Isaiah 11

[gslou]

Pastor Mike, the first third of Isaiah 11 is easy to understand, "A Shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit". I get that this is a clear reference to Jesus who was going to come from the line of David. This is almost the same as what Jesus himself said many years later in John 15:5 "I am the vine and you are the branches, if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit". Branches and bearing fruit.

The middle part (verses 6-9) is a little confusing. Is this still referring to Jesus, and if so, when? Then verse 11 really confuses me. Is the "Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnants ... of his people", is this still about Jesus' first coming, because the reference to the "second time" is throwing me off. Is the freeing of Israel from from Egypt the "first time" and the first coming of Jesus this "second time", or is this a reference to the second coming. Has the reference to the Lord drying up the gulf of Egypt something that already happened (verse 15)?

Very uplifted to see God's plan and how He laid it out long in advance, but also a little confused on the later part of this text. I would definitely appreciate your comments. Don't want to use the wrong App (by the way, I like your postings in FB about the bad apps).

Thanks,

[Mike Miller]

Well done. You have raised a question that interpreters have wrestled with for some time, namely about verses 6-9. When does this occur when the wolf will dwell with the lamb and so forth? Some see this as referring to a peaceful time for Judah when the larger nations will no longer be a threat (see these nations referred to as fierce animals in Jeremiah 5:6). Some see it as referring to the Messianic age--the age of the church--when we are set free from sin and enjoying the new covenant (compare Isaiah 11:9 to Jeremiah 31:34, the latter of which is about the new covenant). Others see this as a reference to a future millennial time of Messianic rule. Finally, some see it as a reference to the new heavens and new earth at the consummation of the ages. Check out the parallels in Revelation 21:1-22:5 and Isaiah 65:17-25. The only problem there is that Isaiah 65 speaks of a time when there will be sinners, and people will die. That also mitigates against a future millennium. Therefore, because this seems to be figurative language, and since the entire chapter is Messianic in nature (about Jesus), I lean toward the idea that it is about the time of the new covenant.

Moreover, the "second time" in verse 11 is about the coming of the Messiah and the Messianic age in which God will gather His people from all over the earth. The first deliverance was from Egypt (see verse 16), and the language used here is pretty typical of prophetic imagery. God will gather His people, and no one can stop Him. The nations, sea, and river are all figurative ways of saying that there will no power or barrier to thwart God's plan. Compare verse 16 to Isaiah 35:8-10; 57:14; 62:10. See also Acts 15:12-17.

So, the bottom line is that all of Isaiah 11 is about the coming of Jesus. He will establish a new covenant and will gather His people from all the nations. No power on earth will be able to stop Him. The new covenant will be one of peace, but not geopolitical peace. God's people will be victorious, but not in a physical sense. The peace and victory will be peace with God, unity with each other, and victory over sin and death.