The Vineyard… vs. 1-7

• 1^st – Not giving… vs. 1-2
  • My beloved… vs. 1
    • Now let me sing to my Well-beloved – a song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:
    • My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill.
    • Isaiah was given a SONG [שִׁיר] the LORD sang [cohortative] for His BELOVED [דּוֹד]
    • It was about the VINEYARD He put [perfect] on a fruitful hill [Zion]!
    • Jerusalem is built on a HILL about 750 meters high [Judean hills]
    • The land there was GOOD for producing crops of GRAPES and OLIVE trees [to this day]
    • Because of the GIHON spring [and cisterns] – the city had a steady water supply…
    • And was VERY defensible because of its HEIGHT and ROCK walls!
  • Planted… vs. 2
    • [The Lord] dug it up and cleared out its stones and planted it with the choicest vine.
    • He built a tower in its midst and also made a winepress in it!
    • God TORE [piel] up the old stones – so he could PLANT His vineyard…
    • He put in the BEST variety of GRAPES – and built a TOWER [מִגְדָּל] and WINEPRESS!
    • When King David came to the city of Jebus [capitol of the Jebusites] – Judges 19:10
    • They were so confident they said the BLIND could defend their city…
    • But with the help of God – he took out the old STONES – and it became Jerusalem!
    • II Samuel 5:9 – “David dwelt in the stronghold and called it the City of David.”
  • Wild grapes… vs. 2
    • [God] expected it to bring forth good grapes – but it brought forth wild grapes!
    • The reason why the Lord did all this – was because He wanted GOOD fruit [עֵנָב]
    • But rather than GRAPES – the vineyard procures WILD fruit [בְּאֻשִׁים]
      
    • WILD fruit [בְּאֻשִׁים] – comes from the root word to STINK [בְּאשׁ]
    • Rather than producing SWEET grapes – Israel was FOUL and ROTTEN!
    • Jesus would use the image of VINEYARD – Matthew 21:33-41
    • Saying God put men in charge of gathering the FRUIT…
    • But rather than GIVING to God what belongs to Him – they beat up His servants [prophets]
    • And when God sent His SON [Jesus] – they took Him and KILLED Him!
    • God has given us EVERYTHING we need in life to be FRUITFUL…
    • He has given us our TALENTS – blessed us with a great place to LIVE [Philippines]
    • The only question is what do we CHOSE to do with those GIFTS…
    • Are we FRUITFUL for the LORD – using our lives to bring GLORY to Him…
    • Or do we use those ABILITIES selfishly – rejecting His message [Word] – His SON…
    • If we do – then like the nation of Israel – we will STINK before God!
• 2^nd – Not listening… vs. 3-4
  • Judge… vs. 3
    • Now O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah.
    • Judge please – between Me and My vineyard!
    • The Lord turned to those who LIVED in Jerusalem – and the men of JUDAH…
    • COMMANDING [imperative] them to the JUDGE [שָׁפַט]
    • Whose fault was it that His VINEYARD did NOT produce GOOD fruit!
  • What more… vs. 4
    • What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?
    • Why then when I expected it to bring forth good grapes – did it bring forth wild grapes?
    • The LORD submitted as His DEFENSE all He had done…
    • Arguing there was NOTHING [לֹא] more that He could have done [עָשִׂיתִי]
    • Therefore – it was the FAULT of the VINEYARD that the FRUIT was rotten…
    • What did the VINEYARD do wrong – it did NOT accept the good SEED!
    • In the parable of the SOWER – there were FOUR kinds of SOIL…
    • The SEED did not change – but only ONE of the SOILS bore GOOD fruit – Matthew 13:24
    • If we have ROTTEN fruit – it only comes from ONE place – bad SOIL…
    • We are NOT willing to LISTEN [receive] the WORD [seed] of the Lord…
    • Because if we had – then we [like the good soil] would have GOOD fruit – Matthew 13:23
    • But since we chose to instead LISTEN to the WORLD [bad seed] – our FRUIT is BAD!
• 3^rd – Not Abiding… vs. 5-7
  • Trampled down… vs. 5
    • Now – please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
    • I will take away its hedge and it shall be burned.
