11:1 A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots. 

 

In chapter 10, Assyria was a massive forest that would be cut down forever. However, the opposite is true of Israel. Israel would be reduced to a single tree stump, but a branch would grow out of this tiny little stump. The Branch would be Immanuel Himself, the Messiah of Israel. Immanuel will establish the Messianic Kingdom.

 

Chapter 11:1-12:6 is the fourth Book of Immanuel (Isaiah 7-12).

 

The Hebrew word for “shoot” is חֹ֫טֶר (chater), meaning a tree stump. Jesse was the father of King David. Jesse was a poor shepherd who gave birth to a mighty king. God made an unconditional covenant with David called the Davidic Covenant. God promised David  that one of his own descendants would sit upon the throne of Israel forever. 

 

Isaiah predicted that the house of Jesse was a large tree that would be cut down. Left remaining would be a dead stump. However, in the future, this dead stump would supernaturally sprout, bud, produce roots, and grow back into a mighty tree.

 

During the time of Jesus, the house of Jesse was reduced to a stump. Joseph, the supposed father of Jesus, should have been the king of Israel. Instead, he was living in poverty in Nazareth in the tribute nation of Palestine. His wife Mary was also from the line of David, but from the small line of Nathan. Isaiah predicted that Joseph and Mary would become this dead stump.

 

The Hebrew word for “bud” is נֵ֫צֶר (nezar), meaning a fresh green shoot which grows from a dead stump. Eventually, this branch will become a great tree. At his first coming, Jesus was the branch which came out of the dead stump. At His second coming, He will become the tree which grows from this branch. 

 

In the New Testament, Jesus was called “the Nazarene.” It is very possible that Jesus should not be called “the Nazarene” from the city of Nazareth. Instead, He should be called Jesus the “נֵ֫צֶר (nezar),” or the branch which came out of the dead stump which will grow into the Messianic King.

 

The point of this prophecy is that the House of David will be reduced to poverty. The family of the Messiah will be reduced to poverty with no royal power and no royal glory. The Messiah will grow up in this type of poverty environment.

 

11:2 The Lord’s spirit will rest on him— a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the Lord.

 

Just as the Menorah in the Temple possessed seven branches, so will Immanuel possess the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit. New Testament Believers are given the gifts of the Holy Spirit when they believe, but they are not given all of them. There are seven attributes of the Holy Spirit.  All seven of these attributes will rest upon the Messiah.

 

11:3 He will take delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by mere appearances, or make decisions on the basis of hearsay.

 

The Messiah will follow the commandments of God the Father, because He loves the Father and wants to please Him. When the Messiah judges, He will not judge by outward appearances. He will not make decisions based upon rumors and hearsay evidence.

 

11:4 He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed.

 

The Messiah will not mistreat the poor. As the Judge of the universe, He will not be bribed by the rich. When the Messiah returns to earth at His second coming, He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth. He will exterminate all of the Christ-rejecters off of the earth. Only the believers will enter into the Millennial Kingdom.

 

11:5 Justice will be like a belt around his waist, integrity will be like a belt around his hips.

 

The girdle was worn by those who were ready to compete in a wrestling match. Whichever wrestler could take the girdle off of the other wrestler was the winner. The Messiah was wearing a girdle, ready to wrestle His opponent. He is fully equipped and prepared to win. He is fully equipped with the seven-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit.

 

11:6 A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along.

 

Isaiah looked forward to the Messianic Kingdom. During the Millennial Kingdom, the animal world will return to its original Garden-of-Eden conditions. The wolf usually eats the lamb, but not in the Millennial Kingdom. The leopard will not eat the goat, but they will lie down together in the field. The ox and the lion will graze together in the field, because the animal kingdom will return to its vegetarian state. A small child will be able to play with the wolf, the leopard, and the lion.

 

11:7 A cow and a bear will graze together, their young will lie down together. A lion, like an ox, will eat straw.

 

Cows and bears will graze grass together. Lions and oxen will eat straw together. The original Garden-of-Eden conditions will return to the animal world. All animals will live in peace with man and each other during the Millennial Kingdom.

 

11:8 A baby will play over the hole of a snake; over the nest of a serpent an infant will put his hand.

 

Ever since the Garden of Eden, men and snakes have been natural enemies. During the Millennial Kingdom, this curse will be removed. Snakes will not be poisonous. Children will play with snakes.

 

11:9 They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea.

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, there will be a one-world global government under King Messiah.  Everyone will submit to the Messianic King. 

 

11:10 At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic.

 

A signal flag stood on the top of the highest hill. During a battle, it was an assembly point where armies could meet. During the Millennial Kingdom, the root of Jesse will stand on the top of the mountain and draw the Gentile nations to Him. By this time, the root of Jesse will grow into a large tree. This large tree will grow on the top of the Millennial Mountain. All Gentiles will come to seek shade from this tree. The radiance of the Root of Jesse is the Shechinah Glory.

 

11:11 At that time the sovereign master will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts.

 

The Messiah will regather all of the Jews from all these Gentile nations of the world and bring them into the land of Israel.

 

Notice that this regathering is a second regathering of Jews from all over the world. When was the first regathering? It could not be from Babylon, because this was not a worldwide regathering. The first worldwide gathering  of Jews was the 1948 gathering of modern Israel. This was a regathering in unbelief. The second regathering will be a regathering of Israel in belief. This second regathering of believing Jews will take place at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom.

 

11:12 He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel’s dispersed people and assemble Judah’s scattered people from the four corners of the earth.

 

Notice that this second regathering will come from “the four corners of the earth.” The return from Babylon was only from one nation, not the four corners of the earth. Again, Isaiah predicted two regatherings. One in unbelief (1948) and another in belief (during the Millennial Kingdom). 

 

The signal flag is an ensign for the Gentiles to assist the Jews in this second regathering. The signal flag is the Messiah. He will rally the Gentiles to help the Jews return to their Promised Land.

 

11:13 Ephraim’s jealousy will end, and Judah’s hostility will be eliminated. Ephraim will no longer be jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be hostile toward Ephraim.

 

Ephraim is another name for the ten tribes of Israel who split into the northern kingdom after Solomon’s reign. According to Psalm 78:9-11, Ephraim turned away from righteousness. When Ephraim turned away from righteousness, then God chose Judah over Ephraim (Psalm 78:67-68). Therefore, the temple and the Shechinah Glory did not transfer to Samaria, but it remained in Jerusalem. This made Ephraim jealous. There has always been a jealousy between the Northern and Southern kingdoms. This jealousy will be removed at the Second Coming of Jesus.

 

11:14 They will swoop down on the Philistine hills to the west; together they will loot the people of the east. They will take over Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be their subjects.

 

In the past, Israel and Judah fought against each other. In the future, Israel and Judah will be combined once again into one nation. They will have no more border enemies. They will absorb the land of Edom, Moab, and Ammon.

 

11:15 The Lord will divide the gulf of the Egyptian Sea; he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River and send a strong wind, he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, and enable them to walk across in their sandals.

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, God will dry up the Egyptian Sea to make it easier for the Jews to return to their land. The Euphrates River in the Arab and Persian territory will be broken up into seven smaller streams to make it easier for the Jews to return back into their land. The returning Jews will be able to walk through these dry areas in their sandals.

 

11:16 There will be a highway leading out of Assyria for the remnant of his people, just as there was for Israel, when they went up from the land of Egypt.

 

The return of Israel during the Millennial Kingdom is known as the New Exodus. During this time, a highway will be built from Assyria to Israel. The purpose of this highway is to help the Jews return back into their land.