“For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; For righteousness, but found, a cry of distress.” (v.7)
Here in Isaiah 5 (and again in Ezekiel 15), we find Israel likened to a vineyard; the Lord is the gardener and caretaker. Consider the care of which God lavished on His vineyard, “His delight.” He chose a fertile hillside, rich in good soil; He cleared away stones and planted the best vines. Anticipating a good crop, He built a winepress to catch the grape juice and a watchtower to guard the harvest. But what was the harvest He gained for all His love and care? “Bad fruit” (v. 2).
What kind of fruit was the LORD expecting from His chosen people? “He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress” (v.7). In other words, Israel had been equipped to produce justice and righteousness: it had been chosen by God, delivered from oppression by His hand, given the law, and blessed with the tabernacle of God’s presence. But instead, Israel produced fruit that defied His careful cultivation. What a disappointment.
The application here is easy to see. We who are Christians have also been chosen by God, He has cleared away the stones and weeds in our lives, planted us in rich soil, watered us with His Word, and anticipates a good harvest from our lives. I pray that we do not disappoint.
The Truth: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48)
Here in Isaiah 5 (and again in Ezekiel 15), we find Israel likened to a vineyard; the Lord is the gardener and caretaker. Consider the care of which God lavished on His vineyard, “His delight.” He chose a fertile hillside, rich in good soil; He cleared away stones and planted the best vines. Anticipating a good crop, He built a winepress to catch the grape juice and a watchtower to guard the harvest. But what was the harvest He gained for all His love and care? “Bad fruit” (v. 2).
What kind of fruit was the LORD expecting from His chosen people? “He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress” (v.7). In other words, Israel had been equipped to produce justice and righteousness: it had been chosen by God, delivered from oppression by His hand, given the law, and blessed with the tabernacle of God’s presence. But instead, Israel produced fruit that defied His careful cultivation. What a disappointment.
The application here is easy to see. We who are Christians have also been chosen by God, He has cleared away the stones and weeds in our lives, planted us in rich soil, watered us with His Word, and anticipates a good harvest from our lives. I pray that we do not disappoint.
The Truth: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48)