    • And break down its wall and it shall be trampled down!
    • Therefore [sequential] God TOLD [cohortative] Israel what He would [imperfect] do…
    • He would take away their PROTECTION [hedge] – Job 1:10
    • This would allow the VINEYARD to be BURNED [piel] – and TRAMPLED [πατέω in LXX]!
    • Luke 21:24 – “Jerusalem will be trampled [πατέω] by Gentiles.”
    • When ASSYRIA came against the City of Jerusalem with 185 THOUSAND troops…
    • God wiped them ALL out with ONE angel – and SAVED the city – Isaiah 37:36
    • But when Babylon came just a few decades later – the city FELL – II Kings 25:1
    • Because the protection was NOT from being HIGH or having a WALL – it was the LORD!
  • Withered… vs. 6
    • I will lay it waste. It shall not be pruned or dug – but there shall come up briers and thorns.
    • I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it!
    • [Sequential] God would bring an END to His VINEYARD – to Jerusalem…
    • There will be NO pruning – NO cultivation…
    • Rather than FRUIT – wild THORN bushes [cursed] would grow – Genesis 3:18
    • And God would command [piel] the clouds to NOT rain on it!
  • Fruit inspection… vs. 7
    • For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel.
    • And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice – but behold oppression.
    • For righteousness – but behold a cry for help.
    • BECAUSE [כִּי] there is no question – the VINEYARD of the LORD of Hosts [צְבָאוֹת] – is Israel…
    • And the people [אִישׁ] of Judah – are the GOOD plants He put there…
    • BUT [וַ] – when God LOOKED [piel] to JUDGE [מִשְׁפָּט] what kind of FRUIT they had…
    • BEHOLD – rather than RIGHTEOUSNESS [צַדִּיק] – He found BLOODSHED…
    • And people CRYING out [צְעָקָה] to God because of their EVIL [Sodom] – Genesis 18:21
    • One of the TITLES of Jesus in the NT is the VINE – John 15:1
    • He used it as a powerful illustration for His DISCIPLES…
    • Just as a BRANCH cannot produce FRUIT apart from the VINE…
    • Neither can we do GOOD – apart from Jesus [connected to the vine]
    • And anyone who does NOT abide – will DRY up – and be cast into the FIRE!
    • John 15:6 – “If anyone does not abide in Me he is cast out as a branch and is withered – and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned.”
    • The WILL of God for our lives – is He wants us to bear GOOD fruit…
    • He has done EVERYTHING to try and help us be FRUITFUL…
    • But we have a part to PLAY – we must [imperative] ABIDE [μένω] in Jesus – in His WORD…
    • If we do NOT – then our FRUIT will be ROTTEN…
    • And when God comes to CHECK [and He will] – it will NOT end well!

• 2^nd – Bad Fruit… vs. 8-17
  • 1^st – Greed… vs. 8-10
    • Real Estate… vs. 8
      • Woe to those who join house to house.
      • Add field to field till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land!
      • God goes on give TWO examples of what BAD [rotten] fruit looks like…
      • FIRST – it looks like GREED – the desire to always have MORE [never content]
      • WOE [הוֹי] – to the people who buy HOUSES [for investment]
      • They buy up ALL the LAND – till there is [hophal] no places left for people to live!
      • The cost of a house today in Bacolod is THREE times as much as it was in 2000….
      • The number on cause of the increase is speculative investments…
      • People buying up properties to make MONEY – causing prices to be INFLATED…
      • So much so – most people CANNOT afford to buy a house anymore!
    • Empty… vs. 9-10
      • In my hearing the LORD of hosts said: 
      • Truly many houses shall be desolate. Great and beautiful ones without inhabitant.
      • For ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath – and a homer of seed shall yield one ephah!
      • Isaiah had heard the response from the LORD of the armies of heaven [צְבָאוֹת]
      • Those houses they purchased – BIG [גָּדוֹל] and BEAUTIFUL [טוֹבִים] homes…
      • Would be EMPTY – no one would EVER [אִין] live in them…
      • FOUR hectares of land – would only produce TWENTY liters of wine [rather than 30,000]
      • And TEN baskets of seed – would only produce ONE basked of fruit [rather than 50]
      • We need to be careful with our MOTIVATIONS – do NOT be GREEDY…
      • Because God can make those INVESTMENTS fail – and come to NOTHING!
