suffer most. So often the rich have connections and resources to grease the wheels of justice, not so the poor, but with righteousness he will judge the poor. And when he judges he does so, and this is good for the poor here. It's salvation to them in the corrupt courts of mankind, and likewise the powerful and well-connected who assert themselves, can trade favors to get decisions made in their favor.
But he decides with equity for the gentle, for the meek, people who don't throw their way around and assert themselves aggressively. So it is that when Jesus came, he interceded for a woman caught in adultery. In John 8, the Pharisees and scribes brought her to Jesus. Not the man she was caught with.
She was on the threat of stoning, but not her partner in crime. The more vulnerable one was going to be treated, the more harshly, and to herself righteous accusers, Jesus said, like he who is without sin, cast the first stone, and they dropped their rocks, and they walked away, and then he admonished the adulterous woman, go and sin no more. He's righteous, he's equitable, he's even merciful and gracious, and he protects the vulnerable. And fourthly, this is a king who will punish the wicked.
Verse four, he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips, he shall kill the wicked. Such is his power, he simply speaks. And judicial punishment, even capital punishment is needed out to the deserving, who do not trust in him. This is he who spoke in Genesis 1, be light, light was flung in darkness.
This is he who in Hebrews 1 it says, it holds all things simply by the word of his power. This is he who in John 18 it says, when he was confronted by a mob of soldiers carrying swords and clubs to come out and arrest him, Jesus said to them, who do you seek? And they answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. And Jesus said to them, I am.
And hearing they drew back and they fell to the ground with just two words, I am. He knocked flat dozens of hardened soldiers. And then he asked them again, who do you seek? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
And Jesus answered, I told you that I am ye. So if you seek me, let these men go, referring to his disciples, whom they let go. They did exactly what he told them to do because his word always accomplishes his will. John tells you in verse nine of chapter 18, this was to fulfill the word that had been spoken.
Of those whom you gave me, I have lost not one. And so it says here in Isaiah, when the time is ripe and with just his words, he pronounces judgment and carries out the sentence. And this too is part of the righteous rule of a good and holy king. And fiftly he is always ready to do the work well.
That's the last thing, verse five, righteousness shall be the belt of his way, faithful is the belt of his loins. He's girded up, he's ready for battle. He hasn't caught napping, he's never absent without leave. His hours are never accounted for.
But he is prepared to do the work he has called to do. These are the principles that you can expect from this king. He delights in what's most important, the fear of the Lord. He looks on the heart, not just the hour to appear.
He protects the weak and the helpless. He's equitable and righteous and his justice. He punishes the wicked who deserve it. And he's always ready to do this work well.
Now as you hear all that, if this scares you, it should. If it troubles you, if you fear that you can't yourself stand at the bar of this kind of judge, you are right. And if you know in your heart, you know yourself well enough, that should he weigh you in the balance you would be found wanting, then I say to you well and good that you should think so for this king is also merciful. And he came the righteous judge to die the just for the unjust to bring us to God.
Don't plead the merits of your righteousness seeking justice from a king like this. But look to him in the merits of his own death on behalf of the unjust. And plead before his throne, his blood, and his pardon. And he delights to forgive and wipe your slight clean and release you from prison because he delighted to bear the cost of your punishment in his place.
This is the kind of king he is. And in the last place, we might ask, well, what's his vision for the future? If he's successful at what he does, if this messiah comes, what kind of world will he really bring about? And Isaiah says, verses six to nine, he brings worldwide success in establishing peace and harmony throughout the earth.
Verse six, the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard lie down with the young girl, the calf, the lie and the fat and calf together. All these things, and they shall not hurt us growing all my holy mountain. There will be comprehensive peace and security with all of God's blessing across the face of the whole earth. Why for the earth and to verse nine, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.
As the waters cover the sea. People are only truly at peace with one another and with creation and with God himself, when they are full of the knowledge of God in the face of Christ. Jesus said, this is eternal life, that you would know God. And Jesus Christ whom he sent to know him is our restoration, to know him is eternal life, to know him, to be united to him and to his finished work on our behalf, to belong to him.
