And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and He that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles trust. Romans 15:12
One of the important Bible characters we know little about is the Jesse mentioned in today’s text. This man was a Bethlehem farmer, a grandson of Boaz and Ruth, who we are familiar with. We don’t know who he married, but we do know he was the father of eight sons and two daughters. Of Jesse’s economic status we know little, other than his ownership of flocks that were tended by his youngest son, David. So he must have had higher interests to keep his seven older sons occupied. The tiny amount we know of Jesse is in sharp contrast to the extensive details that the Bible gives of Jesse’s son David. And yet, several Biblical references to the Lord Jesus’ ancestry identify Him as the root out of Jesse. This is despite the fact that if Jesse were to choose a king from among his sons, he would have chosen his firstborn. In fact, he did not even call David to attend the family gathering when Samuel came to deliver a blessing. But when Scripture refers to Christ in terms of the Gentiles, it is as the offspring of Jesse that He is identified.
Although David became a mighty king, the greatest in Israel’s history, his father had nothing to do with Israel’s royalty. Other than inheriting the blessing that Jacob gave to the patriarch Judah, nothing in Jesse’s background had anything to do with kingship. This will remind us that the Lord Jesus came into this world to be the King of the Jews and the Saviour of the Gentiles. The Jews have not yet accepted His claim to the throne, although that day is coming. But the Gentiles in a mighty way have responded to His claim to be the Saviour. Down through the centuries, the Gospel has resounded throughout the world, with untold millions of Gentiles being saved. While we acknowledge the validity of His claim to be King of Israel, we take a greater interest in His title as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And by extending the Gospel to the Gentiles, He has made us to be subjects of a greater kingdom than that of Israel and the Jews.
What a miracle of the grace of God to find Gentiles gathered within the blessings of God. The Old Testament provided for Gentiles to come in, but to do so within the covenant that God gave His earthly people. Today, that covenant has been replaced with a better, a more embracing covenant that removes the barricades of the Jewish religion. We have been translated into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son (Colossians 1:13) and are no longer the dogs and outsiders that were our portion in Old Testament days. Our new status is such a beautiful improvement on what Gentiles could claim in the old economy. For this we ought to be very thankful every day.
The Root of Jesse is precious to us for His great interest in the Gentiles, and for His work in bringing us to trust in Him. -Jim MacIntosh