The King, Our Hope (Isaiah 11:1-12:6)
I enjoy thought-provoking movies that portray both the brokenness and beauty of life. One example of such a movie is “The Shawshank Redemption”, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1995. Set in the fictional Shawshank prison, it’s the story of how two prisoners, Red and Andy, find and hold on to hope in harrowing circumstances. After decades in prison, Red has grown bitter and cynical. He has been in jail for so long that he doesn’t even think he can survive life on the outside. Red has given up on life ever getting better. Better to not have hope, than to despair when hope is crushed. He scolds Andy for trying to give the other prisoners hope. Red says, “Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.” Andy, however, refuses to give up, despite being innocent and wrongfully imprisoned. Andy says to Red, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
Would we agree? Do we understand hope to be a good thing or a dangerous thing? Maybe we think it’s better to not have hope, than to be disappointed. We live in an age of growing scepticism and cynicism. Scams have made us suspicious and distrustful. We’ve learnt that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Yet, deep in our hearts, we know we can’t do without hope. We need it to keep going. Where do we put our hopes: in a dating relationship or marriage, in our children or grandchildren, in our career, in our health, in our retirement? Can our hopes bear the weight of expectations we place on them?
Faced with threats and uncertainties, the people of Judah needed hope. But, they were drawn to dangerous hopes that would ultimately disappoint. Instead of trusting God, Judah was tempted to hope in worldly power, to rely on its own resources and religiosity. Rather than bear good fruit for God, Judah turned away from Him to worldliness and idolatry. God, who is holy, will punish sin and send Judah into exile. Is this the end of hope? For some of us, disappointments and failures may have shattered our hopes. We may have grown bitter, sceptical, and cynical. Some of us may think we are beyond the reach mercy or forgiveness. What hope is there for us?
The coming King is our hope.
Our text reveals that God’s promised King is coming, and He is our hope. Isaiah 11 and 12 present a portrait of this King—His perfections, His people, and His praise. As we behold His glorious beauty, may we hope in Him. So, turn our eyes upon the King. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
The King and his perfections (Isa 11:1-9)
As we’ve seen in the first ten chapters of Isaiah, Judah will face God’s judgement. In Isaiah 6, the disobedient nation is likened to a tree that has been cut down. “Like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled (Isa 6:13).” A stump looks lifeless. Yet, new life and growth can happen if the roots remain. So, it is with Judah. “The holy seed is its stump.” (Isa 11:13b). The aim of God’s judgement is not to destroy but to purify, so that a holy seed remains. In Genesis 15, God had promised Abraham that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars. Then, in 2 Samuel 7, God had promised David that his offspring would rule as king forever. God keeps these promises alive by preserving a remnant of his people.
God saves through judgement. He will bring trials and troubles into our lives to bring us to an end of ourselves, that we might hope in Him.
God saves through judgement. He will bring trials and troubles into our lives to bring us to an end of ourselves, that we might hope in Him. To worldly eyes, it may look like all is lost. Yet, God is working out His plan in ways that may be hidden from us. Just as we don’t see the roots that give life to the stump, so we don’t always see God at work. But we can trust Him and not our own judgement. Only with the eyes of faith do we see.
The tree isn’t dead. Look at Isaiah 11:1 — “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse.” Jesse was David’s father. Therefore, the shoot from Jesse’s stump refers to the coming of a second David—a new King who will sit on David’s throne. Judah will be exiled but David’s line will not end. The image of the stump hints that this king has humble origins. He does not appear impressive. He had “no form or majesty that we should look at him… He was despised and rejected by men” (Isa 53:2b-3a). But like David, this king will also be a man after God’s own heart. And, unlike David, this king will not fail. King after king in David’s line sinned, including David himself. Don’t set our hopes on man. Even the best of us will fall.
God made us in His image to glorify Him. But instead of reflecting His goodness, we have gone our own way, living for ourselves rather than for God. The Bible calls this sin. Judah and its kings, which were supposed to bear good fruit for God, were unfruitful. But God will raise up a better King. Isaiah 11:1 describes Him as a branch that bears fruit. If we abide in Him, we will also bear fruit.
What is the King like? Isaiah 11:2-5 speak of His character. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him (Isa 11:2). He does not rely on human strength, but the Spirit empowers Him to serve God. In the New Testament, the Gospels tell us that when Jesus was baptised, the Spirit of God came to rest on Him (Matt. 3:16).
