Isa 5:1-2 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter we have three sections: 1. The LORD and the failed vineyard of Israel ( ); 2. a sixfold woe over the people and their leaders ( ); 3. the judgments of the LORD on the people ( ). Isaiah, in whom the Spirit of Christ speaks, now uses a new way to speak to Israel, namely through a song. It is a song in which he sings the love of the LORD for His people ( ). He wants to sing for his Well-beloved, the LORD. He is like the friend of the Bridegroom who rejoices over the Bridegroom ( ). The LORD is the object of his song. It is a love song, just like Song of Songs, and is about a vineyard (cf. ). However, the identity of those involved remains covered. Isaiah does not mention any names. Nathan also uses this veiled way of telling a narrative in the history he tells David ( ). It is not said who the “well-beloved” and “beloved” is and who the “vineyard” is. This holds the attention of the listeners. As the song progresses, their indignation about the vineyard increases until at the end of the section, in , the true identity of the Beloved and of the vineyard is revealed like a bolt from the blue. In the song we are moved to a courtroom ( ; cf. ), where the song becomes an indictment because of the lack of response to the love and patience of the Beloved. The song ends with leaving the figurative description to identify the house of Israel – for that is the vineyard – as the object of God’s anger ( ). Isaiah sings about what the Well-beloved – that is, as we know, the LORD – has done for His people. In the picture of the vineyard he sings about Israel as God saw the people at the beginning of their history in the promised land. The vineyard stood on a “fertile hill”, so on fertile ground ( ), which is the land of Canaan. Then it says: “He dug it all around, removed its stones” ( ). This means that He drove the nations with their idols out of the land. By the “choicest vine” that He planted the Israelites are meant ( ; ; ). Furthermore, He built “a tower” in the middle of it, which refers to the central city of Jerusalem that He built to establish His Name ( ). That tower was also a watchtower where the priests lived who had to guard against the intrusion of wrong influences. The “wine vat” that He hewed out of it, can be recognized in the temple. There the people would bring Him the fruit of the land, the sacrifices, in order to express their worship and praise by the working of His Spirit. He was looking forward to that glorious result after all the work He had put into it. The end of the song, however, is an anticlimax. Instead of the good grapes He could expect from all His efforts, the vine produced worthless grapes. After Isaiah sang in his song the detailed description of the efforts of the LORD for an optimal result, we suddenly see ourselves moved into a courtroom ( ). The LORD Himself speaks now, a speaking that continues through . He asks “the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah” in a trial to judge between Him and His vineyard. He asks them for a verdict by which He forces them to thoroughly reflect on the situation. He is the Prosecutor, Who at the same time defends Himself by asking them what they think He could have done more than He did ( ). Were His expectations too high by expecting good grapes after taking so much care of them, while it only produced worthless grapes? To ask the question is to answer it. The way in which the LORD addresses these people is remarkable. He poses as someone who has a complaint against the vineyard and asks for their judgment. As if they as righteous judges were able to judge! But the men of Judah are the plants themselves. In a subtle way the LORD actually asks for a willingness to judge themselves. Instead of making an accusation, their judgment is asked for, by which the love, which is the source of this approach, hopes for willingness to self-examination. But there is no answer. We hear how God wonders out loud whether the vineyard bears the fruit He could expect after all He has done to it. This is a principle that can be generally applied, not only to the Jews, but also to the church and to each individual. If the church has received more than the Jews, God has the right to expect the church to produce more for Him. If someone claims to know the glory of Christ, then He may expect his life corresponds to that. That is the true fruit bearing for which the believer is on earth. The Prosecutor then announces what He is going to do with His vineyard ( ). Preceded by a solemn “so now” He announces the verdict of His worthless vineyard. After all, a vineyard that does not produce fruit is completely worthless. The only thing for which a vine is useful is to bear fruit. Its wood is without fruit too worthless to be suitable for anything but firewood ( ). The Prosecutor Himself will also carry out the verdict. His repayment for their rebellion is imminent and inevitable. He will take away their protection, “his hedge”, so that they become a prey for the nations. As a result, the land will be consumed. He “will break down its wall” so that the enemy can enter to trample them. He will lay the whole land “waste” ( ). He will do this so thoroughly that it will not be “pruned” or “hoed,” which means that no activity will take place for the purpose of bearing fruit. Thus, instead of delicious fruit, the land will produce only “briars and thorns”, the symbols of sin ( ). In the listeners suddenly hear that the vine grower, the beloved one who speaks of his vineyard, “will charge the clouds to rain no rain on it” (cf. ). Until now they have listened to the song without thinking that the beloved or the vineyard represent certain persons. But now they hear something amazing, something that makes them suspicious. They hear the owner of the vineyard say that he will “charge the clouds to rain no rain on it”. Surely only the LORD can say such a thing, isn’t it? How would a man charge the clouds to do something? Surely only God can do that, isn’t it? And indeed, so it is. This is the time for the explanation of the imagery ( ). The Prosecutor suddenly confronts the house of Israel with the fact that they are the vineyard of the previous verses and that He, the LORD, is the Well-beloved about Whom the song is about. It seems as if we hear Nathan say to David, after he has told his parable: “You are the man!” ( ). The Prosecutor is not Isaiah, but the LORD Himself! In short, the vineyard is Israel, the joy of the LORD and the work of His hands to His glorification ( ). The joy He wanted to find in His people also has to do with His love for them. They are “His delightful plant”. He chose them out of all nations to be His people, the special object of His love. That is why He took so much care of them. But instead of finding justice and righteousness that He expects as a fruit, He finds oppression and violence. That is why the judgment on Israel can no longer be averted. in Hebrew is a beautiful wordplay: mispat – mispach which can be translated with “good governance” – “blood governance” and: tsedakah – tseakah which can be translated “law observance” – “law oppression” (= crying of oppressed persons). Just as these words, at least in Hebrew, resemble each other, so in a certain sense the worthless grapes resemble the good grapes. In the same way the evildoers look like religious people, whereas in reality they are full of iniquity (cf. ). The lesson of this section is clear. It is possible to routinely perform religious acts, to live outwardly in conformity with Scripture, while the true dedication of the heart to Christ is lacking. The first love is gone and with it the true spiritual power. This opens the door to ever coarser forms of evil. The Lord stands at the door and He knocks ( ). He is waiting for an answer from everyone who truly desires to have fellowship with Him in truth, in accordance with His will and way. The vineyard is destroyed, but not forever. Later we find the promise that the vineyard will be restored ( ). That will happen in the end time. It does not mean that until that time God is without vineyard and without fruit from the vineyard. First of all, the Lord Jesus has taken the place of the failing Israel as the true vine. He says of Himself: “I am the true vine” ( ). His life was all joy to God. He is the true ‘delightful plant’ of God, because in Him God finds all His delight. Secondly, the Lord Jesus shows in a parable that the vineyard, the kingdom of God, will be connected with another people, professing Christianity ( ). In professing Christianity, everyone who is connected to the true vine, Christ, bears fruit for God ( ).

