THE LION LYING DOWN WITH THE LAMB

Often a cross reference is made between Isaiah 65:25 and Isaiah 11:6-9 with which I fully agree with.

Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD.
However, while I agree with the cross reference, I do not think the cross reference supports the stated position. The case was made that this passage refers to the 1000 year millennium period. But using the context of the cross reference, this is hard to see.

The part that certainly ties the two texts together is clear. In verses 6-9 of Isaiah 11 we see the very same theme declared in Isaiah 65:25.

Isaiah 11:6-9, 6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

But then we read in verse one

Isaiah 11:1, A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

This is a clear reference to the coming of Christ. This is further elaborated in verse 10 where Isaiah uses the phrase, “In THAT DAY”. Which “DAY” is he speaking of? Clearly he is speaking the day in which the wolf will lie with the lamb and the wild animals become docile and tame, and a child will play with snakes and lead around large wild formerly carnivorous animals. It is also (based on the context) clearly a reference to the day when the root of Jesse is revealed, for that is what he says in verse 10.

Isaiah 11: 10-12, 10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea. 12 He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.

When is it that the root of Jesse is revealed? We know that this is a reference to his first coming because it declares that in this same day he will “Raise a banner for the nations (that is gentiles). Even Paul under inspiration of the spirit, writing in Romans 15 uses this verse (Isaiah 11:10) to confirm that Isaiah was speaking of Christ’s first coming. Not only that, but he reaffirms his application of this passage to the gentiles 6 times in the context of Romans 15:9-12

Romans 15:9-12 And (1)that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause (2) I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. (3) And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. (4) And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. (5) And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles;(6) in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Notice also that in Isaiah 11:11 he includes in the, “In THAT DAY”, statement; the re-gathering of the “Remnant” “of His People”. This is the promised re-gathering of the children of Israel…but only of the remnant of them, not in any way a re-gathering of them en masse.

Isaiah 11: 11, 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the sea.

This re-gathering is not in the “millennium” but it is, “In THAT DAY” referring to the same day as the revealing of the “Root of Jesse”, and the same day as the wild animals becoming docile and tame. This particular re-gathering of the people of Israel is a re-gathering of the remnant into the body of Christ wherein the wall of partition has been broken down and the formerly two men have been made one through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as is explained by Paul very clearly in Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians 2:11-19 “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making PEACE; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached PEACE to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”

This is the joining of Jew and Gentile into one body…that had formerly been at enmity with one another. In other words, they were like a lion and a lamb. Left alone, the lion would devour the lamb, but now in Christ in one body, the lion lays peacefully with the lamb. BUT NOW, in Christ, we (Jew and Gentile/Lion and Lamb) are “Made Nigh”, Are “One New Man”, are at “PEACE”, “We Both Have Access”, and “Are No More Strangers and Foreigners” but are “Fellow-citizens”. This is the picture intended by Isaiah in his wild-to-tame illustration.

So, what do we have, in Isaiah 65:25? We have the description of wild animals being changed so that they are docile and tame. Then in Isaiah 11:6-9 we have the very same description of wild animals being transformed. Then in the context of Isaiah 11 we have the time frame clearly laid out for us as the time of the revealing of the Root of Jesse. Paul Then in Romans 15 confirms for us without any doubt that this revelation of the Root of Jesse is clearly the first coming of Christ and the fulfillment of God’s intention to bless the gentiles. How then can this in any way be placed in a time period of a literal 1000 year future millennium? By the clear context of the passages, this must only be the church age beginning with the appearing of Christ in the first century continuing on even until today.