On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.*
Jesse was an Israelite of the tribe of Judah. Jesse's youngest son, David, was a talented and good looking shepherd, whom God chose as king of Israel;
Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”**
Jesse wasn't a particularly important or wealthy man, and David, as youngest in the family, was not a very important person in the eyes of men. But God chose this young man from the fields where he looked after sheep. From nowhere, out of very little, God made a great man to lead his people. David was king around 1000 BC, and the prophesy in Isaiah about the root of Jesse was written some time after 740 BC. The Prophesy alludes back to the great King David and promises someone like him to come, who would be a king of his people but also known -or knowable- by the nations of the world.
As I look forward to Christmas, I imagine waiting expectantly, keeping my eyes peeled for any sign of a great king to rule and conquer, as King David did. The people in Judea 2000 years ago were also waiting expectantly for a great warrior King, they weren't looking for a insignificant villager. The root of Jesse came from humble beginnings, the Son of Man, the Son of God, in the line of King David, and now has a glorious dwelling, and is inquired after by people of all nations.
Wait and watch. Be aware that our expectations of who the Root of Jesse might be, may be different to who He actually is. Expect the unexpected.
**1 Samuel 16:1
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