Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 11:3

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The Messiah’s kingdom (11:1-12:6)

A leading theme of this part of the book is that God preserves a remnant out of the destruction of Israel and Judah. Earlier this remnant was likened to the stump of a tree from which springs new life (see 6:13). The remnant is now identified with the royal line of David (son of Jesse) from which comes the Messiah (11:1). The Messiah reverences God and, having the Spirit of God in unlimited measure, knows how to apply God’s wisdom in ruling God’s people. He is the Prince of Peace who governs with perfect love and perfect justice. He is not deceived by outward appearances, and has a particular concern for those who are the victims of injustice and oppression (2-5).
In the Messiah’s kingdom there is no hate, fear, cruelty or danger, but perfect peace and harmony. People truly know God, and therefore they no longer do evil to each other (6-9).
The blessings of the Messiah’s kingdom were foreshadowed in the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The prophet pictures God’s people coming from many nations to dwell together under the Messiah’s rule (10-12). The tension that once existed between Israel and Judah is now gone, for the two kingdoms are united again. They work together in overpowering any nation that threatens the peace of the messianic kingdom (13-14). In a migration of people likened to the exodus from Egypt, those held in foreign captivity return to their homeland (15-16).
Just as Moses and his people sang a song of praise to God for his deliverance from Egypt, so the returned exiles sing their praise to God for his deliverance from Babylon. Now that he has forgiven them, they have no need to fear. God’s salvation brings with it confidence, strength, refreshment and joy (12:1-3). Those who have received this salvation not only want to praise God, but they also want to tell others of him and all that he has done (4-6).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah. And his delight shall be in the fear of Jehovah; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.”

“Out of the stock of Jesse” The implication here is that the shoot and the branch to come forth from this stock will not occur until Jesse and the entire Davidic monarchy have completely fallen. Peake would not allow this necessary inference; and upon his unsupported denial of it, insisted that the passage “is not Isaiah’s.”Arthur S. Peake, Peake’s Commentary Series, p. 444. However, it is impossible to suppose that, merely because of Isaiah’s friendship for Ahaz, he would not have delivered the word of God against the House of David. Had not Isaiah many years previously to the “cutting down of Israel” named his first-born Shear-Jashub? And in that name both the stock of Jesse and the shoot or branch appear in the form of the return from captivity inherently prophesied in the name Shear-Jashub. The allegations of scholars such as Peake are unacceptable.

The time indicated for this prophecy came, “When the house of David had fallen into such a state of dishonor and disrepute (Amos 9:11) that the prophet did not refer to it by David’s name, but by the name of David’s father Jesse.”Homer Hailey, p. 120.

Both Assyria and Judah were about to be destroyed. Assyria would never rise again, but Judah, like the stump of an oak tree would carry within itself the sap of life and would send forth a Root, a Branch out of the stump of Judah; and in the very midst of this discouraging picture God held forth hope and promise to that small righteous remnant who would return from captivity; and from them the Messiah would be born, and the glory of Israel would once more appear in the New Israel composed of both Jews and Gentiles! The difference in the ultimate fates of Assyria and Judah appears in the prophecy which gave Lebanon as a metaphor for Assyria (a reference to their cedars). As many have noted, “Cedars when felled throw out no fresh suckers.”J. R. Dummelow, J. R. Dummelow’s Commentary, p. 423.

The reference here to the coming Messiah as being from the stock of Jesse should not compromise the truth that the Messiah is the Second David. Christ is called the “Root of David” also in Rev. 5;5; 22:16. “There is a resumption here of the theme of Isaiah 9:6,”David F. Payne, The New Layman’s Bible Commentary, p. 780. namely, that of the Coming Messiah.

“And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him” This refers to the anointing of Jesus Christ on the occasion of his baptism (Matthew 3:16). Note the words “shall rest”; the scriptures plainly reveal that the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and “remained upon Him.” This was the very event that revealed to John the Baptist that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Son of God (John 1:32-33).

The anointing of Jesus Christ with the Spirit of God was no partial or incomplete thing, for God gave his Spirit to Christ, “without measure” (John 3:34), this being signified here by the words “shall rest upon him.” Peake pointed out that this Holy Spirit fully equipped Jesus with, “Six modes of manifestation, intellectual, practical, and religious.”Peake’s Commentary Series, p. 445. See the discussion of Aaron’s anointing and its typical relation to that of Christ in Vol. 3 of my Pentateuchal Series, pp. 66-73. Just as the measureless gift of the Holy Spirit in Christ was typified by pouring liberal amounts of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, the far lesser gift of the Holy Spirit promised to Christ’s followers was typified by the merely “sprinkling” of the anointing oil upon the garments of the ordinary priests.

Isaiah 11:3-4 here contrast the righteous judgment of Christ with that which was evidently common in Judea when this was written. “We can clearly read between the lines the contrast,”The New Layman’s Bible Commentary, p. 780. of the kind of judgment then current on the throne of Israel with the righteous judgment of Jesus Christ. His high regard of the meek and the poor of earth was a constant characteristic of his earthly ministry.

