Names of Jesus | Advent DevotionalSýnishorn

Thursday, December 12
Isaiah 11:1-11 | Root of David
Author: Rev. Caleb Koornneef

One of the most epic childhood memories I can remember was when several tall cottonwood trees were blown down behind my house in Colorado, where I grew up. For a kid, a blown-down cottonwood tree became an instant fort to explore. Images of the exposed root systems of these felled trees always come to mind when I think about the “Root of David.”

In Isaiah 11:1-10, we encounter a profound prophecy that speaks of hope, restoration, and the coming of a divine ruler. At the time of Isaiah’s prophecy, the great Davidic dynasty had split into two kingdoms, and God’s people were being “cut to the stump” because of their unfaithfulness and rebellion. Yet, amid God’s judgment, a profound message of hope is present. “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” For believers, this verse illustrates the hope and peace of the Gospel. Even when situations seem barren or hopeless, God brings forth new life and fulfills His promises.

Ultimately, this passage anticipates Jesus Christ as the righteous ruler that God’s people needed. The fulfillment of Christ’s Messianic reign is characterized in verses 6-11. The wolf living with lamb, the leopard with the goat, young calves with lions, and nursing children with venomous snakes. These counterintuitive scenes are vivid expressions of believers' peace with God through Christ in the new creation. To borrow from the Apostle Paul, we might say these scenes portray a peace “which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Take a moment to reflect on how the “Root of David” illustrates both hope and peace.

Like a “shoot” from the stump of Jesse, God the Son would enter His own creation in humility and gentleness, showing that he is the object of true hope. From a seemingly dead lineage, new hope arises. Revelation 5:6 says, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Jesus is the hope of the world because he fulfills all of God’s promises. Is he the object of your hope?

Like a branch, Christ’s Kingdom expands outward until the peace of God is realized in every corner of the cosmos. Here’s how: the peace that Christ offers is first extended through being made right with God by faith (Romans 5:1). God’s peace is then manifested in believers by the enabling of the Holy Spirit to gradually grow to be more like Christ (Romans 8:6). Finally, and perhaps least thought of, Christ’s peace transforms the world through the life and witness of his Church (Romans 12:18). The very peace that we have with God by faith through Christ, is the same peace that transforms you and redeems the world. In this way, Jesus doesn’t just provide the peace we need, he is peace. Do you know his peace?

Whether you’ve walked with the Lord for many years or embracing him for the first time, place your hope in the Root of David and experience the peace that only he can give. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).