Notice how Isaiah highlights seven aspects of the Spirit’s person in Isaiah 11:2. He is the Spirit of the LORD. The Spirit is sent by the faithful God who makes and keeps His covenant with His people. This King is anointed by God’s Spirit to do God’s will. He is the Messiah, which means anointed one.
The next three pairs highlight other aspects of how the Spirit will empower the King. He is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding. This first pair focuses on the mind: The Spirit makes the King wise. He understands God’s word and ways. He thinks God’s thoughts after Him. Next, He is the Spirit of counsel and might. This focuses on action. The Spirit enables the King to hear and speak godly counsel. The King also has the power to act. He is the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. The third pair focuses on the King’s heart. The Spirit enables the King to obey God from the heart. He knows and fears the LORD. Together, these seven aspects show the King is fully filled, equipped, and empowered by the Spirit. He lacks nothing. Therefore, He is the ideal, perfect King. How do we live a life that pleases God? We must trust the Spirit-anointed King, who gives us the Spirit.
As the famous quote says, “Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Authority without accountability is frightening. Bad authority is harmful, whether it’s an abusive parent, an unreasonable boss, a false teacher, a corrupt politician, an unjust judge, or oppressive government. Understandably, we’ve come to be suspicious of authority. But look at Isaiah 11:3-4. This King is different. We can trust Him because He delights in fearing the LORD. He joyfully submits to God’s will. Therefore, we can trust the King to use his power in God-glorifying ways, for the good of others.
This King turns the values of the world upside down. The powerful of this world lord it over others. But this King is different. He is a servant-King who seeks to serve, not to be served. He does not exploit the weak and vulnerable, but cares for them. For their sake, He judges justly. Under His good authority, the poor and the meek are blessed. He invites the humble to share in His kingdom, but the wicked He will punish.
Look at Isaiah 11:5. The King wears a belt of righteousness and faithfulness. So many earthly leaders are driven by selfish self-interest. But not this King; He is motivated by what is right and true. The belt symbolises readiness for action. Human leaders may have good intentions, but they are often powerless to accomplish their plans. But this King is both willing and able to fulfil His plan. Isaiah 11:4 says He will conquer through His mighty word.
We yearn for world peace. Many world leaders spend countless hours pursuing peace talks that, sadly, go nowhere. Truces and treaties are broken. In 1938, then-British PM Neville Chamberlain returned to Britain after talks with Nazi Germany and declared “peace for our time”. Less than a year later, Britain and Germany were at war. Human progress has not to peace. Modernisation and technology simply gave us more effective ways of destroying one another. The 20th century was one of the most violent eras in all of human history. The 21 century hasn’t looked much better. Conflicts still rage in Ukraine, Palestine, Myanmar, Sudan, Nigeria, Syria, Libya, Yemen, and many other places. The news makes us anxious and fearful, because we hear of wars and rumours of wars. On a more personal level, many of us wish for peace in our lives. We know the pain of broken relationships, of being distant and estranged from loved ones and friends. We struggle with hurt, anger, and unforgiveness. Is peace even possible?
Praise God that because of what the King is like, His kingdom is vastly different from the kingdoms of this world. Isaiah 11:6-9 describe how His kingdom is one of peace. Old enemies become friends. War will be no more, so much so that even a child will be safe (Isa 11:6). This peace is deep, not superficial. It’s the result of a complete change of nature. All creation will be transformed. Nature shall no more be red in tooth and claw. It will no longer be a dog-eat-dog world. There will not be predator and prey, for the bear shall graze on grass and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. Remember how God said there would be war between the serpent and the seed of the woman in Genesis 3? In the kingdom, the curse will be no more. Infants and toddlers will play with snakes!
The King will bring perfect peace — “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore (Isa 2:4).” We still await the full fulfilment of God’s promise of peace. We long for the day when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa 11:9). Then, the whole earth shall be God’s holy mountain. People will not hurt or destroy, for everyone will know the LORD.
