Isaiah continues with the horticultural theme of vines, branches and vineyards. God is the farmer who plants a vineyard (Israel) but what does he find when he comes to it?
Read Isaiah 5:1-7
This section takes the form of a song, a love song with echoes of Song of Songs, Isaiah sings of the Lord as his beloved who plants then vineyard and puts walls around it before erecting a watch tower to keep the treasured, valued plants safe so that he can enjoy the wine they will produce. However, when he comes to inspect, he’s disappointed. Somehow the vineyard has been contaminated, rather than sweet, carefully selected and cultivated grapes, he finds sour wild ones (v1-2). The voice changes now, so it is the Lord, the vineyard owner who speaks and asks the people to judge. This functions like Nathan’s parable to David after his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba. The people are asked to give a verdict on the parable but in so doing will condemn themselves. God’s point is that he has done everything for them with great love and patience. They are without excuse and time is running out. God is vindicated as just and compassionate (v3-4). So, God declares what he will do as the vineyard owner. He will remove the walls that protect the vineyard, after all it is already contaminated with wild grapes from outside. Without protection, the land will become overgrown and then useless wasteland. The people had allowed Israel to become polluted with the idolatry of surrounding nations, so God will withdraw his protection and allow the surrounding nations to take over (v5-7).
Ponder
Meditate on verse 7
he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;[ for righteousness, but behold, an outcry
- What will God find when he looks at us his church?
- What implications does this have for our local church/the churches in our country?
- What should our response be?
- Purify my heart
Let me be as gold and precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold, pure gold - Refiner’s fire,
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will - Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin, deep within - Refiner’s fire
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will - Refiner’s fire
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You, Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You, my Master
Ready to do Your will - Source: Musixmatch
- Songwriters: Brian Robert Doerksen
- Purify My Heart lyrics © Mercy Vineyard Publishing, Vineyard Songs (canada)
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