THE MESSIAH AND THE MESSIANIC AGE It was not possible for the prophet Isaiah to confine himself to contemporary events, or even to those of the near future, he looked forward to eternal salvation, to anticipate the amazing work of God, not through the fall of Assyria, and the return of the little honest remnant to Judah, but rather, through the fall of the devil, and the gathering together of believers, of Jews and Gentiles, as members of one body, to enjoy the amazing Messianic Kingdom. 1. The appearance of Jesse’s offspring 1. 2. The Savior and God’s Spirit 2. 3. The works of the Savior 3-4. 4. Features of the Messianic age 5-9. 5. Peace among nations 10-16. 1. THE APPEARANCE OF JESSE’S OFFSPRING In the ninth chapter, he talked about the Savior, as being the “Wonderful Child”: “For unto us a child is born... And His name will be called: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.” (Is. 9: 6) But here, he confirms his ‘humanity,’ being the King the Son of Jesse. “There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” (Is. 11: 1) He did not say ‘the Son of David,’ although He legally is, but he intended to present Him in a very modest image, as a rod and a branch of Jesse, who lived and died humble. The strange thing is that the offspring of King David was remarkably weekend, until St. Joseph and the Virgin St. Mary came in total poverty. The previous chapter, while talking of Assyria, representing the enemy of the Church, as “bough of high stature” (Is. 10: 33), the Messiah appears as a humble “rod or branch,” who intended to crush ‘pride,’ the destroyer of mankind, through His humility. And as the Church says about Him, in Good Friday: ‘He demonstrated through weakness (the cross), what is greater than strength.’ That is Christ; He was conceived through the power of God, from a Virgin, of the offspring of Jacob, father of Judah, and father of the Jews, an offspring of Jesse1. Justin the Martyr 2. THE SAVIOR AND GOD’S SPIRIT “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” (Is. 11: 2) As the Lord Christ came, a representative of humanity, the Holy Spirit rested upon Him, who is not a stranger to Him, being His Spirit. The resting of the Holy Spirit upon Christ is different from its resting upon us. For Him, it is a “Personal” resting, being One with Him, in the same essence, with the Father, a resting without limit. As for us, it is a free gift, and a grace, granted to us in Jesus Christ, as much as our nature can stand, to work on its continuous renewal. That is why it is said about the Lord Christ: “For it pleased the Father, that in Him, all the fullness should dwell.” (Colossians 1: 19) “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead 1 Apology 1:32. bodily.” (Colossians 2: 9) “And of His fullness, we have all received, and grace for grace.” (John 1: 16) The Word of God is wisdom itself, the understanding and the might. The resting of the Holy Spirit on Him is not a temporarily resting, but it is an eternal union between the three Persons. Through the divine incarnation, our Lord Jesus, received the Holy Spirit resting upon Him, in order to grant us in Him, as members of His Body the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Grantor of the wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord. Some may ask: Why did the Holy Spirit rest upon the Lord Christ at His Epiphany? We answer2: The Holy Spirit had His role in the incarnation of the Logos. And as the divinity of the Lord has never parted from His humanity, therefore His humanity was never isolated from the Holy Spirit, and was not in need of its renewal, as it has never fallen in sin, and the old man had no place in Him. The Lord received baptism in order to “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3: 15); namely, to present to us a new righteousness, to carry in us through His Holy Body. The resting of the Holy Spirit upon Him was as a matter of fact for the sake of humanity that is sanctified in Him, receiving His Holy Spirit. St. Gregory of Nyssa says, [Today (Jesus) was baptized by John to purify what was defiled; and to let the Spirit descend from above, to raise man to heaven, and to raise the fallen who got down into shame. Christ has put right all evil; took complete humanity to save humanity; and to become an example for everyone of us. That is why He sanctifies the first fruit and fruit of every work He does, in order to give His subjects a good zeal to follow suit3.] St. Gregory Nazianzus talks of the work of the Holy Spirit in our life, as a source of goodness, saying, [He is called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ... He is God Himself. The Spirit of prophesy, of Truth, and of freedom. The Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, goodness and fear of God. He is the Creator of all. He fills all with His essence, and includes all things. He fills the world in His essence. Yet, despite that, the world cannot apprehend His might. He is good, straightforward, royal by nature, and not through adoption. He sanctifies, and is not sanctified. He measures, and is not measured. He grants fellowship, and is in no need of it. He fills, and is not filled. He is infinite, and not finite. He is glorified, with the Father and the Son. He is God’s finger, a fire as God (the Father). He is the Creator Spirit that recreates through Baptism and Resurrection. He is the Spirit who knows everything, that blows wherever He desires. He instructs, sends, designates, proclaims, illuminates, and gives life; He is light and life. He creates temples and grants deification (i.e. fellowship with God). He grants perfection even before Baptism (as what happened with Cornelius, Acts 10: 9). After Baptism, you seek it as a gift... to do in us the divine work; divides للمؤلف: الروح القدس بین المیلاد الجدید والتجدید المستمر، 1981 ، ص 2 .215 3 De Bapt. Christii. into tongues of fire, distributing gifts. He designates apostles, prophets, evangelists, priests, and