Continuing our Advent series from the Prophet Isaiah 11, as we look to the reading of God’s word, if you’d please join with me in prayer. Heavenly Father, as we meet now in your presence, we ask that you would open our ears to hear your voice, to open our hearts, to love you more and more, to open our souls, to receive your word in its fullness, that your son Jesus, the word made flesh, would be glorified and honored in our lives. For it is in his name that we do pray. Amen. Amen. Isaiah 11, beginning in verse 6, The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat. The calf and the lion and the fatty calf together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole, the cobra. The winged child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
In that day, the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples, of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. The word of God. There has never been a time in history when someone was not fighting somewhere with someone else. Conflict is a universal condition of fallen humanity. We’ve seen this spill over into world wars or smolder at low-level border wars between neighbors. It could be neighboring countries or just next door neighbors. We certainly see it with people, but we also see it in the animal world. Dogs have jumped out of moving vehicles to their own harm to try and attack another one who was walking along the road. When we hear then the When we see the prophet Isaiah speak of predators and prey, peacefully co-existing, it gets our attention. What is he talking about? It’s hard for us to imagine a world without conflict and hostility, and we wonder, how is the new king going to accomplish this? And when will he accomplish this? These are the questions that we have. And with Isaiah, we hear these echoes of Jesus telling us that the meek shall inherit the earth.
But we don’t seem any closer to this ideal now than in Isaiah’s day. But because Jesus has come to end hostilities to protect the vulnerable, as members of his body, the church, we are to be his peace and his presence to the world. Isaiah is writing in a time when conflict was at a premium, Assyria was the current superpower, knocking people around, and Babylon is warming up in the bullpen to take their turn. Because they have rebelled against God. Hard times are ahead for Israel. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah are mostly words of judgment. But scattered throughout them are these rays of messianic brightness. As we saw last week, from this hewn down stump of Israel, a new king was going to emerge, one whom the spirit of the Lord would remain permanently, one who will be righteous. He will He will bring justice to the poor and the needy. He will not be swayed by the rich and the powerful. He will have the discernment to deal with the heart. If you recall, I mentioned our fascination with heroes. And part of this rises from a desire to have someone who’s able to set our messed up world aright.
We want them to be beautiful and dazzling because we’re not. We often feel like an old stump, cut off, no growth, no vitality, power. And we want a hero who can come, who can judge things fairly and is strong enough to stop the hostilities. But do you see the limitations with this? A parent is strong enough to separate arguing kids, but still can’t make them behave. Push them apart, keep them apart. He’s looking at me. No, I’m not. It was her. It’s her fault. Leave me alone, and on it goes. You can keep them separate as much as you want. You have all the power to do that, but you can’t stop the mouth moving. You can’t stop with coming out of the heart. Fortunately for us, Isaiah’s prophecy doesn’t end simply with the power and the reign of the Messiah. We see him fold into how profound change is going to take place at the nature of a human heart, that this righteous king is going to change our nature. His peace, his presence are going to flow from his righteousness into the world. We’re looking first then at this righteous peace. We’re given a series of contrasting pairs.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the lion, the fatted calf together, and the little child shall lead them, the cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together, the lion eat straw like the ox. Predator and prey living in harmony with one another, a child who’s able to lead them. That’s an amazing picture. Messiah’s world is so profoundly changed that a little one is safe and secure among beast. We think that’s not what we see. That’s not our world. We see that with humans. We see that in the animal world around us. Some of you may be familiar here with author Annie Dillard. She lived for several years in near solitude next to Tinker Creek in Virginia. In her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, she wrote on her Reflections of Nature, and she struggled to come to terms with its cruelty. In one graphic paragraph, she describes how a giant water bug sucked a little frog dry. And seeing the carnage and the cruelty of the natural world, the insect world, She wrote this. She said, Cock Robin may die the most gruesome of slow deaths, and nature is no less pleased.
