Isaiah was an OT prophet who lived some 700 years before the coming of Jesus. He lived in a time of global upheaval and uncertainty, with superpowers of the day the Assyrians and the Babylonians wreaking havoc. Within this time of conflict and uncertainty, his own nation, the people of Israel were about to be taken into exile and Jerusalem plundered for their rebellion against God. Isaiah had warnings for the people and various prophetic messages for the other nations that showed God was still in control and working despite the chaos and conflict.
Yet within the messages about and judgement, there are many profound messages of hope that spoke of the coming promised Messiah who would bring peace and justice and God’s kingdom, not just to Isreal, but for all nations. Many of Isaiahs prophesies are so specific that when they are fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, the exact details are astonishing. As we approach advent, we want to see how Jesus fulfilled the message of promise God gave to Isaiah, and to draw strength from that as we now await Jesus second coming many centuries after he promised he would return.
Like Isaiah, we too live in an uncertain world where global superpowers continue to build their own kingdoms. Yet we believe that just as in Isaiah’s time, now too God is still in control and working out his purposes and plans. Jesus will come again, in just the right time and way as he did at his first coming. The final chapter of peace and restoration for all humanity will be realised as God comes to dwell fully with humanity in the new heavens and earth. Death and evil and suffering will be dealt with once and for all. The encouragement is to live in the light of that hope and reality as followers of Jesus, just as Isaiah called his hearers to live in the promise of the coming of the Messiah 700 years before Jesus turned up. We don’t know the exact timing of events, but we do know Jesus will return and we are called to be witnesses to the reality of his kingdom life in the “now but not yet”.
Isaiah 11:1-10 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD, and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. 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. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.
Grace and Peace - Garry