Isaiah 11
“Like a branch that sprouts from a stump,
someone from David’s family will someday be king.
The Spirit of the Lord will be with him to give him understanding, wisdom, and insight.
He will be powerful, and he will know and honor the Lord.
His greatest joy will be to obey the Lord.
This king won’t judge by appearances or listen to rumors.
The poor and the needy will be treated with fairness and with justice.
His word will be law everywhere in the land, and criminals will be put to death.
Honesty and fairness will be his royal robes. Leopards will lie down with young goats,
And wolves will rest with lambs. Calves and lions will eat together and be cared for by little children.
Cows and bears will share the same pasture; their young will restside by side.
Lions and oxen will both eat straw.
Little children will play near snake holes. They will stick their hands into dens of poisonous snakes and never be hurt.
Nothing harmful will take place on the Lord’s holy mountain. Just as water fills the sea,
the land will be filled with people who know and honor the Lord.[1]”
A long piece of scripture, you must be thinking. Yes, it is. But I find it fills me with hope and reads like a poem. The most important thing is that, unlike much of what we listen to or read in today’s media, its words are not only true, but they give us hope for our future. Do you agree?
So here’s what I’d love for you to do—take some time to read all of Chapter 11. I really know it’ll lift your spirit and help you see your future here on Earth with fresh eyes. My hope is that it stirs something in you—a sense of purpose, a nudge to live more intentionally right now.
Now, I’m not here to break down scripture like a theologian. That’s not my role. But if I were, I’d share how Isaiah’s words have spoken to me personally. My calling has always been to reflect on how I’m living today and ask myself how that lines up with what God wants for me.
So let’s walk through Isaiah 11 together and see what it reveals—not just about the future, but about the world we’re living in right now. A world that feels heavy with fear and anxiety. Where truth is often ignored and the pursuit of money has pushed people to extremes, leaving compassion behind. It’s easy to feel like we’re slipping into hopelessness.
But first, we need to recognize something important—Isaiah’s words are prophetic. He wrote them around 720 BCE, inspired by God. And what he described hasn’t happened yet, which means it’s still ahead of us.
So what can we look forward to?
Isaiah 11 paints a picture of life under Jesus’ reign:
- Truly fair Justice, replacing all the corruption.
- Peace and safety, not just for people but across nature itself.
- Unity where there’s now division.
- A deep, widespread understanding of God.
- And creation, restored to its original harmony and purpose.
Now you might be wondering, “What if I’m not around when all this happens?” That’s a great question—and the answer is even more comforting.
We don’t know if we’ll see this perfect world in our lifetime. But Jesus gave us this promise: “I go to prepare a place for you.” We don’t know exactly where that place is, but that’s not the point. What matters is that we’ll be with God.
Still, it’s fair to ask—are things going to get worse before they get better? With everything going on—wars, natural disasters, disease—it’s a valid concern. And scripture gives us a glimpse of what’s to come:
“With a loud command, the shout of the chief angel, and the blast of God’s trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Those who trusted in Christ before they died will rise first. Then those of us still alive will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord. And from that moment on, we’ll be with Him forever. Encourage each other with these words.”[2]
This event, often called the Rapture, is still debated by scholars regarding its timing. But if you’re asking, “How do I make sense of all this?”—the best place to start is by asking God. That way, you will receive the guidance you need.
In Part Two of this article, I’ll take you into what it might look like if we live through the lead-up to what’s known as the great tribulation—and what our role might be before it unfolds.
The beauty of God’s word is, apart from absolute wisdom, it’s timeless. So, none of us has any idea of whether the events I’ve been discussing will arrive tomorrow, or in a century from now. The more critical issue is how we live our lives now, in this very moment. Will we fall victim to the drivel pumped out every nanosecond of each day by the media, or will we trust that God will guide our every step ahead? Not from any pain, suffering, and loss, but giving us the strength to cope in any situation and finally bringing us home to eternity.
Until then, stay encouraged.
Love and blessings,
Peter-James