The sun comes up, the creek rolls on, the survivor still sing. I cannot feel this way about your death, nor you about mine, nor either of us about the robins. Although it’s true that we are moral creatures in an immoral world, the world’s amorality does not make it a monster. Rather, I am the freak. These poetic observations of the natural world reflect a shared experience. I’m sure many of us have felt this way, looking at the world around us, seeing the way things are, and recognizing something is profoundly wrong. It’s not the way it’s supposed to be. Think of that well-known line from Thomas Hobbes, The Life of Man, Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. So, Isaiah, he gets our attention with these images. He continues with one even more startling. Verse 8, he says, The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra. The wean child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. And you get a little shiver there thinking about that too much. It’s just, oh, my goodness, a child reaching out towards a viper. And that’s this picture. Of restoration. Calvin put this really well. It’s in your book, but he said, Christ will come to drive away everything hurtful out of the world, to restore it to its former beauty, the world which lay under the curse.
That’s such an apt picture that Jesus is coming to restore everything, to bring it back to its former glory and beauty. Now, most commentators understand these images given in the animal kingdom as a symbolic way to speak about the hostilities and the protection of the vulnerable by the Messiah. These wild and ravenous nations that keep harming God’s people will be transformed by the Messiah’s peace. That makes sense of the rest of the chapter, which does speak of these nations being drawn into the Kingdom through this new Davidic ruler. And verse 9, it begins and tells us this, That they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. And that makes more sense if it’s talking about people than of animals. Could this speak of the animal kingdom, what it will be like when the Lord restores all things? Sure. Teeth, stomachs, instincts are all going to have to change for that to take place. But what that will be yet is to be revealed. The immediate concern of God’s people here is the danger of the ravenous nations that stand opposed to them. Isaiah is going to go on to say in chapter 32, he said, The fruit of righteousness is peace, Shalom.
That will reign in humanity through the rule of the Prince of Peace. This new era of peace will be safe for the weakest and the most vulnerable member of it. But the good news doesn’t just stop there. This Messiah will also be present to his people. There’s a righteous presence that goes forth. Verse 9, For the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the water covers the sea. I’ve heard that somewhere else in the Book of Habakkuk, a very similar idea. The prophet there says, For the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the water covered the sea. The Lord’s words of truth shall cover the land. The righteous King will be present through his words. If you go back to verse 4, He shall strike down the earth with what? The rod of his mouth. With the breath of his lips, he shall kill the wicked. Again, that picture in revelation of the sword coming out of the mouth of Jesus, it’s a very unusual one. We think of a king wielding a sword in his hand, but this is an image of coming out of his mouth.
Through his words, he’s present to the world. Jesus came not in the role of a king in his first coming, but as the role of a teacher. He was called rabbi because of his teachings. The gospel is frequently He remind us that people were amazed at his authority in his teaching. At his resurrection, when he departs, he tells his disciples that they are to make disciples of the nations. How? Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. It is through his body, the church, that the presence of his teaching comes into the world. To cover it. The waters cover the sea. And what shall be its effect? ‘ Verse 10, In that day, the root of Jesse, tying it back to verse 1, ‘Who shall stand as a signal for the peoples? Of him shall the nations inquire, at his resting place will be glorious. That insignificant and lowly one from Jesse will now draw the nations to himself. He will be their rallying point. He’s the banner, the flag, the signal on the hill that everyone is running to to regroup. Immediately the question, When is this going to take place? That’s part of the problem with biblical prophecy is always trying to figure this out.
Much of the time is after the fact we put all the dots together. But the language is often poetic and symbolic, and we can miss the main point if we don’t grasp the language that’s being used. Not just our problem. Because of Malachi’s prediction that Elijah would come before the Messiah, many in Jesus’ day understood the role of John the Baptist. He was the Elijah to come, not literally Elijah. As Gabriel the angel said, he will come in the spirit and the power of Elijah, the prophet. But he was still John, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the relative of Jesus. He was not a reincarnation of Elijah. Sometimes we hit these images and we’re like, What exactly is being said? What are they pointing us to? They’re pointing us to this profound change that the Messiah brings into the world. And with that, we understand what we often refer to as the here and the not yet part of this fulfillment. Since his first coming, there are truly and substantially changed things in the world. That’s the here part. At the same time, the fullness of what Jesus has yet to take place is to come.
