What does Isaiah 11:2 mean?

Isaiah described the destruction of the Assyrian Empire. Before that, he predicted the near-total destruction of Israel and Judah. Now, he is describing the Messiah: the King who will rise from the seemingly dead stump of Jesse to become Israel's perfect, godly leader (Isaiah 11:1).

This future king would be unlike any other rulers. The Lord's Spirit would rest on Him to provide great wisdom, strength, and knowledge. In this way, the Messiah Isaiah describes would be like King David (1 Samuel 16:13). Only the description of the Spirit's power in and through this future leader goes far beyond what was seen in King David.

The Spirit of the Lord is also known as the Holy Spirit. He is the third member of the Trinity, God in Spirit form. In the Old Testament, He sometimes came to rest on specific people to empower them to do what the Lord had called them to do. The prophet Isaiah says the Spirit of the Lord will rest on this future descendant of Jesse.

Here, the Lord's Spirit is described as the Spirit of wisdom and understanding. This means that this leader will rule with these qualities. He will also be empowered by the Spirit of counsel and might. These attributes are describing the ability to make strategic decisions and act on them with strength. Finally, He will lead with the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Messiah, fulfilled all these prophecies. And He will continue to do so when He returns to rule over the earth. Empowered by the Spirit, He taught, led, and even sacrificed His life. He did all these things with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, but also with great power. As the Son of God, He did, and does, everything with the perfect fear of the Lord that even the best of Israel's kings never achieved.