What can we learn from the wild grapes of God's disappointing vineyard (Isaiah 5:4)?

Coming back to the fifth chapter of Isaiah, the same sad story unfolds. In the vineyard God had planted the choicest vine. All had been done to obtain fruit, a winepress was put therein in order that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. There was no fruit for God! 'What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?' (verse 4). Light is given as to the kind of fruit that God sought. '... he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.'

This passage in Isaiah 5 describes the sad results of the lack of fruitfulness. The hedge was taken away, the wall was broken down, it was laid waste, thorns and briers came up, and there was no rain upon it. Everything that God commits to men ends in failure. God had taken up one nation as a test case, providing every privilege possible, but to no avail. It is interesting to see that the choicest vine is also referred to as the pleasant plant in v.7. Added to this is the fact that this pleasant plant represents the men of Judah. Isaiah prophesied about the time that the ten tribes were taken into captivity, and his prophecies concerned kings of Judah, (Isa. 1:1). In spite of the privileges shown them,because of God's covenant with David,they were no better than the other tribes. When the Lord Jesus came to earth as we well know, He was of the royal line. Matthew's gospel begins with the words: 'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David'. We remember too that He is called, 'The Lion of the tribe of Judah' (Rev. 5:5). This is all very interesting and will call for our attention when we come to look at John 15. Is the pleasant plant of Isaiah 5 the True Vine of that chapter?

Although the men of Judah are specially viewed in Isaiah as God's pleasant plant, His choicest vine, and that because the prophet was prophesying to Judah, it seems clear from Psalm 80:8 that the whole nation is also viewed as God's vine, where Asaph writes, "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: Thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it."

God shows the reason for His judgment on Judah in Isaiah 5, telling what He was about to do. Judah, like the ten tribes, had brought forth wild grapes, after having had the special care and attention of God; and He would remove His protection and allow the nations to invade the land, to take away the spoils and to leave His inheritance desolate. After bringing Israel from Egypt, God had removed the stones from the land, even the heathen which had corrupted themselves and the land, and had given them His protection. Jerusalem is likened to a tower, and the temple to a winepress, but in spite of all that God had done for His people they did not bring the fruits for His pleasure, but instead they dishonoured His holy Name and brought grief to His heart.

The wild grapes were the product of their corrupt nature, the oppression and unrighteousness that raised a cry to God, instead of the praise, thanksgiving and worship for which the Lord looked. Moreover, the history of Judah, like the history of the ten tribes, was one of idolatry. At the end of his days Solomon allowed idolatry in the land, and although some of the kings of Judah took away the idolatrous altars, the hearts of the people never seem to have been right with God, for as soon as restraint was weakened they returned to worship strange gods. Is it any wonder that God threatened to leave the land to "briers and thorns," and to "command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it" (Isa. 5:6)?

When God brought Israel out of Egypt and planted them in the land of Palestine it was with the desire that they should bring forth fruit for His pleasure. Jehovah had done everything that was possible to make Israel fruitful, even as He said, “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?” Israel’s case proved conclusively that the natural man, even under the most favourable circumstances, cannot produce anything that gives pleasure to God.

In Isa. 5 the prophet sings a song of Jehovah, his well beloved, about His vineyard. Moses had already (Deut. 32) spoken in the ears of Israel a song which celebrates in magnificent language the sovereign choice and blessing of God, the sins and punishment of the people, but withal His final mercy to His land and people, with whom the spared nations are to rejoice. Our chapter takes in a narrower field of view.

"I will sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill; and he dug it up, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine; and he built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed a winepress therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes" (vv. 1, 2). There was no failure on God's part. He had established Israel in the most favourable position, separated them to Himself, removed stumbling-blocks, crowned them with favours, vouchsafed not only protection but every means of blessing. "And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it?" was His appeal to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah (vv. 3, 4). Yet was all in vain. The result was only bad fruit. "Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" They, like Adam, transgressed the covenant. It was the old story over again. Human responsibility ends in total ruin. Man departs from God and corrupts his way on the earth. "And now let me tell you what I am about to do to my vineyard; I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down; and I will lay it waste - it shall not be pruned nor hoed; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of Jehovah of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgement, but behold bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold a cry" (vv. 5-7). Such is His own application of the parable.