The renewal of all things, the resurrection of the dead, it waits until his second coming. It’s hugely important for us to grasp because if we make a mistake about this, we can get things out of order. We can misunderstand what’s going on. These fulfillments in Christ comes through the Church, the capital C Church, the body of Christ. We are Christ’s proclamation and presence to the world now. We are a part of the here, even as we wait for the not yet. Paul in Romans 15, he actually quotes from verse 10 of Isaiah here. He says, The Gentiles coming to faith in Christ in his day is a part of fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. Paul was actively participating in the mission of Christ in his own ministry. One of the key issues that Paul wrote about to the various churches was about Jews and Gentiles getting along, that there is to be an end to the hostilities between them. Much of the New Testament letters talk about this, this hostility between these two groups of people. Paul is saying it must end if we are in Christ. He goes on in Romans 15, he says, For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the Jews to show God’s truthfulness in order to confirm the promises that he gave to the patriarch in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
He’s tying these together. Jesus came to fulfill the promises given to the Jewish people that includes the Gentiles’ inclusion because of the mercy and the wonder of God. He goes on. He says, For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, including the prophet Isaiah. He lists a whole bunch of prophecies, Isaiah in several places. That through endurance, through encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. He says, May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another that together you may, with one voice, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. How is the knowledge of the Lord going to cover the land as waters cover the Earth? This, this is how. The glory of God covering the land as we see God’s people living in harmony with one another, as we see that we are the fulfillment in part of what Isaiah has been prophesying about. Notice that Paul is not just sitting on his hands, looking to some future time when all these wonderful things will take place.
No, he’s actively a part of it. He’s part of fulfillment, telling the churches, Jews and Gentiles, that they are now together and they are included. And getting along with one another, living in harmony with one another is the fruit of Christ’s righteousness. It’s his peace and his presence in the world. Now, one of the reasons it is so easy for us to go, Oh, it wouldn’t be nice when these things will be true in heaven? You You can read through scriptures like Isaiah and think, Oh, won’t that be nice? Somewhere off in the far, far future. Kind of like fantasizing over, What would it be like if I won the lottery? Oh, yeah. Think of all the things that I would do and have with all this money. That’s not what’s taking place. This isn’t pie in the sky for tomorrow. This is now. How do predators and prey come together now? How? How are those who are at odds with one another become friends now? Very clearly, through the reconciliation of Jesus. We recognize with this that forgiveness is hard work. As we have been forgiven, as we have been reconciled to the Father through the Son, so now you and I are to be ministers of reconciliation.
We are to forgive others that have sinned against us. In Romans 14, Paul is dealing with the weaker brothers and sisters, and he says this. He says, For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy spirit. So let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual building up. Paul captures the very heart of Isaiah. He’s just saturated with it. The righteousness and the peace that Isaiah is proclaiming and the joy that is coming Paul is saying expressly, this is happening now. It’s happening in God’s people. How do wolves and lambs come together? By the work of Jesus changing hearts. Romans 12, Paul says very explicitly how this gets worked out. He says, Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice. We Weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to what is honorable in the sight of all. That is how this gets fulfilled in part.
Paul’s a realist. He goes on. He says, If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. And he knows that not everyone wants to live at peace with you, and you can’t change that. But as far as you can, live at peace. You can’t make everybody your friend. But you can deal with your heart towards them. This is what King Jesus, ruling and reigning, looks like now. In Jesus, we have a new king unlike any before. He came to lay down his life for his sheep. He transforms the heart of wolves and he makes them lambs. He changes us from the inside out that our natures are changed. That is really good news. It’s good news that changes us. It will require us to look and sound differently if we want to reflect the glory of Christ’s truth to the world. We’ll have to look differently. One pastor made the remark, he said, growing up in his day, he said, Sins against unity were seeing like driving 60 in a 55. Not really a big deal. Like, Oh, you shouldn’t do that. But sins against truth or doctrine, people wanted capital punishment.