      • Hebrews 13:5 – “Be content with such things as you have.”
  • 2^nd – Ignoring God… vs. 11-12
    • Drinking… vs. 11
      • Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may follow intoxicating drink.
      • Who continue until night till wine inflames them!
      • SECOND – it looks like living for the pleasures of this life…
      • WOE [הוֹי] – to those who need a STRONG drink [Tanduay] to get up in the morning…
      • And CHASE [piel] after WINE until the evening – just to get DRUNK [buzz]!
      • The Bible does NOT say it is wrong to drink [we CANNOT get drunk] – Ephesians 5:18
      • But the NEED for alcohol to get through the day – is BAD fruit!
    • The Party… vs. 12
      • The harp and the strings – the tambourine and flute – and wine are in their feasts.
      • But they do not regard the work of the LORD – nor consider the operation of His hands!
      • Those who like to go to CONCERTS [instruments] – and have PARTIES [feasts]
      • Their focus is on being ENTERTAINED – having a good time…
      • BUT [וְ] – they do NOT [לֹא] stop and think about God – do not [לֹא] LOOK [נָבַט] at His work!
      • The word AMUSEMENT – means to NOT [a] think [muse]
      • We live in a world that is CONSUMED by the desire to NOT think [entertainment]
      • The average person watches over a HUNDRED hours of social media every month…
      • But in contrast give the Lord around FOUR hours [church on Sundays]!
  • 3^rd – Eternal penalty… vs. 13-17
    • No Knowledge… vs. 13
      • Therefore my people have gone into captivity because they have no knowledge.
      • Their honorable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst!
      • Yes [כֵּן] – because the people did NOT know [דַּעַת] God – He sent them into EXILE…
      • Their BEST [כָּבוֹד] men – were left to STARVE [no more parties]
      • And majority of the people had NOTHING to drink [no more wine]
      • Those who do NOT live for God – will NOT have a good life…
      • Their choices will catch up with them – and they will be left with NOTHING!
    • Humbled… vs. 14-15
      • Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself and opened its mouth beyond measure.
      • Their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he who is jubilant – shall descend into it.
      • People shall be brought down each man humbled – the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled!
      • Yes [כֵּן] – HELL [שְׁאוֹל] was expanded – and its mouth opened wide…
      • To receive those who seek their GLORY – their WEALTH [הָמוֹן] – PARTIES – and FUN…
      • Those who do NOT seek the LORD – will descend into it…
      • AND [sequential] – they will be brough down [niphal] – and HUMBLED [שָׁפֵל]
      • They eye of the ARROGANT will be HUMBLED [2x for emphasis]!
      • Matthew 21:44 – “Whoever falls on this stone will be broken – but on whomever it falls it will grind him to powder!”
      • There are NO limits to what God will allow to get our attention…
      • The question is are we willing to fall on Him – and be BROKEN…
      • Or do we insist on going our own way – until He falls on us and we are CRUSHED…
      • It is better for them to be BROKEN here – then CRUSHED and end up in HELL!
    • Exalted… vs. 16-17
      • But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment.
      • And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.
      • Then the lambs shall feed in their pasture – in the waste places of the fat ones strangers eat!
      • BUT [וְ] – the LORD [יְהוָה] of the armies of Heaven [צְבָאוֹת] will be lifted up…
      • When He JUDGES the world – the God [הָאֵל] who is HOLY [קְדֹש]
      • Will be seen as HOLY [niphal] and RIGHTEOUS [צַדִּיק]
      • Then the SHEEP of the LORD will feed among the RUINS of the rich [fat]!
      • The bottom line is that in the end the Lord wins – He is RIGHT [צַדִּיק]
      • Therefore – we do NOT want to be counted among those who are WRONG…
      • We want to have GOOD fruit – knowing life is about God – living for God!

• 3^rd – The warning… vs. 18-30
  • 1^st – Four more Woes… vs. 18-23
    • Tempting God… vs. 18-19
      • Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as if with a cart rope.
