It is plain, from the words of the text, that Isaiah was one of those prophets and righteous men who desired to see and hear the things which Christ's disciples saw and heard. But it may be said that he desired to see the kingdom of Christ, because he thought that it would bring with it a greater and happier change in the state of the world than it has done; because he looked forward to it as to a time when the wolf should dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid that is, when there should be nothing but peace and comfort everywhere. What, then, are we to think of such passages as those in my text? The question deserves to be answered, because unless we understand it we must read very great portions of the books of the prophets with no benefit; and it may be useful also in order to find out whether there be not more reality of happiness in the Gospel than we are commonly inclined to give it credit for.
I. The Gospel makes a man industrious, sober, and careful of his time; which no one, I suppose, would deny to be three great benefits. It is the great excellence of the Gospel, that it furnishes us with the strongest of all helps to overcome temptation, the fear of God and the hope of reward, at first; and afterwards, as the Spirit of Christ changes us more and. more into Christ's image, it really makes us lose our relish for what is bad; so that, at last, there is much less temptation to overcome.
II. The Gospel makes us care as much as we ought, and no more, for the things of this life; for worldly cares or sorrows, or prospects of gain or loss, of honour or disgrace. He who went through life as a Christian, learning to look at the world from the beginning with a Christian's eye, would find himself strong in the strength of Christ to bear whatever was laid upon him, and would say with the Apostle, in perfect sincerity, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."
T. Arnold, Sermons,vol. i., p. 47.
References: Isaiah 11:6. Preacher's Monthly, vol. iv., p. 188; J. H. Hitchens, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxv., p. 9.