EDEN. THE GARDEN. PARADISE. THE PLACE CREATED BY GOD IN WHICH HE SAID "IT IS GOOD!" A PLACE THAT DEFINED PERFECTION AND HOLINESS. A PLACE WHERE GOD COULD DWELL AND COMMUNE WITH HIS CREATION.
A PLACE OF PEACE THAT HAS BEEN BROKEN AND IS NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE DUE TO HUMANITIES DESTRUCTIVE CHOICE TO FLIRT WITH SIN AND HAVE ITS OWN WAY.
A PLACE THAT GOD DID NOT WILLINGLY CHOOSE TO PROHIBIT, BUT A LOCATION WE LOST THE RIGHT TO BE IN. THE APPROPRIATE RESULT FOR THOSE WHO WILLINGLY CHOOSE TO SHUT THEMSELVES OFF FROM A LIVING AND PERSONAL GOD.
THE END RESULT OF REJECTING GOD WILL ALWAYS BE TO DWELL IN A PLACE WHERE HE IS NOT. HELL. A PLACE GOD DOES NOT WILL FOR US TO BE, BUT A DESTINATION OF OUR OWN CHOOSING.
OUR DESIRE, AS CHRISTIANS, IS TO AVOID THE SOLITUDE OF SELFISHNESS AND OPEN OURSELVES TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST. THIS IS WHAT WE WANT. THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD LONG FOR.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE HUMAN AND INCAPABLE OF REPAIRING THE DAMAGE THAT WE HAVE INFLICTED UPON OURSELVES. BUT THERE IS HOPE BECAUSE THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS CAPABLE OF "FIXING" THIS PROBLEM.
THERE IS SOMEONE FILLED WITH POWER AND MIGHT THAT CAN NOT ONLY REPAIR THE DAMAGE, BUT HEAL OUR WOUNDS, RESTORE US TO WHOLENESS AND BACK INTO A PROPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONE. JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH, IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE ISAIAH’S PROPHETIC MESSAGE. HE IS THE SHOOT THAT BREAKS FORTH FROM THE STUMP OF JESSE, THE BRANCH THAT WILL BEAR FRUIT AND JUDGE WITH SUPREME RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THE GROWTH COMING OUT FROM THE STUMP OF JESSE’S BRANCH IS THE OUTPOURING OF GOD’S DIVINE GRACE TO RESTORE HIS PEOPLE AND HIS CREATION BACK TO HOW IT WAS FIRST INTENDED TO BE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN.
HE SPEAKS OF THE ANTICIPATED REIGN OF CHRIST HERE ON EARTH FOR ONE THOUSAND YEARS. THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST IS WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR TO BRING US ULTIMATE PEACE.
THE PEOPLE NEEDED TO HEAR THESE WORDS OF HOPE. THE WORD "STUMP" SIGNIFIED THAT THEIR DAVIDIC KINGDOM HAD BEEN BROKEN AND CUT OFF BY THE OPPRESSIVE EMPIRE OF ASSYRIA. THE GREAT DYNASTY OF KING DAVID HAD BEEN CUT DOWN LIKE A TREE.
ASSYRIAN DOMINATION HAD CRUSHED THE ONCE PROUD JEWISH NATION’S IDENTITY. EVERYONE SPOKE OF THE THRONE OF DAVID. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO LAST FOREVER. NOW THEY WERE SLAVES AGAIN. WHERE IS OUR PEACE AND OUR HOPE?
YOU CANNOT BLAME GOD FOR THE OPPRESSION. THEY WERE WARNED BY THE PROPHETS. IN THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF ISAIAH WE READ HOW ISRAEL WOULD FACE THE JUDGMENT OF GOD IF THEY CONTINUED ON WITH BEING UNFAITHFUL TO GOD BY TURNING AWAY TO SERVE THE PAGAN GODS OF THE NATIONS AROUND HER.
ISAIAH PROPHESIES THAT ISRAEL WILL BE INVADED BY THE ASSYRIANS AND CARRIED INTO EXILE. THEY DID NOT HEED THE WARNING. THE ASSYRIANS CAME AND PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED AND NOW IT WAS TOO LATE.
IN CHAPTER 11:1 ISAIAH CALLS THE LINEAGE OF THE DAVIDIC DYNASTY THE “STUMP OF JESSE.” THIS IS THE ONLY TIME IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT DAVID’S LINE IS CALLED BY HIS FATHER’S NAME.
ISAIAH PREDICTS THAT THE DAVIDIC DYNASTY WILL BE COMPLETELY CUT OFF, SO THAT ALL THAT REMAINS IS THE STUMP OF ITS FAMILY TREE.
HOWEVER, IN CHAPTER 11 THE PROPHET ALSO PREDICTS THE FUTURE RESTORATION OF THE KINGDOM THROUGH THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF A DAVIDIC MESSIAH.
ISAIAH STATES THAT OUT OF THE STUMP OF JESSE’S FAMILY TREE A “SHOOT” OR A FRESH STEM WILL SPROUT AND THAT THE SPROUT WILL GROW INTO FULL BLOOM UNTIL IT BECOMES THE BRANCH OF THE LORD.
