Short & Sweet: The Rod, by Mary Kane
“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 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.” Isaiah 11:1
Jesus is called by many names: The Bright and Morning Star, The Word, The Lamb of God, Living Water and The Bread of Life. Each name reveals something about His character and our relationship with Him. Isaiah 11:1 names Jesus as a Rod from the stem of Jesse. The Living Water, and Bread of Life are understandable, but what does Rod mean? To gain understanding, we must go back to the original language. Please consider the following definitions:
Rod: in Hebrew, choter, which means a branch or rod
Stem: in Hebrew, geza, which translates as the trunk of a felled tree or a newly planted tree, putting forth new roots.
Branch: in Hebrew, netser, which descends from the root word natsar, which means to defend, to guard, to keep a covenant (emphasis mine).
Putting it all together: From the family of Jesse, God was bringing to pass something new – a new covenant. This new covenant would be established by Jesus, the Rod from the family tree of Jesse.
To close today’s study time, please read one more verse. “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Proverbs 13:24
The success of the next generation depends upon us sharing with them the Good News of Jesus, the Rod of Jesse. Let’s be faithful to God’s calling.
Action Points:
- How can you help your children have more Jesus?
- What do you need to do to deepen your own relationship with Him?
Life is Sweet.