11. Isaiah Chapter Eleven
Isaiah Chapter 11 This chapter introduces a striking contrast to the close of chapter ten, a contrast between a proud cedar of Lebanon and a twig out of a hewn-down stock, a shoot from its roots. The former was symbolic both of the Assyrian and his final antitype the Antichrist, the latter is descriptive of the Christ, His lowly birth, His growth under the delighted eyes of Jehovah, and eventually of His mighty power to overthrow the very Antichrist and rule in righteousness and peace.
"And there shall come forth a shoot [or a twig] out of the stem [the stock or stump] of Jesse, and a Branch [a shoot] out of his roots shall bear fruit" (Isaiah 11:1, r.v.). The house of David had become so degenerate that it resembled the stump of a tree that had been felled. There would, however, grow out of it a twig which would take the place of the whole trunk. To confirm this promise another figure is used. Springing up from the earth-covered roots there would arise a green shoot (netzer, from natzer, to shine or blossom, and hence the word "Nazarene," Matthew 2:23) which would develop and bear fruit (cp. Php 2:7-9).
Isaiah 11:2 gives a glorious description of Christ’s perfect character and virtues. "The Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon Him," expressive of the complete and complacent delight of the Father in Him, and of the abiding nature of His virtues (cp. John 1:32-33). The statement contains a mention of the Three Persons of the Trinity. The Spirit of Jehovah is the Holy Spirit, operating in the fullness of the Divine powers (cp. Colossians 2:9).
Following this are six spirits in three pairs. The first, "the spirit of wisdom and understanding," relates to powers of mind: wisdom discerns the nature of things, understanding discerns their differences. The second, "the spirit of counsel and might," relates to practical activity: counsel is the ability to adopt right conclusions, might is the power exercised in carrying them out. The third pair, "the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord," relates to fellowship with Jehovah; knowledge is here a knowledge of Jehovah (both details of this pair go with "of Jehovah"); Christ Himself said "ye have not known Him [ginoµskoµ, i.e., ye have not begun to know Him], but I know Him [oida, i.e., I know Him intuitively and fully],"(John 8:5); the fear is that which, enjoying the presence of the Lord, refrains, therefore, from displeasing Him. Christ said "I do always the things that are pleasing to Him" (John 8:29).
These seven correspond to the seven-lighted lamp stand, with its main shaft and the three pairs of branches from its sides (Exodus 25:31-32; see also Revelation 1:4; Revelation 4:5; Revelation 5:6).
These powers and virtues would "make Him of quick understanding [rewach, scent] in the fear of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:3), i.e., quick to appreciate as fragrance "all that is of the fear of the Lord," or, as it is otherwise rendered, "the fear of the Lord shall be fragrance to Him." Accordingly He will not judge by mere appearance, nor will He pass sentence on mere hearsay, but by reason of His possession of the Spirit of Jehovah He will judge the poor with righteousness, and pass sentence equitably on behalf of the meek, the humble, those who cannot undertake their own cause.
Before peace is established, He will "smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked" (Isaiah 11:4), i.e., the Antichrist. This prophecy is expanded in Isaiah 34:1-10 and Isaiah 63:16 (where see notes), a testimony to the unity of the book of Isaiah. The rod of the Lord’s mouth and the breath of His lips are elsewhere described as "the voice of the Lord" (cp. 2 Thessalonians 2:8). The rest of this chapter depicts Millennial conditions. The new era which Christ will introduce will see the exercise of "righteousness as the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness as the girdle of His reins" (the same word as that rendered "loins" in Isaiah 5:27, and denoting the hips), emblematic of the energetic activity of His powers and attributes in fulfilling the Divine will.
Isaiah 11:6-9 are not to be regarded as symbolic. The actual fulfillment of the conditions in the animal world will be the natural outcome of the presence and authority of Christ. In verse 8 the cockatrice is probably the adder (see Jeremiah 8:17, r.v. marg.). In Isaiah 11:9 the "holy mountain" stands for the land, with Zion as its governmental center. The phrase "as the waters cover the sea" signifies the covering of the bed of the ocean by its waters, a symbol of the depth and fullness of the experimental knowledge of Jehovah.
Isaiah 11:10 describes again the lowliness and exaltation of Christ. He Who had been in obscurity as the sprout from the root of Jesse, figurative of His lowly birth, will "stand for an ensign of the peoples" (plural), a banner, summoning them, not to war, but to Himself as the benign Ruler, exercising His authority in righteousness and peace. To Him the nations will seek, and His resting place, the seat of His authority, "shall be glorious," lit., "shall be glory." So it was with the Shekinah glory in the Tabernacle (Numbers 10:33; cp. 2 Chronicles 6:41 and Psalms 132:8, Psalms 132:14).
Then will the Lord gather "a second time" the scattered remnant of Israel (Isaiah 11:11-12). There was a gathering of His people at the return from captivity in the time of Ezra. True, the Lord delivered Israel from Egypt under Moses, but that was not the gathering of a remnant. There will be peace and unity in the nation (Isaiah 11:13) and they will subdue surrounding foes (Isaiah 11:14-15).
There will be geographical changes, making for the welfare of Israel. The sea between Egypt and Arabia will be destroyed (lit., "be under a ban"), and the river Euphrates will be smitten into seven shallow brooks. From Egypt to Assyria there will be a highway for traffic (Isaiah 11:16; cp. Zechariah 10:11).