Israel’s Messiah, the Hope of the World! – Part Two

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.

Isaiah 11:10

Isaiah 11 speaks of Israel’s Messiah, the hope of the world: “They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as waters cover the sea” (11:9). It is speaking about a day when there shall be no philosophies or religions in the world except the knowledge of the true God.

A day is coming when only the word of the Lord shall fill the whole earth. Today there are many religions, philosophies, and psychologies. But in that day no one will proclaim anything false.

The Holy Scriptures have two purposes: first, that the people of God may know that he is Lord; second, that the whole world may know that he alone is God. Here Isaiah was foreseeing the fulfillment of those purposes.

The Messiah of Israel

In our previous study we considered the person and powers of Israel’s Messiah, who comes out of the Davidic dynasty, which was cut down in 586 B.C. This shoot, this fruitful Branch, is Jesus Christ, the God/man whose birth was announced by the angel Gabriel to the virgin Mary. The Lord God has given him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.

This Messiah is the King who governs in righteousness, as we read in Isaiah 11. No other king, and, in fact, no other government in history has ever ruled in perfect righteousness. Nor has there ever been any perfect justice. Just think how often powerful people get away with all kinds of evil while poor people go to prison. Here Isaiah is speaking about a King who will govern in righteousness and bring lasting peace, not only for the house of Jacob, but for the entire earth.

Isaiah says this King will rule by the power of the Holy Spirit, who will come upon him without measure and dwell on him permanently. Isaiah tells us it is the Spirit of wisdom, meaning the Spirit who gave him wisdom; the Spirit of understanding; the Sprit of counsel; the Spirit of might; the Spirit of the knowledge of God; and the Spirit that gave him the fear of the Lord so that he totally submitted to the will of his Father.

In this study, we want to consider the perfect rule of this Messiah and the perfect peace he will bring about in the world.

The Perfect Rule of the Messiah

The rule of the Lord Jesus Christ involves his present reign and his future reign. Jesus Christ’s present reign is now invisible to the world. After his death and resurrection, he ascended into the heavens where he is seated and reigning at the right hand of God the Father.

But when we study the Scriptures, we discover there is a future reign (Isaiah 11), which will be visible to and felt by the world. This future reign, which will happen after Christ’s second coming, is known as the millennium.

We read about this visible, felt rule of Jesus Christ several places in the Scriptures. In his Systematic Theology, Dr. Wayne Grudem says the millennium will be a time of greater blessing and peace than presently experienced, but less than the peace and blessing of the eternal state. If this present age can be marked by one line, the millennium can be marked by two, and the eternal state can be marked by three, in degrees of peace and blessing.

Any student of biblical prophecy must face the truth that the Bible speaks about a time of greater blessing than we can now experience in this life. It will be a period when all enmity and hostility will be taken away. For example, Isaiah 11:6-9 tells us,

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.

This future millennial reign of Christ is mentioned in Isaiah 2, 4, 11, 32, 35, 65; Psalms 2, 72, 96, 97, 99; Zechariah 14; and Revelation 20:1-6, as well as in other places in the Bible.

Character Matters

The perfect rule is based on the character of the Messiah. Character matters, whether you are a president or a pastor or a father or a mother, or any ruling person.

Isaiah 11:3-5 describes the Messiah’s character:

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.

We notice that this Messiah is ready to govern because he has put on his belt of righteousness and faithfulness. He is righteous and righteousness, which means his character and conduct will always perfectly conform to the will of God. He will never deviate from the divine will; thus, no one can convict him of sin.

We find another description of the character and rule of the Messiah in Psalm 72. This is called a psalm of Solomon, but it was not fulfilled during the reign of Solomon; rather, it looks forward to the reign of the Messiah. For instance, in verses 1-5 we read,

Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor. He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.

Perfect Rule Requires Perfect Knowledge

Edward J. Young, late professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, said that the ruler must have perfect knowledge of an issue to rule with perfect justice. There cannot be any perfect justice in this world until the Messiah comes because no judge can know everything perfectly about an issue. But the Messiah has perfect knowledge; therefore, he can judge with perfect equity. No one can fool or bribe him, and he is no respecter of persons. His spiritual endowment qualifies him to be the perfect judge.

All human beings have a problem being unbiased in their judgment. In 1 Samuel 16 we read that the prophet Samuel was almost fooled by the appearance of the older sons of Jesse. He was about to anoint the wrong person, Jesse’s oldest son Eliab, as king of Israel. “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance'” (v. 7). I hope you will take this into account when you are trying to find a husband or a wife. We are people who are stuck with appearance. This is the result of sin. We are impressed by physicality, whether clothes or jewelry or height or weight or hair color or eye color. As God’s people we need to view the world as God does. So “the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.'” Then God gave Samuel the principle for judging: “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'” God desires truth in our inmost parts.