      • That say: Let Him make speed and hasten His work that we may see it.
      • And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come that we may know it!
      • WOE [הוֹי] – to those who are TIED to their vain SIN – like [כַ] pulling heavy cart…
      • Because of that SIN – they are FAR from God – and do NOT know him…
      • Which is why they demand [piel] He be QUICK and HURRY so they can SEE [רָאָה] His work…
      • Only then will they draw NEAR [cohortative] and KNOW [יָדַע] the HOLY one!
      • We do NOT ask for an ID from someone we know…
      • We only need PROOF – when it is someone we are NOT familiar with!
      • No one will ever be able to say they did NOT know there was a God – Romans 1:19
      • God does NOT need to prove Himself to us [over and over]
      • And demanding that He perform for us – just shows that we do NOT know Him!
    • Backwards… vs. 20
      • Woe to those who call evil good – and good evil.
      • Who put darkness for light – light for darkness. Who put bitter for sweet – sweet for bitter!
      • WOE [הוֹי] – to those who try and REDEFINE what is TRUTH…
      • Those who call EVIL [רַע] good – and GOOD [טֽוֹב] evil…
      • People who try and convince you that DARKNESS is light – and BITTERNESS is sweet!
      • We live in a world that is LOST – that thinks the TRUTH is negotiable…
      • If we dare to say there are only TWO genders – that is HATE speech…
      • We are EVIL if we believe marriage should be between a man and a woman…
      • Proving it is a world that is upside down – and does NOT know God!
    • Arrogant… vs. 21
      • Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight!
      • WOE [הוֹי] – to those who THINK [in their own eyes] they are WISE [חָכָם]
      • Those who ASSUME they have UNDERSTANDING [בִּין]!

• Romans 1:22 – “Professing to be wise – they became fools.”
• They world today is full of FOOLS – because they reject the Bible…
• We live in a world that believe there is NO right or wrong – it is all RELATIVE…
• There is NO sin – as long as you think it is OK – it is GOOD!
• Judges 21:25 – “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
• Do not mistake knowledge for WISDOM – Google might give LOTS of knowledge…
• But the knowledge of men – if we listen – can BLIND us to our need for Jesus…
• That is NOT wisdom – that is FOOLISHNESS – because it keeps us from God!

• Drunk… vs. 22-23
  • Woe to men mighty at drinking wine woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink.
  • Who justify the wicked for a bribe and take away justice from the righteous man!
  • WOE [הוֹי] – to the one who is GREAT [גָּדוֹל] at drinking wine [יַיִן]
  • Because those who are DRUNK – do NOT have good discernment…
  • They will call the WICKED [רָשָׁע] righteous [צַדִּיק] for a BRIBE…
  • BUT [וְ] – the [צַדִּיק] they will PUNISH the righteous as if they were WICKED!
  • It goes without saying people do NOT make the best choices when they are DRUNK…
  • ALCOHOL makes it difficult to think straight…
  • Too many lives – too many families – have been ruined by DRUNK decisions!

• 2^nd – Wrath of God… vs. 24-25
  • Consuming fire… vs. 24
    • Therefore as the fire devours the stubble and the flame consumes the chaff.
    • So their root will be as rottenness and their blossom will ascend like dust.
    • Because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts.
    • And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel!
    • Yes [כֵּן] – just as [כֶּ] a FIRE consumes CHAFF [קַשׁ] and dry GRASS…
    • So also their ROOT [foundation] – will be [כֶּ] ROTTEN [unstable]
    • And [וְ] – their FLOWER [efforts] – will be like [כֶּ] DUST [disappear]
    • Because [כִּי] – they threw away [perfect] the LAW [תּוֹרָה] of the LORD of Hosts [צְבָאוֹת]
    • And [וְ] – they REJECTED [piel] the WORD [אִמְרָה] of the HOLY one!
    • We have a VERY patient God – who is SLOW to anger – Psalm 103:8
    • But that does NOT mean He will NOT get ANGRY – there is a LIMIT…
    • And as it turns out – the line we do NOT want to cross…
    • Is refusing to listen to the LAW [תּוֹרָה] – rejecting His WORD [אִמְרָה]!
