Isaiah 11:1

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 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 of the fear of the Lord. He shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Let's pray. God, as we continue to look through Your Word, I ask that You would speak to us, that You would reveal Yourself to us—the way that You are, Your character, Your nature, the way that You work here in the realm of humanity. Lord, that You would continue to quicken our minds as we take in Your Word, that it would really transform our lives. Lord, that the way we live in our community, the way that we talk, the way that we think would be completely different as we have spent time with You. We pray that You, by Your Holy Spirit tonight, would minister to us through Your Word. For we ask it in Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed, saying, Amen. You can be seated.

As we have been seeing in our study through the book of Isaiah, the nation of Israel is about to receive a judgment from the Lord. The nation of Assyria was on the move. We saw that especially in chapter 10; the last several verses of the 10th chapter speak about this move of the Assyrian armies as they come through the northern ten tribes and completely destroy the north. They come right up to the neck of Judah, surrounding the city of Jerusalem. There, as they surround the city of Jerusalem, we will see that God is going to judge also the Assyrians, and He will cut them down.

He would bring this judgment upon them. These judgments that we are going to see, especially over the next several chapters, beginning in chapter 13 through 23, will show God proclaiming judgment against the rest of the nations. So far in the book of Isaiah, the first 11 and actually 12 chapters deal with judgment upon God's own people. This is very similar to what the Lord would speak through the Apostle Peter in the New Testament, where he says that judgment must begin first at the house of the Lord. God judges His own people first before He directs His attention to the nations surrounding the children of Israel.

However, we will see that shift begin to take place when we get into chapters 13 through 23. As we finish up this section, we will now see God speak of the restoration that He will bring upon His own people. I have been mentioning as we go through Isaiah that God's punishment is for the purpose of purification. One of the main words that God was speaking to His people was that a remnant would return.

In Isaiah chapter 7, when God began to speak about the judgment that He was going to bring upon Judah and Jerusalem, He sent Isaiah to speak to the king of the nation of Judah at that time, King Ahaz. He told Isaiah to bring his son, Share Jashub, with him. Share Jashub literally means "a remnant shall return." We will see the return of that remnant spoken of here in chapter 10. Some of the prophecy that we will read about here is still yet future; it has not come to pass.

What we read in the first few verses about this rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch that shall grow out of his roots speaks about the one who would come through the line of David. This is a messianic prophecy. If you have studied the Old Testament, you know that David, the second king of Israel and really the great king of Israel, was the son of Jesse from the city of Bethlehem. After David became king and served the Lord for many years, we know that David was not perfect, but God made a promise to him.

David had it in his heart to build a temple for God. God told him that he would not be able to build that temple because of the sin that had been in his life and because of the things he had been involved with as a warrior and soldier. However, God acknowledged that it was good that it was in David's heart. God saw the heart of David, for it is the Lord who searches the hearts of men, as we read in Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 10. God made a promise to David in 2 Samuel chapter 7, telling him that there would not be...

Fail to be a descendant from him upon the throne. This is a messianic prophecy about the coming of the Messiah, that he would be the son of David. Many times, that is a title attributed to Jesus in the Gospels: the son of David. Here we see, 700 years before Jesus would come, this prophecy spoken that a rod would come out of the stem of Jesse. We will see what that rod will be used for in correction later on in this chapter. This rod will come from the stem of Jesse; a branch shall grow out of his roots, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon this one.

Seven different spirits are mentioned here: the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. It is interesting that this sevenfold spiritual work is mentioned here, as the number seven is really a number of perfection, a number of completion. In the Book of Revelation, we read about Jesus being the one who has the seven spirits. This is clearly speaking about the coming of the Messiah. The Spirit of the Lord, we are told, would rest upon him.

We see this literally fulfilled in the Gospel of Matthew, specifically in Matthew chapter 3. You may remember that it was there that Jesus went out to the area where John the Baptist was baptizing. We read in Matthew chapter 3, verse 16, "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were opened unto him. He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. And lo, a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'"

Also, in the Gospel of Luke, we see that the Spirit descended upon him like a dove and abode upon him. Here in Isaiah chapter 11, we read that the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon this one who would come. Clearly, we see that Jesus is the fulfillment of this.

