A Radical Perceptual Shift

As Advent continues we hear an extraordinary prophecy from Isaiah

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,

   and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 

² The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,

   the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

   the spirit of counsel and might,

   the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 

³ His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. 

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,

   or decide by what his ears hear; 

⁴ but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

   and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

   and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 

⁵ Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,

   and faithfulness the belt around his loins.(Is. 11)

This judge — “ the shoot” of a dead tree — has been interpreted, by some, that the prophet is referring to the promised Messiah.  Some scholars debate that interpretation.  

Personally I agree with those who see this as a prophesy of  the coming birth of Jesus.   In my opinion it fits Jesus mission perfectly.  

The verse that strike my heart with hope is:

he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

   and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

He spoke!

Jesus didn’t come with a sword as his power.  

He didn’t rule like any king the world had ever seen. 

What came from his mouth was his power, his knowledge, his wisdom.

The word knowledge, in verse 9, is more than a cognitive knowing.  It is far from the human knowing.  One commentator, I don’t remember his/her name, put it this way: 

This knowledge, according to the Hebrew definition:  “is the full entering into, and experiencing of, what is known.  So the earth will be infused with the reality of God, and it shall be as comprehensive as the water of the sea. (vs. 9)” 

Jesus spoke from the divine source that he was — God.

His knowing is a wisdom, an other worldly perception.

From an old lifeless tree -- a stump — new life began.

This new life begins from old roots; that grew up to right the world.

He was called a “king,”  but was not in anyway, shape or form,  the world’s definition of a king who rules with might and physical power.  

This king will silence the natural instincts of nature and natures creatures; who will now exist in an environment of peace.  Absent of any hint of aggressive behavior or dangerous predators.  

This king will completely alter the seemingly natural tendencies of all living beings.  

He will completely transform the hunt of the once ferocious nature. Even the deadly rattle snake, who lies silently coiled in wait for its prey, will be no more. 

This prophesy is a stark contrast to the ways that inform ‘normal’ — our natural ways of reason, opinions and actions.

This king came to bring, to quote one of my seminary professors, “a radical perceptual shift.”

A Radical shift.  Is indeed what Jesus came to bring.

I will write on the second part of Isaiah 11 tomorrow