  • Anger… vs. 25-26
    • Therefore the anger of the LORD is aroused against His people.
    • He has stretched out His hand against them and stricken them – and the hills trembled.
    • Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets.
    • For all this His anger is not turned away – but His hand is stretched out still!
    • Yes [כֵּן] – they stirred up [perfect] the ANGER [אַף] of the LORD…
    • He stretched out [sequential] His hand – and hit them hard the hills shook…
    • So that their bodies lay scattered – strewn across the streets [massacre]
    • Yet in spite of ALL this [כָּל] – the ANGER [אַף] of the Lord was NOT [לֹא] satisfied…
    • His HAND was still stretched out to PUNISH them more!
    • My father was a VERY patient man – he RARELY got angry…
    • But if I pushed him to FAR – it kindled a FIRE that was hard to extinguish!
    • When a sinful world calls EVIL good – and GOOD evil…
    • When right become wrong – and the TRUTH [Bible] is treated like a LIE…
    • The WRATH of God is kindled – and it will NOT quickly go out…
    • He will bring the full weight of the ARMIES of heaven [צְבָאוֹת] upon REBELLIOUS men!
• 3^rd – Conquered… vs. 26-30
  • Foreign flag… vs. 26-27
    • He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar – whistle to them from the end of the earth.
    • Surely they shall come with speed – swiftly!
    • No one will be weary or stumble among them. No one will slumber or sleep.
    • Nor will the belt on their loins be loosed. Nor the strap of their sandals be broken!
    • [וְ] Therefore [sequential] – God will set up a FLAG from a faraway nation [גּוֹי]
    • He will WHISTLE to them – and they will come RUNNING from the ends of the earth…
    • NONE [אִין] of them will be tired – NONE [אִין] of them will stumble….
    • They will NOT [לֹא] sleep – their belts will NOT [לֹא] fall off – shoes will NOT [לֹא] wear out…
    • God will supernaturally empower them to come and CONQUER Israel!
  • Well-armed… vs. 28-29
    • Whose arrows are sharp and all their bows bent.
    • Their horses hooves will seem like flint – and their wheels like a whirlwind!
    • Their roaring will be like a lion. They will roar like young lions. Yes they will roar.
    • And lay hold of the prey. They will carry it away safely – and no one will deliver!
    • The ARMIES that are coming are ready for WAR…
    • Their arrows are SHARP – already bent back in their BOWS…
    • Their horses and chariots are like [כֶּ] a WHIRLWIND [never stop turning]
    • They will come like a roaring LION [ready to eat]
    • They will GROWL like a young LION [ready for battle]
    • Grasping their PREY – they will carry them away – and NONE [אִין] will escape!
    • God would send Nebuchadnezzar – and the armies of Babylon against Judah…
    • They would CRUSH the people – and take them into CAPTIVITY for SEVENTY years!
    • Habakkuk 1:6 – “I am raising up the Babylonians – a cruel and violent people.” [NLT]
  • Darkness… vs. 30
    • In that day they will roar against them – like the roaring of the sea.
    • If one looks to the land – behold darkness and sorrow.
    • And the light is darkened by the clouds!
    • In that DAY [בַּיּוֹם] – when Babylon ROARS against Israel…
    • It will be like [כֶּ] the ROAR of the ocean – wave after wave crashing on them…
    • And in that day they will LOOK [נָבַט] at the WORK of God – Isaiah 5:12
    • But what they see will NOT be a LAND [אֶרֶץ] planted by the Lord [vineyard]
    • They will see DARKNESS and SORROW – where even the SUN is blocked by the clouds!
    • The lesson to be learned – is God is NOT mocked – Galatians 6:7
    • He has planted us – put us here on earth – to bear GOOD fruit…
    • But we have a part to play – we must LISTEN to His Word [good seed]
    • Only by ABIDING in Jesus – can we be FRUITFUL – John 15:4
    • And when we consider the alternative – the WRATH of God – and HELL…
    • It puts in focus how important it is to CHOSE to live our lives for Him!