In Isaiah 11:1-10, the prophet foretells the coming of a rod (KJV), branch, or shoot (ESV, CSB) from the stump or family tree of Jesse, King David’s father. This coming One will be full of the Spirit of the Lord, a righteous & impartial judge, a pursuer of justice who lifts up the oppressed, & liberator of exiles.

These needs of Israel in a physical sense are not much different than the needs of God’s people in a spiritual sense today. Whether we’ve ever experienced oppression in a physical sense, we have experienced spiritual oppression from the accuser of our souls—what the carol refers to as Satan’s tyranny. Whether we’ve ever stood condemned in an earthly courtroom, in a spiritual sense, we are guilty of sin & in need of acquittal only available through the vicarious, imputed righteousness of another. Whether we’ve ever been literally imprisoned, we have been captive to the demands of a law we could not keep apart from being indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 13:23 & Romans 15:12, we find New Testament references to Jesus as that rod of Jesse, both able & willing to save us from Satan, hell, death, & sin. At Christmas, we celebrate that He has come. We who are made alive in Christ, celebrate that we have now been saved from the penalty & the power of sin. Until Jesus returns, we look forward to the day when He will save us from the very presence of sin, & we rejoice.

“Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!”