A New Branch

 I have a lot of trees in my yard. I like trees because I like the shade, and they are very pretty to me. However, they can cause problems, too. The old branches break off, and I have to clean them up from time to time. Others were too close to my house, so I had to cut them down. Still, they are very resilient. After I cut them, it doesn't take long for new branches to start growing out of the stump. That is how God designed it so we would always have plenty of beautiful trees around us.

Isaiah uses this reality in nature to explain a spiritual reality. (Isaiah 11:1) "Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot - yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old stump." It is obvious from the context that God is talking about Jesus. He came from David's family as a fulfillment of God's prophecy to David that one of his descendants would sit on the throne forever. Yes, Jesus will reign forever as Lord of the universe.

The interesting truth of this verse is that it points out that all of what we have today grew out of the "old stump." God laid the foundation with Abraham and His covenant with him that all of the world would be blessed through him and his descendants. Jesus was the way for the whole world to be blessed. It was His death, burial, and resurrection that gave the way of  salvation to every person born into this world. It was Jesus who became the Head of the church of today. All of this came out of the Old Covenant and David's family.

Now, we are commissioned by the New Branch to go into all the world and make disciples. Therefore, we, as Christians, today are part of the growth out of the old stump. We are to spread like those trees in my yard. That is how God designed us and the church. This way everyone can be grafted into the original tree of the faithful line started by Abraham and continued all the way down to us. Let's follow the New Branch and be built into a strong tree for the sake of the gospel going to all people.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 12-14.