Isaiah 11:1

And there shall come forth a rod— The fifth section of the fifth discourse, beginning here, and concluding with the next chapter, is twofold: in the first part, the kingdom of Jesus Christ is described; in what manner, arising from the smallest beginnings, it should go on to increase, till at length it should attain the highest perfection, Isaiah 11:1. In the second part are set forth some remarkable events of that kingdom, illustrating its glory, with their consequences, Isaiah 11:10 to chap. Isaiah 12:6. The first part again is twofold: 1st, Exhibiting to us the king or ruler of this glorious kingdom, Isaiah 11:1 who is described by his birth, and humble state after his birth; Isaiah 11:1 by his qualities, eminent endowments, or virtues; Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 3:2 nd, We have the entire oeconomy of this kingdom, Isaiah 11:4 where this oeconomy is set forth, as well with respect to the true subjects of the kingdom,—ver. 4 to the middle, as with respect to its enemies and adversaries, in the remainder of the 4th verse. The reason and foundation of that oeconomy are delivered in the fifth verse; after which are set forth the excellent consequences, that is to say, the flourishing and desirable state of the kingdom, to be known from its attributes; among which are peace and concord among the subjects of every different kind and nation, combining in one faith, and performing obedience to the same king, Isaiah 11:6 and also the removal and destruction of all those hurtful and destructive things from which the kingdom might apprehend any detriment, together with the exuberance of the knowledge of God and his ways, Isaiah 11:9. There can be no doubt, from the particle and, and from the manifest opposition of the sentences, that this prophesy is in immediate connection with that preceding. After the prophet had said that the Assyrian forest and tree should be entirely cut off and destroyed, ch. Isaiah 10:33 he observes, that it shall be very different with the house of David; from whose trunk, though cut down, a king shall arise and flourish, who shall subject the whole world to himself. From a review of ch. Isaiah 9:4 Isaiah 16:4 Isaiah 31:8 Isaiah 32:1 the connection of these Chapter s will appear more evident. The prophet, borne away by the divine Spirit, saw more in the breaking of the Assyrian yoke, and the deliverance procured for the church in the time of Hezekiah by the hand of God, than is seen by the carnal eye: he beheld in this remarkable event an example of the true deliverance and vengeance which the Son of God, about to erect his kingdom in this world, would hereafter perform for his church: the whole scheme of that divine oeconomy was before his eyes: he saw the anti-type in the type; the truth in the figure; in the example of the deliverance from Assyria, an image of the true and perfect deliverance: in the fall of the king of Assyria he contemplated the fall of all the enemies, and of Satan, the chief of those enemies, who have opposed themselves to God and his kingdom in the world, from the birth of the church; and thence, in prophetic rapture, having mentioned the overthrow of the Assyrian, leaping over the intermediate times and events, he thus continues his prophesy: And there shall come forth a rod from the trunk of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. We may just remark, that a continued prophetic oration often coheres less with the parts preceding, than with the thoughts of the prophet, with which it ought truly to be connected; whence those various transitions so observable in all the prophetic writings; for, as the prophets thought more than they spoke or wrote, they left their discourse to be supplied by their readers and hearers; which is to be prudently interpreted, according to the analogy and history of other prophesies: as here when it is said, And Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one; and there shall come forth a rod from the trunk of Jesse; we are thus to understand it, according to the mind and ideas of the prophet, "And after their fall, and other notable events, to happen in process of time, according to their order; among which will be the Babylonish captivity, the departure of the sceptre of the house of David, the kingdom of the Asmoneans, and afterwards of the Herods, to be joined with the remarkable humiliation of the house of David; a rod shall come forth from this trunk of David, so cut down and reduced, under whose kingdom the church shall obtain a perfect deliverance." See Vitringa, where many examples of a similar connection are produced. The metaphorical expressions made use of in this verse are designed to set forth, not only the humble birth of the Messiah from the family of David, when that family was greatly reduced, the posterity of Jesse being few only, and the kingdom of David destroyed; but that he should be born in such a way, by virtue of the promise given to the fathers, that in his birth something divine might be observed, and a great expectation of him should be raised from his origin and first appearance. See John 7:42. The birth of Jesus Christ fully verified this prophesy.