“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 might, the Spirit of the knowledge and 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.”  Isaiah 11:1-5

The people of God we’re reduced to a dead stump. They had succumbed to the enemy and faith failed as they became like the godless people around them. God knew this end state and still He loved them. He knows us also, all our failures and faults, and still He loves us.

That dead stump brought forth a living shoot. This insignificant small green shoot produced a mighty root that became a huge plant or tree, bearing fruit. This shoot is a picture of the Saviour Jesus, who would appear in order to save His people from their sins. His kingdom though small at the start, is now spread throughout the whole world. His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, with power that no human can quench or tame. He is the Lion of Judah and He will deliver His people and break the stranglehold of sin in our lives. 

The Holy Spirit of God rests on Him. He is full of power to choose the right and reject the wrong. He has wisdom and understanding, to decide the will of the Father in all circumstances. He has the Spirit of council and power, because He is the holy One from God.

This Saviour fears the Lord and delights Himself in that holy fear. This is the mark of faith and the knowledge of who God is. The foolish have no such fear.

The insight of this Saviour does not depend on human or physical ability. He judges in righteousness and equity. Those who are down-trodden will come to Him, because they are needy and humble. The rich and mighty have no such need. They judge with eyes and ears and have no spiritual understanding.

Those who refuse this Saviour will be condemned by His mighty Word. They will feel the chill of His breath that judges all humankind and yet still, these futile people will never seek the heat of His love.

The authority of such a Saviour is from eternity to eternity and never fails because He is the righteous One. He will rule forever and those who bow to His sweet rule will also rule in the everlasting kingdom. For those who believe, these words bring joy, for they already know these things, as they read His perfect Word.

We who believe seem like dead people, until the life of God works in our soul and the green shoots appear. May we live for Him and grow up in Him so that we become like He is, perfect in every good work and in love and faith. Anything less is unbelief.