But what does this spiritual work and this abiding spiritual presence look like? We read there of the Spirit of wisdom as the first thing mentioned in verse 2. The word "wisdom" in the original Hebrew literally speaks of skill in war. It speaks of prudence and affairs of judgment. This one who is going to come will have all wisdom and understanding in how to...

Execute righteousness. This is a wisdom in ethics and administration, and clearly, Jesus is the one who possesses that kind of wisdom. How do we know? Well, in James chapter 3, we read about the wisdom that is from above. Wisdom that is from above, in James chapter 3, verse 17, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Now, I don't know about you, but when I read that in James chapter 3, verse 17, I think of Jesus. He truly is the one who is pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be approached. He is full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. If there is anyone who can fulfill those attributes, it would be Jesus. He is that wisdom that is from above, that wisdom that has come down.

The important thing to understand about Jesus and his wisdom is that he doesn't just have wisdom; he is wisdom. It's not just something that he retains, but it's actually part of his nature. He is the only wise God, as the Scriptures speak of our God. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, the Apostle Paul speaks about this in verse 30.

1 Corinthians 1, verse 30 states, "But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom." Notice what Paul says there: Christ Jesus is made unto us wisdom. He himself is wisdom.

One of the very interesting verses in the Scriptures, one that I have pondered many times before and that really stands out to me, is in Ephesians chapter 3. It speaks about the wisdom of God. Turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 3 for just a moment. Here in Ephesians chapter 3, we read that Jesus is ultimately going to prove the greatness of his wisdom to all creation through his church. He is going to use you and me; we are the church, the body of Christ. He will use us to demonstrate just how awesome his wisdom is.

Ephesians chapter 3, verse 10 states, "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God."

What Paul is saying is that God is going to show, or reveal, His manifold wisdom—His awesome wisdom—through the work that He is doing in His church. He will reveal this wisdom to all creation, and most specifically, to principalities and powers. All the heavenly hosts and all the angelic beings that God created will witness just how awesome His wisdom is through you and me.

You see, God's wisdom is evident in the way that He has redeemed us and in the way that He uses us. He has made us a spectacle to all creation, demonstrating just how amazing His wisdom is. Throughout eternity, He will continue to reveal that wisdom. Not only does Jesus have the spirit of wisdom, but He also possesses the spirit of understanding, as we are told in Isaiah chapter 11, verse 2. Jesus has understanding of all things. The Scriptures reveal in Colossians that He was present and active in creation. He was there when it was said, "Let there be light." He can discern what can be done and what needs to be done in every circumstance and situation of life.

Have you ever faced a circumstance in your life where you just didn't understand what you should do? I know I have been there many times before, and I'm sure you have as well. In those situations where we lack understanding, Jesus is the one who has all understanding. He can distinguish between right and wrong, darkness and light, and it is essential to have Him with us. The Scriptures say that His understanding is astonishing.

I will give you a few verses that you may want to write down. Luke chapter 2, verse 47 states that when the people heard Jesus, they were astonished at His understanding and His answers. This was when Jesus was just a young boy. He had gone up to the temple with His family, and we see that He was speaking with the chief priests and others at the temple, who were astonished at His understanding.

His understanding is indeed astonishing, but He is also able to open our understanding. In Luke chapter 24, right after Jesus' resurrection, He meets two of His disciples who are walking on the road to Emmaus. We read in Luke 24, verse 45, that He opened their understanding so that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

The Scriptures reveal the confusion of those who had witnessed the events of the last few days, particularly the death of the one they presumed to be the Messiah. Jesus opened the Scriptures to them and demonstrated how the Messiah must suffer and die, as foretold by the Law and the Prophets. He opened their understanding so that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

I can't tell you how many times I have read and studied a passage of Scripture that didn't make sense to me at first. Yet, when I go before the Lord, He is able to open my understanding, not only of the Scriptures but also of the difficulties we face in life. He can illuminate our understanding.

