Isaiah 5 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Isaiah 5 Notes** > [[Isaiah 4 FSI|<Prev]]   \[[Isaiah 6 FSI|Next>\]] > [[Isaiah 5|Verse list view]] > [Isaiah 5:1](Isaiah%205.md#^1) note > > This is very parallel to the picture of the vineyard in [Jeremiah 2:21](Jeremiah%202.md#^21) as it applies to the churches and congregations of today. The well-beloved is the Lord Jesus Christ and it is *His* vineyard. The phrase "in a very fruitful hill" in verse 1 should be translated *"in a horn of the son of oil."* The *horn* is a synonym for strength and oil (of anointing) represents the Holy Spirit. So this, too, points to Jesus Christ, He is the Strength, He is the Son of oil. And it is *His* vineyard. ^isa5-1 > [Isaiah 5:2](Isaiah%205.md#^2) note > Christ fenced His vineyard and gathered out the stones thereof, that is, He gave it all kinds of care. God planted it with the choicest vine, that is, [with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself](John%2015.md#^1) (see also [Jn 15:5](John%2015.md#^5)). And again, like the horn in verse 1 (in the proper translation), the *tower* in the midst of the vine symbolizes the strength and protection of God ([see Psalm 18:2](Psalm%2018.md#^2)!, also mentioned in [Mt 21:33](Matthew%2021.md#^33)). > > If we look at [John 15:1](John%2015.md#^1) - [2](John%2015.md#^2), where is the strength of the child of God? God is using language here with this vineyard that the kingdom of God is altogether associated with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Essence of the kingdom of God, He is what the churches should have focused on altogether constantly. And Christ is the Word, He is Word made flesh and dwelt among us. So when God planted His kingdom the choicest vine, He put His Word right in the center of it. It is the control, the strength, the protection that we have. > > In [Matthew 21:33](Matthew%2021.md#^33) Christ gives a very similar parable. God has given His Word as the strong tower, the fence, the hedge that He has put around it to protect it. Then He gave the rulers and overseers to continue operating the vineyard. But what happened? We see in [Matthew 21:34](Matthew%2021.md#^34), [35](Matthew%2021.md#^35), [36](Matthew%2021.md#^36), [37](Matthew%2021.md#^37), [38](Matthew%2021.md#^38) and [39](Matthew%2021.md#^39) that the prophets came and were killed (cp [Mt 21:35](Matthew%2021.md#^35) w/[Jn 9:22](John%209.md#^22) and [Jn 16:2](John%2016.md#^2) -- those who are put out of the synagogues are also effectively being spiritually killed). Again and again they were not believed. And God finally sends the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and they killed Him as well. > > In this instance God is speaking of national Israel as they rejected the Word of God and Christ. But notice in this parable it doesn't speak anything negative concerning the fruit of the vine, here. That's because the Fruit was Christ Himself, He is the First of the first-fruits that came from this vineyard ([1 Cor 15:20](1%20Corinthians%2015.md#^20), [23](1%20Corinthians%2015.md#^23)). So in Matthew 21 the vineyard did *not* produce *wild* grapes as we read here in Isaiah 5:2, nor did it become a *degenerate* plant as we read about in [Jeremiah 2:21](Jeremiah%202.md#^21). So the parable in Matthew 21 specifically addresses Old Testament Israel, as we see a few verses later in [Mt 21:45](Matthew%2021.md#^45). > > So in Matthew 21 the vineyard is very much intact, God does not destroy the vineyard itself. In fact, we see in [Matthew 21:41](Matthew%2021.md#^41) that God planned to give the vineyard *to other husbandmen*, representing the New Testament believers, who will render unto Him the fruits in their seasons. (Notice that fruits and seasons are plural. There were 2 seasons yet to come: the early, Pentecostal season which identifies with the church age during which the church produced the firstfruits ([Ja 1:18](James%201.md#^18), [Rev 14:4](Revelation%2014.md#^4)); and the latter rain season during which the vineyard produces the final fruits of the harvest.) Then we read in [Matthew 21:42](Matthew%2021.md#^42), [43](Matthew%2021.md#^43) and [44](Matthew%2021.md#^44) that Christ will become the Head of the corner. Christ is the Son that was killed by the original husbandman that He