You Be the Judge

Isaiah 5:1-7

Oct 5. 2008

Rev. Michael A. Trask

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In order to reach the people to whom they were called, the prophets of Israel would use many different ways to communicate. They would communicate God’s truth by preaching a straight message in pros. They would communicate God’s truth by setting forth a riddle. They would communicate God’s truth in poetry. And sometimes they would even communicate God’s truth in Song. Isaiah 5 is an example of this. He says “I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard.” We can imagine the prophet standing in a public place, where many gathered around to hear him sing. I would love to be able to sing it for you today, but the accompanying music has not been preserved for us. The words are what’s important anyway and we have them.

The Song opens on a very bright and hopeful note. We find a man deciding to plant a vineyard on a hillside. The best vineyards are always on hillsides. The hillside he chose was fertile; a prime piece of land. But still the land had to be prepared. It had to be tilled, the stones had to be removed. Much energy and time was expended to make the land acceptable. When at last all was made ready, He planted it with finest grape vines available.

But still his work was not done. His vineyard would need to be protected from wild animals and also domesticated herds which are quite capable of annihilating the crop and its vines themselves. For, you see, not only are the grapes edible but so are the leaves. A herd of sheep or wild goats could easily defoliate a vineyard. And so it was customary to build high stone walls as a defense. In front of those walls a hedge would be planted, which usually consisted of prickly plants. The goal was to make it impossible to get to the valuable vines and the fruit within.

Another security feature was a watchtower. In case the hedge and the wall were breached, the watchtower would serve as the last line of defense. It became particularly important when the grapes were nearly ripe. For that is when thieves would try to get at the crop. And not only thieves but also birds. Birds seem to know when fruit is ready. Walls and hedges would be nothing to them. So it was customary to place someone in the watchtower with a slingshot to guarrd the precious crop and call for help if need be.

In anticipation of the crop he would get, the Song says “he cut out a winepress.” This was a considerable amount of work. They made winepresses by digging a huge hole right into the living rock. It is clear that there was much involved in planting a vineyard. And the man of whom Isaiah sings, did it right. He thought of everything and he left nothing out.

But then this song which seemed to begin on such a hopeful note shifts to a minor key. The man waited patiently for fruit; had every right to expect fruit; but none came, none of edible quality at least. In the english translation, which we have here, it says “it yielded only bad fruit”, but in hebrew, the original language of the song it’s a little more specific: the word used here can be literally translated “stinking fruit”, fruit that was moldy or mildewy and not really fit for consumption. No doubt he tried everything to overcome this problem, but year after year, it produced the same vile product.

The disappointment of the man is obvious by the actions he then took. The fence and the hedge which had been erected to distinguish and separate his chosen plot from the rest of the country side would be removed. That which had been so carefully selected, cultivated and nurtured would now be turned over to the wild beasts. It would now become common land once again.

This was the Song that Isaiah sang to his fellow Israelites. And its more than just the story of a man trying to plant a vineyard. It’s the story of God trying to work with his chosen people of old. Out of all the peoples of the world, he chose Israel. He started with choicest vines. They were the descendants of Abraham, the father of faith. He prepared the soil of their hearts by giving them a direct revelation of his law. He cultivated them by continually giving them his word through the prophets. He even built a wall around them. He promised Israel that no foreign power would ever overtake them, they would be under his protection. He even called certain prophets to work as his watchmen. And by the time of Isaiah the sad truth was that they would produce no good fruit. They were sinful, greedy, even murderous at times. In the song God says: “You be the judge: What more could have been done for my vineyard than i have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?”  And in case they didn’t get it, at the end of Song he spells it out for them: “The vineyard of the Lord almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.”

And so God abandoned his vineyard. Jerusalem would be captured and conquered and never same again. They were meant to be the city on the hill....the light shining in the darkness....causing the whole world to draw near to the Lord. But God’s grace expended on his people Israel came to nought because the people would not have it and so Israel would be abandoned.

Of course, we Christians know this story. We hear it and say with pride, “Yeah Israel screwed up, now we are the ones who have God’s favor” But let’s not be so quick to crow. For with his favor there comes the responsibility. Yes, we have been chosen, just like they were. But what did the Son of God say when he came to live among us? He said “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matt 7) Just like the Jews before us, he now expects his chosen ones to bear fruit! And he says to us that WE are the garden of his delight. we are now the city on the hill, WE are called to be the light of the world. So are we? Are we bearing fruit, or are we doing like Israel did before us? You be the judge.

What does this mean in plain english? Out of all your classmates in school, you should be among those who are best behaved. Out of all the children in the world, you should be among those who are most respectful to your parents. And you adults, when people look at you they should say “I wish I was that good a mother or father; I wish I had that good attitude....I wish I had their self control....I wish I was that generous. Why should this be so. Because you have been given every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Eph. 1:3). You’re like the Vineyard Isaiah sings about... you have been given everything you need to begin producing fruit. By God’s holy Spirit, our Lord has gathered you to himself; planted you in the fertile soil of his love; bathed you in the living waters of his Spirit; gave you life in abundance through his Son Jesus. For all that has been done for you, it should be evident in your life. So is it? Are you bearing fruit, or are you just using up the soil?

Neither you nor I want to repeat what Israel did. We don’t want to receive God’s grace in vain. So how can we become fruitful vines? Jesus explains this in John 15, he says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” If we remain attached to Jesus, our fruits will increase. How’s that work. Well, Jesus provides us with the forgiveness of our sins which earned at the cross for us. That live preserving and life giving forgiveness is like the sap that flows into us. When we truly are forgiven, when we are connected to Jesus... we do simply begin to change for the better.

So if you’re not bearing fruit right now. If your life seems unaffected by what you claim to believe, might I recommend that you reexamine it. That’s what I’ve always got to do. Always. I take a step back sometimes and I am appalled when I see that a particular sin has taken hold in me. I confess that sin; at the foot of the cross, am forgiven and seek to overcome. This is repentance. That’s what we Christians must do all the time. And in so doing, our connection with Christ is strengthened; in so doing we begin to produce more abundant fruit.

The Grapes in France and Italy and Germany are some of the best in the world. But about 120 years ago, they were wiped out by a parasitic infestation of the roots. It was discovered that the grapes that grew naturally in America were resistant to the infestation. So what they did was graft the famous varieties of European Grapes into the American root stock. Europeans don’t like to admit this, but the grapes of Europe have American Roots Now they, once again, produce some of the best grapes in the world.

A similar thing happened in the vineyard of God. it became clear that the root system of humanity was not good. Just a brief glance at the history of the world is all you need to recognize that we had our own infestation. Humanity could not produce a good crop for the Lord. So God sent his Son. God became a man. He was resistant to the infestation. He was tempted in every way and yet was without sin. He was good root stock. Humanity would be saved by being grafting into him. We can be saved by faith in him. We can also become fruitful by faith in him. AMEN