There are some who accuse Jesus of not being able to understand our struggles. Perhaps you have gone through a difficult trial or temptation and found yourself thinking that the Lord does not understand what you are experiencing. You may have even met someone who expressed that sentiment. However, Hebrews chapter four addresses this concern. In verse 15, we read, "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted or tested like as we are, yet without sin."

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need. When we are facing challenges and the enemy tempts us to believe that our Lord does not understand, we must remember this passage. He was tempted in all points as we are, yet He was without sin. Because He is touched by our struggles, we can approach His throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and grace in our time of need.

Never let the lie of the enemy convince you that the Lord does not understand. He possesses the spirit of wisdom and the spirit of understanding. Next, we read that He has the spirit of counsel. We briefly examined this in Isaiah chapter nine, where we see that He is the Wonderful Counselor. It is crucial to recognize that He is the only one we can or should turn to during difficult times in our lives. When we need wisdom, understanding, or counsel, we can rely on what He says and the direction He provides. The Scriptures instruct us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and to lean not on our own understanding.

In all our ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct our paths. Now, how many of you have been guilty of leaning upon your own understanding, even just in the last few days? I'll raise my hand certainly. We're so tempted to lean upon our own understanding because we think we've got it all figured out.

Of course, you've heard it said that the older we get, the more we find the less we know. As you walk with the Lord and navigate through this life, you begin to realize that you really don't have all the understanding. But it's so wonderful to know that we have a God who has the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of wisdom, and the Spirit of counsel. This means He desires to share with us His wisdom, His counsel, and His understanding. He desires that we would turn to Him and seek Him in those times of need.

Proverbs chapter 15, verse 22, says, "Without counsel, plans go awry." Have you ever experienced your plans going the wrong way? Without counsel, plans go awry. But the Psalms say in Psalm 16, verse 7, "The Lord gives counsel." He is the one who gives counsel. The Scriptures say in Psalm 73, verse 24, that He guides us with His counsel. He gives us His counsel and guides us with it. Psalm 33, verse 11, states that His counsel stands forever.

So think about that for a moment. He desires to give us His counsel, the one who has the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of understanding. He desires that we come to Him, and He will give us His counsel. He will guide us with His counsel, and His counsel will stand forever.

What then happens if you disregard the counsel of the Lord? There are those, perhaps even here tonight, who could say, "I've been guilty of disregarding the counsel of God." Would you turn in your Bibles to Psalm 107? Psalm 107, verse 10. The psalmist there says, "To such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron." Just hold for a moment in your mind that picture. There are those who are sitting in darkness, in the prison house, so to speak. Why are they there? Look at verse 10: because they rebelled against the words of God and they contemned.

The counsel of the Most High was rejected, and as a result, those who disregarded it find themselves bound in affliction and iron. Therefore, in verse 12, it states that He brought down their heart with labor, and they fell down, with none to help. Those who find themselves in darkness, bound in sin and in death, are there because they have disregarded the counsel of God.

Our Lord has the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of wisdom, and the Spirit of counsel. He desires to show us the right way and to guide us into all truth. Yet, we are tempted many times to disregard the counsel of the Most High and to lean upon our own understanding or the sayings of men. This can be especially dangerous if it is not in line with the counsel found in the Scriptures.

Not only does He have the Spirit of the Lord abiding upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom, and the Spirit of understanding, but we also read of the Spirit of might. If you encounter a decision that you cannot tackle, then you need the One who has the Spirit of counsel. However, if you encounter an adversary greater than yourself, then you need the One who has the Spirit of might. Jesus is strong; He is mighty and brave. You all know that song from children's ministry: "God is so big, so strong, and so mighty. There's nothing that He cannot do." Even though it's a simple little song, it is something we need to be reminded of. God is so big, so strong, and so mighty. There is nothing that He cannot do.

The Scriptures remind us several times that there is nothing the Lord cannot do. Ecclesiastes chapter nine tells us in verse 16 that wisdom is better than strength. Wisdom is better than strength. But it is comforting to know that we have the Lord, who is the Spirit of might, on our side. Amen? He increases might, as the Scriptures tell us, to those who have none. Isaiah chapter 40, verse 29 states that He gives power to the faint, and to those who have no might, He increases strength.