THE MESSAGE THAT ISAIAH PORTRAYS TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL IS A MESSAGE OF HOPE. THAT WHAT GOD HAS CUT OFF IS ALSO THAT WHICH GOD RESTORES. THAT THE ONE WHO JUDGES HIS PEOPLE FOR THEIR SINS, IS ALSO THE ONE WHO FORGIVES THEM AND RESTORES PEACE.
ISAIAH’S MESSAGE TO ISRAEL IS THEIR NEED TO KNOW THIS COMING PRINCE OF PEACE. BUT, A COST WAS INVOLVED. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL COULDN’T HAVE THEIR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO. THEY COULDN’T GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, IGNORE GOD AND ASSUME THAT THE BLESSINGS WOULD COME TO THEM AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT EFFORT OR CHANGE.
REPENTANCE WAS STILL NECESSARY. A CHOOSING OF SIDES MUST TAKE PLACE. WE MUST CHOOSE TO SERVE THE GODS OF THIS WORLD OR SERVE THE ONE TRUE LIVING GOD OF ALL CREATION.
BEFORE YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THE REIGN OF CHRIST’S MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, YOU MUST FIRST LET HIM RULE YOUR HEART AND LIFE. CHRIST WHO WILL REIGN AS KING OF ALL CREATION IN PEACE AND JUSTICE MUST FIRST REIGN AS LORD AND SAVIOR OF YOUR LIFE.
WHEN PUTTING ETERNITY INTO PERSPECTIVE WE CANNOT ALLOW THE CONTENTMENT AND COMFORT OUR WORLD OFFERS US TO ROB US OF THE CHANCE TO LOOK HONESTLY IN OUR HEARTS TO KNOW IF WE REALLY HAVE CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
YES, THE WORLD OFFERS PLEASURE AND FULFILLMENT OF ALL OUR BODY’S FIVE SENSES. BEWARE. IT IS MERELY A TRAP. A DEADLY MIRAGE OF SELF-FULFILLING DAMNATION.
BUYING INTO THE WORLD’S NON-OFFENDING, ALL-ACCEPTING, "POLITICALLY CORRECT" SYSTEM IS NOTHING MORE THAN HANDING OVER THE AX TO SATAN WHO WILL, IN TURN, GLADLY CUT YOUR LIFE’S TREE DOWN TO THE STUMP.
DOES ANY OF US FEEL LIKE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL TODAY? LIVING OUR LIVES WITH JUST ENOUGH "GOD" IN IT TO MAKE US FEEL SOMEWHAT RELIGIOUS YET STILL EMPTY?
HAVE WE LIVED IN SUCH A WAY THAT, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN’T PUT YOUR FINGER ON IT, THERE IS SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT SEEMS “CUT OFF” OR "CHOPPED DOWN?"
HAVE YOUR DREAMS, YOUR HOPES, YOUR ASPIRATIONS SEEM TO HAVE DISAPPEARED? DOES ALL THAT SEEM TO BE LEFT OF YOUR LIFE IS A STUMP OF UNREALIZED, UNFULFILLED, EXPECTATIONS?
HEAR THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL TODAY THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE IS THE RESTORER OF DREAMS, HE IS THE RESTORER OF HOPE AND HE IS THE RESTORER AND FULFILLMENT OF ALL YOUR ASPIRATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS.
THE CHILD OF THE MANGER, JESUS CHRIST, MESSIAH, SAVIOR, LORD AND KING IS STILL THE “PRINCE OF PEACE” WHO LONGS TO COME AFRESH INTO YOUR LIFE THIS ADVENT SEASON TO WORK THE MIRACLE OF HIS PEACE IN YOUR HEART.
HE WANTS TO BE LORD OF YOUR LIFE AND REIGN IN YOUR HEART AS LORD AND SAVIOR. BUT HE IS NOT GOING TO FORCE HIMSELF UPON YOU. HE SIMPLY ASKS AND WAITS FOR OUR RESPONSE.
REVELATION 3:20-21, "LOOK! HERE I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF YOU HEAR ME CALLING AND OPEN THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN, AND WE WILL SHARE A MEAL AS FRIENDS."
WILL YOU ALLOW THE PRINCE OF PEACE TO RULE IN YOUR HEART AND LIFE THIS ADVENT SEASON? THE WORLD CANNOT OFFER ANYTHING TO GIVE YOU THIS PEACE.
THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD THAT CAN FILL UP THE VOID DEEP INSIDE YOUR SOUL TO GIVE YOU COMPLETE FULFILLMENT.
THE ANSWER IS CHRIST JESUS THE LORD. JOHN 14:27, 29, "I AM LEAVING YOU WITH A GIFT - PEACE OF MIND AND HEART. AND THE PEACE I GIVE ISN’T LIKE THE PEACE THE WORLD GIVES. SO DON’T BE TROUBLED OR AFRAID…I HAVE TOLD YOU THESE THINGS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN SO THAT YOU WILL BELIEVE WHEN THEY DO HAPPEN."
WILL YOU FINALLY BELIEVE IN CHRIST JESUS AS THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD? WILL YOU STOP "BANKING" THAT YOUR REPUTATION, CHURCH ATTENDANCE, AND GOOD DEEDS WILL SAVE YOU AND CONVINCE GOD TO LET YOU IN HIS KINGDOM?
DON’T BE FOOLED! BE SAVED! BELIEVE AND THEN START ANTICIPATING CHRIST’S GLORIOUS REIGN.