Brothers and sisters, that ought not to be. We don’t divide what the Lord has joined together. Unity and truth are one. They’re united in Jesus. The righteousness of Christ brings his peace, his proclamation to the world. And striving for harmony that Paul speaks about is a demonstration of the very truth that Christ proclaims. When Jesus speaks of blessed are the meek, blessed are the peace makers, this is not pie in the sky. And this is what following Jesus looks like. That we follow him in this way, that the fulfillment that he is bringing to the world, ending hostilities, begins in the lives in the hearts of his people, that we are that changed community. We were once wolves and lions. We were once predators, hostile to the very good things of God. And he has changed our nature. And because of that, we then get to be his righteousness, peace, and joy, his presence to the world. That the reality and the truth of that comes through his people, the church, big sea church, the Catholicity of God’s people. And as we walk in unity with one another, and as we speak well of each other, as we demonstrate the reality that King Jesus is our Lord and we are submitted to his rule and reign, and how we speak about others, how we care for those who don’t like us, that is a real demonstration of the power of Christ, breaking into a world in desperate need of the end of hostilities.
This is a pie in the sky. We’re not simply like, Oh, well, someday Jesus will make it better. Yes and Amen. Someday Jesus will fully make it better. Right now, he is doing that through his people, the church. We are going into the world. We are proclaiming his truth. We are that proclamation. And that is more than words. It comes with an entire package of a changed heart and conduct and behavior. That is why it’s such good news. We are not relegated to be the same people. That we are now able to go and to be pacemakers as far as possible. Not everybody wants to be a peace. But that’s a part now of Of what it means to walk after Jesus, to follow him. And how we display that in the world around us is a real visible demonstration of the reality that we have submitted ourselves to Jesus. It’s not enough to simply have a doctrinal awareness of these truths, because these truths are never by themselves. It comes with a living this out. Unity and harmony is not… Breaking that is not going 60 and a 55. And we need to stop thinking of it that way.
And how we, again, how we talk about one another, how we talk about the people around us and out there. That you can say, I pray and wish that there are wolves and lions that I want them to know the person and work of Jesus, that he would transform and change their nature. And how, Lord God, can you use me to be a part of that message to them? How can I walk into, even as we’re entering into the Christmas season, which speaks so wonderfully and beautifully these truths, and we’re coming into homes and families where it is a den of vipers at times, isn’t it? How can I go into the midst of this? How can I be the righteousness and peace of Christ, his joy, and his presence here in this moment. That’s why we’re supernaturalists. There’s not a one of us to have this in ourselves. We believe it’s the transforming work of the Holy spirit in us that enables us to be Christ’s presence to the world. That it’s not us, it’s him. He’s got the power. He is doing this through us. We don’t have to think of this simply as, again, pie in the sky, one day things will be better.
No, we actually get to enter into places of darkness, places of conflict, and we get to be peacemakers. We get to be those who are meek, those who are willing to bear the condemnation of others in their persecutions, in their words and their curses so that Jesus would be glorified in our lives. That he would be so much more radiating and beautiful through his church, which we are a part. Just know that when you cast stones at Christians in the church, if you’re a Christian, you’re in the church. You’re a part of the body of Christ. Giving yourself a black eye is not going to do much for you. You’re one of us, too. And we need the person and work of Jesus. We need the person and work of Jesus. We need the vision that Isaiah is presenting to us. This is what the Messiah does as he enters into the world. And he enters into the world through us. That’s a Christmas gift. Pray with me. Father, thank you. Thank you so much. Lord, we were all wolves and lions and leopards. Father, all of us. And you came into our darkness. You brought to us the light of Jesus.
Thank you. And Father, we ask that you would be pleased then to use us as your light to the world around us. Father, that your goodness, your righteousness would be demonstrated through us. Lord, we long to see the name of Jesus lifted high. Lord, one day every tribe and every tongue and every nation will confess him as Lord, that you will subdue all of your enemies. Father, until you do that in fullness, may you now impart through your people, bring glory to the work of Jesus. We pray and ask this in his mighty name. Amen.
Discaimer: This sermon text was generated by an automated transcription service.