Jesus is our peace. He bore our sins at the cross, that we might be forgiven and brought back to God. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
But even now, we can enjoy the King’s peace. Jesus is our peace. He bore our sins at the cross, that we might be forgiven and brought back to God. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He has also reconciled us to one another. Knowing King Jesus will transform our relationships. We love one another because Jesus first loved us. The church is God’s new creation. In war-torn world, the church community is supposed to be different,. Our life together is to be a foretaste of the perfect peace King Jesus will bring when He returns. Beloved, do our relationships with one another in the church show the peace our King gave His life to gain? This is why conflict and disunity in the church grieves the Holy Spirit. How is God calling us to repent of our unfriendliness, coldness, harshness, lack of love, indifference, unforgiveness, resentment, and hatred? Beloved, do not hurt or destroy in God’s holy mountain. Is there a broken relationship we need to mend? Talk with one another about how we can practice peace by loving and serving another.
The King and his people (Isa 11:10-16)
In these verses, Isaiah looks forward to a coming time (“in that day”) when the King will gather a people from all the nations. Peoples from every language, tribe, culture and country will seek the King because His resting place is glorious (Isa 11:10). Are we restless and weary? Come to King Jesus and find rest for our souls. Not only is the King the shoot of Jesse, but He is also the root of Jesse (Isa 11:10). This King is Jesse’s son as well as Jesse’s source. How can this be? This means the King is fully God and fully man. He is Jesse’s descendant, but He is also the One who made all things and came before Jesse.
The King will be raised high like a flag or banner “as a signal for the peoples” (Isa 11:10). Jesus said this of his crucifixion: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself (Jn 12:32).” King Jesus will save the nations by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. Jesus bore God’s judgement against sinners, so that all who trust in Him might be saved. In Christ, we shall be raised to new, eternal life with Him. This good news isn’t just for Judah; it’s for all nations. He will gather His people from the four corners of the world—from the north (Hamath), south (Egypt, Pathros, Cush), east (Elam, Shinar), and west (coastlands) (Isa 11:11-12). God is a missionary. His purpose is to save the nations, that the peoples of the world might worship Him. The Bible is the unfolding story of God’s mission. As God’s people, shouldn’t we also have a heart for the nations?
God unites us in Christ, that we might with one heart and mind work together for the advance of the gospel.
In Isaiah 11:13-14, we see that when God saves His people, they lay aside their hostility with one another and serve God together. God unites us in Christ, that we might with one heart and mind work together for the advance of the gospel. Our unity in diversity displays God’s wisdom in bringing different people together. So, be intentional about building relationships with one another, especially with those who are different from us. Speak to someone from a different background or age group. Pray for grace and patience to love and serve one another, especially the ones who drive us crazy. Beloved, we may not agree on everything. But if we are one in Christ and His truth, then are we willing to put aside our pride and disagreements to strive side-by-side with one mind for the gospel? Look for ways to serve together, whether in evangelism and outreach to the HDB blocks in our neighbourhood, in teaching a children’s ministry class, or in building one another up in a care group.
Beloved, let us serve God with boldness and confidence. He will fulfil His promise to gather a people from the nations, for His glory. He has done it before, and He shall do it again. Isaiah 11:15-16 likens what God will do to the exodus from Egypt. God will deliver His people through the waters of judgement, just as He did when He parted the Red Sea and opened the way for Israel to cross over on dry land. But this time, it will be an even bigger exodus, a far greater redemption. God will strike the River Euphrates into seven channels and lead His people across. There will be a highway from Assyria. God will pave the way for His people to return.
Isaiah looked forward in hope to this amazing rescue. We have the privilege of looking back to God’s mission accomplished. It is finished. Jesus has accomplished the greatest redemption of all through His death and resurrection. Now, Jesus rules as King forever. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Therefore, we can go and make disciples, trusting that King Jesus is always with us. And, we also look forward in hope to King Jesus coming back. We’ve thought about the beauty of the King’s perfections and the blessedness of His people. His rule is good. Why wouldn’t we want King Jesus to rule over us?
The King and his praise (Isa 12:1-6)
We worship the good and gracious God who has saved us through his King.
How should we respond to so great a salvation? We worship the good and gracious God who has saved us through His King. Isaiah 12 is divided into two praise songs: The first song (Isa 12:1-2) is expressed in the singular. The second song (Isa 12:4-6) is mostly in the plural. Our salvation is personal, but it’s not individualistic. Biblical Christianity is about more than just me and my relationship with Jesus. God not only saves us individuals, He joins us to one another and makes us a part of His people. Therefore, we praise God personally and we praise God together.
