Paul ensured that this
relates to both the old and new testament churches, for we are the grafted into
the natural (olive tree, but the principle is the same).
The vineyard of God
refers to his people: Israel, and the Church.
The chapter opens with
a warning for Leviathan. It’s a term used by Job and could refer to a
crocodile, a whale, a mythical creature or a demonic spirit.
In its usage here
it implies a mighty naval power either or Roman, Greek or Turkish origin.
God warned that he
would pierce, and slay the dragon of the sea.
Yet he invoked a love
song for his vineyard (vs 3). He also promised in vs 4, to keep her from harm,
by day and night.
He promised that the
descendants of Jacob would blossom (vs 6) and shall be adorned with fruit. He
also assured Israel that the punishment for her sin would be fulfilled, that
her sins would be purged and that she would be restored (vs 9).
Yet the desolate would
not recover, but just as everything in the region is used for fire, so the heaps
of ruins, the residue of God’s judgment would be burned and removed forever.
But for his people,
God would sound the trumpet and call his people to Jerusalem.
God scoffs, the scoffer (Isaiah 28)
The prophesy starts
with a warning of God’s out-poured wrath against Assyria and his vengeance on
Ephraim (the Northern Kingdom), whose crown of pride is like the early, hasty
fruit of the fig, not yet formed, but by Jesus cursed for not bearing fruit in the last season.
But it reserved mercy
and hope for Judah, the apple of His eye.
However, he castigated those who mocked and scoffed, who turned to strong drink, whose tables were full of
vomit and filth. He seemed to turn their own scorn to scorn.
He reminded them of the
counsel of God who teaches line by line, precept by precept, here a little and
there a little. I can so relate to that, for God has taught me by very
deliberate degrees and helped me by such means to grasp his elusive ways.
In verse 12 he again
reminded them that a rest was promised, which Hebrews 4 recalls and confirms. He carefully and gently cautioned them to fight for a higher sense of purpose.
Then comes a glorious
messianic promise in verse 16, “behold I lay in Zion, a tried stone, a precious
cornerstone, a sure foundation. He who trusts in him will not make haste”. It is rejoined in 1 Peter 2: 4-8 and Romans
9:33, which confirm Jesus as the cornerstone that the builders rejected.
In verse 15, the people
refer to a covenant with death, but that is disannulled in verse 18. It was
surely revoked when Jesus rose again to triumph over death, so it speaks of his resurrection.
Given all that, God
implores the people not to mock. It is a cry for reconciliation, to come back,
to hear his counsel and to walk in his ways.
Woe to Ariel or Jerusalem (Isaiah 29)
This chapter restated the coming siege of Assyria and later sieges of Rome. The city would be
surrounded and great distress would befall her people.
They would bow down in
the dust and be humbled as God visited his judgments on Judea. Yet he reserved a greater judgment for their oppressors.
But his people would not hear. They were asleep, in a dream state, detached from reality, uncaring.
Isaiah stated what
Jesus also stated, that "the people draw near with their lips, honor with their
lips (more a mockery), yet their hearts are far from me".
How sad, how terribly
sad that God’s people just will not hear and will not break their hearts before
him.
He added that he would
proceed to do a wonderful thing, as found in 2 Corinthians 1: to confound the wise
and cast down the high-minded, through the foolishness of the gospel.
He berated them for
assuming to be like the pot contending with the potter, which Paul uses in
Romans 9:20, to challenge those who question how God has made us and unto
what purpose we were thus made. It fits with the call of the gospel and our need to respond on God's terms not ours.
But, after yet a
little while, Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, which is echoed in
Hebrews 10:37, “in yet a little while, he that is coming will come and will not
tarry if we do not draw back”.
There is such hope in
all these great verses. God promised to draw his people back and not to
hold back his grace for long. Deliverance will surely come for those who hold
on.
And in that day, the deaf
will hear and the blind will see and the meek will rejoice, for the children of
Jacob and of Abraham will see the salvation of God.
What a redemptive
passage from a messianic prophet.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
