The usage of the phrase 'In that day' forms the fifth and last argument demonstrating that Isaiah 11:6-16 should be interpreted figuratively rather than literally.
Out of 89 uses of the phrase "in that day" in the Bible, 40 of them are remarkably used in Isaiah. However, when we look a little further, we find the Hebrew phrase (b'yom) is differently translated and is used 491 times in the OT (57 times in Isaiah alone (4).
We need to remember the translators often used the phrase "in that day" to speak of a prophetic day of the future, but the phrase was quite common and can be used with a less pronounced meaning such as 'on that day' or even 'that day.'
Our point is that Isaiah commonly uses this word. They are used so much that they clearly stand out. In this case, we are to understand that 11:1-9 (or 10:33-11:9) all describe which day he is speaking about.
The two sections, 11:10 and 11:11-16 both start with this significant "in that day' phrase and so they point back to the unit preceding it. In other words, the day is first described and then special key events are later identified. In this case it is the saving of the Gentiles (11:10) and the return of the Jews to the Lord (11:11-16).
We would be hard pressed to say that 'in that day' of verses 10 and 11 refer only to 11:1-5 rather than 11:1-9. Since the last section of 11:10-16 clearly is speaking of New Testament events, that day must also have reference to the New Testament era.
We are so slow to believe. We so easily put off what should now be happening so that we are not accountable. We actually have lost faith and mislead God's sheep.
God wants to mightily work now in our lives as the Book of Acts clearly shows. What about you? Have you lessened your expectation of what God should or would do around you because of everybody else's little faith?! Now is the time to repent and begin believing God again.
My point for writing all of this is so that we will not cast away passages like this but instead be strongly motivated to be more like Christ. If anything, we should from this chapter find three special things going on in our lives.
We should humble ourselves before Christ and constantly seek His anointing by His Spirit and live out our lives doing the will of God.
We should expect great changes from our ministry in the people around us. Just think what happened when Jesus walked through that Samaritan town to get a drink of water. The whole town was radically changed. All of God's people know God through Christ and should dwell in His presence. We will obey and love one another. We will do whatever the Lord wants that His kingdom might grow.
God's plan is to not only anoint the Messiah or His 12 disciples with His Spirit. The Lord is clearly working in all the nations and even at some point in the lives of the stubborn Jews. He has not ruled out any race. All can be filled with His Spirit and walk in light of His Spirit. We must take His message to all.
(4) The b'yom (in that day) if Isaiah interestingly all occur before chapter 40 except for 3 times and they have a different sense.