The Rod From Jesse's Stem | The Institute for Creation Research

The Rod From Jesse's Stem

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And 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” (Isaiah 11:1,2).

This is one of the great prophecies of the Old Testament, clearly foretelling both the human and divine natures of the coming Messiah. Jesse was the father of David whose line of kingly heirs would eventually be cut off by virtue of their sins (e.g., Jeremiah 22:28–30; 36:30). Yet God had also promised David that his seed would, indeed, establish his throne forever (II Samuel 7:16; Jeremiah 33:17).

Therefore, there must somehow arise a “rod” (literally, “shoot”) out of the “stem” (literally, “dead stump”) of Jesse’s family tree, emerging as a live “Branch” from the roots of this tree. This would eventually be fulfilled in Christ’s virgin birth, with the legal right to David’s throne transmitted through Joseph (see the genealogy in Matthew 1:6–16), but the natural birth from Mary, a descendant of Jesse and David via Nathan, another of David’s sons (see Luke 3:23–32) who had not been in the kingly line.

Thus Christ was fully human from conception on, but the conception itself would have to be miraculous. At the same time, He would still retain His divine nature, for the seven spirits of God (note Revelation 1:4) would be fully present in Him. These seven spirits (actually one Holy Spirit, manifest sevenfold as the Spirit of the Lord, of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord) would be fully and constantly present in Him. Of no other man in all history could all this be said. Jesus Christ alone has fulfilled Isaiah’s ancient prophecy. “In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, . . . and His rest shall be glorious” (Isaiah 11:10). HMM

The Latest
NEWS
A Subsurface Ocean on Mimas?
Scientists have analyzed data obtained from the Cassini spacecraft and concluded that irregularities in the orbit of Saturn’s moon Mimas indicate...

NEWS
In Theaters March 20 & 21: The Ark and the Darkness
Is Genesis true? What about Noah’s Flood? How did Noah fit the animals on the ark? Wasn’t it a local flood? Have you asked these questions? Though...

NEWS
Enigmatic Fossil Plants
The pre-Flood world thousands of years ago was unlike the world of today.1 Unfamiliar animals and plants were common, and there were a lot...

NEWS
Surprisingly Colorful Fossil Snail Shells
Finding organic compounds such as flexible dinosaur collagen and complete bone cells1,2 is becoming common, much to the shock and consternation...

NEWS
March 2024 ICR Wallpaper
"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said." (Matthew 28:6 NKJV) ICR March 2024 wallpaper is now available for mobile, tablet,...

CREATION PODCAST
Homo Erectus: The Shocking Truth About the "Ape Man"...
Homo erectus, or "Upright Man," has been upheld as a piece of mankind's "evolutionary history" since its discovery in 1891....

NEWS
Mystery of Moths' Warning Sound
Insects of all types continue to amaze entomologists with their design and physiology. Cleveland Hickman, Jr., et al. stated, “insect ears are...

NEWS
Geneticist Fired for Affirming Humans Once Lived 900 Years?
Geneticist Alexander Kudryavtsev, the head of the Russian Academy of Science’s Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, has been fired, reportedly...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Kids: Solar Eclipses
Designed by Susan Windsor* You're never too young to be a creation scientist and explore our Creator's world. Kids, discover fun facts...

APOLOGETICS
Motmot's Beauty Displays God’s Gracious Design
Beauty is God’s good gift. Whatever is truly good and beautiful comes from God (James 1:17), whose own beauty is beyond words. King David longed...