Living in God's Vineyard

by Apr 16, 2012

Isaiah 5 is a beautiful picture of God’s provision…

My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it;

…and a stark look at how many people fail to take advantage of his grace:

And he looked for it to yield grapes,
But it yielded wild grapes.

God reminds us that he’s given us everything we need…

And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?

… and that he will not allow ingratitude and unfruitfulness to go on forever:

And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

Because he cannot allow injustice to stand:

And he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!