The Triumph Of The Savior Series

Hamas is an organization that has been quoted as saying it would ultimately triumph over Israel because, "We love death more than the Jews love life." It is with this kind of adversary that Israel is now negotiating a deal for the release of a single Israeli soldier. If it happens, the deal will require the release of many convicted terrorist killers for Sgt. Shalit’s return. http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=2380713

As we prepare to celebrate the landmark of the end of a decade, we must also take a moment to remember the tragedy that terrorism has inflicted on countless innocents around the world over the past 10 years. The last decade has seen numerous examples of terrorist barbarity: the Mumbai attacks of one year ago, the Madrid train bombings, the London Tube bombings, the hotel attacks in Indonesia, the Chechnya school assault, suicide bombers and terrorist missiles targeting innocent Israeli civilians, and the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The list of senseless carnage and heartbreak continues to grow as innocent men, women and children are victimized around the world, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/story.html?id=2376649

Conflict of course is not a new thing. Scripture itself is a record of thousands of years of conflict between nations. In Isaiah 11Israel has been conquered by Assyria. In chapter 9 the prophet speaks about “the son” to whom the everlasting government will be given and whose throne will be established with justice, righteousness, and peace. Isaiah again takes up the theme of the messianic rule in chapter 11 (Elwell, Walter A.: Evangelical Commentary on the Bible . electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Baker Book House, 1996, c1989, S. Is 11:1).

The Prophet Isaiah makes the point that although Israel’s (and Judah’s) lack of trust in the Lord will have meant nearly total destruction at the hand of Assyria, that destruction is not God’s final word. Assyria, too, will come under judgment and out of that judgment a remnant of Jacob’s descendants will return to God’s land. However, as 8:23–9: suggested, so 11:1–9 confirms that such a return will be under the aegis of an anointed descendant of David. In fact, the root of Jesse will himself be the banner which will signal safe return. Prominent in that return is the sovereign activity of God.

In Isaiah 11, the Messiah is not merely promised or announced but is depicted as ruling. In place of the craven and petty house of David, or the arrogant and oppressive empire of Assyria, here is a king in whose hands the concerns of the weakest will be safe. He will usher in a reign of safety and security to which the weary exiles may come streaming in return.

There is an interplay throughout this passage between Davidic themes and emphatic recognition of Yahweh’s direct gifts and action. While David’s (shoot) appears in vv 1 and 10, the emphasis is on Yahweh’s spirit (v 2), the fear of Yahweh (v 3), and the knowledge of Yahweh (vv 6–9). Vv 4 and 5 are not clearly directed and may be understood to apply to Yahweh or to the king. The ambiguity is deliberate. Davidic ideology was structured to think in terms of God’s work through the king. This passage deftly keeps attention on God’s work (Watts, J. D. W. (2002). Vol. 24: Word Biblical Commentary:Isaiah 1-33. Word Biblical Commentary (170). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.).

As we come to the end of this year, in a world of conflict from interpersonal, relational to individual sin, what peace should we seek?

Is peace just a pipe dream? Isaiah 11 is a picture for us here and now of peace that comes through the coming of the Messiah. It shows us the Triumph of the Savior in 1) The Triumph through His Ancestry. (Isaiah 11:1), 2) The Triumph through His Anointing. (Isaiah 11:2) 3) The Triumph through His Administration. (Isaiah 11:3-5) and finally: 4) The Triumph through His Accomplishments. (Isaiah 11:6-10)

1) The Triumph through His Ancestry. (Isaiah 11:1)

Isaiah 11:1 [11:1]There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Please turn back to Isaiah 9

The ax of God’s judgment will cut down the proud tree of Judah. Isaiah prophesies about the stump that had once been glorious and powerful Judah. The royal line of David would remain; it had to because God had promised that the Messiah would come from the line of David and rule forever (2 Samuel 7:13; Isaiah 9:7). However, the disobedience and rebellion of many of David’s descendants brought God’s judgment. When Isaiah met Ahaz at the Upper Pool on the road to the Washerman’s Field (chapter 7), the prophet foretold a part of the coming judgment. The deliverance for God’s people, Isaiah told the king of Judah, would come from a virgin, not from a powerful and influential royal house (Braun, John A.: Isaiah 1-39. Milwaukee, Wis. : Northwestern Pub. House, 2000 (The People’s Bible), S. 149).