preachers. He teaches in several ways; clearly inspiring the hearts...4] 3. WORKS OF THE SAVIOR “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 the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.” (Is. 11: 3, 4) a. The Lord Christ offers to us a living portrait of how to deal with others; namely not to base our relations merely on outer appearances; and not to let our senses be the main criteria for making our decisions. As the sense of smell is the quickest in man’s life, it should be saturated, together with the other senses, with the fear of God. Here we have to differentiate between three kinds of fear: slivery fear; fear of laborers; and filial fear. Slaves fear their masters lest they kill them; laborers fear their employers lest they deprive them of their wages; while children fear their parents lest they hurt their feelings. That exalted fear, is the one granted to us by the Holy Spirit, in order to fear God, not for the sake of avoiding punishment, or deprivation of reward, but because we are children who do not want to hurt their father’s feelings. b. “He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,” (Is. 11: 3) but according to the inner depths, being aware of the hearts, thoughts and intentions. The Lord takes a stand, against what has been the common practice in the days of Isaiah, when judges used to judge according to appearances and faces. This partiality was a curse that often affects those committed to responsibilities of leadership. The Lord had been very firm as far as that situation is concerned. He used to rebuke the scribes, Pharisees and Seduces for their hypocrisies, while compassionately inviting children, and mildly treating tax collectors and sinners. c. Rejecting human telltale: “Nor decide by the hearing of His ears.” (Is. 11: 3) d. Taking interest in “the poor and the meek of the earth.” (Is. 11: 4) e. “He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth.” (Is. 11: 4) The Lord came to strike with His word (the rod of His mouth), with the two-edged “sword of His mouth” (Revelation 2: 16; 19: 6) whoever attached himself to the love of earthly things, to become like earth. His goal was to destroy in us worldly love, to raise all our energies toward the heavenly things. He came to put to death, with His Holy Spirit (the breath of His lips), human hypocrisy, so that believers would live by the Holy Spirit in them, without getting preoccupied with the deceiving appearances. f. “Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.” (Is. 11: 5) Rich people in the Near East used to wear a belt ornamented with golden threads, as a mark of splendor and dignity, as well as to raise up the wide robe. The poor on the other hand especially slaves used a cheap sort of belt, to raise up their garments, to help them to move swiftly for the sake of serving their masters and guests. Soldiers also used that belt. Anyway, the Lord Christ came to the world a spiritual King, girded with the belt of righteousness and faithfulness, as a sign of beauty and splendor, being the Holy One, the Grantor of the holy life. At the same time, He came as a Servant, girded to wash the feet of humanity, and to sanctify all who come to Him. 4 Oration 5 on the Holy Spirit, 29. Righteousness is often likened to a robe or belt, as with the righteousness of Christ, with which we clothe ourselves to work and strife (Job 29: 13; Psalm 109: 18, 19; Ephesians 6: 13. 17; Revelation 19: 8). 4. FEATURES OF THE MESSIANIC AGE After talking about the work of the Lord Christ, he proceeded to talk about the Messianic age, presenting to us a living portrait of it, its most prominent feature is the union of humanity, believing in Him, in one body, carrying the nature of love and peace; leading a life in which all signs of rebellion, violence, love of blood shedding, killing, and destruction, have disappeared. He portrays that messianic age, saying, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb.” (Is. 11: 6) There is no greater contrast, the blood thirsty wolf dwelling with the defenseless meek lamb; a ferocious man with a wolfy heart dwelling with one as meek as a lamb; carrying a new nature governed by a law of love and companionship. He, who has been a wolf before, is not anymore threatening the lamb nor the lamb fearing him. All are turned into one flock, carrying the new nature in Jesus Christ. “The leopard shall lie down with the young goat.” (Is. 11: 6) The first is some animal that watches his prey to jump over it, while the other is carelessly playing around, challenging the leopard to attack it. Yet the beastly nature of violence has been taken away from the leopard, to let it lie down with the young goat. “The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” (Is. 11: 6) A strange flock, of no harmony, with an equally strange leadership! Who could imagine a little child leading such a flock? That little child refers to the religious leadership of the Church, that can, with the spirit of simplicity, with the Spirit of the Lord, turn believers of different nations and of various cultures into a meek flock, submitting with the spirit of the gospel, as though to a little child. The meek leaderships, as a little child, that does not know the love of authority, can turn young lions into meek lambs, through the work of Spirit of the Lord. “The cow and the bear shall graze.” (Is. 11: 7) St. Clement of Alexandria5, believes that the cow refers to Jews, being among animals under yoke, clean according to the Law, while the bear refers to the Gentiles and pagan nations, being savage, and unclean according to the Law. According to the Messianic age, members of Jew origin, would gather together with others of the Gentiles in a unified “flock,” under the leadership of One Good Shepherd. A bear, although fierce, yet it is relatively slow in movement. That is why a grazing cow would be for it, a valuable and easy prey, not like a young ox. Despite that situation, we see an amazing atmosphere of reconciliation and companionship between them, as well as in between their young ones; as it is said: “Their young ones shall lie down together.” (Is. 11: 7) That was what actually happened, as the new generations of the Church of the New Testament came with no distinction between those of Jewish origin and of Gentile origin. “And the lion shall eat straw like the ox,” (Is. 11: 7) having lost its beastly nature, and turned into a domesticated animal, that does not seek flesh but straw for food. “And the nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.” (Is. 11: 8) The cobra and the viper have lost their fatal venom. The Lord Christ worked on changing the savage human nature through His 5 Strom. 