This week we turn to Isaiah 11, which uses the powerful imagery of a shoot coming from a stump. Martin Luther describes Isaiah 11 in this way: “From a trunk nearly decayed a little Twig will emerge and grow up and make holy, and it will not be prevented by heat or by rain or by all the powers of the air.” Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Advent Blessings, Pastor Richard
Isaiah 11.1-5: A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
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 kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins. (NRSV)