Isaías 5

Isaías 5

Guzik comments… We know, and they knew, that farming is a matter of cause and effect. Literally, one could never “blame” a vineyard for lack of production. But in the Lord’s vineyard, the will of man is a factor. (Isaiah 5 Commentary) Earlier Isaiah had recorded… The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people, "It is you who have devoured the vineyard; The plunder of the poor is in your houses. (Isaiah 3:14) Gary Smith writes that… This song reminded the listener that God was the lover who had poured out his love for his special vineyard. Each person in his vineyard was specially created, planted, and continually cared for by God's grace. People deserved no credit for their election or their privileged status; it happened totally by grace. Once God chooses an individual or a people, he tenderly cares for and protects his own. As this happens he patiently waits for his people to produce good fruit in their lives. In his sovereign oversight of his people God observes what happens in society and he knows what kind of fruit his chosen vines produce. (New American Commentary: Volume 15a: Isaiah 1-39. Page183. B & H Publishing Group) Isaiah 5:4 What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?: Isa 1:5 2Ch 36:14-16 Jer 2:30,31 6:29,30 Eze 24:13 Mt 23:37 Ac 7:51-60 Isaiah 5 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries What more was there to do - We see the mourning of a father. God's "frustration" is evident in this passage. "What more" indicates that God had done everything He could to ensure Israel would be "fruitful", so they are without excuse! Application of truth: Beloved, God has given us as believers everything necessary for life and godliness (2Pe 1:3-note) and yet so many of us continue to yield little more than what amounts to "stinking grapes"! And they make excuses (it's my background, it's my spouse, it's my kids), but God says in light of His abundant provision, we are without excuse. Let us do a personal inventory, inspecting our life for fruit that will remain (Jn 15:16) and if necessary confessing our empty excuses for failing to bring forth fruit "some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty" (Mt 13:8, 23) Why when I expected it ("looked" in Isa 5:4KJV - see note on Isa 5:2) - Why did they not yield grapes? Is it God's fault? From the preceding context, clearly it is not, thus the Vineyard is culpable. God was looking expectantly for spiritual fruit from Israel. And dear NT believer, He is looking expectantly at our "vineyards"? Are we living obediently and thereby fruitfully? If not, why not? We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ? We are without excuse? What will we say at the Judgment Seat of Christ? (2Cor 5:10-note, cp 1Co 3:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) (See related subjects: Bearing fruit = karpophoreo; Fruit - karpos) NLT Study Bible… Isaiah wanted the audience to condemn the vineyard before he revealed that in fact they were the vineyard (Isa 5:7) This rhetorical tactic is similar to the one Nathan used to confront David (2Sa 12:1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Worthless ones - Stinking grapes - not merely wild, but rancid! The six fold stinking fruit is described below, each one being introduced with a woe (Isa 5:8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 22) Spurgeon… How much is our condition like that of Israel and Judah! What more could God have done for us? We have the Bible and the ministry of the gospel: as a family we are a garden walled around, and our country is the fruitful field of true religion. What fruit are we yielding? If we are barren, what must we expect? Judgment is always in proportion to privilege misused. May grace be upon us all, that we may bear much fruit unto the Lord our God. H A Ironside… After all the care He had lavished upon Israel, His loving provision for their needs, His gracious forgiveness extended to them over and over again when they failed, how could it be possible that there would be no suitable fruit for Him? Why should they produce only that which was worthless and useless? Alas, it was but the manifestation of a heart that had departed from the living God. And so, after giving them one opportunity after another to repent and judge themselves in His sight, He finally decided to give them up (Isaiah 5 - The Parable of the Vineyard) BELOVED IN CHRIST ARE YOU A FRUITFUL VINEYARD? F B