Jesus Christ spoke of this principle in John 7. The scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees, were making judgments based on appearance. But Jesus told them, “Stop judging by mere appearances and make right judgments” (v. 24).

The Messiah does not judge by appearance because he has perfect knowledge. In John 2:25 we are told that Jesus Christ knew what was in man, even down to our thoughts and motives. That is why he is the perfect judge.

In Acts 1:24, Peter prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.” There is a divine x-ray quality to this Messiah. In Revelation 1 there is a description of the resurrected Christ: “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire” (v. 14). You see, your father’s eyes are not like blazing fire, nor are your teacher’s or your pastor’s. Thus, you may lie, and people may believe you because they do not have this ability of the Messiah whose eyes are “like blazing fire.” But the Messiah knows everything.

In Matthew 7:21 Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.'” Then Jesus said that when he comes again, people who never obeyed God will come to him and lie, saying, “We have been doing your will; therefore, grant us admission to the kingdom of God.” But in verse 23 Jesus says: “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you workers of iniquity!'” No one can fool this Messiah. He will never believe our lies. He has perfect knowledge; therefore, he will judge with perfect justice.

Isaiah 14 tells us that the needy and poor will get justice from the Messiah. Throughout the Old Testament we see the wicked and powerful oppressing the poor and needy, meaning those who trusted in God. But the poor and needy will receive justice that day. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said concerning such people:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled . . . . Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3-6, 10)

Jesus Christ is going to come again to mete out justice for the poor and also for the wicked. “He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips, he will slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4).

Faithful and True

The Messiah is faithful and true: “Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist” (Isaiah 11:5). In the book of Revelation, we are introduced to Jesus Christ as the faithful witness. He is called Faithful and True in Revelation 3:14 and 19:11.

Faithfulness is synonymous with reliability. It actually means truthfulness, so it is the manifestation of the character of a person who is true. How many people stand before the minister and the congregation, making vows to love and cherish each other in sickness or in health, in joy and in sorrow, and so on, until death puts them apart, yet then go out and divorce? Such people were not true to begin with.

A faithful person is true; you can count on his word. This One called Faithful and True can be trusted, for he always keeps his promises, even the promise that required his death on the cross. He also threatens, and his threatenings come true because he is immutable and cannot lie. Those who lie manifest the character of the father of all lies, Satan; Jesus Christ opposes such people. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; he will never leave us nor forsake us. Yes, one day you may learn that your wife has cancer, and if you are not true, you may leave your wife. But Jesus Christ will not do that; he is Faithful and True.

The Weapon of the Messiah’s Word

At this time the United States is the superpower in the world. We have great military might and spend billions of dollars on research and development to create the best weapons.

But the Bible tells us the Messiah has only one weapon, which is described in Isaiah 11:4b: “He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.” This Messiah does not need any other weapon; he is the weapon! He rules and governs perfectly by his will expressed in his word.

The Messiah’s decree is his all-powerful weapon both to save and destroy. PGM In fact, the Bible tells us he is the Word. John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word.” Genesis 1 tells us God created the entire cosmos by his word. Psalm 33:6 declares, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” Isaiah 55:10-11 says that the word that goes out of his mouth shall never return to him void. The word of this Messiah is always effectual to save as well as to judge.

Revelation 1:16 tells us, “In his right hand, he held seven stars,” which some say are ministers of the church, “and out of his mouth came a sharp, double-edged sword.” What is that sharp, double-edged sword? The word of God. In Revelation 19:15 John says, “Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations,” and then he cites Psalm 2:9: “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” John is letting us know that the iron scepter of Psalm 2 is the very word of God. Revelation 19:21 tells us, “The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.”

Be careful with this One. He alone is the Almighty. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 we read how he will deal with the antichrist: “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the splendor of his coming.” He overthrows all enemies by his decree. He needs no military might.

Do you think this Messiah can handle you? Do you think he can handle the nations-he who created and maintains the universe by his word? The poor and needy will receive justice from him, but his enemies will be destroyed by his word.

