Devotion:

We live in a broken world, full of conflict, disease, and decay, with death being the ultimate example of how things are not the way we wish they could be.

Isaiah 11 starts with an example of that brokenness. Jesse was King David’s father. Someone from the family line of Jesse and David was supposed to be king forever (2 Samuel 7:16). However, the nation was defeated by enemies and had no king for hundreds of years. The family tree of Jesse was just a stump; David’s descendants survived, but they weren’t kings.

However, from that stump, God promised that a new King would be born and produce fruit. This King would be different. Every other king throughout history has been imperfect, marked by the same sin tendencies that we all have. This King, though, would rule perfectly and judge rightly, having the fullness of God’s wisdom, understanding, faithfulness, and power. All nations would look to him for guidance. He would usher in a different kind of world, where even natural enemies (like wolves and lambs, or lions and calves) would live at peace with each other. There would be no more killing or death, and nothing would be hurt or destroyed.

700 years after this prophesy was made, Jesus would be born. He is the branch from the root of Jesse. Although he died, he came back to life and will rule forever, fulfilling God’s promise about David’s kingly line. And in his future reign, there will be no more death or pain (Revelation 21:1-4); we can look forward to a new heaven and new earth that will be as peaceful and perfect as the scene described here.