Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
Day Three: Hope in the Righteous Reign of the Branch
“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 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 the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” Isaiah 11:1-5
Have you ever watched a competition TV show with judges? Maybe it was singing, or dancing, or a talent show. The judges are there to make sure that those who are talented make it through to the next round of the competition, and sadly, they have to reject those who are not talented enough to continue on. Although it’s hard, that’s what keeps the competition fair for everyone who is participating!
Just like these judges, in these verses, the Messiah, which would be Jesus, is referred to as a judge and a King. The author of these verses, Isaiah, describes the Messiah as someone filled with God’s Spirit – full of wisdom, understanding, and strength. He wouldn’t judge based on appearances but with righteousness and fairness, especially for the poor and meek.
In the Christmas hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”, we sing of this prophecy from Isaiah. Just as Israel longed for their Savior to free them from captivity, we too long for Jesus to come into our world of brokenness. In this hymn, we recognize that Jesus came into the world at Christmas as “Emmanuel”, meaning “God with us.”
Thankfully, we have the opportunity to look back in Scripture at the birth of Jesus, His life, and all the prophecies He fulfilled, including this one in Isaiah. We get to celebrate the rescue offered to those who believe in Him and celebrate that Jesus is God with us!
Questions:
1. When you think about Jesus as a judge and a King, what qualities about Him come to mind?
2. What is one thing you can do today to celebrate that Jesus is “God with us”?