Jesse Tree

“ Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, a Spirit of wisdom, and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

- Isaiah 11:1-2

I did not grow up doing a Jesse tree during the Christmas season when I was a child. I was not familiar with how it worked and wish I had known more about it because it is such a great tradition to start with your children or grandchildren. It is a helpful visual to teach them how God prepared a way for the baby Jesus to be born. 

If you are not familiar with what it is, the Jesse Tree is a way to tell the story of Jesus’s family tree. Jesse was the Father of the King David and Jesus descended from the line of David. 

The shoot here in scripture is referring to the promised Messiah. A Jesse Tree is another way to celebrate the season of Advent and it begins on the first day of December.  Each day you read scripture or a bible story that is associated with a particular ornament you hang on the tree. Each reading or scripture is a reference to the family tree and the eventual birth of Jesus. What a great tradition to start doing one of these with your children or your grandchildren.