Isaiah 11:6, commentary and pictures

Isaiah 11:6 pictures the peace and safety of Christ's righteous reign, when hostile animals dwell and rest together without harm and even a small child can safely lead them. It belongs to the promise of the Branch from Jesse, anointed with wisdom and righteousness to judge the poor with equity, until nothing hurts in God's holy mountain because the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord. The same harmony was seen in Eden, where wild and tame creatures lived around Adam and Eve without fear or violence, and it will be seen again in the restored inheritance of the redeemed, where predators and gentle animals live together in perfect union without danger or conflict. That change comes at Jesus' return, when creation is freed from the curse, made very good again, and all that was lost by sin is restored, so pain and destruction end and the animals live as at first created. Then humanity's lost kingship over the lower creatures is restored, the fierce become gentle and the timid become trusting, and the animals again recognize human authority.

Prophecy of Christ's Reign

Isaiah 11:6 belongs to the prophecy of the rod out of the stem of Jesse and the Branch grown out of his roots, upon whom rests the Spirit of the Lord as the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. He does not judge after the sight of the eyes nor reprove after the hearing of the ears, but with righteousness judges the poor and with equity reproves for the meek of the earth, girded with righteousness and faithfulness. Under that righteous reign and as the result of His work former enemies dwell and lie down together in peace and safety without harm, the wolf with the lamb, the leopard with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, led by a little child. There nothing hurts in all His holy mountain because the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea, and from this follows the root of Jesse standing for an ensign of the people to which the Gentiles seek and the gathering of the remnant of His people.

Its immediate context carries the same peace further to the cow and the bear feeding together with their young ones lying down together. It carries it to the lion eating straw like the ox. It carries it to the child made safe at the hole of the asp and the weaned child putting his hand on the cockatrice den. In all His holy mountain they shall not hurt nor destroy.

Eden Restored in New Earth

The verse describes the peace and harmlessness of Eden, where creatures that are now enemies lived together around Adam and Eve without violence, fear or harm. The lion and the lamb played together or lay down and rested together at their feet, in the harmony of creation while humanity remained faithful to God. Humanity had been given control over every living thing, and the animals lived under Adam and Eve's rule.

It also depicts the peaceful future home and eternal inheritance of the saved in the restored world and glorious land of the redeemed. There wild predators and tame animals that are now dangerous and hostile, the lion, lamb, leopard, wolf, calf, young lion and fatling, live together in perfect union, harmony and peace without danger, fear, conflict, violence or harm. Even a little child can lead them and be safe among them, and nothing in God's holy mountain hurts or destroys.

This change in the animal kingdom takes place at Jesus' return and second coming, when animals change their nature and are subdued to Jesus. Then universal peace prevails, creation's groaning ceases, the earth is again very good, and all that was lost by sin is restored. In that restoration humanity's lost rule and kingship over the lower creatures is restored, so the fierce become gentle and the timid become trusting. Animals once feared again recognize human authority, and no creature hurts or destroys.

The scene is set after the holy city comes down to a vast plain, on peaceful plains beside living streams in a field of beasts outside the city. There the lion, lamb, leopard, wolf, calf, young lion and fatling share the field in perfect union and follow peaceably. They do no harm to the redeemed as people pass safely through their midst.

It means a complete end of hurt, violence and destruction in all God's holy mountain, when the wilderness is glad and blossoms, thorns give way to beautiful trees and pain cannot exist. The animals are restored from the effects of the curse to live in their proper places as when first created before the fall. Therefore it describes conditions on the new earth, not life on the present mortal earth under the curse.

Worship Unity and Renewal

Isaiah 11:6 belongs to the prophecy of the rod and Branch from Jesse who is filled with the Spirit of the Lord and judges the poor with righteousness and faithfulness. That righteous rule brings a peace in which former enemies dwell and lie down together led by a little child, and nothing causes hurt in God's holy mountain because the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord, leading to the ensign for the Gentiles and the gathering of the remnant. It is given for the consideration of those who assemble to blend together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, requiring solemn investigation and unification in the name of the Lord.

The verse shows the work of Christ and its results, for Christ is the rod out of the stem of Jesse and the Branch from His roots, upon whom the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord rests. He judges not by sight or hearing but with righteousness for the poor and equity for the meek, and under His reign the wolf dwells with the lamb and the leopard lies down with the kid, with calf and young lion and fatling together led by a little child. That same peace extends to cow and bear feeding together and the lion eating straw like the ox, with children safe at the asp and cockatrice dens, and they shall not hurt nor destroy in all His holy mountain because the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The physical creation so described testifies of God and Jesus Christ as the great Creator of all things, but created things are not God, and nature is not to be worshiped in place of the Creator. The image of a lion becoming a lamb also provides language to describe a remarkable transformation in which reforms improve conditions and bring a more spiritual atmosphere.