The reference in Isaiah 11:4 to Messiah’s, “smiting the earth with the rod of his mouth,” and his slaying the wicked with “the breath of his lips,” is fully equivalent to the declaration that the Messiah will be God. “The creative virtue of the Word belongs properly to Jehovah.”T. K. Cheyne’s Commentary, p. 76. The words of the Holy King prophesied in these verses, “In the last day will consign to everlasting life or everlasting death,”The Pulpit Commentary, p. 203 every man ever born upon earth.

“Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist” All of these first verses extol the character, ability, integrity, honor, and righteousness of the Holy Messiah.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

And shall make him of quick understanding - (והריחו vahărı̂ychô) The Septuagint renders this, ‘And the spirit of the fear of God shall fill him.’ The Chaldee, ‘And the Lord shall draw him near to him in his fear.’ The Syriac, ‘And he shall be resplendent (like the sun, or the stars) in the fear of the Lord.’ The Hebrew word used here is probably derived from ריח rêyach, used only in Hiphil, “to smell;” and is kindred with רוח rûach, “wind, breath,” for fragrant substances “breathe out” an odor. - “Gesenius.” It then denotes “to take delight in smelling” Exodus 30:38; Leviticus 26:31; and thence, by an easy transition, to take delight in anything; Amos 5:21. The reason is, that the objects of smell are usually pleasant and agreeable; and especially such as were the aromatics used in public worship. The sense here is, probably, that he would take pleasure in the fear of Yahweh, that is, in piety, and in devoting himself to his service. The interpretation given in our translation, is that given by many expositors; though that above suggested is probably the correct one. The word is used to denote “pleasure” in a thing; it is not used anywhere, it is believed, to denote a quick understanding; compare Exodus 5:21; Philippians 4:18. The idea which is conveyed by our translators is, probably, derived from “the discernment of the quality” of objects by an acute sense of smell, and hence, they interpreted the word to denote an acute discrimination of any objects.

And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes - He sha 1 not judge of things by their external appearance. or with partiality. This is language which is applicable to a magistrate, and is spoken of the Messiah as the descendant of David, and as sitting on his throne as a ruler of his people. He who judges ‘after the sight of his eyes,’ does it according to external appearances, showing favor to rank, to the rich, and the great; or judging as things “appear” without a close and careful inquiry into their true nature and bearings; compare John 7:24 : ‘Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment;’ Deuteronomy 1:16-17.

Neither reprove - יוכיח yôkiyach. This word means “to show, to prove; to correct, reprove, convince; to reproach, or censure; to punish; to judge, decide, etc.” Here it is evidently used as synonymous with ‘shall he judge’ in the former part of the parallelism - retaining the idea of a just judge, who decides not according to the hearing of the ears, but according to justice.

After the hearing of his ears - Not by plausible statements, and ingenious defenses, but by weighing evidence, and by an impartial examination of the true merits of the case. This belonged to the Lord Jesus, because,

(1) He was never influenced by any undue regard to rank, honor, or office. His opinions were always impartial; his judgments without bias or favoritism.

(2) He was able to discern the true merits of every case. He knew what was in man, saw the true state of the heart, and, therefore, was not deceived or imposed upon as human judges are; see John 2:24-25; compare Revelation 2:28; John 6:64.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

3.And will make him sagacious. ⁽¹⁸⁰⁾ The verb ריח, (riach,) which is here put in the Hiphil conjugation, signifies literally to smell; but may also be explained in an active sense, as meaning to give a keen smell; which agrees better, I think, with this passage, so that this sagacity may be also included among the gifts of the Spirit. And this effect is peculiarly applicable to the person of Christ, namely, that far beyond what the godly are able to conceive, he is endowed with shrewd discernment for governing his people. We ought to attend, first of all, to the metaphor in the verb smell, which means that Christ will be so shrewd that he will not need to learn from what he hears, or from what he sees; for by smelling alone he will perceive what would otherwise be unknown. ⁽¹⁸¹⁾

In the fear of the Lord. This phrase is viewed by the greater part of commentators as meaning that all the feelings of the heart will be manifest to Christ, so that he will easily judge who are the sincere worshippers of God. But let the reader inquire if it be not a more appropriate meaning, that the fear of God denotes a fixed rule of judging. He expressly distinguishes between the heavenly judgment of Christ and earthly judgments, in order to inform us, that the outward mask of holiness or uprightness is of no avail in his presence.

And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes. The meaning is, “When we come to the judgment-seat of Christ, not only will outward actions be brought to trial after the manner of human governments, but the life of men will be examined by the standard of true godliness. It does not belong to man to penetrate into the hearts; and those whom we suppose to be very excellent men have frequently nothing but a hollow mask; but Christ judges not from outward appearance, (Luke 11:17; John 2:25,) for he thoroughly knows and searches our inmost thoughts. His judgment, therefore, is quite different from that of men, who, with all their acuteness and quick sagacity, fall into the most shameful mistakes.” Hence it follows that none can be the true worshippers of God but those whom Christ approves. They cannot obtain his approbation, unless they offer a pure and upright mind; for a false and hollow mask cannot deceive him.

(180) And shall make him of quick understanding. (Heb. scent, or smell.) — Eng. Ver.

