Isaiah 11:9, commentary and pictures

Under the Messiah, the shoot from Jesse on whom rest wisdom and understanding and the fear of the Lord, who judges the poor with righteousness and slays the wicked by his word, nothing hurts or destroys in all God's holy mountain. That peace is fulfilled when Christ comes in glory as King and Deliverer and the earth is made new for the saints to dwell in after the thousand years, when creation ceases its groaning and reflects his glory. There the wilderness becomes safe, nothing mars or taints the restored beauty, and disease and death are gone, while humanity regains kingship over the animals so that wolf and lamb, leopard and kid, lion and calf, and child and serpent dwell together in gentle trust and a little child can lead them. The earth being full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea means a complete worldwide covering, Christ's full victory when the gospel of his grace is heard among all nations and the Gentiles are gathered to the root of Jesse. That life-giving knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent is spread as God's people preach and live the gospel, not by leaders and institutions alone but by the whole church, especially in the proclamation of the third angel's message under the power of the Spirit before the final storm. It is also taught by those who held it as a future temporal millennium of a thousand years yet to come when the earth shall be filled with that knowledge.

Peace in the Restored Earth

The promise belongs to the reign of the Messiah, the rod from the stem of Jesse and the Branch growing from his roots, on whom rest the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He judges the poor with righteousness and equity and slays the wicked by his word, and under his righteous and faithful rule nothing hurts or destroys anywhere in all God's holy mountain, because knowledge of the Lord fills the earth as completely as water covers the sea.

That peace is fulfilled when Christ comes in glory as King and Deliverer, when creation is subdued to Jesus and its groaning and lamentation cease. It is the world made new, the saints' home in the world to come, seen after descent from the heavenly City and after the thousand years, when all creation reflects his glory. In that restored earth animals now natural enemies live together without harming one another, and the wilderness becomes safe.

In God's holy mountain, the saved inheritance and redeemed home, nothing will hurt or destroy. The woods and wilderness are places of security where God's people dwell amid renewed landscapes and pass safely among the animals. Nothing will mar the beauty of the earth made new, taint or destroy it, or bring disease or death.

Human beings regain their lost kingship and rule over the animals, and the animals recognize their sway. Fierce creatures become gentle and timid creatures become trusting, so that wolf and lamb, leopard and kid, calf and lion, and child and serpent dwell safely together. Lion, lamb, leopard and wolf live in peaceful union and calm presence among people, and a little child can lead them, because pain cannot exist in the atmosphere of heaven.

On that restored earth the earth will be filled with praise of the Lord. Even now nature, though marred by sin, still speaks of God's love and recalls the Eden home, and its beauty reminds people that this home will be restored.

Earth Filled with Knowledge

The filling of the earth with the knowledge of the Lord like water covering the sea means complete, worldwide coverage. It is the glorious conquest and triumph of God's church and the fulfillment of the hope that the nations will know Him. This vision strengthened Isaiah amid the ignorance and unbelief of his time.

That fullness is Christ's complete victory in which the gospel of His grace is heard among all nations and the knowledge of the Lord spreads throughout the world. It is linked to the root of Jesse standing as an ensign for the peoples, drawing the Gentiles to Him with His glorious rest. The promise belongs with making the truth known amid war, famine, pestilence and calamities, when harm and destruction cease throughout God's holy mountain. The knowledge that fills the earth is life-giving enlightenment in knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent, as eternal life is defined in John 17:3. It brings enlightenment across the earth and calls for spreading spiritual light widely rather than concentrating resources and responsibilities in one place.

The verse sets the goal that God's people help fulfill by preaching and living the gospel, a work that can reclaim the world and bring spiritual renewal. This is to be accomplished not by leaders alone but by the whole church acting together as a living missionary agency under Christ's guidance and power. It is not to be done alone by men in high places of responsibility in ministry or other lines of work, nor alone by men holding positions on boards or committees nor by managers of sanitariums and publishing houses, but only by the whole church each acting their part guided and empowered by Jesus Christ. Its fulfillment is connected to the proclamation of the third angel's message, when the Spirit will powerfully bless consecrated people and the knowledge and glory of God will spread throughout the earth. That worldwide fullness is the light of God's glory reaching the earth in warning before stormy events break upon the world.

The verse is also described as a future temporal millennium of a thousand years, a glorious era yet to come when the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Those who held this teaching associated it with an expected glorious period, which was contrasted with longing for Jesus to come soon. In that contrast the presiding elder hoped to see the temporal millennium, while the speaker longed for Jesus to come soon, end sin, and bring lasting sanctification.