The Lord promises His people peace, and this is not merely the end of the war with Assyria. When the Messiah reigns, the shoot from the root of Jesse, David's father, peace will become all-embracing: it will extend to all nations and transform all nature. Animals will stop destroying one another and human beings, an infant will be able to play with a snake, and enmity between Israel and the Gentiles will cease.

When will these fairy-tale times come? The New Testament tells us of reconciliation with God through the death of Jesus Christ. Is this not the beginning and root of peace on earth, the beginning of the realization of His Kingdom?

At first glance, the coming Savior is portrayed as a fearsome judge dealing with sinners, which would seem to be confirmed by the words that He will kill the wicked. But then we read that the wolf will lie down with the lamb, and the lion will eat straw. That means cruelty and predatory ways will no longer reign, not only in human society but even in nature. But if violence will not be needed even to protect lambs, why then kill a wicked human being?

These words, apparently, still refer not to sinful people who are under the power of evil, but to the inspirer of evil, the ancient tempter who provokes people to sin in the hope of enslaving their souls. In that case, the words about the victory over him, accomplished by the spirit of the Savior's mouth, should be understood as a prophecy of the Lord's final victory over every evil, which is to come at the end of time.

It may appear that different events are joined in the prophecy: the final victory over evil and the more immediate deliverance of the people from captivity. But there is no contradiction here; the joyful pictures of the people's liberation from foreign oppressors were seen by Isaiah as a foreshadowing of the coming victory of truth and justice for all nations. For every genuine good is a particle of that great good coming from the Lord, which in the end must triumph.

Once again Isaiah prophesies about the coming of the One who will save Israel. Another of His names is revealed to him: the Branch. He will be a green shoot springing up from the stump left after the tree has been cut down - the royal house of David, which will not be able to stand.

And yet this stump will still have roots nourished by living water. And the day will come when a new shoot appears, from which a new tree will grow - a new royal line.

Isaiah is also shown that this Savior will be God's Anointed One, the Messiah. The Spirit of YHWH will give Him everything necessary for His royal ministry: wisdom, extraordinary strength, and knowledge of what is hidden. At the same time He will be filled with the fear of God - meekness and humility.

The Messiah will restore God's justice. This will lead to the establishment of peace, shalom, which will fill all creation.