March 11 - Jesse's Branch

March 11 - Jesse's Branch - Isaiah 11:1-16

Hmmm ... sorry 'bout that, I just had "Jesse's Girl" (1981) by Rick Springfield go through my head AND I have memories of Jesse Katsopolis from "Full House." It's going to take me a moment to track back a few thousand years to David's father, Jesse, who is the real reference of this passage.

Jesus calls Himself this root in Revelation 22:16 and Isaiah 11:1-5 offers a description of the coming Messiah. Isaiah would probably have based some of this on God's promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:16 that a descendant of his would rule over his kingdom.

The Peacable Kingdom. Isaiah 11:6-9. This is another of my favorite passages. I remember my mother quoting this often. The peace that it brings to mind is so calming. It ends with, "They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

A second exodus. A second time for God to rescue His people from bondage. But, this time the Messiah will stand as the banner and not only will the remnant of His people be reclaimed, but Gentiles as well. Israel and Judah will reunite after centuries (by this point) of division. (Isaiah 11:10-13)

Not only will God gather His people from all over the world, but He will again cause a river to be spread out so that people can cross it (Isaiah 11:15)

The highway is one of Isaiah's favorite images. The righteous will have a smooth place on which to walk (Isaiah 26:7), the prophecy that John the Baptist calls out says that he is "A voice of one calling: 'In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.'" (Isaiah 40:3), " And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it."

Isaiah saw that God's highway would be holy and that His sinful children would one day walk on that highway.