Yes, but the messianic passages in Isaiah are literal. That's what I'm trying to say. Looking at Leviticus 26, it seems very clear. Isaiah was talking about the same messianic concept in Chapter 11 as Moses was talking about in Leviticus 26.
Leviticus and Isaiah are very different books and arguably as different as Daniel and Isaiah are different.
Tell me, do you think any of Isaiah is symbolic or its all literal?
Clearly Jewish thinkers consider many verses Messianic and I would have thought to make that work some verses could not be taken literally. For example the reference to the stars, moon and sun in Isaiah 13:10:
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Most likely: The wolf is a wolf, the lamb is a lamb; the viper is a viper; the child is a child. That's what I mean by literal.
So we are considering a condition where carnivores becomes vegetarian and predator and they prey coexist in peace. Its hard to imagine but I suppose God can do anything. The question then becomes why he would want to affect such a change in the animal kingdom. But I completely accept your views.
If there is symbolism, I propose that the symbolism would be speaking about the conflict between the north and the south territory. This fits better, IMHO, because the verses 11-16 in Isaiah chapter 11 speak directly about future conflicts with future nations.
I agree it would make sense to consider the state of the kingdoms as they existed during this period of Isaiah’s prophecy. There could also be principles that apply much more generally of course.
I am aware that Christians apply their own messiah onto these passages. Perhaps though they are not as familiar with the idea that Benjamin is a wolf ( Genesis 49 ), and that Jacob was developing the the nation of Israel as a flock of lambs ( Genesis 30 ). Isaiah would have known this, and Isaiah's Jewish audience would have known this. So if there is symbolism in Isaiah 11:6, it's more likely symbolizing the reconciliation of the south and the north territories.
I think many Christians view the verses of Isaiah 11:6-8 literally as you do. Some of course understand them symbolically.
Thanks anyway for providing a Jewish perspective. Many Jews here are reluctant to speak too much about their faith. I wish more would.