Isa 5:8-10 | KingComments | STEP | The parable of the vineyard is followed by a sixfold “woe” over the “worthless” grapes (cf. ) produced by the people. In it God pleads against the people and shows them their sins, their ‘worthless grapes’, in detail. We also see this order in the Gospel according to Matthew. First the Lord Jesus tells a parable of a vineyard ( ). A little further, He pronounces a sevenfold woe on the leaders of the people ( ). The first woe of Isaiah is about greed and greediness ( ; cf. ; ). We recognize this ‘worthless grape’ in the unbridled materialism of our days. It is the urge for always more. If necessary, others are robbed of their possessions. The picture is selfishness in its highest form, someone who has surrounded himself with everything he wants and lets no one else share in it. This goes against God’s commandments not to steal and not to covet ( ), by which He protects the private property of the members of His people. It is the property He has entrusted to each member. Those who are guilty of this greed violate the LORD’s ordinance ( ; ), for the land always remains the property of the LORD ( ). They do not think of returning the property to the original owner in the year of jubilee ( ). Had they done so, they would have received rich fruit ( ). The LORD has communicated the judgment on this dealing to Isaiah in his ears, which means to him personally. He has been told that the LORD will see to it that they will not benefit from their greed (cf. ). Their beautiful houses will be destroyed and life will disappear from them because the occupants will perish ( ). A house can still be so beautiful, but when life is gone from it, it is dead. Also the land will barely yield anything ( ). A vineyard of “ten acres” will yield only between twenty and forty-five liters of wine – a bath is presumably between twenty and forty-five liters. And a homer of seed – a homer is presumably between two hundred and four hundred and fifty liters – will yield only an ephah – an ephah is presumably between twenty and forty-five liters. This means that the sown seed will yield only ten percent or less. To this we can apply the saying: ill-gotten gains never benefit anyone. The lesson is: if we forget that everything we have belongs to Christ and appropriate it to ourselves, spiritual dryness and lack will strike us (cf. ).

‏ Isaiah 5:8-10

The First Woe

The parable of the vineyard is followed by a sixfold “woe” over the “worthless” grapes (cf. Isa 5:2) produced by the people. In it God pleads against the people and shows them their sins, their ‘worthless grapes’, in detail. We also see this order in the Gospel according to Matthew. First the Lord Jesus tells a parable of a vineyard (Mt 21:33-41). A little further, He pronounces a sevenfold woe on the leaders of the people (Mt 23:13-36).

The first woe of Isaiah is about greed and greediness (Isa 5:8; cf. Isa 57:17; Mic 2:2). We recognize this ‘worthless grape’ in the unbridled materialism of our days. It is the urge for always more. If necessary, others are robbed of their possessions. The picture is selfishness in its highest form, someone who has surrounded himself with everything he wants and lets no one else share in it. This goes against God’s commandments not to steal and not to covet (Exo 20:15 ; 17), by which He protects the private property of the members of His people. It is the property He has entrusted to each member.

Those who are guilty of this greed violate the LORD’s ordinance (Num 36:7; 1Kgs 21:1-3), for the land always remains the property of the LORD (Lev 25:23). They do not think of returning the property to the original owner in the year of jubilee (Lev 25:10 ; 13). Had they done so, they would have received rich fruit (Lev 25:18-19).

The LORD has communicated the judgment on this dealing to Isaiah in his ears, which means to him personally. He has been told that the LORD will see to it that they will not benefit from their greed (cf. Hag 1:6 ; 9). Their beautiful houses will be destroyed and life will disappear from them because the occupants will perish (Isa 5:9). A house can still be so beautiful, but when life is gone from it, it is dead.

Also the land will barely yield anything (Isa 5:10). A vineyard of “ten acres” will yield only between twenty and forty-five liters of wine – a bath is presumably between twenty and forty-five liters. And a homer of seed – a homer is presumably between two hundred and four hundred and fifty liters – will yield only an ephah – an ephah is presumably between twenty and forty-five liters. This means that the sown seed will yield only ten percent or less.

To this we can apply the saying: ill-gotten gains never benefit anyone. The lesson is: if we forget that everything we have belongs to Christ and appropriate it to ourselves, spiritual dryness and lack will strike us (cf. Psa 106:15).