Fourth Sunday of Advent (OT)

Isaiah 11:1-11
1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 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 the fear of the Lord.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
11 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.
The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Is 11:1-11). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

O Come Thou Branch of Jesse's tree,
Free them from Satan's tyranny
That trust Thy mighty power to save,
and give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O Root of Jesse,
standing as an ensign before the peoples,
before whom all kings are mute,
to whom the nations will do homage:
Come quickly to deliver us.

The Lord will reach out with his hand to save his remnant. The Lord will look to save his people. The LORD will judge his people. But Isaiah further speaks of a time of peace. The Spirit of God will rest upon his anointed one. He will give the Christ wisdom and knowledge. He is the only one who truly and fully fears the LORD. But we should all fear the LORD and give thanks to the root of Jesse.