We praise God personally (Isa 12:1-2). In that day, when we experience God’s saving grace and power, this is what we should say: We thank God for how His anger has been turned away from us. Recall this repeated refrain earlier in Isaiah: “For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.” The good news is that King Jesus turns God’s anger away. But each of us has to humbly and honestly acknowledge that we have sinned against the holy and righteous God. For our rebellion against Him, we deserve His wrath. We are sinners in the hands of angry God. Have we owned our sins against God? It is not enough to merely agree that everyone is a sinner in a general sense; I must confess how I have sinned and how I deserve his righteous judgement. Only then will I see my personal need for a saviour. So, do not harden our hearts when God convicts us of sin. Run to King Jesus, who turns God’s anger away and comforts us. Is Jesus your salvation?
In Christ, we can confidently say, “God is my salvation.” Because the all-powerful, faithful, covenant-keeping God is our strength, we can trust in Him and not be afraid. What do we fear? Are we afraid of the judgements and opinions of others? Do we fear uncertainty or failure? Do we fear not being good enough? Does illness, suffering, and death frighten us? When we fear and doubt, remember this: If God is for us, who can be against us? In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. We are secure in Him. Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We sing praises to the LORD, our salvation. As we heard from Pastor John Folmar last week, we sing because we’ve tasted God’s goodness. The saved sing. We don’t just sing songs about God; God is our song. We don’t sing about ourselves or anyone else. God is the reason for our praise, thanksgiving and joy. Sing God’s truth to ourselves. We sing to encourage ourselves to trust God and not be afraid. Note the songs we sing at service. Sing them at home with your children during family worship. Sing them on the way to school or work. Sing them in the shower.
But it can be tough to persevere in praise by ourselves. So, we are to also praise God together as His people (Isa 12:3-6). The “you” in Isaiah 12:3 switches to the plural. Together as God’s people, we joyfully draw water from the wells of salvation. Jesus invites us: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink (Jn 7:37)”. We’re tempted to seek our satisfaction in other people and things, but they cannot truly quench our thirst. Only the living water that Jesus gives can satisfy and sustain us. As Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well: “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (Jn 4:13-14).” Encourage one another to keep drinking from Jesus. He is the limitless well of salvation.
We need the encouragement of our brothers and sisters in the spiritual family of the local church to spur us on. We also sing gospel truths to one another as a weekly reminder of what Jesus has done for us, and who we are in Christ.
On our own, we burn out easily and quickly. We need the encouragement of our brothers and sisters in the spiritual family of the local church to spur us on. This is why it is vital for us to gather regularly for corporate worship. For this reason, we emphasize congregational singing in our services. Singing is not just for a select group, like the music team or a choir, but it should involve all of God’s people. With one voice, we sing praises to the LORD, for He has done gloriously (Isa 12:5a). We sing because of the great salvation Jesus has accomplished. We sing because God is with us. The holy God now dwells with us, His redeemed people. Look at Isaiah 12:6: “Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” How can a holy God dwell in the midst of an unholy people? Only by atoning for our sins and making us holy through the blood of Jesus Christ.
We praise God for His gospel. We also sing gospel truths to one another as a weekly reminder of what Jesus has done for us, and who we are in Christ. Our weekly worship gathering is the regular reset we need at the start of each week to help us live as salt and light in the world. Beloved, we encourage one another simply by showing up and worshiping together. This is a vital part of what it means to meaningfully be a member of a local church. Being a member means we’ve committed to do spiritual good to one another in this very basic way. Some of us are unable to attend because of our health. But if we intentionally absent ourselves from corporate worship without good reason, then we are not living out a fundamental part of what it means to be God’s people. If we are unable to gather regularly with this church, then join another local church where we can meet regularly with God’s people.
Our worship is the fuel for evangelism and missions — “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted (Isa 12:4).” We want the Lord’s glorious deeds to be made known in all the earth (Isa 12:5). When our hearts are full of praise and thanksgiving to God for saving us, our lips will naturally speak of Jesus and what he has done. May we be so captivated by the glory, grace and goodness of King Jesus that we cannot keep silent. As we heard from Psalm 67 last week, we have been blessed to bless the nations by making known God’s saving power. The gathered church is the goal of missions. God has saved us into his people, that we might praise Him together. The gathered church is also the means of missions. Our corporate worship and life together as a church is to testify to the nations of God’s grace and goodness.
Jesus is the greatest of all time. He is the King who has already come to save sinners. He is the King who is coming back to complete our salvation. May we turn away from false, dangerous hopes that only disappoint. Hope is a good thing if we hope in King Jesus. Is He your hope?