705_The reign of the glorious King (Isaiah 11-12)
Isaiah 11:1-9 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
There is a dramatic moment in the history of Judah that almost feels impossible to believe. The royal line of David — the very line through which God had promised the Messiah would come — was nearly destroyed forever.
After the death of King Ahaziah, his mother Athaliah seized the throne. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, deeply influenced by idolatry and wickedness. To secure her power, she ordered the execution of all the royal heirs. It seemed as though the covenant line had finally been extinguished.
But hidden away in secrecy was a baby boy named Joash.
Jehosheba, Ahaziah’s sister, courageously rescued the infant and hid him in the temple for six years. While Athaliah ruled in darkness, God quietly preserved the royal line through one small child. Then at the appointed time, Joash was brought out, crowned king, and the covenant line of David continued exactly as God had promised.
What looked like a dead stump suddenly produced life again.
That story beautifully prepares our hearts for Isaiah 11. The prophet writes, “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1, ESV).
By Isaiah’s day, the kingdom of Judah looked much like that nearly destroyed royal line in the days of Athaliah. Sin had devastated the nation. Judgment was falling. Powerful empires surrounded them. The house of David appeared weak, humiliated, and almost finished. Yet God was not finished.
Just as He preserved Joash in secret, God was preserving His greater promise — the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Isaiah deliberately says the shoot comes from the “stump of Jesse.” Jesse was David’s father, a humble shepherd from Bethlehem. God was reminding His people that His salvation would not arise through human greatness or political strength, but through His sovereign faithfulness.
The world often assumes that when something looks weak or ruined, hope is gone. But throughout Scripture, God delights in bringing life out of hopeless situations. When Abraham and Sarah were too old, God brought forth Isaac. When Israel stood trapped before the Red Sea, God opened a path. When the royal line seemed buried under Athaliah’s violence, God preserved Joash. And when humanity lay lost in sin, God sent forth His Son.
Perhaps someone listening today feels like that stump. Maybe your hopes seem cut down. Maybe your family situation, spiritual life, or future feels uncertain. Isaiah reminds us that God’s purposes do not fail simply because circumstances appear hopeless. Even when we cannot see Him working, He is preserving His plan.
And the King who emerges from that stump is unlike any earthly ruler.
Isaiah says, “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him” (Isaiah 11:2, ESV). Earthly rulers rely on power, influence, charisma, and human wisdom. But this King rules in the fullness of God’s Spirit.
The Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord would rest upon Him. Every one of these qualities shines perfectly in Jesus Christ. He spoke with wisdom that astonished people. He discerned hearts. He conquered temptation. He delighted fully in obeying the Father.
What comfort there is in knowing that the government of our lives ultimately rests upon such a King.
Isaiah goes on to describe His reign. “With righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth” (Isaiah 11:4, ESV). Human rulers are often swayed by appearances, wealth, and influence. But Jesus sees perfectly. He defends the weak, uplifts the humble, and rules with flawless justice.
Yet He is not only gentle — He is holy. His word carries authority. The same King who invites sinners to come to Him also judges wickedness with righteousness and truth.
Then Isaiah paints a breathtaking picture of the peace of His kingdom: “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6, ESV). The reign of the King begins to reverse the curse of sin itself. Violence gives way to peace. Fear gives way to safety. Division gives way to reconciliation. There will be peace between animals and animals and between animals and men. Total harmony will be restored in the coming of the King.
And the climax comes in Isaiah 11:9: “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (ESV).
That is the great hope of Scripture. The world does not ultimately need better systems, stronger economies, or more advanced technology. The world needs the reign of the glorious King.
Then we see a glorious promise in Vs.11 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.
The first remnants were returned from Babylon after 70 years. However, after 600 years they were again scattered around the world. Yet they returned to their land. Still, this promise remains to be fulfilled in full. God will even alter the geography to make way for the remnant to return to the land. (Vs 15, 16)
Then in Isaiah 12, the prophecy turns into worship. When people truly see the King, they cannot remain unchanged.
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid” (Isaiah 12:2, ESV).
Notice how personal it becomes: “my salvation.” True faith is not merely admiring Jesus from a distance. It is coming under his direction and guidance, personally.
And where Christ reigns, fear begins to lose its power. Anxiety no longer dominates the heart. Hope rises because the King reigns over every circumstance.
Isaiah continues, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3, ESV). The world offers many broken wells — success, pleasure, money, endless distraction — but none can satisfy the thirsty soul. In God’s will alone can we find the living water, living fellowship with the living God.
Those who experience His salvation cannot stay silent. “Make known his deeds among the peoples” (Isaiah 12:4, ESV). Worship overflows into witness, a triumphant declaration: “Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12:6, ESV).
That is the greatest blessing of all — the presence of the King Himself.
The story of Joash reminds us that God preserves His purposes even when evil appears to triumph. Athaliah could not destroy the royal line because God had spoken. And centuries later, despite every attempt of darkness, the promised Branch still came forth — Jesus Christ, the glorious King.
Isaiah 11 begins with a stump. Isaiah 12 ends with singing.
That is the story of redemption.
God brings life from what appears dead.
He preserves hope when all seems lost.
And He establishes His glorious King forever.
So whatever situation you face today, do not lose heart. The God who preserved Joash, the God who fulfilled His promise through Christ, is still working even in hidden places. His plans have not failed. His King still reigns. And one day the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Let us therefore prepare ourselves and prepare others for the coming of this great King. God bless.