(181) “And his delight shall be in the fear of Jehovah. His delight, הריחו, (haricho,) his snuffing up with pleasure, his pleasurable sensations. So the verb רוח (riach) signifies, when followed by the preposition ב, as in Leviticus 26:31, Amos 5:21. The expression is equivalent to, but stronger than that of David in Psalms 1:2, בתורת יהוה חפצו, (bethorath Yehovah Chephtzo,) in the law of the LORD is his delight. ” — Stock

Smith's Bible Commentary

Shall we turn to Isaiah, chapter 11, for the beginning of our study this evening.

In the tenth chapter, the closing part of chapter 10 of Isaiah, and again, let me remind you that the chapter distinctions were made by men, not by the authors. But years later, in order that we might be able to ready reference scriptures, in order that you might be able to find them easily, they divided the Bible into chapters and verses. And that is only for our benefit so that we can reference. And so in the dividing of the Bible into the chapters and verses, this is not the way the Bible was written, but is only divided that way for our benefit so that we can find a passage more easily. Rather than saying, "Well, it's in Isaiah," we can say, "Well, it's in Isaiah the eleventh chapter in the first verse." And that way we can find it and it makes it much easier for us. But in the dividing, they did their best to make the proper divisions of chapters, but unfortunately, many times they cut off a thought, more or less, in the middle. And because we are in a habit of reading a book a chapter at a time, sometimes we start the new chapter without reference to the previous chapter in reading the Bible. Or we start just in one area and we just quit at the end of the chapter, and many times the thought is carried over right on into the next chapter.

Now this is one of those areas where the thought in the end of chapter 10 is that God in His judgment is going to cut down the nations like the trees of Lebanon. Just going to hew them down and there's just going to be stumps. God's going to wipe out the nations and all, leaving just sort of stumps. And so with all of these stumps,

There shall come forth [a stem or] a rod [a branch] out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots ( Isaiah 11:1 ):

So you have the picture now of the nations being leveled. Looking like just a forest that has been cut down; down to the stumps. But out of one, and that is out of Jesse, there is going to be a new life, a new branch coming forth, a stem. And, of course, this is a beautiful prophecy concerning Jesus Christ and the Kingdom Age. As the nations have been leveled as the result of the battle of Armageddon and out of the debris the new life will arise and Jesus the Branch out of the stem of Jesse.

And so this again is a prophecy concerning the Messiah, declaring that He shall come actually from the house of Jesse, which, of course, was the father of king David. And so it is a reaffirmation of God's promise to David that God would build David a house. That out of David's lineage the Messiah would come.

And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and ( Isaiah 11:2 )

Heroic actions would be a better translation of the Hebrew word that is translated might. Not only does He make the right decisions, but He has the power to work these decisions out, to put them into action. A lot of times we may know the right thing to do, but we haven't the capacity to do it. His is not only the counsel, the knowledge of what to do, but the ability to carry it out. "The spirit of counsel and heroic actions."

the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD; And he shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked ( Isaiah 11:2-4 ).

Now this is a reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ. This branch that is growing out of the roots of the tribe of Judah, the house of Jesse, the lineage of David. When He arises, the anointing of God's Spirit upon Him, and, more or less, is referred to as the sevenfold anointing of the Spirit.

In Revelation you read in the reference to the Holy Spirit there around the throne of God, and the seven spirits which are before the throne of God. A difficult verse to interpret. We know that there is one Holy Spirit. What is the reference to the seven spirits that are there before the throne of God? There have been many suggestions that have been offered as to the possible interpretation of the seven spirits. Some have declared that there are seven archangels such as Michael and Gabriel. And in one of the books of the Apocrypha, the book of Esdras, you have Sanskrit, and Uriel and Raphael, and you have the names of seven what they call archangels or chief angels. And some believe that the seven spirits refer to the seven chief angels or archangels that are before the throne of God. That is one possibility.

Another possibility is that the seven spirits before the throne of God are a reference to the sevenfold working of the Spirit in Jesus Christ. As we find here in the use, this eleventh chapter verses Isaiah 11:2 , and Isaiah 11:3 , as a reference for the interpretation of the sevenfold working of the Spirit in Jesus Christ: the spirit of wisdom, understanding, the spirit of counsel, and the spirit of might, or the heroic actions that we mentioned, the spirit of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord, and of quick understanding--the sevenfold working of the Spirit. So which is the correct interpretation? Well, I just suggest you look into it and pray about it and find out what you're comfortable with. No way you can be dogmatic in that. They are both possible that they are correct, and it's possible that they're both wrong and that there is something else that we'll discover when we get to heaven. We'll say, "Oh, that's what they're talking about seven spirits before the throne. All right, you know."

So I've got a lot of things that are filed up here in a catalog that says, "Wait for further information." And so I hesitate being dogmatic on some of these issues. Where the Bible doesn't speak clearly on a subject it's only sheer presumption for me to speak dogmatically. And I don't like to do that unless there is a clear indication in the scriptures. But those who say that it is the sevenfold or the complete working, seven being the number of completeness, complete working of the Spirit in the life of Christ that's manifest in the life of Christ, use this passage as a reference to that idea.

