The Rise of the Righteous King
Today is the National Day of Prayer. We had a Northern Colorado breakfast event that had about 350 in attendance. It was good to see the work over the months of the planning committee become a reality in a successful event. (Here is a picture of me with County Sheriff Justin Smith and two of our County Commissioners, Steve Johnson and Tom Donnelly.) This was an early morning, so I took a mid-morning nap and then this afternoon had a fitness center workout and came home to mow our growing grass. I have mowed twice and still have not turned on our sprinkler system.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight will be in the fear of the Lord…” Isaiah 11:1-3 HCSB
As a former elected official, I always find it interesting when people in my political party, constantly hearken back to the “day of Ronald Reagan.” If you were in Judah of old you would long for the days of a ruler like King David. David’s kingdom was united, victorious and secure. But as we see in David and rulers throughout time is the best of human leaders still have their challenges, controversies and flaws.
As Isaiah is prophesying in a time when the leaders of the day were a far cry from King David, the prophet sees to a distant time of a coming King. As we have the benefit of the text of modern scripture we realize it was the Messiah who was to come and is still to come in His ultimate glory.
The imagery is significant, “a shoot will from from the stump of Jesse…” The picture is of a tree that has been cut down and whose fruitfulness has come to an end and there is only small remnant to remind of what was. But out of the stump soon life begins to appear. The shoot turns into a branch and the branch begins to bear fruit. Such is the hope that had been in the hearts of God’s people the Jews for centuries. It is a hope that is in the hearts of followers of Christ who look to the day Jesus reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The verses of Isaiah 11 describe the character of the coming King and the nature of the world that will be. The coming King will be righteous, faithful and true. Wickedness will not remain in this Holy place. What Isaiah was describing was such a contrast to the present rulers, it would truly be a dream come true.
The righteous King rules over a righteous world. One in which the curse on creation is removed. “The wolf will live with the lamb,and the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf, the young lion, and the fatling will be together,
and a child will lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6 HCSB) This is only a partial description of the world characterized by the peace that comes from God and the peace that permeates creation.
This new King will reign over a kingdom where peace is that standard among people. “None will harm or destroy another on My entire holy mountain, for the land will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the sea is filled with water.” (Isaiah 11:9 HCSB)
With hope and faith we can look forward to and pray for that day and that kingdom to come. It will happen because of the intervention of God Himself and His Word, “…. [the] knowledge of the Lord will fill the land as the sea is filled with water.” When we allow the “knowledge of the Lord” to dominate in our lives and in our world, it is good preparation for that kingdom that is coming.