The Messiah’s Perfect Peace

The second point is the perfect peace that the Messiah’s government will bring about. In Isaiah 9 the Messiah is introduced as the Prince of Peace. The peace of his reign will not be based on dialogue or negotiation or roundtable conferences. Some people believe these are the only means of peace. They cannot understand that war is necessary in a fallen world. But the peace that will be brought about by the Prince of Peace will not be based on negotiations; rather, it will be based on war and conquest by this Spirit-empowered Messiah. It is the government of the Messiah that brings about peace. Isaiah prophesied about this in Isaiah 9:7, saying, “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”

This reign of peace has two stages. The Messiah is presently seated on the right hand of God, ruling especially us who have submitted to him. If he died for us, he has the authority to rule over us. This reign of peace was brought about by the Messiah’s death on the cross in behalf of his people. The wages of sin is death, but Christ died for our sins.

Colossians 2:13-15 speaks about this peace:

When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

esus Christ’s death on the cross represented a war that he waged and won. By it he destroyed death, defeated all his enemies, and brought about peace.

Ephesians 2:14-18 speaks about the basis of this peace. In reference to Jesus Christ, Paul writes,

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

This Messiah loved us and gave himself for us. Now he declares to us, “Peace! Peace!” Having been justified by faith in our Messiah, we have peace with God. The wrath of God against us due to our sin against him has been dealt with by God the Father in the death of his Son.

Jesus Christ is presently ruling and reigning. He is in the business of giving peace to all who surrender to him. This present reign of Christ will bring peace to us, provided we completely surrender to him in saving faith. He can proclaim peace to us because by faith we are now declared righteous in him. So in Romans 8:1 Paul wrote, “Therefore there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. . . .” We deserved condemnation, but now in Christ we experience God’s justification and have access to the Father, who has become to us Yahweh Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6). “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The Future Reign of Christ

What about the future reign of Christ? Isaiah 11:10 tells us, “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,” and in verse 12 we read, “He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” The cross of Jesus Christ is likened to a banner that is raised up as a rallying point, a unifying standard, which certain people will seek and run to, and be saved. Not only Jewish people but all nations will seek this banner, as Jesus said in John 12:32: “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” Jesus was lifted up when he died on the cross, and now he is drawing people from all nations to himself.

Jesus Christ is the antitype of the brazen serpent lifted up by Moses in the desert. Every dying snake-bitten person who looked to it was healed and experienced peace. Even so, everyone who looks to the crucified Christ will be saved and experience God’s peace, for the curse due to sin has been dealt with by the Messiah. He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming curse for us by his death on the cross. He destroyed the enmity between God and us, and united us with Christ.

Jesus Christ is the banner to whom people from the nations will rally as they hear the gospel. Jews will also rally to him as their Messiah. But there is a reign of Christ coming-a visible reign of Christ on this earth at his second coming-when a greater number of Jews and Gentiles will rally to the King of kings, who will rule this world from Jerusalem.

In Isaiah 11:11 we read that the Lord will gather Israel a second time, not just from Egypt, but from all over the world. All obstacles will be dealt with so they can come to him. We are told even the Euphrates River will be dried up, and a highway will be made by this Christ. There will be great changes in this world when he comes and rules.

Jews and Gentiles will stream to Jerusalem to hear the word of the Lord (Isaiah 2). Nations are going to come. People will abandon their false religions and come all the way to Jerusalem to hear the word of the Lord. Then there shall be great peace. The existing enmity will be gone, not only from people, but also from animals. Carnivorous animals will become herbivorous. Lions, lambs, wolves, leopards, and cows will all lie down together and eat straw. Children will play with vipers and suffer no harm.

Why such absence of hostility? Why such unity? Read Isaiah 11:9 again: “The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” That is why I said we must center ourselves on God’s word rather than on vain philosophies, psychologies, and shifting emotional nonsense. Peace is the result of the knowledge of God welling up within us.

Do You Have His Government and Peace?

Finally, the whole world will know Jesus Christ. Nothing else will be proclaimed and nothing else will be believed. All people of the earth will submit to the King of kings and Lord of lords-some out of sheer fear, others out of love.

The Messiah of Israel is your Messiah also. There is no other. We are told God has given him the throne of David; his kingdom will never end. He now rules over all who believe and submit to him.

This King of kings is also the Savior. As the angel proclaimed in Luke 2:11, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” He alone is lifted up on the cross for us. He will draw his people to himself, and they will come.

What about you? Have you been drawn to this Messiah/Savior? Have you trusted in and surrendered to him? Have you received from him the everlasting peace of his salvation that he alone can give?

Jesus Christ, the Branch from the stump of Jesse, is the only one who can give hope to the world. He is coming again to establish a millennium on this earth in which he will give justice to the poor and needy and slay the wicked by the word of his mouth. I pray that God will help you to come under his rule and receive his peace. Amen.