Now, He is coming to judge the earth and His coming in the brightness of His coming is said that the antichrist, the beast, will be destroyed with the sharp sword that goes forth out of His mouth. Now the Word of the Lord is like a sharp, two-edged sword. And there is such power in the Word of God and God said, "Let there be light: and there was light" ( Genesis 1:3 ). It's known as divine fiat, the ability of God to speak something into existence. The tremendous power in God's Word. God no sooner says it than it exists. It's a reality. The moment God declares it, it comes into existence or into being.

So here is this antichrist, the man of sin, son of perdition, who has demonstrated such marvelous power that all the world is wondering after him. Doing all of these wonders and signs and miracles so that the whole world is enthralled by this man of sin. Creating such a powerful military force that they say, "Who is able to make war with the beast?" ( Revelation 13:4 ) Seemingly to overcome everything that gets in his path. He starts moving down to conquer Africa. He passes through Egypt, gets to the borders of Libya and Ethiopia when the news comes that China is invading from the east. And so he takes his troops and returns from the invasion to Africa to meet this invasion from China. And they meet together there in the valley of Megiddo. And as these tremendous forces of man are in this horrible war there in these plains of Jezreel, the valley of Megiddo, Jesus comes again.

And this man who has deceived the world, this man who has caused the world to stand in awe and wonder at his power and all, this man who the world looks up to as the greatest leader the world has ever seen, the most powerful man who has ever lived, for Satan invests this man with all of his power and with all of his authority. Satan does for him what he volunteered to do for Jesus Christ if Jesus would bow down and worship him. When he took Jesus up into a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and said, "All of these will I give unto thee if You will bow down and worship me. And the glory of them for they are mine. I can give them to whomever I will." Jesus refused it, but this man accepts, and Satan gives to him his throne, his authority. And this man is ruling over the world with the powers of Satan behind him and the whole world stands in awe.

The two witnesses that God has sent that are anointed with power. Elijah and Moses or Enoch, whoever else is Elijah's companion, this man has power to put them to death. And thus, he asserts his power over God. Greater than God. And the whole world is wondering after him and saying, "Who can make war with him?" And Jesus comes and says, "You've had it." And the guy goes. And just the word that goes forth out of the mouth of Jesus Christ is all that's necessary. He doesn't get in a big conflict with him. Doesn't get into battle with him. He just speaks the word and the guy is totally wiped out. Oh, the power of the word of Jesus Christ.

Now He is coming then, He begins to judge, He gathers the nations together for judgment when He returns, Matthew 25:1-46 . Now when He judges, He doesn't call for witnesses. He doesn't need to. He doesn't need for someone to come in and testify against anyone else. In fact, when Jesus was here, John tells us that, "He didn't need that anybody should tell Him about any man, for He knew men, and He knew what was in man" ( John 2:24-25 ). That can be a rather frightening thing if you're on the wrong side of the fence.

To know that here is a man and that's what the woman at the well of Samaria when she went and told her friends. "Come and meet a man who told me everything I've ever done." Oh man, that's sort of heavy. Of course, that's the thing that attracted Nathanael when he met Jesus. He said, "Wow, behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile." He said, "How did you know me?" He said, "Well, when you were over there sitting under the fig tree I saw you." "Oh, truly You are the Messiah, the Son of God." He said, Jesus said, "You believe just 'cause I tell you I saw you on a fig tree? Stick around, you're going to see a lot more than that." But he realized that Christ had this perception, the ability to see right into a man.

And Jesus exercised this perceptive ability, that of being able to see right into it. And so He does not judge by hearing testimony or witness, He knows. I mean, He judges by that thorough, total knowledge that He has of each of us. The Bible says that "everything is naked and revealed before Him with whom we have to do" ( Hebrews 4:13 ). I mean, you can't hide or cover a thing when you stand before the Lord. He looks right through you and He sees everything. His x-ray vision perceives all. I'm thankful that I have the shield of, it's not a lead shield, but it's a blood shield. The blood of Jesus Christ that just wipes out all of the past. And I'm so glad for that forgiveness and that cleansing of the past through the blood of Jesus Christ so that when He looks at me, He sees me pure, righteous and holy. And that's the only way I want it. I want to stay in Christ. I want to abide in Him. I don't want to have to stand before Him and have Him look through me and read me off and all. I like it living in Christ where "there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" ( Romans 8:1 ).

So He does not reprove after the hearing of the ears. He doesn't have to have anybody give testimony. "But in righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and will smite the earth with the rod of His mouth." The Bible tells us that in the Kingdom Age, He'll rule with a rod of iron. "And with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked."

And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins ( Isaiah 11:5 ).

Now the conditions that will exist when He reigns upon the earth:

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them ( Isaiah 11:6 ).

We see not the world that God created. We see a world that is suffering the curse because of man's sin. And the curse has spread out into the animal kingdom. It's spread out into the areas, the whole area of the earth. The earth is cursed. "Thorns and thistles shall the ground produce" ( Genesis 3:18 ). The animals at war with each other. That's why nature does not give us a true picture of God. It can declare to us His glory, His power, His majesty, His might, but it doesn't declare His love, because the earth is in rebellion against God. But when Jesus establishes His kingdom, even the animal kingdom will be at peace. And I can see a little child taking a lion by the mane and dragging it around, you know. What a tremendous pet that's going to make. My little daughter... my little daughter, that's been a while. My grown daughter, Cheryl, now a mother, as she was growing up always had a great fascination for lions. Loved to draw lions. She wanted a lion for a pet. Never got it, but the day will come when a little child will lead them about.

The cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like an ox ( Isaiah 11:7 ).

No longer carnivorous.

And a nursing child shall play on the hole of the asp [very poisonous snake], and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea ( Isaiah 11:8-9 ).

Now that's what you're praying for when you pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" ( Matthew 6:10 ). As I say, you do not see the earth today as God created it, as God intended it. You see the earth as it is suffering as the result of man's rebellion against God. And that is why it is manifestly wrong to blame God for all of the pain and the hurt and the bloodshed and the evil and the hatred that is in the earth today and demonstrated in all of these horrible things. It won't be that way when Jesus comes to reign.

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for a sign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious ( Isaiah 11:10 ).

Now this is what the disciples were expecting Jesus to do when He came. And that is why they were so upset and disappointed when He was talking to them about the cross, about His death. "But Lord, when are You going to set up Your kingdom? When are You going to make this glorious ensign that all of the Gentiles will come flowing to Jerusalem and all to receive of the benefits and the glory?" But this remains with the second coming of Jesus Christ.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left ( Isaiah 11:11 ),

Now, God is gathering now, and has gathered now, the Jews back to Israel. In the process of gathering them back as the nation has been re-established, but not all are going back, not all are even interested in going back. There are many of them that are now leaving Israel because of the prohibitive taxes and inflation. And it's just difficult to live over there right now, and some 22,000 people left Israel last year and moved to other parts of the world because of the difficulty of living there under these trying conditions. So God will gather them the second time. When? When Jesus Christ comes again. Then He's going to gather together His elect from the four corners of the earth.

In verse Isaiah 11:12 :

And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the eaRuth ( Isaiah 11:12 ).

Now in Matthew's gospel chapter 24, those people who take a post-Tribulation rapture position usually use Matthew 24:1-51 as one of their key texts for proving their point. Where Jesus in talking to His disciples about the signs of His coming and the end of the age declares, "Immediately after the tribulation [verse Matthew 24:29 ] of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four [corners of the earth or from the four] winds, from one end of heaven to another" ( Matthew 24:29-31 ). And they say that that is when the rapture takes place as the Lord at that point gathers together His elect and His elect, they say, is the church.

Now they take that position because they are not thoroughly familiar with the Old Testament and God's dealing with the nation Israel. For Isaiah tells us, and he is referring to this very same event that Jesus referred to, as the elect are gathered together that the elect are actually from the house of Judah and they are the outcasts of Israel. They are not the church. And, of course, also Isaiah further confirms that in the twenty-seventh chapter and in verses Isaiah 11:12 , and Isaiah 11:13 , which, of course, we'll be getting to in a few weeks. "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt" ( Isaiah 27:12-13 ). So it's speaking of the trumpet and the gathering of the people together.

And in verse Matthew 24:31 of Matthew, "And they shall send His angels with a great sound of the trumpet" ( Matthew 24:31 ). Again, a reference to the gathering together of the Jews after His return. As He sets up the ensign and gathers together the Jews from the four corners of the earth where they have been driven in the dispersion. So that gives you a scriptural, clear understanding of Matthew 24:1-51 and shows that the elect cannot be the church.

I do not know why some men persist in their teaching that the church is going to have to go through the Great Tribulation. It is something that it seems that Walter Martin gets on almost every broadcast. He's like on a one-stringed guitar or something. It's about the only thing he can get wound up in. And it's really too bad because he has a very vast knowledge of the cults. Excellent knowledge of the cults. And he is a good teacher, but he seems to constantly be harping on this issue. But it's a harp with only one string and it doesn't make much music. I love Walter Martin. He's a good friend of mine. But we just happen to disagree at this point. And the unfortunate thing is he always puts his programs right around mine and where we only bring up the subject occasionally as we are teaching the whole gospel and declaring to you the whole truth of God, and I'm not out on a bandwagon to defend the position. It's just whenever we go through the Bible in declaring the whole counsel of God, we show you what the Bible teaches. But it seems that he has to harp every single broadcast on this particular issue. But I wish he'd get a few more strings in his harp. I'll hear from him on this and we'll have a good time. We really have a great love for each other. It's just that we have a good time when we get together. It's always exciting. I'm not through with it. We're going to pick it up again when we get to chapter 13. But we've got other things between now and then to talk about. We've got a lot of things to talk about.

So God is gathering together His elect from Israel, from Judah, from the four corners of the earth, Matthew 24:1-51 .

The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah ( Isaiah 11:13 ),

Now, of course, there was great jealousies and envies. There were civil wars between the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. Ephraim representing the Northern Kingdom, and Judah, of course, the Southern Kingdom. And there won't be any more conflict between them. They'll be one as in the prophecy of Ezekiel, God said, "When He gathers them back together into the land, they will no longer be two nations but one nation" ( Ezekiel 37:22 ). This division between the northern and southern will be over and they will be one nation on the face of the earth. But rather than being on each other's throat, they will be on those around them.

And they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them ( Isaiah 11:14 )

That's the area of Gaza, the Gaza strip. And, of course, Israel did pounce upon them and destroyed them and took that territory.

