But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. 2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, 3 and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, 4 But he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide fairly for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. 5 Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. 6 Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze, together their young shall lie down; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. 8 The baby shall play by the viper’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. 9 They shall not harm or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.
After Isaiah describes God’s Judgment against human pride and arrogance, Isaiah introduces hope and restoration. From the seemingly lifeless "stump" of Jesse (the Davidic dynasty reduced to near ruin), new life will emerge—a shoot symbolizing the Messiah, who will bring renewal and divine justice. The "spirit of the Lord" resting permanently upon the Messiah signifies divine empowerment to fulfill his mission of justice, peace, and reconciliation. These qualities the Messiah will possess, wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and fear of the Lord, are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, foundational for the Christian understanding of spiritual grace. Each gift empowers the Messiah to fulfill specific aspects of his mission: wisdom and understanding enable him to perceive and apply divine truth, counsel and strength guide his decisions and actions, and knowledge and fear of the Lord deepen his obedience and relationship with the Father.
The Messiah's "delight" in the fear of the Lord reflects his perfect obedience and reverence for God (John 4:34). He embodies divine justice (John 7:24), unlike corrupt leaders swayed by wealth or status. The Messiah will judge with fairness (Is. 1:23) and deep concern for the vulnerable. The "poor" and "afflicted" are symbolic of those who suffer injustice or are oppressed. The “rod of his mouth” is the Messiah’s word which carries divine authority, and the "breath" (ruach) is a metaphor for divine power and authority.
The imagery of clothing symbolizes the Messiah’s character and attributes, emphasizing that justice and faithfulness are central to his rule. In biblical symbolism, garments often represent a person’s identity, role, or mission (e.g., Exodus 28:2–4 for priestly garments). Justice girds his actions, while faithfulness ensures his steadfast commitment to God’s covenant, making him a ruler who is both just and reliable.
The Messianic age will bring profound peace where hostility and violence will cease, as symbolized by the imagery of predator and prey coexisting in harmony. Creation will be restored to its original harmony (cf. Gen, 1:31). This vision not only points to peace among creatures but also symbolizes humanity’s reconciliation with creation itself, as described in Romans 8:19–22, where creation awaits its liberation from corruption. The "holy mountain" refers to Zion, a term often used symbolically to represent God’s dwelling place and His Kingdom (Isaiah 2:2–4). Zion represents both the historical Jerusalem and the eschatological Kingdom of God, emphasizing its dual significance. In this case, it points to the future Kingdom where God’s presence will be fully realized. There, no harm or destruction will occur because the reign of God will bring perfect justice, peace, and holiness.
The earth will be filled with an intimate, relational knowledge and understanding of God. This knowledge is transformative, leading to righteousness, obedience, and a deeper relationship with God, as seen in John 17:3, where Jesus defines eternal life as knowing the only true God.
The spread of this knowledge reflects the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that all nations will be blessed through Him (Genesis 12:3). The earth will be completely filled with an awareness of God as water covers the sea, signifying the universal and comprehensive reach of his Kingdom.
Almighty God, You sent Your Son, the shoot from the stump of Jesse, to bring justice, peace, and the fullness of Your Spirit into our lives. Fill us with wisdom, understanding, and reverence for You, that we may live in harmony with all creation and proclaim the knowledge of Your love to the ends of the earth. May Your Kingdom come, and may we always delight in Your presence. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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