‏ Isaiah 5:1-2

Introduction

In this chapter we have three sections:

1. The LORD and the failed vineyard of Israel (Isa 5:1-7);

2. a sixfold woe over the people and their leaders (Isa 5:8-23);

3. the judgments of the LORD on the people (Isa 5:24-30).

The Vineyard Song

Isaiah, in whom the Spirit of Christ speaks, now uses a new way to speak to Israel, namely through a song. It is a song in which he sings the love of the LORD for His people (Isa 5:1). He wants to sing for his Well-beloved, the LORD. He is like the friend of the Bridegroom who rejoices over the Bridegroom (Jn 3:29-30). The LORD is the object of his song.

It is a love song, just like Song of Songs, and is about a vineyard (cf. Song 2:15). However, the identity of those involved remains covered. Isaiah does not mention any names. Nathan also uses this veiled way of telling a narrative in the history he tells David (2Sam 12:1-4). It is not said who the “well-beloved” and “beloved” is and who the “vineyard” is. This holds the attention of the listeners. As the song progresses, their indignation about the vineyard increases until at the end of the section, in Isa 5:7, the true identity of the Beloved and of the vineyard is revealed like a bolt from the blue.

In the song we are moved to a courtroom (Isa 5:3-4; cf. Isa 1:18 ; Isa 3:14-15), where the song becomes an indictment because of the lack of response to the love and patience of the Beloved. The song ends with leaving the figurative description to identify the house of Israel – for that is the vineyard – as the object of God’s anger (Isa 5:5-7).

Isaiah sings about what the Well-beloved – that is, as we know, the LORD – has done for His people. In the picture of the vineyard he sings about Israel as God saw the people at the beginning of their history in the promised land. The vineyard stood on a “fertile hill”, so on fertile ground (Deu 8:7-9), which is the land of Canaan.

Then it says: “He dug it all around, removed its stones” (Isa 5:2). This means that He drove the nations with their idols out of the land. By the “choicest vine” that He planted the Israelites are meant (Jer 2:21; Psa 80:8-9; Hos 10:1). Furthermore, He built “a tower” in the middle of it, which refers to the central city of Jerusalem that He built to establish His Name (Pro 18:10). That tower was also a watchtower where the priests lived who had to guard against the intrusion of wrong influences.

The “wine vat” that He hewed out of it, can be recognized in the temple. There the people would bring Him the fruit of the land, the sacrifices, in order to express their worship and praise by the working of His Spirit. He was looking forward to that glorious result after all the work He had put into it. The end of the song, however, is an anticlimax. Instead of the good grapes He could expect from all His efforts, the vine produced worthless grapes.

After Isaiah sang in his song the detailed description of the efforts of the LORD for an optimal result, we suddenly see ourselves moved into a courtroom (Isa 5:3). The LORD Himself speaks now, a speaking that continues through Isa 5:7. He asks “the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah” in a trial to judge between Him and His vineyard. He asks them for a verdict by which He forces them to thoroughly reflect on the situation.