In Zechariah chapter four, we are told that we are not to live by our own might. There, God speaks to Zerubbabel the builder in Zechariah chapter four, verse six.

Then he answered and said, "Say unto Zerubbabel, not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. By my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Part of His Spirit is the Spirit of might. The Scriptures reveal several times that salvation is by His strength. It's by His might that you and I are saved.

In Psalm 20, you've probably heard these verses before. Psalm 20, verse six states, "Now know that I, the Lord, save my anointed. He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand." Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord, our God. They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright. We are told there that we need to trust in Him and His saving arm and His saving strength.

Why? Well, remember the words of Paul in the book of Philippians, chapter four, verse 13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Why? Because He has the Spirit of might. The Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of counsel, and the Spirit of might.

Not only that, we also read of the Spirit of knowledge here in verse two. The Scriptures reveal that Jesus has all knowledge, all perception, and all skill. He has the knowledge to perform all that we could ever need to be performed. He knows everything. The Scriptures reveal that Jesus knows the hearts of all men.

In the Gospel of John, chapter two, verse 24, it says that Jesus did not commit Himself unto the people, even though there were some who were beginning to believe that He might be the Messiah because of some of the miracles that He did. He did not commit Himself unto the people because He knew all men and needed not that any should testify of men, for He knew what was in a man.

Jesus knows the heart of man. Jeremiah, chapter 17, verse 9 says, "The heart of man is deceitful and wicked. Who can know it?" The Scriptures say. Yet the very next verse states that God searches the heart. So, Jesus knows all men. Jesus knows all things.

In 1 John chapter 3, we read in verse 20, "For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things." In John chapter 21, Jesus was meeting with the apostle Peter. Remember there, Jesus asked him, "Peter, do you love me?" Three times He asked him that question. In verse 17, He said unto him a third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because He said unto him a third time, "Do you love me?" He answered Him and said, "Lord, you know all things. You know that I love thee." Jesus then said unto him, "Feed my sheep."

Peter recognized that Jesus knew all things. He had the spirit of knowledge. Why does the Lord know us? Well, He has searched us. David said in Psalm 139, verse 1, "O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether." The Lord has searched us and known us. He knows who we are. He knows all about us.

Not only does He have the spirit of knowledge, but we also read in Isaiah chapter 11 about the spirit of the fear of the Lord. You may wonder how it is that Jesus, being God, could have the spirit of the fear of the Lord. We need to recognize what this fear is speaking about here: the spirit of reverence for God the Father.

When Jesus became a man, Philippians chapter 2 talks about Him stepping down into humanity. When He did, He set Himself under all the laws that He Himself had ordained. Throughout the Gospels, we see that Jesus, the Son, is completely submissive to the Father and the Father's will. Thus, He had the spirit of the fear of the Lord, the reverence for God the Father.

If you want a good example of what it means to submit to and follow God, read the Gospels and see how Jesus submitted to the will of the Father. It is very powerful. Although He was God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But He made Himself, as Philippians 2 says, of no reputation, taking on the form of a servant. This exemplifies the spirit of the fear of the Lord.

We see all of these seven characteristics abiding in Christ. No doubt, this speaks about the fullness of the Spirit. The Spirit abides upon this one, as we read in Isaiah chapter 11. As a result, we find in verse 3 that this abiding presence of the Spirit shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, nor reprove after the hearing of His ears. But with righteousness shall He judge the poor and reprove with equity the meek of the earth. He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.

Because Jesus is the fullness of the Spirit of God abiding in humanity, He became a man, but He had the fullness of the Spirit of God. He is able to be the perfect judge. John chapter 5 reveals that God the Father has given Him the authority to judge all humanity. Although Jesus has the power to judge, He is patient and slow to anger. He is not willing that any should perish, and so He is slow to anger. However, there is coming a day when He will judge.

