What does Isaiah 11:16 mean?
Isaiah has been describing the future kingdom of a leader he has simply called the "root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1)." This root of Jesse is the Messiah, Jesus Christ the Lord. He will reign over all the nations, bringing peace to the world (Isaiah 11:10). He will also reunite all the Jewish people of the earth, as well as making a way for them to return to the Promised Land of Israel (Isaiah 11:15). The Lord will use His power to again clear a path through the Red Sea and across the great Euphrates River.Next, the prophet Isaiah adds that there will be a highway from the once mighty and feared Assyria. It will be there for the remnant of God's people to return to Israel. Commentators suggest that Isaiah may use the name Assyria to indicate that the people will be coming from the east, which Assyria once occupied.
Again, Isaiah's point is that the same God who provided before for His people, will once again provide a way to return to the Promised Land. God may have sent destruction on them to punish their faithlessness, but He is still faithful to keep His promises to them to make Israel a great nation in their own land once more.