might become the chief Cornerstone, or the Foundation ([1 Cor 3:11](1%20Corinthians%203.md#^11)) of God's eternal, spiritual temple. So this vineyard has a future, it will bring forth Fruit that will be unrelated to national Israel. > > But here in Isaiah 5 God indicates that His vine brought forth *wild* grapes, just as in Jeremiah 2 where we see that God planted this noble vine that has become altogether *degenerate*. It is not to the glory of God at all. How is this possible? We did not see this in Christ's parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21. And in this case, rather than being given to other husbandmen as the vineyard was in Matthew 21, God is now going to destroy the vineyard as we read in [Isaiah 5:4](Isaiah%205.md#^4), [5](Isaiah%205.md#^5) and [6](Isaiah%205.md#^6), after all He had done for it just to have it produce wild grapes. And the language in these verses indicates that God will remove the Gospel and all spiritual blessing from them. They will be laid waste with drought and famine, typifying the absence of the Word of God and salvation, which identifies with the final tribulation period. ^isa5-2 > [Isaiah 5:3](Isaiah%205.md#^3) note > > vv3-6: After all God had done for His vineyard just to have it produce wild grapes, He is now going to destroy it. And the language in these verses indicates that God will remove the Gospel and all spiritual blessing from them. They will be laid waste with drought and famine, typifying the absence of the Word of God, which identifies with the final tribulation period. > > This is all parallel again to Ezekiel 16, which illustrates the great love and care of God for His people just for them to become like a wicked harlot against God. It began so well just for it to become a vineyard producing wild grapes. ^isa5-3 > [Isaiah 5:6](Isaiah%205.md#^6) note > > When God says that He will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, that brings drought and death. We need water to live. Spiritually, we need the water of the Gospel. We must have the living Holy Spirit within us to possess eternal life. So when God commands there to be no rain, we wilt away, there is no Gospel, there is no Holy Spirit, there is no eternal life. So the vine with the wild grapes, those who claim to be the caretakers of the Gospel who have gone their own sinful ways, will be dried up and destroyed. ^isa5-6 > [Isaiah 5:7](Isaiah%205.md#^7) note > > Here we read that *the vineyard is the house of Israel and the men of Judah his pleasant plant*. And we know that these are the New Testatment churches and congregations as *typified* by national Israel and Judah of that day because the vineyard here starts out with the same language where Matthew 21 ends: It is a vineyard that Christ built, it had a tower and a winepress in it, it had a hedge or a fence around it -- so we have this same vineyard with the same distinguishing marks. But whereas in Matthew 21 it had originally borne fruit and yet was given to other husbandmen, now it will be utterly destroyed because it produces wild grapes. ^isa5-7 > [Isaiah 5:20](Isaiah%205.md#^20) note > > Some might think this verse is talking about the "new" (or reverse) morality prevalent in our day. Those who are living in open sin believe they have a fine lifestyle while those who are trying to live morally right before God are detrimental to society so that evil is called good and good is called evil. > > But that is not what God is talking about because the setting is in the churches and congregations. The whole setting is where [God has sewn or planted a vineyard](Isaiah%205.md#^1) (remember [Christ is the Vine](John%2015.md#^5), the Root of the vineyard) which has [brought forth wild grapes](Isaiah%205.md#^2). And in verses [Isaiah 24](Isaiah%205.md#^24)-[25](Isaiah%205.md#^25) you see how they have cast away the Law of the Lord and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel so that the anger of the LORD is kindled against *his people*. > > So verse 20 is not talking about what's happening out there in the political or social arena of the world, He's talking about where His people are found who are in the churches and congregations while they uphold and applaud those who have their own doctrines that cannot be proven from the Scriptures. And they