When He judges, we are told in verse 3 that He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, nor reprove after the hearing of His ears. How many of you have ever been on a jury before? Just a few of you. If you have been selected for a jury, you know that they will ask you to examine the evidence and the testimony without bias or prejudice. You are to make a decision based upon what you see and what you hear regarding the guilt or innocence of the individual sitting before you.

You are called upon, along with 11 other jurors, to judge an individual's character or what they have done based on the evidence you see and the testimony you hear. You see the evidence, you hear the testimony, and you make a judgment call. Hopefully, there is a unanimous decision among the 12 jurors seated there.

That they all saw the same evidence and heard the same testimony. Based upon the seeing of their eyes and the hearing of their ears, they have judged. Yet, we recognize that even in our judicial system here, which is a fairly good system, there are some murderers who go free, and there are some innocents who are condemned to die or sentenced to long terms in prison.

You have twelve individuals who all saw the same evidence and heard the same testimony, and yet there is a breakdown at times. There is the ability to make an unrighteous judgment. However, we read about Jesus, the perfect judge, the one who has the fullness of the Spirit upon Him. When He judges humanity, He is not going to judge after the sight of His eyes or the hearing of His ears.

We can be tricked; we can be fooled by the evidence or by the testimony. Yet, when He judges, He will judge with righteousness. As it says in verse 4, "But with righteousness shall He judge the poor and reprove with equity the meek of the earth." There is no bribery that He will receive, and there is no way that He will be coerced to give a wrong judgment. Jesus will be perfect in His judgment on the day of Christ Jesus.

He is slow to anger and slow to wrath, but He will judge the earth. When He judges the earth, it will be in righteousness, and there will not be a soul that will be able to stand up and say that is a wrong judgment that He has handed out. In fact, on the day of Christ Jesus, when we watch the guilty cast into the lake that burns with fire, at the end of all that we see here, none of us will stand by saying, "Oh, what a shame." We will all say, "It is right; it is good," because the individual is guilty.

Abraham, the father of the children of Israel, questioned the righteousness of God and God's judgment in Genesis chapter 18. Would you turn in your Bibles to Genesis 18 for a moment? In Genesis chapter 18, God comes down and meets with Abraham. I believe that the one Abraham spoke with on that day is Jesus, prior to His incarnation. Three individuals showed up at Abraham's tent; two of them appear to be angels, and the third is the Lord Himself. Abraham makes them a meal.

They partake of a meal with Abraham that day. But then, as the Lord is getting up to leave, He decides to tell Abraham about what He is about to do. He tells Abraham that the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has come up to Him because of the wickedness of those cities. He reveals to Abraham that He is going to go down and check it out to see if it is as bad as the prayers He has heard have said. Ultimately, He is going to judge the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the five cities of the south, with the key cities being Sodom and Gomorrah.

The two angels depart from Abraham and the Lord, and they go down to Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham has a very interesting conversation with the Lord in Genesis chapter 18, beginning in verse 23. Abraham draws near and says, "Will you also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Perhaps there be fifty righteous within the city. Will you also destroy and not spare the place for fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked. That be far from Thee. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

You see, Abraham there was questioning the righteousness and the justice of God. He was questioning whether or not it would be right for God to go down and completely wipe out the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah—destroying all the children, all the women, all the men, everything, including all the animals. Is it right for God to go and consume them and pour out fire from heaven upon them?

There have been many who have wrestled with this question and the reality of the justice of God. Abraham was one of the first that we see in the Scriptures questioning the righteousness of God and His judgment. He says, "Lord, what if there are fifty righteous people in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Will you spare the whole cities? Would you spare all of them if there are fifty righteous?" Because it must be far from You, God. You cannot even approach injustice. It would not be right for You to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

If there's anybody righteous in those cities, he questions God and says, "Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" If there is one who is going to judge all humanity, He must be righteous in His judgment.

Notice what the Lord says in verse 26: "And the Lord said to Abraham, 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.'" The righteousness and justice of God are evident here. I believe that the sole fact that we are still here today and that the earth remains is because God has found some righteous people upon the face of the earth. He has spared all humanity because of that. So, He says, "If there be fifty righteous, I will spare it for that."

