A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

The next view Isaiah gave us of the End times is found in chapters 11-12 and concerns the Messiah.

Isaiah 11, The Branch From Jesse

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

In chapter 10, Daniel tells of a revelation he received in 539 BC concerning a great war that was coming. It was still over 200 years away and would last nearly 200 years after that, and would pit the Seleucids against the Ptolemys. Remember from our previous study that Seleucus and Ptolemy were two of the four generals who assumed power at the death of Alexander the Great and divided the Greek Empire among them.

Two years after Daniel's vision of the four beasts that we described in chapter 7, he had another vision, this one of a ram and a goat. As we'll see, it was intended to give both him and us more detail on the things to come, because the vision has a dual fulfillment.

From about 1,000 to 900 BC Israel had been the most feared and admired nation on Earth. Then, following Solomon's death and the civil war that ensued, the nation had fallen from its exalted position into a kingdom divided over idolatry. Israel's enemies saw their chance and took it.

A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. (Zech 14:1-2)

On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. (Zech.12:3)

Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5

Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5

Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5

Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5