God with Us Our Central Hope: The Return of Christ in Glory
Isaiah 11:1-9
Tamene Menna, Director of Outreach and Care
Overview: In the days of the prophet Isaiah, the people of Israel lived in various kinds of oppression. They had kings who did not do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. As a result, judgment was coming. Foreign enemies were coming to invade them. The nation was about to fall apart. Fear and worry overtook them. In the midst of this, Isaiah gives an encouraging message. Although the people of Israel may suffer under the oppression of foreign nations, they are called to trust in God because of what he will do in the future. Isaiah’s prophecy about the coming of a new ruler includes a description of Jesus’ first coming, which will inaugurate the last days, and His second coming, which will bring in the consummated kingdom of God. The final coming of Christ is the central hope of believers, and living by this future hope empowers us in the present in many practical ways.