IMAGES IN ISAIAH'S POETRY | A ROOT & A BRANCH

1. Images In Isaiah's Poetry

a) The New Testament writers Peter and Paul, draw on the words of Isaiah the prophet when they are teaching about the relationship of Christ to the church. The apostles draw our attention to three images in Isaiah's poetry which evoke a heightened understanding and appreciation of Christ’s preeminence in the church. 

b) Here is one of the images in Isaiah's poetry.

2. A Root And A Branch

Isaiah 11:1, 10
11 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

10 “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious.”

a) The image of a root and a branch in Isaiah is that of a tree cut off at the trunk and the root and stump left in the ground to grow again. There are many kinds of trees that can recover from this, and will send out new shoots which will grow into a new tree. 

b) When Israel, and later Judah, were destroyed by the Assyrians and Babylonians, it seemed that the tree of Jacob had been cut down and made desolate. But God ensured that a root and stump was left, a remnant from which he would create a new Jerusalem, a new House of David. This new tree (the church) would grow from the Branch (the Christ) who would spring up from the root and stump.

c) An important aspect of this prophecy is that the tree will be made up of all nations not just the one whose remnant was preserved. So the Gentiles also have hope in Christ and are welcomed into his church (Romans 15:8-13).

d) Jesus represented this truth, with somewhat similar imagery, in the parable of the mustard seed. Jesus tells of a small seed that grew into a large tree for the birds of the air to come and nest in (Luke 13:18-19).

e) Mustard: A small hard seed of certain Brassicas (the “cabbage family”). Some mustard varieties are perennial. In good conditions they can, although a herb, grow into a small tree (Matthew 13:31, Mark 4:30, Luke 13:19). Mustard seed (usually either white Sinapis alba or black Sinapis negra) is ground to make the pungent mustard paste, or cracked in a little hot oil to start a stir fry or curry.  

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