This eternal life in Isaiah, it looks ahead to it, maybe on ours. When the fullness of his fruitfulness is on display in the garden of God in the new heavens and the new earth. But it is put here, I believe, this is the way I understand it, put here in the language of the first garden, put in the language of the garden of God, the garden of paradise, the garden of Eden, yet without sin, yet without the fall, yet without disruption. They are in that garden before sin, man and beast, God along, Adam and Eve, God along.
And they live walking in the garden with their father in the glory of the day. And under this king's hand, his kingdom is one where predator and prey get along together where the old order of things is removed and the new has come. Verse six, the wolf doesn't devour the lamb, it dwells with it. And this is the language of hospitality.
This is the language of the little lamb, a tasty morsel in our day, opens her front door and says, welcome wolf, come in my kasuna, sue kasuna. Likewise at the end of a long day, the leopards shall lie down with the young goats. They sleep without fear, side by side. The baby calf easily the most vulnerable, the fat and calf tender, but not tough, juicy, not dry.
They get along with the lion. The bird landed on our window screen the other day. Silver, our otherwise extremely friendly house cat. And I mean this when I say I've always been a dog lover and a cat hater because cats have always seen aloof and unkind and uncaringed.
Who wants that? This has been perhaps the most friendly cat I've ever known, willing to be picked up and petted by any stranger in the home. Not a mean cat, but this cat, sweet silver, seeing a bird land on the screen, bounded across the carpet, launched itself at the bird murderous inventions in its heart. That bird was saved by a very thin sheet of glass.
And I know what silver is thinking when she sits on the window sill, my what tiny tasty treats you are, my little bird friends. Yet in the kingdom of the Messiah, the tastiest and easiest prey sleep peacefully with their former predator. Their natures, even of the predator, are changed, the ox with the lion, the bear. They grace.
They eat strong. And even a little child that's toddler can command them, verse 8, a little one, a nursing child. Set down accidentally over the whole of a snake, darkening the opening to its home. You never fear the cobra or the viper or the add or some venomous snake.
This is the 100-acre wood friends with Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh. But yours depression is lifted. Tigger isn't obnoxious anymore. Piglet isn't fearful.
Owl can spell O-W-L. And there's no swarm of bees here to chase Winnie into the pond. Paradise Lost has become Paradise Found. That is the world we long for.
It is the world of the success of this Messiah. I read recently where Tigger Woods, many would argue the greatest golfer ever, or he was going to be. But then if you know his story, very public scandals, personal injuries likewise took away his golfer's concentration and physical dominance. His marriage crumbled under the weight of adultery.
He had back surgery from which he may never recover. His golf game has fallen apart. Tragically, he says, I peaked at 11, to be honest with you. I went 36 and 0 that year, never lost a tournament.
I probably had the cutest girlfriend in all of sixth grade. And I had straight A's. No A-minuses. I've been trying to get back to that sense.
And Isaiah says to every one of us, the way back isn't to go back. But it is to go forward with a Messiah as your king, who rules all. And in the wholeness of his kingdom makes everything right. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain why the earth will be filled with the knowledge of this king.
And so Isaac Watts enjoyed the world, invites us to sing and we will at the close of our service. No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. The ground, he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found. And God says, in the fullness of time, I will send my song.
And he did. Christmas has come. And he says to us, in the fullness of time, I will send him back. And he will.
Christmas is coming. God says, don't lose hope. Life will be hard. Following me will not be easy.
You don't get satisfaction for every desire. You don't get all the smiles this world has to offer. You don't get all, even, of the rewards of Jesus obedience, all at once, heaven on earth, here and now. But they are yours in him.
Though some of those gifts are yet unopened for us, they are wrapped and ready for that day. Let's celebrate. He's worth waiting for. Let's pray.
Father, we bless you. Your son is marvelous. A grant that each would know him truly. In your name we pray, amen.
Let's stand and sing.