Isaiah 11:10-16: a reflection

10It will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious. 11It will happen in that day that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12He 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. 13The envy also of Ephraim will depart, and those who persecute Judah will be cut off. Ephraim won’t envy Judah, and Judah won’t persecute Ephraim. 14They will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the children of the east. They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon will obey them. 15The LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his scorching wind he will wave his hand over the River, and will split it into seven streams, and cause men to march over in sandals. 16There will be a highway for the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, like there was for Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

Isaiah lifts his eyes to a coming day when the root of Jesse, a descendant of David, will stand as a banner to the peoples, and the nations will seek him. His resting place will be glorious. Christians have long seen here a portrait of Christ, raised up like a standard that draws people from every nation to himself. What began with one family in one land opens out to the whole world gathering around one royal figure.

The chapter overflows with images of gathering and homecoming. God will reach out his hand a second time to recover the remnant of his people, assembling the outcasts of Israel and the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Old divisions and rivalries will fall away, and a highway will be made for the returning exiles, like the road out of Egypt long before. God is in the business of gathering the scattered and bringing the dispersed home.

This is a hope to lift your eyes toward. The Christ Isaiah foresaw still stands as a banner, drawing people from every corner of the earth to himself, and still gathers the scattered and the outcast into one people. Whatever has scattered or isolated you, God's great work is homecoming, assembling his people around his Son. Let this promise enlarge your hope, and let it stir you to help others find their way to the banner that has been raised for the nations.

Lord, you raised up the root of Jesse as a banner for the nations, drawing people from every corner of the earth to himself. Thank you that your great work is gathering the scattered and bringing the outcast home. Draw me and those I love to Christ, the standard raised for the peoples, and use me to help others find their way to him. Amen.