Abraham, of course, was concerned. He knew about Sodom and Gomorrah and understood that it might be hard to find fifty righteous. In verse 27, Abraham answered and said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes." He acknowledged that he was interceding on behalf of these people and that he was nothing before a holy God.

He continued, "Perhaps, peradventure, there shall be lacking five of the fifty righteous. Will you destroy the city for a lack of five?" God responded, "If there are forty-five righteous in the city, I will not destroy it." Abraham spoke to Him yet again and said, "Peradventure, there shall be forty found there." God replied, "I will not do it for forty's sake."

Then Abraham said, "Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Peradventure, there should be thirty found there." God answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty." Abraham continued, "Behold, now I have taken it upon myself to speak unto the Lord. Peradventure, there shall be twenty found there." God said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty."

Finally, Abraham pleaded, "Oh, Lord, be not angry with me. I will speak yet this one more time. Peradventure, only ten are found." God replied, "I will not destroy it for the sake of ten."

The righteousness of God in His judgment raises the question: Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?

Jesus is the judge of all the earth. God the Father has committed into the hands of Jesus the Son the authority to judge humanity, and He will one day do so. We will see portions of that judgment in Isaiah chapters 13 through 23. Ultimately, when we get to Isaiah chapter 24, we will see a prophecy of the total judgment of all humanity.

When Jesus judges, He will not judge by the seeing of the eyes or the hearing of the ears. He will judge based upon the heart of man. It will have nothing to do with the good works that a man has done or the good words that he has spoken. It will depend on whether or not his heart has been made new by Christ or if he still holds the dead, fleshly heart that every single one of us is born with.

With righteousness, as stated in verse 4 of Isaiah chapter 11, He shall judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips, He shall slay the wicked. Revelation chapter 19, verse 15 tells us about that day when Jesus will come to execute judgment upon the wicked of this world. He will come upon a white horse, and the scriptures say in Revelation 19:15 that a sword will go forth from His mouth to slay the wicked of this world.

When He comes, as noted in verse 5 of Isaiah chapter 11, righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins and faithfulness the girdle of His reins. We read in Ephesians chapter 6 about the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. When Jesus comes, He will come in truth and righteousness. Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins when He comes to judge humanity.

After that judgment, what will happen? Look at verse 6 of Isaiah chapter 11. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the goat, and the calf, and the young lion and the fatling together. A little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like an ox. The suckling child shall play on the hole of an asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.

And they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, reveals to us that after the judgment, after Jesus comes to judge the world, and after He comes and the rod goes forth from His mouth to smite the wicked, there is going to be a restoration. This beautiful prophecy concerns the time of Jesus' rule and reign here upon the earth, that millennial reign of Christ we call it.

After that great day of Armageddon, which we read about in Revelation chapter 19, we see in verse 13 that His robe was dipped in blood, and His name was called the Word of God. The sword went forth from His mouth, and He destroyed the wicked of the world. Then, this awesome restoration will come about. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord because Jesus, the one who has the spirit of knowledge, will be here upon the earth, ruling and reigning in righteousness during that time.

But before that restored earth comes about, before that restored beauty is brought forth, there is going to come the judgment, because punishment brings about purification. In that day, as mentioned in verse 10 of John chapter 3, when Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus, trying to explain to him the second birth, being born again, Nicodemus had a hard time grasping it. He asked, "What, must I enter into my mother's womb a second time and be born?"

Jesus, explaining it to him, said no. Nicodemus then asked, "Well, how am I going to be born a second time?" Jesus used a story from the book of Numbers. In John chapter 3, verse 14, He said that there in the book of Numbers, the children of Israel complained against the Lord, and God, as a judgment...

Sent snakes, fiery serpents, into their midst that bit them and caused them to die. The people began to cry out because of the snakes that had come to them. God told Moses to fashion a snake out of bronze and put it upon a pole in the middle of the camp. Whoever would look upon that bronze serpent, if they were bitten by the snake, would be healed.

Now, many people died because of the snakes biting them, which indicates that a lot of people didn't want to look upon the snake. Even though all they had to do was look upon it and put their trust in this bronze serpent, it seems so foolish. I've been bitten by the snake, and all I have to do is put my faith in that, and I'll be saved.

