Isaiah 6 - The Vineyard
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Intro - So we pick up tonight in our study of Isaiah in Chapter 5. But before we do, it might be good to review some of what we have learned.
We remember that Isaiah prophesied from about 740 BC to about 680 BC, before the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar.
He ministered under the Reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and probably Manasseh. We can read about this time period in , and .
In the time of Isaiah, Israel was a little nation often caught in the middle of the wars between three superpowers: Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon.
As Isaiah's ministry began, there was a national crisis in the northern nation of Israel. The superpower of Assyria was about to engulf the nation of Israel. During the span of his ministry as a prophet, the southern nation of Judah was faced with repeated threats from the larger surrounding nations.
Isaiah is sometimes referred to as the fifth gospel as it is quoted more than any other OT book. Also remember that like the bible which has 66 books, Isaiah has 66 chapters. Also the OT has 39 books and like the OT the first division of Isaiah is 39 chapters.
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These first five chapters are believed to be relating to the time of King Uzziah’s reign.
So tonight we pick up in and here he begins with a prophesy about God’s vineyard.
read 1 - 2
Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: my Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it; so He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.
Here Isaiah begins to lay out a story of expectation regarding a certain vineyard. The story is about a vineyard that had many advantages. It belonged to a loving person (my Well-beloved). It was planted on a very fruitful hill. The ground was carefully prepared (dug it up and cleared out its stones). It was planted with good stock (planted it with the choicest vine). It was protected (a tower in its midst). Provision was made for the fruit to be processed (made a winepress in it).
When he mentions wild grapes he may be talking about a plant called “wolfsbane”. According to one commentator : "We are dealing here with something worse than unfruitfulness. The New Testament also speaks of a faith that brings forth fruit, but the fruit is dead works, which pollute the air like a cadaver. The wolfsbane, or wild vine (), does bear beautiful berries, but they are bitter, foul-smelling and poisonous in nature. This is a precise description of the self-willed and false religion of the unfaithful covenant people." (Bultema)
You might remember that Jesus used the allegory of the Vineyard in - 19.
"And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?"
As in the case of Israel here God has given them His very best and gotten no real fruit. Think about us as Christ Followers, He has given His own Son, His very best, and what is our fruit like.
"O you that profess to be his people, what more could Christ have done for you? What more could the Holy Spirit have done? What richer promises, what wiser precepts, what kinder providences, what more gracious patience?" (Spurgeon)
You might remember that Jesus used the allegory of the Vineyard in , and
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent himaway empty-handed. 11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ 14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.”
And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”
17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’ ?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
19 And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people—for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.
He continues with His judgement.
"And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it." For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
He say something interesting here. What do you suppose “taking away its hedge” means?
First what is a hedge, what does it do?
Hebrew is mĕsuwkah - a hedge made of briars and thorns.
mĕsuwkah
φραγμός phragmós, frag-mos'; from G5420; a fence, or inclosing barrier (literally or figuratively):—hedge (+ round about), partition.
So a hedge figuratively is a wall of protection.
It reminds us of Job. Look at
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
As a christian we enjoy God’s hedge of protection and what a sense of peace that gives me to know that God is protecting me!
When David sinned, he prayed in take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
When Joshua and the men of Israel were defeated at Ai they recognized if God’s protection was not with them, they were toast.
What was God’s hedge for Israel in the wilderness? Cloud by day, fire by night.
Ultimately he is saying that I’m going to treat you like you are not mine. No care no pruning no water.
Paul speaks to this issue in regard to church discipline in . In a limited sense, God has given the responsibility of "taking away hedges" to the church. When a Christian is stubbornly unrepentant, it may be the job of the church to "turn them over" to Satan, so they will feel the pain of their sin and repent (; ). The church does this by putting such ones outside the spiritual protection found among God's people.
Isaiah now continues with a series of “woes” against Israel.
Woe to those who join house to house; they add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land! In my hearing the LORD of hosts said, "Truly, many houses shall be desolate, great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant. For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield one ephah."
It seems the idea of the big metropolis is not one that God favors. In my observation it seems that the big problems radiate from the big cities. The rural areas seem to be more peaceful.
11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning,
That they may follow intoxicating drink;
Who continue until night, till wine inflames them!
12 The harp and the strings,
The tambourine and flute,
And wine are in their feasts;
But they do not regard the work of the Lord,
Nor consider the operation of His hands.
13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity,
Because they have no knowledge;
Their honorable men are famished,
And their multitude dried up with thirst.
14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself
And opened its mouth beyond measure;
Their glory and their multitude and their pomp,
And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it.
15 People shall be brought down,
Each man shall be humbled,
And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.
16 But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment,
And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.
17 Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture,
And in the waste places of the fat ones strangers shall eat.
Is 5:
Again we see the result of this big city living. Really a picture of modern day America in any large city.
Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink: The picture is of those who "work hard" to party and endlessly celebrate. Their lives are filled with substance abuse and music - But they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands.
What is wrong with the partying and addicted to entertainment lifestyle? Simply put, it forgets about God. Though they may claim to remember Him in some way, they do not regard the work of the LORD, nor consider the operation of His hands. Anyone who really does regard the work of the LORD, and really does consider the operation of His hands, will live as if God is real and as if there is much more to life than partying and entertainment.
18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity,
And sin as if with a cart rope;
19 That say, “Let Him make speed and hasten His work,
That we may see it;
And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come,
That we may know it.”
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight!
Is 5:
Woe to those who confuse moral issues, who think that they know better than God does, Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity: They pull their sin to themselves with ropes of emptiness!
Its a picture of man justifying his sin with empty excuses.
They say, "Let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it." In saying these empty words, they show their arrogant contempt of the LORD. It is as if they are saying, "Go ahead, God. We are ready for your judgment." I feel afraid to just say it!
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil: Using clever and deceptive words, they blur moral issues and excuse their sin. They look at their own evil and call it good, and they look at the good of others and call it evil. Isaiah is describing a deep state of moral confusion.
Just consider the arguments made today on the pro abortion side to see this in real life.
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes: They are full of pride, and reject the wisdom and standards of God. "The Bible? It's so judgmental. Judge not lest you be judged. It's all how you interpret it. You have your interpretation and I have mine." All this thinking exalts the wisdom of man over the Word of God.
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5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
He continues
22 Woe to men mighty at drinking wine,
Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,
23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away justice from the righteous man!
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Unfortunately we can probably all picture some one who fits this description.
And finally, their destruction is called out.
24 Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble,
And the flame consumes the chaff,
So their root will be as rottenness,
And their blossom will ascend like dust;
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts,
And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
25 Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused against His people;
He has stretched out His hand against them
And stricken them,
And the hills trembled.
Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets.
For all this His anger is not turned away,
But His hand is stretched out still.
26 He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar,
And will whistle to them from the end of the earth;
Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly.
27 No one will be weary or stumble among them,
No one will slumber or sleep;
Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed,
Nor the strap of their sandals be broken;
28 Whose arrows are sharp,
And all their bows bent;
Their horses’ hooves will seem like flint,
And their wheels like a whirlwind.
29 Their roaring will be like a lion,
They will roar like young lions;
Yes, they will roar
And lay hold of the prey;
They will carry it away safely,
And no one will deliver.
30 In that day they will roar against them
Like the roaring of the sea.
And if one looks to the land,
Behold, darkness and sorrow;
And the light is darkened by the clouds.
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