The Messiah's Work (Isaiah 11:6-16)

Isaiah 11 is a powerful statement about the centrality of Jesus Christ in the plan of God. As we saw last time, verses 1-5 showed the virtue, power, and acts of the Messiah, Jesus. In verses 6-16, we see how the world will look after He comes in power. Specifically, He will bring peace (11:6-9), He will rule the nations (11:10), and He will regather the twelve tribes into the land of Israel (11:11-16).

Just as contemporary believers have questions about how God will remake the world when Christ returns, believers in Isaiah's time wanted to know the same, especially how He would fulfill His promises to Israel. 

Specifically, God had promised Abraham that his descendants would inhabit the land from the Euphrates to the Nile, by which they would bless the nations (Gen 15:18-21; 17:19-21; 22:15-19). He had also promised Moses that He would scatter Israel for breaking covenant with Him, but would return them to the land after they repented (Deut 4:25-27; 28:64-68; 30:1-5). Last, He had promised King David that one of His descendants would reign as King in Israel (2 Samuel 7:12-16; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14).

In our passage, Isaiah shows the complete fulfillment of these three promises through the work of the Messiah, Jesus.

First, Isaiah 11:6-9 shows how God will bless the world through the Messiah by giving a series of odd pairings: the wolf will lie with the lamb, the leopard with the goat, and the calves with lions (6). Cows and bears will graze together while lions likewise eat straw (7). Infants can play near cobra pits without any fear of danger (8). These pastoral images indicate peace and safety, from the holy mountain of Jerusalem throughout the entire earth (9). The Messiah will bring this by filling the land “as full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the sea is filled with water.” This accomplishment of worldwide peace, safety, and knowledge of God is an abundant fulfillment of God’s promise that “all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).

Next, Isaiah 11:10 describes the Messiah ruling the world: “On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will look to Him for guidance and His resting place will be glorious.” This will fulfill God’s promise to bring His king from the line of David. Not only will He reign from Israel (His “resting place”), He will reign over the whole world (becoming “a banner for the peoples”). This kingdom will last forever, as God told David, “I will appoint him over my house and my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever” (1 Chronicles 17:14).

Third, Isaiah 11:11-16 describes the return of all descendants of Israel to their land: “On that day Yahweh will extend His hand a second time to recover the remnant of His people who survive” (11:11). In the same way that God brought His people out of Egypt with plunder, when God brings Israel back to their land, they will “plunder the people of the east” at this time (11:14). He will even alter geography to make it easier to return, making “a highway for the remnant of His people” (16). This fulfills the promise to Israel through Moses regarding the return of His people.

In all these events, we see that God keeps His promises literally and that all His promises are kept (or as 1 Corinthians 1:20 says, they are “Yes and amen”) in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus was already faithful to suffer and die for our sins as Isaiah 52-53 foretold. In the future He will also reign over us in a glorious kingdom as Isaiah 11 describes. All glory be to Him!

Pastor David

PREVIOUS ARTICLES

3/26/2026 – The Love of God – Bryan

3/19/2026 – "The Fire That Would Not Go Out..." – Ed

3/12/2026 – Finally (Isaiah 11:1-5) – David

3/05/2026 – The Mercy of God – Bryan

2/26/2026 – "A Light on Maple Street" – Ed

2/19/2026 – Do Not Fear (Isaiah 10:20-34) – David

2/12/2026 – The Grace of God – Bryan

2/05/2026 – "Out of the Depths" – Ed

1/29/2026 – The Rod of God's Anger (Isaiah 10:5-19) – David

1/22/2026 – The Patience of God – Bryan

1/15/2026 – "The Shepherd who Left Home" – Ed

1/08/2026 – His Anger Doesn't Turn Back (Isaiah 9:8-10:4) – David

1/01/2026 – The Goodness of God – Bryan

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