They shall spoil them of the east together ( Isaiah 11:14 ):

That would be those of Jordan and the West Bank that they have taken.

they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab ( Isaiah 11:14 );

Jordan is modern Moab.

and the children of Ammon shall obey them. And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. And there shall be a highway for the remnant that will come from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came out of the land of Egypt ( Isaiah 11:14-16 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The rule of the Shoot 11:1-9

Messiah would meet certain qualifications (Isaiah 11:2-3 a) and would rule with absolute justice (Isaiah 11:3-5)-with the result that people would live in peace (Isaiah 11:6-9)

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The coming "David" would also delight in fearing the Lord, not fearing Him out of dread, much less, lacking respect for Yahweh. He would make decisions on the basis of reality rather than appearances, having the ability to see through issues. Such abilities demand more than a merely human ruler (cf. John 18:36-38). An earlier Messiah passage (Isaiah 9:6) showed Him to be divine, but this one presents Him as a dependent human being, "a combination that requires the Incarnation for its explanation." [Note: Grogan, p. 87.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord,.... Or "cause him to smell the fear of the Lord" w; that is, to discern in whom it was: this is one effect of the Spirit's resting upon him, and particularly as the spirit of understanding, and of the fear of the Lord, whereby he has a quick and sharp discerning of it; not merely of the grace of fear, so as to know what that is, and what the exercise of it; or so as to make it the rule of his actions, though all this is true; but so as to discern where and in whom it was, and was not; he could distinguish between him that feared God and him that feared him not; he knew Nathanael to be an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile, John 1:47 and the Scribes and Pharisees to be hypocrites, Matthew 22:18. As the Jews x understand this passage of the Messiah, and of his quick smell, as the word used signifies, or of his discerning of good and bad men, they make this to be a rule of judging the Messiah by; and accordingly made use of it with one that set up himself for the Messiah, and took the name of Barcochab, the son of a star, referring to Numbers 24:17 and tried him whether he could discern a good man from a bad man; and because he could not, they rejected him as a false Messiah, and called him Barcoziba, the son of a lie y: compare with this Luke 7:39 where it may be seen the same notion obtained among the Jews in Christ's time:

and, he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes; or according to the outward appearance, the external guise of sanctity and religion men might put on; as the Scribes and Pharisees were outwardly righteous before men, but not to Christ, who knew their hearts; they seemed to be somewhat to others, but nothing to him, because he judged not by appearances to the eyes:

neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; he needed no testimony of men, for he knew what was in men; nor did he regard the words of men, the boastings of a Pharisee, any more than his outward actions; nor would he reprove or condemn, nor will he, upon a human testimony.

w והריחו ביראת יהוה "et faciet odorari eum timorem Jehovae", Munster, Vatablus; "et odorabitur timorem Jehovae", Cocceius. x Zohar in Exod. fol. 31. 3. & 86. 1. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 62. 3. y T. Bab. Sanhedrin. fol. 93. 2.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:   2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;   3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:   4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.   5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.   6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.   7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.   8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.   9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

      The prophet had before, in this sermon, spoken of a child that should be born, a son that should be given, on whose shoulders the government should be, intending this for the comfort of the people of God in times of trouble, as dying Jacob, many ages before, had intended the prospect of Shiloh for the comfort of his seed in their affliction in Egypt. He had said (Isaiah 10:27; Isaiah 10:27) that the yoke should be destroyed because of the anointing; now here he tells us on whom that anointing should rest. He foretels,

      I. That the Messiah should, in due time, arise out of the house of David, as that branch of the Lord which he had said (Isaiah 4:2; Isaiah 4:2) should be excellent and glorious; the word is Netzer, which some think is referred to in Matthew 2:23, where it is said to be spoken by the prophets of the Messiah that he should be called a Nazarene. Observe here, 1. Whence this branch should arise-from Jesse. He should be the son of David, with whom the covenant of royalty was made, and to whom it was promised with an oath that of the fruit of his loins God would raise of Christ,Acts 2:30. David is often called the son of Jesse, and Christ is called so, because he was to be not only the Son of David, but David himself, Hosea 3:5. 2. The meanness of his appearance. (1.) He is called a rod, and a branch; both the words here used signify a weak, small, tender product, a twig and a sprig (so some render them), such as is easily broken off. The enemies of God's church were just before compared to strong and stately boughs (Isaiah 10:33; Isaiah 10:33), which will not, without great labour, be hewn down, but Christ to a tender branch (Isaiah 53:2; Isaiah 53:2); yet he shall be victorious over them. (2.) He is said to come out of Jesse rather than David, because Jesse lived and died in meanness and obscurity; his family was of small account (1 Samuel 18:18), and it was in a way of contempt and reproach that David was sometimes called the son of Jesse,1 Samuel 22:7. (3.) He comes forth out of the stem, or stump, of Jesse. When the royal family, that had been as a cedar, was cut down, and only the stump of it left, almost levelled with the ground and lost in the grass of the field (Daniel 4:15), yet it shall sprout again (Job 14:7); nay, it shall grow out of his roots, which are quite buried in the earth, and, like the roots of flowers in the winter, have no stem appearing above ground. The house of David was reduced and brought very low at the time of Christ's birth, witness the obscurity and poverty of Joseph and Mary. The Messiah was thus to begin his estate of humiliation, for submitting to which he should be highly exalted, and would thus give early notice that his kingdom was not of this world. The Chaldee paraphrase reads this, There shall come forth a King from the sons of Jesse, and the Messiah (or Christ) shall be anointed out of his sons' sons.

