FBC Morning Light – September 2, 2023

Good Saturday morning, people of faith. We are going to be looking at Isaiah chapter 11 this morning, and as you go there, I wonder if you've ever played the game, Who Am I? Let's try this out. Let's say I have a brother, Aaron, and a sister, Miriam, and with Miriam we sang a song about the horse and rider thrown into the sea, and if you got that far, you probably know that that's Moses, right?

Let's try another one. I was taken to Babylon as a young man, likely made a eunuch, and interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dreams, and was a leader amongst the people of the Babylonians, and by that much, you probably know that it was Daniel.

The Branch from Jesse in Isaiah 11

Well, let me read this, and let's see if you can figure out, Who Am I? There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes nor decide by the hearing of his ears. But with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

He shall strike the earth with a rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his loins, and faithfulness the belt of his waist. If you didn't know any better, you might think that this was written in the New Testament.

Christ's Righteous Rule and Omniscience

It is so much like our Lord Jesus Christ, and that is clearly who it is talking about here. He is the one. Notice that it says that he will not judge with his eyes or with his ears because he will know.

He will know. He knows all. He is the Lord God. I wanted to follow this thought here at the end of verse 4. It says,. And with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. This past Sunday, Pastor's message in the Sunday morning service was from Revelation.

We're going to go to Revelation a little bit, but I'm going to look at 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 8, and listen to what this says. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth.

Any question now that it's the Lord that is going to be the one who slays the wicked with the breath of his mouth? Listen to what it says in Revelation chapter 1 and verse 16. This is about our, well, let me go back a few verses here.

The Son of Man in Revelation 1

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me, starting in verse 12. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands in the midst of the seven lampstands, one like the Son of Man, closed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with golden band.

His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass as if refined in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. He had in his right hand seven stars.

Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his countenance was like the sun, shining in its strength. And then later in the book of Revelation, we see this sword coming out of his mouth again.

Let me see if I got it marked correctly. It says, now I saw heaven open and behold a white horse, and he who sat on him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns.

He had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And his armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses.

Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations. And he himself will rule with a rod of iron. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

This is who Isaiah was referring to in Isaiah 11. This one who is faithful and just and righteous and true, and he will rule the nations with a rod of iron. And out of his mouth, with the breath of his mouth, the wicked will be destroyed.

It is this God whom we serve and whom we worship. Let's ponder this today and let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for this picture of justice that you will bring, of the righteousness that you will bring.

In the midst of everyday life, sometimes it's easy to get lost in the busyness of the day and get outraged by the unrighteous things that people do and the unjust things that happen to people. But we know that you are righteousness, and you are just, and you will rule in righteousness and justice.

Thank you for this reassuring word. It's in your son's name, Jesus, we pray. Amen. Have an excellent day, people of faith.