4:6. ministers, with their spirit of meekness. The church as a whole both ministers and ministered, carrying the spirit of love and unity, being the Holy Mountain of the Lord, would not be infected with corruption. “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord” (Is. 11: 9); not just a pure philosophical intellectual knowledge, but it is one of convergence, union, and practical experience of the new life in the Lord. That spiritual knowledge would naturally fill the life of believers, realized through the incarnation of the Word of God, who came to let us know the Truth and the work of His Holy Spirit. “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Is. 11: 9) The Lord Himself says, “All your children shall be taught by the Lord” (John 6: 45; Is. 54: 13; Jeremiah 31: 34; Micah 4: 2; Hebrew 8: 10; 10: 16). St. Macarius the Great talks to us about that practical spiritual knowledge, saying, [As the soul unifies with the comforting Spirit, in an indescribable companionship, completely melding with the Spirit, would become itself worthy to be counted as a Spirit. Through its mixing with it, all of it would turn into a light, an eye, a spirit, joy, comfort, love, goodness, and compassion6.] 5. PEACE AMONG NATIONS a. The Lord Christ came to establish His kingdom of all peoples and nations; granting peace to true believers. “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people. For the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious.” (Is. 11: 10) The apostle Paul quoted this prophecy, as he talked about the Gentiles glorifying God for His mercy upon them (Romans 15: 6, 12), indicating that saying “that day” was realized by the coming of the Messiah, who embraced the Gentiles in His kingdom. The Lord Jesus Christ became like a “Banner,” around which He could “gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad” (John 11: 52), to become one flock for one Shepherd. The Lord became a Banner, that proclaims divine love, in the deepest form, having been lifted up on the cross, with His hands stretched to embrace the whole world in His bosom (John 12: 32); joyfully preaching the gospel of salvation, that restored to man his former dignity, and his conquest of the forces of darkness; opening for him the gates of paradise. He says, “The Gentiles shall seek Him,” the desire of nations; sought by the Greeks (John 12: 20, 21). The Centurion Cornelius of the Gentiles sent for Simon Peter to hear from him about the Lord Christ (Acts 10). “His resting place shall be glorious.” (Is. 11: 10) Meaning by this, His cross that was previously considered as shame became, through His resurrection, a glory. His empty tomb turned into a sanctuary for believers; apprehending in it the Truth of their Christ, the Grantor of Life and resurrection. b. The Lord Christ embraced into His Church, the remnant that received salvation, who were scattered abroad (Acts 2; James 1: 1; 1 Peter 1: 1). Thus the prophet says, “It shall come to pass on that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time, to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Assyria and Egypt, from Pathros and Cush; from Elam and Shinar; from Hamath and the islands of the sea.” (Is. 11: 11) This prophecy was fulfilled on the day of the Pentecost, and also through the ministry of the apostles. Along the generations it will be realized in a greater degree in the last days, when the Jews will receive faith in the Lord Christ, as said by the apostle Paul (Romans 11: 11-27). On that day, the new receivers of faith of the Jews would join the Church that has previously embraced the 6 Hom. 18:10. Gentiles, to make of all of them members of one body. “He will set up a banner for the nations; and will assemble the outcasts of Israel; and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” (Is. 11: 12) Some scholars7 try to count that as a glory for the nation of Israel in a literal way. But it is here, rather a proclamation of the glory of the Church that embraces both Jews and Gentiles together, from all corners of the earth, without any racial distinction. All becoming one Church, that carries the banner of her One Christ. c. The union that took place between Israel (Ephraim) and Judah after their return from captivity, after long generations of animosity, presents a portrait of the union anticipated between the Jews and the Gentiles (Is. 11: 13). In the past, the Philistines, peoples of Edom, Ammon, Moab, Egypt, were all opponents of the people. That is why God granted His people the possibility of overcoming them (Is. 11: 14 - 16). However, in the New Testament, victory would not turn into instruments for destruction but for construction. God, who turned the sea into an instrument of salvation for His people, letting them walk across it, is capable of drying up every resistance in the hearts of nations, to open up the highway of the Messianic Kingdom. In other words, He who got His people out of the land of Egypt, crossing with them the Red Sea, and let them cross from Assyria after the captivity (Is. 11: 16), would help nations to cross over to His kingdom, in spite of all difficulties that may face them. 7 Bultema, p. 149.
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