ISAIAH 11:1 "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:" We have entered the second week of Advent. Last week we reflected on Jesus’ warnings about His sudden return—“like a thief in the night”—and the need to stay ready every day. Why trust ancient prophecy? Because it has already come true in Jesus. This week we look at some of those prophecies to deepen our wonder. Isaiah ministered (739–681 BC) to a Judah that had turned away from God. His book contains the Old Testament’s fullest portrait of the coming Messiah: His forerunner (40:3–5), virgin birth (7:14), gospel proclamation (61:1), atoning death (52:13–53:12), and final triumph (60:2–3). Today’s verse is one of the clearest. After centuries without a Davidic king, the royal line looked like a lifeless stump. Yet from Jesse’s roots (Jesse, David’s humble shepherd father) would spring a tender shoot—a Branch. That Hebrew word for “shoot” (netzer) echoes the name N...