{"id":5962,"date":"2013-07-16T09:11:46","date_gmt":"2013-07-16T16:11:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.blueletterbible.org\/blb\/?p=5962"},"modified":"2024-03-26T12:35:19","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T19:35:19","slug":"god-promises-a-king","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.blueletterbible.org\/blb\/2013\/07\/16\/god-promises-a-king\/","title":{"rendered":"Hoekstra: God Promises a King"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"20130716_king\"<\/p>\n

This blog post is based on Bob Hoekstra\u2019s popular devotional\u00a0Day By Day By Grace<\/span><\/a>. For previous posts in this series,\u00a0click here<\/span><\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 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. <\/span>
\n(Isaiah 11:1-2)<\/span><\/p>\n

God Promises an Anointed King<\/h2>\n

Already, we have seen our God of promises guarantees to call out a people<\/a> for Himself, to deliver<\/a> His people from bondage, to fight<\/a> for His people, and to give them an everlasting kingdom<\/a>. Now, God promises an anointed king for His people.<\/p>\n

This anointed king was promised through David’s line<\/h3>\n

“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse.” Jesse was a son of Obed and the father of David. “Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David” (Ruth 4:22). This king is here given a Messianic title, “Branch.” “A Branch shall grow out of his roots.” Other prophets had made similar prophetic promises concerning this royal Branch. “Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth’\u2026I am bringing forth My Servant the Branch\u2026 Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch!” (Jeremiah 23:5 and Zechariah 3:8; 6:12).<\/p>\n

This king (“the Branch”) would serve by the empowering of the Holy Spirit<\/h3>\n

“The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him.” The Spirit of God would not merely come upon Him at times (as with King Saul). “Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them” (1 Samuel 10:10). The Spirit would continually be upon Him for ministry. “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him.” Of course, this king, the Branch, would be Jesus Christ. Jesus applied a similar Messianic passage to Himself. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me” (Luke 4:18). Yes, Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the anointed King. In fact, Christ is the Greek term for “anointed One,” whereas Messiah is the Hebrew term for the same.<\/p>\n

The Messiah’s ministry would be characterized by godly wisdom, heavenly understanding, perfect counsel, divine might, complete knowledge, and holy reverence for the Father. All of this was produced by the work of the Holy Spirit 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.”<\/p>\n

God Promises a Unique King<\/h2>\n

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth. (Isaiah 42:3-4)<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, the promises of God cascade forth, one upon another. “He will not break\u2026He will not quench\u2026He will bring forth \u2026He will not fail.” This set of four promises confirms a unique King for the people of God. His uniqueness is seen in how He would deal with bruised reeds and smoking flaxes, as well as in the justice He would eventually establish upon the earth.<\/p>\n

Many times, people are like bruised reeds<\/h3>\n

God has created humanity to be innately vulnerable, like reeds that grow by the river. “As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more” (Psalm 103:15-16). At best, reeds are not strong. When they are bruised, they hang over limp and helpless. It is easy for an insensitive person to break a human “bruised reed” in half, virtually destroying that life. Jesus, the unique King, does not do that. “A bruised reed He will not break.” The Lord Jesus can take bruised reeds and turn them into mighty spiritual trees. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted\u2026 to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:1, 3).<\/p>\n

At other times, people are like smoking flax (a dimly burning wick)<\/h3>\n

Their spiritual fire of hope or zeal is flickering, ready to burn out. A rough or blustering person can easily extinguish the meager spark that remains. Once again, Jesus is unique. He can gently fan that flickering wick, even fueling it back into a spiritual blaze. The disillusioned disciples on the road to Emmaus experienced that. “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).<\/p>\n

The unique King<\/h3>\n

Ultimately, His uniqueness shall be demonstrated when He sets up His kingdom on earth. Then, after man has brought forth injustice after injustice, true justice will be established throughout this world. “He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth.”<\/p>\n

Jesus, my anointed King, You walked in spiritual fullness while upon this earth. What You displayed is what I long to live day by day. By Your promises, through the work of Your Spirit, please supply these realities in my walk. I honor You as my unique King. No one but You could have dealt with my heart when I was the bruised reed and the dimly burning wick. No one but You can properly reverse the injustices that I have both perpetrated and endured. I bow to You, asking that You make me more like You, in Your name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n

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