      II. That he should be every way qualified for that great work to which he was designed, that this tender branch should be so watered with the dews of heaven as to become a strong rod for a sceptre to rule, Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 11:2. 1. In general, the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. The Holy Spirit, in all his gifts and graces, shall not only come, but rest and abide upon him; he shall have the Spirit not by measure, but without measure, the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him, Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9. He began his preaching with this (Luke 4:18), The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 2. In particular, the spirit of government, by which he should be every way fitted for that judgment which the Father has committed to him and given him authority to execute (John 5:22; John 5:27), and not only so, but should be made the fountain and treasury of all grace to believers, that from his fulness they might all receive the Spirit of grace, as all the members of the body derive animal spirits from the head. (1.) He shall have the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and knowledge; he shall thoroughly understand the business he is to be employed in. No man knows the Father but the Son,Matthew 11:27. What he is to make known to the children of men concerning God, and his mind and will, he shall be himself acquainted with and apprised of, John 1:18. He shall know how to administer the affairs of his spiritual kingdom in all the branches of it, so as effectually to answer the two great intentions of it, the glory of God and the welfare of the children of men. The terms of the covenant shall be settled by him, and ordinances instituted, in wisdom: treasures of wisdom shall be hid in him; he shall be our counsellor, and shall be made of God to us wisdom. (2.) The spirit of courage, or might, or fortitude. The undertaking was very great, abundance of difficulty must be broken through, and therefore it was necessary that he should be so endowed that he might not fail or be discouraged,Isaiah 42:4; Isaiah 42:4. He was famed for courage in his teaching the way of God in truth, and not caring for any man, Matthew 22:16. (3.) The spirit of religion, or the fear of the Lord; not only he shall himself have a reverent affection for his Father, as his servant (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 42:1), and he was heard in that he feared (Hebrews 5:7), but he shall have a zeal for religion, and shall design the advancement of it in his whole undertaking. Our faith in Christ was never designed to supersede and jostle out, but to increase and support, our fear of the Lord.

      III. That he should be accurate, and critical, and very exact in the administration of his government and the exercise of the power committed to him (Isaiah 11:3; Isaiah 11:3): The Spirit wherewith he shall be clothed shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord--of an acute smell or scent (so the word is), for the apprehensions of the mind are often expressed by the sensations of the body. Note, 1. Those are most truly and valuably intelligent that are so in the fear of the Lord, in the business of religion, for that is both the foundation and top-stone of wisdom. 2. By this it will appear that we have the Spirit of God, if we have spiritual senses exercised, and are of quick understanding in the fear of the lord. Those have divine illumination that know their duty and know how to go about it. 3. Therefore Jesus Christ had the spirit without measure, that he might perfectly understand his undertaking; and he did so, as appears not only in the admirable answers he gave to all that questioned with him, which proved him to be of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, but in the management of his whole undertaking. He has settled the great affair of religion so unexpectedly well (so as effectually to secure both God's honour and man's happiness) that, it must be owned, he thoroughly understood it.

      IV. That he should be just and righteous in all the acts of his government, and there should appear in it as much equity as wisdom. He shall judge as he expresses it himself, and as he himself would be judged of, John 7:24. 1. Not according to outward appearance (Isaiah 11:3; Isaiah 11:3): he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, with respect of persons (Job 34:19) and according to outward shows and appearances, not reprove after the hearing of his ears, by common fame and report, and the representations of others, as men commonly do; nor does he judge of men by the fair words they speak, calling him, Lord, Lord, or their plausible actions before the eye of the world, which they do to be seen of men; but he will judge by the hidden man of the heart, and the inward principles men are governed by, of which he is an infallible witness. Christ will judge the secrets of men (Romans 2:16), will determine concerning them, not according to their own pretensions and appearances (that were to judge after the sight of the eyes), not according to the opinion others have of them (that were to judge after the hearing of the ears), but we are sure that his judgment is according to truth. 2. He will judge righteous judgment (Isaiah 11:5; Isaiah 11:5): Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins. He shall be righteous in the administration of his government, and his righteousness shall be his girdle; it shall constantly compass him and cleave to him, shall be his ornament and honour; he shall gird himself for every action, shall gird on his sword for war in righteousness; his righteousness shall be his strength, and shall make him expeditious in his undertakings, as a man with his loins girt. In conformity to Christ, his followers must have the girdle of truth (Ephesians 6:14) and it will be the stability of the times. Particularly, (1.) He shall in righteousness plead for the people that are poor and oppressed; he will be their protector (Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 11:4): With righteousness shall he judge the poor; he shall judge in favour and defence of those that have right on their side, though they are poor in the world, and because they are poor in spirit. It is the duty of princes to defend and deliver the poor (Psalms 82:3; Psalms 82:4), and the honour of Christ that he is the poor man's King, Psalms 72:2; Psalms 72:4. He shall debate with evenness for the meek of the earth, or of the land; those that bear the injuries done them with meekness and patience are in a special manner entitled to the divine care and protection. I, as a deaf man, heard not, for thou wilt hear,Psalms 38:13; Psalms 38:14. Some read it, He shall reprove or correct the meek of the earth with equity. If his own people, the meek of the land, do amiss, he will visit their transgression with the rod. (2.) He shall in righteousness plead against his enemies that are proud and oppressors (Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 11:4): But he shall smite the earth, the man of the earth, that doth oppress (see Psalms 10:18), the men of the world, that mind earthly things only (Psalms 17:14); these he shall smite with the rod of his mouth, the word of his mouth, speaking terror and ruin to them; his threatenings shall take hold of them, and be executed upon them. With the breath of his lips, by the operation of his Spirit, according to his word, and working with and by it, he shall slay the wicked. He will do it easily, with a word's speaking, as he laid those flat who came to seize him, by saying I am he,John 18:6. Killing terrors shall arrest their consciences, killing judgments shall ruin them, their power, and all their interests; and in the other world everlasting tribulation will be recompensed to those that trouble his poor people. The apostle applies this to the destruction of the man of sin, whom he calls that wicked one (2 Thessalonians 2:8) whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth. And the Chaldee here reads it, He shall slay that wicked Romulus, or Rome, as Mr. Hugh Broughton understands it.

