A Shabbat Devotional from Pastor Israel Pochtar
Shabbat in Israel is more than just a weekly tradition; it’s a divine invitation to step out of the noise and pressure of life and enter into God’s peace—into what the Bible calls menuchah (meh-noo-KHAH), His rest. This week, as I was preparing for Shabbat, my heart was drawn to a powerful verse in the book of Isaiah:
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will seek him, and his resting place will be glorious.”
Isaiah 11:10
One Word. Three Meanings.
The word Nes is translated as “banner” in this verse is נֵס (pronounced “nes”) in Hebrew. This one little word holds three powerful meanings:
- A banner
something lifted high to rally people together, to point the way.
- A sign
something that marks God’s presence or direction.
- A miracle
a supernatural act that breaks into our natural world.
When Isaiah speaks of the Root of Jesse—Messiah Yeshua—being lifted up as a nes, he’s saying so much more than we might realize. Yeshua is not only a leader or a teacher. He is the banner that gathers the peoples, the sign pointing the way to salvation, and the miracle that brings life, healing, and hope to the nations.
For All Peoples
Isaiah goes on to say, “The nations will seek Him.” In Hebrew, the word is goyim—referring to the Gentiles, the peoples of the world. This is such a beautiful reminder that God’s heart has always been for all nations, not just for Israel alone.
God promised Abraham that through his seed, all nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3), and here in Isaiah, we see the fulfillment of that promise unfolding prophetically. The Messiah would be lifted up not only for the Jewish people—but also for the world.
We are living in that time. All over the world, people are seeking hope, truth, and peace. And many are finding it in Yeshua, the nes God raised for all to see.
Rest in His Glory
The verse finishes with a beautiful phrase: “And His resting place will be glorious.” In Hebrew, it says: “וְהָיְתָה מְנֻחָתוֹ כָּבוֹד” (ve’haytah menuchato kavod)—His rest will be glory.
This is more than poetic language; it’s a spiritual reality. When we come to Yeshua—when we seek and draw near to Him—we find not only truth but also rest: rest from striving, rest from fear, and rest from the pain of our past and the anxieties of our future. It’s in this rest that we encounter His kavod (kah-vode) His glory—the weighty, tangible presence of God that changes everything.
The Invitation of Shabbat
Every Shabbat is a small taste of what Isaiah 11:10 is pointing us toward—a time when the nations gather under the banner of Yeshua and rest in His presence.
The world today is full of noise, pressure, and chaos. But the nes still stands. The banner has not been taken down. The sign has not been removed. The miracle is still alive. God is still inviting people from every background, every nation, every walk of life to come, to seek Him, and to find rest in His glory.
Wherever you are, and however your week has been, whether you feel strong or weak, hopeful or weary, lift your eyes to the nes. Yeshua is our banner, our sign, and our miracle. In Him, there is always rest.
Blessings and Shalom,
Pastor Israel Pochtar