say, "That is good, that is Truth." So this is the indictment of verse 20 against them today. This continues in verse 21... ^isa5-20 > [Isaiah 5:21](Isaiah%205.md#^21) note > > Anytime someone is a "wise-guy" and thinks they know everything, and no one can point out any errors in their thinking because "they already know" and they don't need the Bible as a reference, it's a trap. Anytime we trust our own wisdom when we don't have the wisdom of God we'll get into deep trouble. ^isa5-21 > [Isaiah 5:24](Isaiah%205.md#^24) note > > The moment we have a doctrine, any doctrine, that isn't ready to be examined in the light of the whole Bible, regardless of how many hundreds of years it has been held, then we are effectively casting away the Law of God. We must always walk humbly before the Lord and say, "I don't know. I hold this doctrine but I'm willing to look at it again to make sure what I believe the Bible is saying is true and trustworthy. Oh, Lord, teach me because I want only to be correct with Thy Word." > > So whenever we have a doctrine that isn't squarely based on the Bible, yet we claim that it is what we are to believe, we are despising the Word of God. It is an enormous affront to God, it is blasphemy against God, it is great sin against Him. That's why we [work out our salvation *with fear and trembling*](Philippians%202.md#^12), that we will be faithful. We don't want to be wise in our own eyes ([Isa 5:21](Isaiah%205.md#^21)) and instead be faithful to the Word of God. > > That's the nature of Law even in the secular world. We have to search it out to discover what the Truth is. And it's a never-ending search where we never want to say that we finally know it all because there's always something more that God would teach us. And notice the impact or the affect of despising the Word of God in verse 25... ^isa5-24 > [Isaiah 5:25](Isaiah%205.md#^25) note > > The same piece of information is found in Jeremiah -- the terrible wrath of God that comes against those who continue to rebel against God. It's amazing that God has been so patient that this has been going on so long -- we see the 7 churches in Revelation 2 and 3 already beginning to come up with their own laws rather than the Law of God. But finally that patience comes to an end, and He has decreed there will come a time when He has finished with the churches and His judgments will begin to fall. ^isa5-25 > [Isaiah 5:26](Isaiah%205.md#^26) note > > God will lift up an ensign, that is, a sign, from far. God here is talking about the loosing of Satan at the beginning of the great tribulation. That is the time His judgments begin to fall upon the churches and congregations. And that is typified by when He brought Babylon against Judah beginning in 609BC and on until finally Jerusalem was destroyed in 587BC. It is His plan that judgment will come. ^isa5-26 > [Isaiah 5:28](Isaiah%205.md#^28) note > > vv27-28 The arrows are pulled back ready to shoot. Again, this is language of judgment. ^isa5-28 > [Isaiah 5:29](Isaiah%205.md#^29) note > > The prey is *going* to be taken, there is *no* deliverance. This is language of finality. When God's judgment begins to come upon the churches and congregations there is no deliverance. This is a terrible piece of information. As God has brought chastisement against His people (as He did again and again to Israel and Judah in the Old Testament), repeatedly He would send them deliverance. There would be another judge, another prophet, or another king who would deliver them from the enemy. > > But, finally, when we get to the time of great tribulation there is *no* deliverance. It is the end. When we get to the end there will be no believers left, they will have all left. Those who there when Christ comes again, there is no deliverance, the Lion has destroyed them. This is what makes this time so traumatic and awful. Lions tear apart their prey into pieces, it is total destruction as spiritual Babylon, the kingdom of Satan, comes into the churches. ^isa5-29 > [Isaiah 5:30](Isaiah%205.md#^30) note > > The Gospel is gone. It's being preached but there's no Holy Spirit there to apply it to the hearts of anyone. It's an organization of people in abject darkness as there is no Truth there. ^isa5-30 Tags: #Old_Testament #Isaiah #Gods_judgment_on_His_people