Yes, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 that all those Old Testament stories were written for our example and understanding. The story about the serpent being lifted up in the wilderness was a picture; it was a type of Jesus being lifted up on the cross. Ever since Genesis chapter 3, the serpent has often been associated with sin in the Scriptures.

We see the serpent, sin, placed up on the pole in the book of Numbers. The serpent was made out of bronze, and bronze in the Scriptures is the metal of judgment. The picture is that there, on the pole, sin is judged. If you will put your trust in sin being judged there on the pole, then you will be saved from the bite of the serpent, the bite of sin.

Every single individual that's ever been born or ever will be born has been bitten by the serpent, by sin. As a result, we are all doomed to die eternally. Yet, sin was judged on the cross 2,000 years ago when Jesus was lifted up. If we will look to Him, trust in Him, and put our faith in Him, who was judged for our sin, we will be saved.

In Isaiah chapter 11, verse 10, God, speaking through the prophet, says, "In that day, there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand as a banner for the people, as an ensign for the people, and all the Gentiles shall seek." The children of Israel largely bought the lie that they were the only ones that would be saved.

And yet God, throughout the Old Testament, revealed that He desired that all peoples would come to the knowledge of the truth. The children of Israel were only to be the priests who would reveal this reality to the rest of the world, and they failed to do that. So, God has called a new priesthood, you and I, to bring that truth to the rest of this world.

But Jesus, this root out of Jesse, is set up as a banner upon the cross so that all the Gentiles would seek after Him, and His rest shall be glorious. When we seek after Him, we find rest. Just as Jesus told His disciples in Matthew chapter 11, verse 28, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." How many of you have found that the rest that Jesus gives is glorious? Listen, in eternity, you'll see it even more so than you do now.

We'll continue on to verse 11: "And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set His hand again, the second time, to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea." He shall set up an ensign for the nations and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, gathering together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west, and they shall spoil them of the east together. They shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them. The Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and with His mighty wind, He shall shake His hand over the river and shall smite it in the seven streams, making men go over dryshod.

There shall be a highway for the remnant of His people, which shall be left from Assyria, like it was to Israel in the day that He came up out of the land of Egypt. So, God says, "When I bring about this restoration, I'm going to gather together the remnant of my own people, the children of Israel."

Now, when this prophecy was spoken, remember, the children of Israel had been divided into two kingdoms: the northern kingdom called Ephraim and the southern kingdom called Judah.

And they were fighting against each other. God says, "When I bring about this restoration, no more will Judah oppress Ephraim, or Ephraim vex Judah." God is going to restore His people once again. When He restores His people, He will gather them together, but He is also going to gather Gentiles from all the other nations. He will judge the wicked.

We see in verse 14, "But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west, and spoil them to the east together." So, God will judge the wicked, but He is going to gather together the righteous, both from Judah and Ephraim. They will no longer fight with each other, and from the Gentile nations as well, He will lift up a banner to these people, and they will come with a highway back to the Lord.

In that day, as stated in Chapter 12, Verse 1, you shall say, "O Lord, I will praise Thee. Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation." Therefore, because of this, "With joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation."

In that day, you shall say, "Praise ye the Lord. Call upon His name. Declare His doings among the people. Make mention that His name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord." Why? "For He has done excellent things. This is known in all the earth." Cry out and shout, "Thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."

When this great restoration comes, after the judgment that we read of, the rod going out of His mouth, and He shall destroy the wicked. When this great day of restoration comes, the people will gather together and praise the Lord. They will praise God because He was angry, but He has turned away His anger and is now comforting the people.

Why is He comforting the people? Because God has become their salvation. Notice that He is not just the way to salvation; He is salvation. As we looked at some weeks ago on a Sunday morning, when we read that here in verse 2 of Isaiah chapter 12, it says, "Behold, God is my salvation." The word in Hebrew is Yeshua, from which we get Jesus. God is my Jesus. He is my salvation. Jesus means salvation.

