And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall be fruitful;
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and the Spirit of Jehovah 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 Jehovah.
Isaiah 11 opens with a shoot growing out of a cut-down family tree: the line of Jesse, King David's father, cut back to a stump. On that shoot the Spirit rests, named again in three pairs — which raises two questions: who is this Branch, and why would a divine Person need the Spirit resting on Him?
The verse looks back to David's father, and forward to a reign that changes the earth itself.
As "the seed of David according to the flesh," our Lord Jesus is "a Shoot out of the stock of Jesse." He is the supreme "Branch out of his roots," who has been fruitful to the glory of God. He is the Man of God's purpose, in whom the whole will of God will be carried out. Read Isaiah 11:2 to 9, and a delightful picture opens before us: the earth as it will be under His righteous and kind rule in the coming thousand-year age.
The word "rest" matters. One writer explains why nothing else in this world would do.
Although a divine Person, the Messiah would be truly Man. As the LORD's Servant, "the Spirit of the LORD" would rest on Him as the proof of God's pleasure in Him, and to carry out His will. This Scripture, Isaiah 11:2, is fulfilled when the Lord came to earth… Like the dove Noah sent out, which came back and landed on the ark, the only suitable resting place for the Spirit of God in this world was on Jesus, the holy Son of God.
One writer reads the verse alongside the seven-branched golden lampstand in Israel's tent of worship: one central stem with three pairs of arms.
The sevenfold equipping of the Spirit gives Him His qualifications for this supreme place. Notice that we have here first the Spirit of the LORD spoken of alone, answering to the central shaft — the one divine Being. Next come three pairs of titles, matching in a striking way the three pairs of branches that, with the central shaft, form the lampstand… "Wisdom" is knowledge joined with sound judgment… "Understanding" comes from a word meaning to "separate" or "distinguish," which points to the discernment that must go with wisdom.
The second pair joins advice to power — and the root of "counsel" carries more weight than mere suggestion.
"Counsel" is thought to come from a word meaning to be strong, then to command, and so, advice. Does this not show what all true counsel is — authoritative and binding? So our Lord taught "as one who had authority." How full His life was of that perfect, God-given counsel. Fitting alongside it was the Spirit of "might." It looks like the opposite of counsel, yet it belongs with it and completes it, giving an evenly balanced display of the Spirit's working.
The final pair appears together in one scene.
The Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The Spirit of knowledge shows itself in the way He chose and quoted just the right Scriptures to meet each temptation. The Spirit of the fear of the LORD shows itself in the way He answered every temptation with what God had said… He took every step knowing His Father's will, and in reverent fear that delights in God.
If the Son of God is God, why would He need the Spirit at all? One writer points to the path He chose.
In the thirty quiet years at Nazareth, our Lord was the perfect One, wholly the Father's delight. When He came out to serve, God sent the Spirit — not only as the seal of approval on what He had been in those hidden years, but to empower Him for His special ministry. Remember, our Lord's life was one of perfect dependence. He did not use His divine rights directly, but did everything by the Spirit of God who filled Him.
One writer links this verse to the greeting that opens the book of Revelation.
"And from the seven spirits who are before his throne." Here again we find a description of the Holy Spirit specifically in government… The reference is clearly to Isaiah 11:2, where the sevenfold power of the Holy Spirit in government is tied to the person of the Messiah and to His kingdom.
If this reign is still future, what do Christians have now?
Christians, called out from the nations in this day of God's grace, will not have their part in the earthly blessings of the coming day. Their portion is in heaven, near to Christ… Even now we share in Christ's anointing, knowing that He is "anointed with the oil of gladness beyond His companions."
- Rest — the Person. The Branch from Jesse's stump is the Man of God's purpose, and He is the only resting place the Spirit found in this world.
- Rest — the fullness. One Spirit, sevenfold: the central shaft, then wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
- Rest — the life. He did not draw on His divine rights directly; He served in perfect dependence, doing all by the Spirit who filled Him.
- Rest — the reign. The same sevenfold Spirit appears again in Revelation, linked to government and to the kingdom of the Messiah.
- Rest — the reach. Earth's blessing under that reign is still future; believers' portion is in heaven, yet even now they share the anointing of Christ.