Isaiah 11:1 – “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:”
Several times throughout the Old Testament, the Messiah is referred to as the “Branch.” Our text above introduces the concept to our minds. The prophet Isaiah announces that one day a Branch will come – a Branch that will grow from a dead, royal line, the house of Jesse. When God wanted a king for Israel, He told Samuel to go to the house of Jesse and there He would show Samuel which of Jesse’s sons he was to anoint as king. All of Jesse’s strong, manly sons came marching through, each one God told Samuel was not the one. But out in the wilderness, tending to the sheep was the youngest son – a fair, ruddy complexioned lad – a poet – a singer – a dreamer. “This is the one,” God told Samuel. “This young lad will become the great psalmist of Israel – this ruddy fellow will become the man after God’s own heart – this little shepherd boy will become the great warrior-king of Zion.” And he was the beginning of a great royal line – David, Solomon, and on and on. And, according to all the prophets, the Messiah would usher in the kingdom of God through this royal line.
So . . . what happened? The line died out. The nation of Israel became divided – the larger part choosing a different king, the smaller part keeping the Davidic line – the people choosing to worship idols and abandon God. Finally God had all He could take, causing the Babylonians to conquer and carry away Zedekiah, the last Davidic king. The royal line of David was gone … caput! So how was the prophecy that a son of David would sit on the throne forever going to be fulfilled now? Well, there would come a “Branch” – a shoot – a sprout – a twig – a rod. Where would this “Branch” come from? It would come from a stem – not a royal family tree – but a stem – a stump – a trunk of a cut-down tree. And it would be the stem of Jesse. How about that!?! New growth from the dead family line of Jesse, once a proud royal tree, now cut down to the ground – all that remained was a stump. In fact, as far as anyone knows, all that remained of this once proud family was two plain commoners living in Nazareth of Galilee, Joseph and Mary. They were all that was left of Israel’s once illustrious royal line.
And one day this stump sprouted forth a Branch, a young, green shoot giving this dead line new life. Yet not only did He give the royal line new life – He gave all men new life. This Branch brought from lowly beginnings, of humanly impossible beginnings, new life from a dead stump. And the greatest miracle of all, He was not here just for decoration, but was here to produce and bear fruit. In Him are hidden great and wonderful promises. This is what made the Apostle Paul say, many years later in 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” This Branch brings new life to all – salvation to all who will accept the free gift. Imagine that – on His birthday, He gives a precious gift to everyone else. He’s Jesus Christ, the Branch.
Quote – “What those prophets affirm in the metaphor of the Branch is that God will not leave His people without a leader to show them how to be His people.” – Dennis Bratcher
Several times throughout the Old Testament, the Messiah is referred to as the “Branch.” Our text above introduces the concept to our minds. The prophet Isaiah announces that one day a Branch will come – a Branch that will grow from a dead, royal line, the house of Jesse. When God wanted a king for Israel, He told Samuel to go to the house of Jesse and there He would show Samuel which of Jesse’s sons he was to anoint as king. All of Jesse’s strong, manly sons came marching through, each one God told Samuel was not the one. But out in the wilderness, tending to the sheep was the youngest son – a fair, ruddy complexioned lad – a poet – a singer – a dreamer. “This is the one,” God told Samuel. “This young lad will become the great psalmist of Israel – this ruddy fellow will become the man after God’s own heart – this little shepherd boy will become the great warrior-king of Zion.” And he was the beginning of a great royal line – David, Solomon, and on and on. And, according to all the prophets, the Messiah would usher in the kingdom of God through this royal line.
So . . . what happened? The line died out. The nation of Israel became divided – the larger part choosing a different king, the smaller part keeping the Davidic line – the people choosing to worship idols and abandon God. Finally God had all He could take, causing the Babylonians to conquer and carry away Zedekiah, the last Davidic king. The royal line of David was gone … caput! So how was the prophecy that a son of David would sit on the throne forever going to be fulfilled now? Well, there would come a “Branch” – a shoot – a sprout – a twig – a rod. Where would this “Branch” come from? It would come from a stem – not a royal family tree – but a stem – a stump – a trunk of a cut-down tree. And it would be the stem of Jesse. How about that!?! New growth from the dead family line of Jesse, once a proud royal tree, now cut down to the ground – all that remained was a stump. In fact, as far as anyone knows, all that remained of this once proud family was two plain commoners living in Nazareth of Galilee, Joseph and Mary. They were all that was left of Israel’s once illustrious royal line.
And one day this stump sprouted forth a Branch, a young, green shoot giving this dead line new life. Yet not only did He give the royal line new life – He gave all men new life. This Branch brought from lowly beginnings, of humanly impossible beginnings, new life from a dead stump. And the greatest miracle of all, He was not here just for decoration, but was here to produce and bear fruit. In Him are hidden great and wonderful promises. This is what made the Apostle Paul say, many years later in 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” This Branch brings new life to all – salvation to all who will accept the free gift. Imagine that – on His birthday, He gives a precious gift to everyone else. He’s Jesus Christ, the Branch.
Quote – “What those prophets affirm in the metaphor of the Branch is that God will not leave His people without a leader to show them how to be His people.” – Dennis Bratcher
