Jesse Tree Intro

The idea for the Jesse Tree comes from Isaiah 11:1, “A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots.” Through these devotions, we unfold the story of God in the Old Testament by connecting the Advent Season with the faithfulness of God. The shoot, a biblical symbol for newness out of discouragement, became the way to talk about the expected Messiah. It is a symbol of Jesus the Christ, who is the revelation of the grace and faithfulness of God.

Through the Old Testament, we see the struggle of God’s people to believe and trust in Him and of their need for a deliverer. We see a history of chosen people who would struggle to believe God and trust Him in the way they lived. We see the faithfulness of God who loves sinners - people made in His image who chose their own way - so much that He would make the way for them to return to Him. We see a promise-keeping God who would continue to pursue His people. We see key people in and out of this history who loved Him and remained open to God and His Word. These key people were those who believed in God and were waiting for the promised Messiah.