Isaiah 11:1-2
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:5-6
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice on earth.
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Christmas trees are among the most common decorations of the Christmas season. One great tradition in many families is going out to chop down a Christmas tree, and then decorating it together. Some people use fake trees, but that's never done it for me. I need a real tree for it to really feel like a Christmas tree.
Christmas trees are raised to be cut down and enjoyed for a short time, then they die. Even fake trees are only up for a limited amount of time before they are taken down and put in a box in storage. Christmas trees bring so much joy to people in the time that they are up. That is what they are made for. That is the reason that people get them, and why having a Christmas tree has continued for so long as a tradition.
The tree of Jesse, which was the house of David, had been cut down. The word stem in Isaiah 11 signifies a stump. It is like the reverse of a Christmas tree. It looked like the tree of Jesse was dead. It would not be bringing good to anyone. But then things changed. Instead of dying, a shoot grew from that tree. Jesus was that shoot, and when he arrived, he brought the life and the beauty to the tree. This tree will not wilt. The lights will not be removed, and it will not be thrown out to be burned or taken to the dump.
So remember that when you look at your tree (hopefully I'll have a tree soon so that I can think about it when I look at my tree). Remember the tree that never dies, but instead, grows more beautiful each day.
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