“The Root of David”

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” (Isaiah 11:1)

It was not from Isaiah that the Jews mistakenly expected the Messiah to be a mighty temporal prince with armies that would break the yoke of Roman oppression.  From Jesse's stem a shoot will sprout forth and a green branch burst forth from its roots.

The very idea of a sucker springing from a hewn stump seems inconsistent with the idea of a mighty Messiah. At the time of Isaiah's work powerful empires such as Assyria and Babylon ruled the world. It would seem inconceivable that the Savior could arise from the lowly state of David's household.

During the time of another world power, the Roman Empire, at a time chosen by God,   when David's house was reduced to its lowest state, a virgin, a poor peasant girl, gave birth to a child who would be the savior of the world.

This savior was born into a poor family, born in a manger in the village of Bethlehem. Herod would have killed the child if he have been allowed.  After a  sojourn in Egypt, his parents made their home in lowly Nazareth. John records,  “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:11)

This sucker grew and began to receive attention.  Luke records:  “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men”. (Luke 2:52)  They marveled at his signs and wonders, and even his very words.  They were astonished at his wisdom and understanding.

Ultimately, the branch of Jesse became a wise teacher, a gracious healer, a suffering servant, and the means of victory over sin and death. The despised tree of David became a healer of nations whose fruit was for the redemption of a world in dead in sin.

Is he your savior?  He can be, if you will obey him.  (Hebrews 5:8,9)

By George Slover
 

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