Are we ‘PRODUCING’ the ‘FRUIT’ that God ‘EXPECTS’ from us?
July 17
Bible Reading: Isaiah Chapters 4-6
Are we ‘PRODUCING’ the ‘FRUIT’ that God ‘EXPECTS’ from us?
"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. He 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; so He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought
forth wild grapes." (Isaiah 5:1-2)
Isaiah chapter
5 contains a song (vv. 1–7), a lament (vv. 8–23), and a judgment (vv. 24–30). The song(vv. 1–7) has been named as Isaiah’s
“Song of the Vineyard” and is a prime
example of the sublime poetic style of Isaiah, unexcelled anywhere in
literature. This song has three
parts: an introduction to the allegory
(vv. 1, 2); an accusation and sentence
(vv. 3–6); and an interpretation of the
allegory (v. 7; see Psalms 80:8–16).
In this
allegory, the Well-beloved or Beloved represents Jehovah God, and the vineyard
represents Israel and Judah (v. 7).
God expected Israel and Judah to be an obedient, holy, witnessing people. However,
the people produced bigotry, injustice, and idolatry instead of a witness to
the nations, and they did this in spite
of God’s abundant love and care!
In this song,
Isaiah rehearses the tender care of God for His vineyard. God had chosen the
best location, had cultivated the land Himself, had planted it with the
choicest vine, had protected it, and had even prepared a winepress in the hope
of a good harvest. However, instead of the harvest of good grapes(representing obedience,
thanksgiving, love, worship, service) that God had expected, what grew out
was bad-smelling, wild grapes (representing
disobedience, rebellion, and idolatry).
Thus, in
spite of all God’s gracious efforts, His “vineyard”
(Israel and Judah) yielded only bad grapes. The people’s sin was ingratitude, taking their blessings for
granted and using them selfishly. Instead of serving the Lord, they served
themselves, and the result was a corrupted nation. Therefore, God denounces it
with judgment to come, indicating the coming Babylonian captivity.
To apply
this allegory to our lives, the owner and the vineyard stand for God and His
people. This song is fulfilled in Jesus
Christ (Matt. 21:33–44), who has become our true vine. We are the branches that have been grafted to Jesus, the
true vine. We are expected to draw
all the nourishment from vine by abiding in Him, and produce much fruit that God desires from our
lives. Let us examine our lives today to check if we are indeed producing the
fruit that God is expecting from our lives!
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:1-2, 4-5)