He is the Prosecutor, Who at the same time defends Himself by asking them what they think He could have done more than He did (Isa 5:4). Were His expectations too high by expecting good grapes after taking so much care of them, while it only produced worthless grapes? To ask the question is to answer it.

The way in which the LORD addresses these people is remarkable. He poses as someone who has a complaint against the vineyard and asks for their judgment. As if they as righteous judges were able to judge! But the men of Judah are the plants themselves. In a subtle way the LORD actually asks for a willingness to judge themselves. Instead of making an accusation, their judgment is asked for, by which the love, which is the source of this approach, hopes for willingness to self-examination. But there is no answer.

We hear how God wonders out loud whether the vineyard bears the fruit He could expect after all He has done to it. This is a principle that can be generally applied, not only to the Jews, but also to the church and to each individual. If the church has received more than the Jews, God has the right to expect the church to produce more for Him. If someone claims to know the glory of Christ, then He may expect his life corresponds to that. That is the true fruit bearing for which the believer is on earth.

The Prosecutor then announces what He is going to do with His vineyard (Isa 5:5). Preceded by a solemn “so now” He announces the verdict of His worthless vineyard. After all, a vineyard that does not produce fruit is completely worthless. The only thing for which a vine is useful is to bear fruit. Its wood is without fruit too worthless to be suitable for anything but firewood (Eze 15:2-5).

The Prosecutor Himself will also carry out the verdict. His repayment for their rebellion is imminent and inevitable. He will take away their protection, “his hedge”, so that they become a prey for the nations. As a result, the land will be consumed. He “will break down its wall” so that the enemy can enter to trample them.

He will lay the whole land “waste” (Isa 5:6). He will do this so thoroughly that it will not be “pruned” or “hoed,” which means that no activity will take place for the purpose of bearing fruit. Thus, instead of delicious fruit, the land will produce only “briars and thorns”, the symbols of sin (Gen 3:18a).

In Isa 5:6b the listeners suddenly hear that the vine grower, the beloved one who speaks of his vineyard, “will charge the clouds to rain no rain on it” (cf. Deu 11:17a). Until now they have listened to the song without thinking that the beloved or the vineyard represent certain persons. But now they hear something amazing, something that makes them suspicious. They hear the owner of the vineyard say that he will “charge the clouds to rain no rain on it”. Surely only the LORD can say such a thing, isn’t it? How would a man charge the clouds to do something? Surely only God can do that, isn’t it? And indeed, so it is.

This is the time for the explanation of the imagery (Isa 5:7). The Prosecutor suddenly confronts the house of Israel with the fact that they are the vineyard of the previous verses and that He, the LORD, is the Well-beloved about Whom the song is about. It seems as if we hear Nathan say to David, after he has told his parable: “You are the man!” (2Sam 12:7a). The Prosecutor is not Isaiah, but the LORD Himself!

In short, the vineyard is Israel, the joy of the LORD and the work of His hands to His glorification (Isa 60:21 ; Isa 61:3). The joy He wanted to find in His people also has to do with His love for them. They are “His delightful plant”. He chose them out of all nations to be His people, the special object of His love. That is why He took so much care of them. But instead of finding justice and righteousness that He expects as a fruit, He finds oppression and violence. That is why the judgment on Israel can no longer be averted.

Isa 5:7b in Hebrew is a beautiful wordplay: mispat – mispach which can be translated with “good governance” – “blood governance” and: tsedakah – tseakah which can be translated “law observance” – “law oppression” (= crying of oppressed persons). Just as these words, at least in Hebrew, resemble each other, so in a certain sense the worthless grapes resemble the good grapes. In the same way the evildoers look like religious people, whereas in reality they are full of iniquity (cf. Mt 23:28).

The lesson of this section is clear. It is possible to routinely perform religious acts, to live outwardly in conformity with Scripture, while the true dedication of the heart to Christ is lacking. The first love is gone and with it the true spiritual power. This opens the door to ever coarser forms of evil. The Lord stands at the door and He knocks (Rev 3:20). He is waiting for an answer from everyone who truly desires to have fellowship with Him in truth, in accordance with His will and way.

The vineyard is destroyed, but not forever. Later we find the promise that the vineyard will be restored (Isa 27:2-6). That will happen in the end time. It does not mean that until that time God is without vineyard and without fruit from the vineyard.

First of all, the Lord Jesus has taken the place of the failing Israel as the true vine. He says of Himself: “I am the true vine” (Jn 15:1). His life was all joy to God. He is the true ‘delightful plant’ of God, because in Him God finds all His delight.

Secondly, the Lord Jesus shows in a parable that the vineyard, the kingdom of God, will be connected with another people, professing Christianity (Mt 21:33-43). In professing Christianity, everyone who is connected to the true vine, Christ, bears fruit for God (Jn 15:2 ; 8).