The character of our King – the Spirit of wisdom (Isa 11:1-2)

As we continue exploring the revelation about the promised King, Messiah, we land in Isa 11:1-9 that expands on the picture painted in Isa 9:6-7 and describes a wise king. The intervening chapters reiterate the people’s sin, their chastisement and that eventually a remnant will return to the Lord. Our reading opens with the description of a shoot from the stem or stump of Jesse, suggesting a felled tree and indicating that this godly king will be a new start after judgment. Indeed, the reference to Jesse reminds us of the beginnings of the Davidic monarchy: God raised an insignificant son of an unknown family to great power (1 Sam 16:1-13). Once again, when this new development unfolds of a shoot springing up from the stump, it will be at God’s initiative. After the Babylonian exile, Israel no longer had a Davidic king, so when Jesus was born, He represented a new beginning, but as a Davidic descendant, he also had continuity with ‘the stump’.

This King in Isaiah is characterised by the Spirit of the Lord that will rest on Him (Isa 11:2). Unlike earlier judges and kings who could lose God’s Spirit (e.g. Samson – Judg 14:6, 19; 16:20; Saul – 1 Sam 10:6; 16:14), Messiah’s possession of it will be lasting. As a result, He will have wisdom and understanding. Further, the Spirit of the Lord will give counsel and strength, a word pair that belongs together allowing the recipient to know what needs doing and the power to carry it out (notice also the parallel with Isa 9:6 – what describes God, ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God’, will be bestowed on the King through God’s Spirit).

Finally, the Spirit of the Lord will engender knowledge and the fear of the Lord. As in the previous two lines, this pair of descriptors belong together. In other words, what the Spirit imparts is not some general knowledge, which would be repeating the idea of wisdom and understanding, but knowledge of the Lord (notice how as a result of Messiah’s reign, the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord – Isa 11:9). Fear of the Lord completes the picture in that those who know God deeply, intimately at a relational level will respect and honour Him (the sense of fear here) and therefore live godly lives. The more we are attuned to the Lord and His ways, the more faithfully we will follow Him. It is out of this relationship and faithfulness that wisdom and counsel flow.

What is striking to me in this description is the role of the Spirit. Messiah achieves such wisdom and provides a godly reign because of the Lord’s empowerment of Him in the Spirit. When we think of the fulfilment of messianic prophecies in Jesus, we usually attribute His achievements to the fact that He is God. The gospels, however, are emphatic that in His humanity, He relied on the Spirit’s empowerment of Him, particularly mentioned at His baptism and as He goes into the wilderness to be tempted (e.g. Luke 3:21; 4:1). Jesus also quotes Isa 61:1 and states that these are fulfilled in Him (Luke 4:18, 21). Thus, His teaching (proclaiming good news), the release of captives and the giving of sight to the blind (both in physical terms of healing and spiritual terms of salvation) are the result of the Spirit’s activity.

This in no way diminishes Jesus’ status as God, but shows us how the Trinity, God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together in unity for the benefit of all creation. It should also inspire us with hope because this same Spirit has been given to us, who follow Jesus Christ (John 14:16-17). If Jesus in His humanity relied on the Holy Spirit to enable Him to do God’s work, then we can be encouraged that God likewise guides and equips us to fulfil our calling through the same Spirit. Thus, we are guided into all truths by the Spirit (John 16:14), the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead gives us new life from spiritual death (Rom 8:11), helps our weakness by interceding for us (Rom 8:26), enables us to resist the desires of the sinful nature (Gal 5:16) and produces the fruit of godly living (Gal 5:22).

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