Verses 1-4 A rod will come out of the stream of Jesse and a branch will come out of his roots.

21.1

The stem (Jesus Christ):

Stem = the stump of a tree cut close by the roots.

D&C 113:1-2

1 Who is the Stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah?

2 Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ.

The rod (Joseph Smith):

Rod = young growth or a twig.

D&C 113:3-4

3 What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse?

4 Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power.

Bruce R McConkie said, “Are we amiss in saying that the prophet here mentioned is Joseph Smith, to whom the priesthood came, who received the keys of the kingdom, and who raised the ensign for the gathering of the Lord’s people in our dispensation?” (Millennial Messiah, 339-340)

The root (Joseph Smith):

5 What is the root of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter?

6 Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.

The branch (Jesus Christ):

Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote the following concerning the meaning of the Branch:

“Since it takes a first and a second coming to fulfill many Messianic prophecies, we of necessity must consider them here, and in the case of the Davidic-Messianic utterances show also how they apply to our Lord’s Second Coming. Christ is the Son of David, the Seed of David, the inheritor, through Mary his mother, of the blood of the great king. He is also called the Stem of Jesse and the Branch, meaning Branch of David. Messianic prophecies under these headings deal with the power and dominion he shall wield as he sits on David’s throne, and have reference almost exclusively to his second sojourn on planet earth…..

“That the Branch of David is Christ is perfectly clear. We shall now see that he is also called David, that he is a new David, an Eternal David, who shall reign forever on the throne of his ancient ancestor. ‘It shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, ‘that is, in the great millennial day of gathering, that ‘they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.’ (Jer. 30:8–9.)

(The Promised Messiah).

Strengths of Joseph Smith the Prophet

21.2
It appears that in verses 2 and 3 that Isaiah is referring to seven spiritual strengths that were given to Joseph Smith through the Holy Ghost.

21.3

These gifts are available to all who allow the Spirit to be in their hearts

21.4

The stem of Jesse (Christ) will judge in righteousness. Note that many of his disciples came from among the poor.

Reprove with equity = Decide with equity.

Christ shall smite the wicked with his word.

Verses 5-9 The Millennial reign of Christ

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He will be clothed with righteousness.

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21.6

His reign will produce peace and tranquillity on the earth.

21.7

A representation of the change that shall take place under the reign of the Messiah.

21.8

The transformation of creatures associated with evil.

21.9

The knowledge about God will cover the earth in the Millennium.

Elder Orson Pratt wrote: “The knowledge of God will then cover the earth as the waters cover the mighty deep. There will be no place of ignorance, no place of darkness, no place for those that will not serve God. Why? Because Jesus, the Great Creator, and also the Great Redeemer, will be himself on the earth, and his holy angels will be on the earth, and all the resurrected Saints that have died in former dispensations will all come forth, and they will be on the earth. What a happy earth this creation will be, when this purifying process shall come, and the earth be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the great deep! What a change! Travel, then, from one end of the earth to another, you can find no wicked man, no drunken man, no man to blaspheme the name of the Great Creator, no one to lay hold on his neighbor’s goods, and steal them, no one to commit whoredoms—for all who commit whoredoms will be thrust down to hell, saith the Lord God Almighty, and all persons who commit sin will be speedily visited by the judgments of the Almighty!” (In Journal of Discourses, 21:325.)

Verses 10-16 – The Gathering of Israel from the World.

21.10

In the latter days people will gather to the restored Gospel and find the rest and peace it brings.

21.11
Elder LeGrand Richards commented on this scripture as follows:

“From this scripture we learn that the events described were to be in the future: ‘The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people.’ There could not be a ‘second time’ unless there had been a first. The first time was when the Lord led Israel out of Egyptian bondage and captivity. When did the Lord set his hand the ‘second time’ to recover the remnant of his people? This we will now consider. From the above scripture we learn that three important events were to transpire: (1) He shall set up an ensign for the nations; (2) he shall assemble the outcasts of Israel; (3) he shall gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

“It is clear there are to be two gathering places—one for Israel and one for Judah. …

“Since Moses was the prophet the Lord raised up to lead Israel out of the land of Egypt and gave him power to perform such mighty miracles before Pharaoh, even to the leading of the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry land, it seems very appropriate that Moses should hold the keys of the gathering of Israel when the Lord would ‘set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people.’ These were the keys Moses committed to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.

“When speaking of Israel, most people have the Jews in mind, and when referring to the gathering of Israel, they have in mind the return of the Jews to the land of Jerusalem. It should be remembered that the Jews, the descendants of Judah, represent but one of the twelve branches, or tribes, of the house of Israel—the family of Jacob.” (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, pp. 207–9).

“I like the statement of Isaiah, which was quoted by Moroni to the Prophet Joseph when he visited him three times in the night  JS—H 1:40 and again the next morning when Joseph was only a lad 17 years old. He quoted the words of Isaiah where the Lord said that he would set his hand again the second time to gather scattered Israel (see  Isa. 11:11 He has been doing that. Many of you are descendants of those who have been gathered from all over this earth in fulfillment of that prediction.” (Elder LeGrand Richards, General Conference, October 1969).

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21.12

The Lord will raise an ensign and gather Israel.

President Joseph Fielding Smith described the ensign and its significance:

“Over 125 years ago, in the little town of Fayette, Seneca County, New York, the Lord set up an ensign to the nations. It was in fulfilment of the prediction made by the Prophet Isaiah, which I have read. That ensign was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was established for the last time, never again to be destroyed or given to other people. It was the greatest event the world has seen since the day that the Redeemer was lifted upon the cross and worked out the infinite and eternal atonement. It meant more to mankind than anything else that has occurred since that day. …

“Following the raising of this ensign, the Lord sent forth his elders clothed with the priesthood and with power and authority, among the nations of the earth, bearing witness unto all peoples of the restoration of his Church, and calling upon the children of men to repent and receive the gospel; for now it was being preached in all the world as a witness before the end should come, that is, the end of the reign of wickedness and the establishment of the millennial reign of peace. The elders went forth as they were commanded, and are still preaching the gospel and gathering out from the nations the seed of Israel unto whom the promise was made.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:254–55; see also Isaiah 5:26.)

“Our days are so extraordinary that they were even shown in a vision to the prophet Isaiah; he too saw and prophesied of this day of the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ and of its purpose, saying, “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth”  Isaiah 11:12

In a scriptural context an ensign, or a standard, is a flag around which people would gather in a unity of purpose. In ancient times a standard served as a rallying point for soldiers in battle. Symbolically speaking, the Book of Mormon and the restored Church of Jesus Christ are standards to all nations. (See Guide to the Scriptures, “Ensign,” scriptures.lds.org.)

Without a doubt, one of the great standards of these latter days is this magnificent general conference, where the great work and plan of our Heavenly Father “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man”  Moses 1:39 is continually proclaimed.” (Elder Benjamin De Hoyos, General Conference, April 2017)

21.13

 In the kingdom of the Prince of Peace there shall no longer be quarrels or jealousies among the members.

21.14

This verse prophesies of the rapid spiritual conquests which would result from the conversion of the scattered Jewish people. The Jews understood this literally, as referring to the conquests over their enemies. But  the passage may also be interpreted as a figurative description of the triumph of the people of God under the Messiah in the last days.

21.15

The Lord will facilitate the return of the Jews as in the days of Moses.

21.16

The coming forth of the ten tribes. All obstructions shall be removed, and they shall be permitted to return without hindrance.