Thus the nation, as a whole, is weighed in the divine balances, and found wanting. So manifest and grievous is the case, that God challenges the men of Judah to judge between Him and His vineyard, though they themselves are the degenerate trees in question. There was no more doubt of the goodness shown to Israel than of their obligation to yield fruit for God. But obligation produces no fruit meet for Him. What was the consequence on such a ground as this? Nothing but woe after woe. Their doom would be according to their guilt.

"Hear another parable: There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And when the time of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another." Here the Lord draws a picture of the love that has been shown and the care that has been taken, in Jehovah's dealings with Israel. But, alas! man utterly fails; God is dishonoured in every way — in His law, His authority, and His grace. It is Adam and Eve over again; the same old story of human responsibility ending in total ruin. The parable of our Lord answers perfectly to the song of the prophet in Isaiah 5, where he sings of the goodness of God, and the transgressions of His people. Moses also, in his magnificent song (Deut. 32), celebrates the riches of God's sovereign grace in blessing to His people Israel, and their sins and ingratitude, for which they would be sorely punished, but afterwards restored to their own land, and all the nations rejoicing with them. We turn for a moment to the lovely song of Isaiah.

"Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes." This was God's tender care of Israel. He had blessed them with all temporal blessings in a pleasant land, the Lord separated them to Himself, surrounded them with His favours, gave them His law, or, as the apostle says, "To them pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises." Nothing was lacking on God's part; but the nation, as a whole, had departed from Him, transgressed the covenant, and wholly corrupted their ways. And now the appeal of Jehovah to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah is full of the most melting grace and tenderness. "Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes." But there was no fruit meet for God under the law; with man on the ground of responsibility there is nothing but failure, and as law must take its course, judgment follows. "And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down; and I will lay it waste." The sad song, or lamentation, of all the prophets is man's sin and God's judgment.

175 The Israelites despise the warning of judgment; the wicked take advantage of the delay; just as the like was to happen in the last days of the Christian testimony (2 Peter 3). But God does not hurry His counsel. He is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He knows well that He must judge at the end. Man attaches himself to his own wisdom, and as long as God does not chastise, man hardens his heart. God has done all for His vineyard, but this producing nothing but wild grapes He judges His vineyard on the earth.

God considers whether the vineyard bears the fruit that a vineyard so cared for ought to bear. It is a general principle that applies to the Jews, to the church, and to each individual. If the church has received more than the Jews, God is entitled to expect that it produce more. When one takes the glory of Christ, one sees what ought to correspond to that glory. The two principles constantly turn up. God has formed the state of things, whether among the Jews or in the church, with reference to Christ.

Here is what God says of Israel "Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants Of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they "rain no rain upon it." "For the vineyard of Jehovah of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression: for righteousness, but behold a cry," (v. 1-7). The "well-beloved" is the Lord Jesus. God asks that people - even the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah - should judge between Him and His vineyard. He has done much for a nation that had a certain responsibility on the earth. He will accomplish all His counsels, but first of all He proves Israel to see if they will make good themselves the design of God.

In Isaiah 5 it is written regarding Jehovah and Israel, "My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes" (Isa. 5:1-2). The key to the interpretation of the song is found in verse 7, "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant."

Ps. 80 speaks of a vine being brought out of Egypt, but I should think this is a direct reference to Isaiah 5. Everything possible was done to the vineyard; the fault was alone in those to whom it was committed. The interpretation there is as plain as possible. It speaks of their being dealt with in special favour by God. They had the oracles of God and Jehovah's protection; the tower was built and the wine fat. But while the people were singled out for this trial, it was really the trial of man. Israel was singled out as a sample or pattern. They were tried in a variety of ways — shut up alone with God in the wilderness forty years, then brought into the land, and the book of Judges shows us their utter failure there.

In general, prophecy applies as here to a people with whom God is in relation. God calling His people to consider their state, He would reveal His judgments to them, but begins by making them pay attention. "My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill; and he fenced it," etc. (v. 1, 2.) It is the plaint of God in recalling to His people what He has done for them. This applies to our consciences. God has a right to look for fruit according to the pains He took, and if there were none, there must be necessarily judgment. God never stops at what is spoilt to repair the breaches; He looks at what He did at the beginning, and compares it with the actual state. Therefore does the Lord say to the angel of the church in Ephesus, "Thou hast left thy first love," Rev. 2:4. What God demands of us is that we look at what He did at the beginning, and that we compare ourselves, not with the actual state that is spoilt, but with the fruits and testimonies given at the start; and if we do not bear these fruits, we are guilty, and here is the consequence: "Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard." The principle of verses 3, 4 applies also to the church.