And so I will trust and not be afraid. If your trust is in Him, you will have no reason to fear. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He has become my Yeshua, my salvation. Therefore, with joy, shall you draw waters out of Jesus' salvation.

Remember what Jesus said in John chapter 7, verse 37. On that last day of the feast, Jesus stood up and cried, "If any man thirsts, let him come unto me and drink." He that believes on me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." He is the source of living water, the living water that Revelation chapter 22 speaks about. This is the living water that Jesus Himself spoke about in John chapter 4 when He met the woman at the well.

Remember the story? Jesus answered and said unto her in John chapter 4, verse 10, "If you knew the gift of God and who it was that says unto you, 'Give me a drink,' then you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water." The woman said unto Him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep." She was thinking that He was talking about something physical, but He was talking about something much deeper and spiritual.

"From whence will you draw this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank thereof himself, and his children and his cattle?" Jesus answered and said unto her, "Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. The water that I shall give him shall be in him as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life."

Jesus is the source of living waters, and one day, His people, the children of Israel, will come and recognize that as well. At this point, largely, they have rejected that fact. Jeremiah speaks about this rejection in Jeremiah chapter 2, verse 13. God says, "For my people have committed two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and they have hewed out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water."

You see, the children of Israel today have rejected Jesus, the fountain of living waters, and they have established for themselves a different form of religion that will not get them to God. It is a cistern that can hold no water.

God again speaks through the prophet Jeremiah. Several chapters later, in Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 13, we read, "Oh Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake Thee shall be ashamed. And they that depart from Me shall be written in the earth because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters." It is a sad fact that, 2,000 years after Jesus died and rose from the dead, the children of Israel largely continue to reject the fountain of living waters.

But there's a promise here in Isaiah chapter 12. The promise is that, at this day, when the Lord returns and executes judgment upon the ungodly of this world, He will once again rule and reign. His own people, the children of Israel, along with the Gentiles who have turned to the Lord, shall rejoice with joy and draw waters from the wells of salvation, from the living water that is Christ. It is a great promise. In that day, you shall say, "Praise ye the Lord," and call upon His name. Declare His doings among the people and make mention that His name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord because He has done excellent things that are known in all the earth.

I look forward to the day when this is fulfilled. It is not yet fulfilled that the works and the doings of the Lord, the excellent things that He has done, are made known in all the earth, and that all the peoples gather together and worship Him.

But the sad part is that before this day comes, a day of great judgment is approaching. We must recognize this and proclaim this truth because I believe that day could come at any time. There is very little that remains prophetically before that day will come. We will look at it more in depth as we continue through the next 12 or 13 chapters of the book of Isaiah. However, we are not going to do that tonight.

So would you stand with me as we close in prayer? Father God,

You spoke through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 55, and You said, "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." Lord, You're calling out to this world that those who are thirsty would come. Even those that have no money, that they'd come and buy and eat. You say, "Yea, come buy wine and milk without money, without price."

Why is it, Lord, that so many in this world foolishly spend their energy, their time, and their assets on those things which do not satisfy? They labor for those things that don't fill to overflowing. Oh, that we'd listen to You, Lord. Oh, that we'd eat that which is good and delight in what You desire to give.

Lord, You say that those who hear and come, their soul shall live. You promise to make an everlasting covenant with us. I thank You that You have made an everlasting covenant through Your Son with us, the church. Jesus, as You said on the night, "This is the new covenant in my blood." We thank You that You came and You died.

Lord, You poured out Your strength to the uttermost. You poured out everything that we might be saved, that we might drink of the well of salvation. We do pray for those tonight in our families, among our friends, and among our coworkers—Lord, those that don't know You. I thank You that still today You're extending that call: "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters."

Lord, would You stir our hearts? Would You stir us up to bring that call to those that are thirsting, those that are dying? For we know, Lord, we do know that You will come again, and You will judge. Your judgment will be righteous and just. But there is no possible way that any of us would want that judgment for any other person.

So, Lord, I pray that as we prepare to go from here...

That You would give us boldness by Your Spirit. That You would pour out Your Spirit in abundance. And that we would go forth ready to speak the truth to those that are in need. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.