      V. That there should be great peace and tranquillity under his government; this is an explication of what was said in Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 9:6, that he should be the Prince of peace. Peace signifies two things:--

      1. Unity or concord, which is intimated in these figurative promises, that even the wolf shall dwell peaceably with the lamb; men of the most fierce and furious dispositions, who used to bite and devour all about them, shall have their temper so strangely altered by the efficacy of the gospel and grace of Christ that they shall live in love even with the weakest and such as formerly they would have made an easy prey of. So far shall the sheep be from hurting one another, as sometimes they have done (Ezekiel 34:20; Ezekiel 34:21), that even the wolves shall agree with them. Christ, who is our peace, came to slay all enmities and to settle lasting friendships among his followers, particularly between Jews and Gentiles: when multitudes of both, being converted to the faith of Christ, united in one sheep-fold, then the wolf and the lamb dwelt together; the wolf did not so much as threaten the lamb, nor was the lamb afraid of the wolf. The leopard shall not only not tear the kid, but shall lie down with her: even their young ones shall lie down together, and shall be trained up in a blessed amity, in order to the perpetuating of it. The lion shall cease to be ravenous and shall eat straw like the ox, as some think all the beasts of prey did before the fall. The asp and the cockatrice shall cease to be venomous, so that parents shall let their children play with them and put their hands among them. A generation of vipers shall become a seed of saints, and the old complaint of homo homini lupus--man is a wolf to man, shall be at an end. Those that inhabit the holy mountain shall live as amicably as the creatures did that were with Noah in the ark, and it shall be a means of their preservation, for they shall not hurt nor destroy one another as they have done. Now, (1.) This is fulfilled in the wonderful effect of the gospel upon the minds of those that sincerely embrace it; it changes the nature, and makes those that trampled on the meek of the earth, not only meek like them, but affectionate towards them. When Paul, who had persecuted the saints, joined himself to them, then the wolf dwelt with the lamb. (2.) Some are willing to hope it shall yet have a further accomplishment in the latter days, when swords shall be beaten into ploughshares.

      2. Safety or security. Christ, the great Shepherd, shall take such care of the flock that those who would hurt them shall not; they shall not only not destroy one another, but no enemy from without shall be permitted to give them any molestation. The property of troubles, and of death itself, shall be so altered that they shall not do any real hurt to, much less shall they be the destruction of, any that have their conversation in the holy mountain,1 Peter 3:13. Who, or what, can harm us, if we be followers of him that is good? God's people shall be delivered, not only from evil, but from the fear of it. Even the sucking child shall without any terror play upon the hole of the asp; blessed Paul does so when he says, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? and, O death! where is thy sting?

      Lastly, Observe what shall be the effect, and what the cause, of this wonderful softening and sweetening of men's tempers by the grace of God. 1. The effect of it shall be tractableness, and a willingness to receive instruction: A little child shall lead those who formerly scorned to be controlled by the strongest man. Calvin understands it of their willing submission to the ministers of Christ, who are to instruct with meekness and not to use any coercive power, but to be as little children,Matthew 18:3. See 2 Corinthians 8:5. 2. The cause of it shall be the knowledge of God. The more there is of that the more there is of a disposition to peace. They shall thus live in love, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, which shall extinguish men's heats and animosities. The better acquainted we are with the God of love the more shall we be changed into the same image and the better affected shall we be to all those that bear his image. The earth shall be as full of this knowledge as the channels of the sea are of water--so broad and extensive shall this knowledge be and so far shall it spread--so deep and substantial shall this knowledge be, and so long shall it last. There is much more of the knowledge of God to be got by the gospel of Christ than could be got by the law of Moses; and, whereas then in Judah only was God known, now all shall know him,Hebrews 8:11. But that is knowledge falsely so called which sows discord among men; the right knowledge of God settles peace.