Isaiah 5

Isaiah concludes the sermon (Isa. 2-5) with a song and pronouncement of woes. 

·        5:1-7: The Song of My Beloved regarding His Vineyard.  This is a very profound passage; don’t miss the message.  The vineyard is Israel (v7), a frequent picture of Israel (Ezek. 15 and Luke 20:9-19 are two of those places.)  The vineyard was given every advantage so that it would produce good fruit; but when harvest came the fruit was bad.  Since the only purpose of a vineyard is to produce fruit, if the fruit is bad the only thing to do is to lay waste the vineyard.  All this imagery fits Israel: divinely appointed by God and given every advantage; disrespectful to God, turning to other gods; and the resulting removal from the land.  The key is to remember: the vineyard belongs to the LORD of host.  My Beloved certainly is a reference to the Branch of the LORD, the One through whom God would come to earth to bring righteousness and peace.

·        5:8-30: The Pronouncement of Woes.  This passage is reminiscent of Jesus’ message of woe on the leaders of His day (Matt. 23).  Consider the ways men exalt themselves above God and the consequences they pay.

o   5:8-10: Woe on those living in frivolous luxury, owning many houses and lands (Jesus explained the problem with a parable, Luke 12:13-21).

o   5:11-12: Woe on those who party and don’t regard the works of the Lord.

o   5:13-17: God will exalt Himself in judgment, through captivity, Sheol (the grave and the live beyond the grave), and humiliation.

o   5:18-19: Woe on idolaters who refuse to acknowledge God unless He prove Himself worthy.

o   5:20: Woe on those who distort justice, calling evil good and good evil.

o   5:21: Woe on those wise in their own eyes.

o   5:22-23: Woe on the drunk leaders who oppress others.

o   5:24-30: The LORD’s anger has been aroused because they have rejected His Law.  He will call the nations to be His tools of judgment on Israel.  

The end of v25 is ominous concerning God’s judgment (repeated in 9:12,17,21).  Having referred to carcasses lying in the street Isaiah then says: For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still!  What a strong picture.  How foolish we are to live self-exalting lives when we are made by and obligated to our all-loving, all-righteous, all-powerful, all-wise Creator.

I recommend to you Luke 20:9-19, a parable Jesus told about the vineyard, Israel, and His connection as God’s Beloved Son.  The religious leaders of the day were not ignorant; they knew that Jesus told this parable against them (Lk. 20:19).  He, God’s Beloved, was holding them accountable.  Do we have enough sense to know that we too have been given a life by which we can glorify God by exalting His Beloved Son?