Isaiah 5:1-7
THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE VINEYARD... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE VINEYARD... [ Continue Reading ]
Now will I sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved, the prophet singing to Jehovah, concerning the Lord, hut at the same time expressing the thoughts of the Lord, TOUCHING HIS VINEYARD, that of His Church at the time of the prophet. MY WELL-BELOVED HATH A VINEYARD IN A VERY FRUITFUL HILL, liter... [ Continue Reading ]
and He fenced it, rather, spaded or hoed it thoroughly, AND GATHERED OUT THE STONES THEREOF, which hindered the proper cultivation of the ground, AND PLANTED IT WITH THE CHOICEST VINE, a very fine Oriental variety of grape, called sorek, AND BUILT A TOWER IN THE MIDST OF IT, this being the usual wat... [ Continue Reading ]
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, to whom the prophet is specifically addressing himself, appealing to them as to judges in this difficult situation, JUDGE, I PRAY YOU, BETWIXT ME AND MY VINEYARD, making their decision on the basis of the facts presented to them, which were visib... [ Continue Reading ]
What could have been done more to My vineyard that I have not done in it? The Lord had shown His people mercy, goodness, and truth in so many ways that He had, as it were, exhausted His love in their behalf. He had not reached the limit of His grace in dealing with them, but matters had certainly re... [ Continue Reading ]
And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard, the Judge Himself announcing the punishment which He had decided upon: I WILL TAKE AWAY THE HEDGE THEREOF, one of thorns and briers being the usual protection of vineyards in the Orient, AND IT SHALL BE EATEN UP, AND BREAK DOWN THE WALL T... [ Continue Reading ]
and I will lay it waste, for a complete ruin; IT SHALL NOT BE PRUNED, to remove the superfluous shoots, NOR DIGGED, to loosen the ground for the admission of air to the roots; BUT THERE SHALL COME UP BRIERS AND THORNS, making the growth of vines of the right and welcome kind impossible; I WILL ALSO... [ Continue Reading ]
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Judah His pleasant plant, literally, "the plant of His pleasure"; AND HE LOOKED FOR JUDGMENT, that the people would do what is right and good, BUT BEHOLD OPPRESSION, the infringement of rights by graft and other forms of wic... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto them that join house to house, in a greed for wealth which is never satisfied, THAT LAY FIELD TO FIELD, their covetousness causing them to add one piece of property to another, TILL THERE BE NO PLACE, no room for any one else, THAT THEY, literally, "ye," for the prophet here turns directly... [ Continue Reading ]
A SIXFOLD WOE UPON THE JEWISH TRANSGRESSORS... [ Continue Reading ]
In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, the great Ruler of the universe Himself making it known to His prophet, OF A TRUTH MANY HOUSES SHALL BE DESOLATE, EVEN GREAT AND FAIR, the beautiful homes of the rich, WITHOUT INHABITANT, as a punishment upon their greed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one hath, one bucket of wine, about seven and one half gallons, AND THE SEED OF AN HOMER, about eight bushels, SHALL YIELD AN EPHAH, a little more than three pecks, the land thus producing only about one-tenth of the amount of seed sown in the spring, that is,... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow, eagerly pursue, STRONG DRINK, a kind of brandy prepared from dates, apples, pomegranates, honey, and barley; THAT CONTINUE UNTIL NIGHT, protracting their session of debauchery until the cool of the evening and beyond, TILL WINE IN... [ Continue Reading ]
And the harp, or zither, AND THE VIOL, a guitar-like instrument, THE TABRET, the tambourine, AND PIPE, a kind of flute, AND WINE ARE IN THEIR FEASTS, of these their banquets consist, this is all they have in mind in planning and executing their drinking-bouts; BUT THEY REGARD NOT THE WORK OF THE LOR... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore My people, as the Lord still affectionately calls them, ARE GONE INTO CAPTIVITY, the visitation of the Babylonian captivity being pictured as already taking place, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE, not only because they hardened their hearts against all understanding, but because the calamit... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore hell, in this case the realm of death in so far as they were subject to punishment in the place reserved for the wicked, HATH ENLARGED HERSELF AND OPENED HER MOUTH WITHOUT MEASURE, to receive the great number of victims; AND THEIR GLORY, the splendor of their wickedness, AND THEIR MULTITUD... [ Continue Reading ]
And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, men of every rank and station being included in the Lord's condemnation, AND THE EYES OF THE LOFTY SHALL BE HUMBLED, so that they are no longer lifted up in pride;... [ Continue Reading ]
but the Lord of hosts, He who exerts unlimited authority over the world and all its fortunes, SHALL BE EXALTED IN JUDGMENT, the very overthrow of the wicked redounding to His glory, AND GOD THAT IS HOLY SHALL BE SANCTIFIED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, give evidence of His holiness in exercising justice upon th... [ Continue Reading ]
Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, as on their usual pasturage, AND THE WASTE PLACES OF THE FAT ONES SHALL STRANGERS EAT, the nomad tribes of the desert again occupying the land which had been held by similar people in ancient days. Thus the land of Canaan would become a monument of God's... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, their first excuses to themselves being like hair-strings, but their increasing callousness finally causing them boldly to draw their guilt to them as with heavy cords, AND SIN, AS IT WERE, WITH A CART-ROPE, they hitch it to them like draft-hors... [ Continue Reading ]
that say, Let Him make speed and hasten His work that we may see it, that is, the threatened retribution, AND LET THE COUNSEL OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL DRAW NIGH AND COME THAT WE MAY KNOW IT! Their blasphemous mockery is like that of which the Apostle Peter writes, 2 Peter 3:3, and will surely draw... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil, thus reversing all principles of true morality; THAT PUT DARKNESS FOR LIGHT AND LIGHT FOR DARKNESS, particularly in palliating the wickedness of sin, in representing avarice, luxury, the lust of the flesh as harmless faults; THAT PUT BITTER FOR SWEET,... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, arrogant in their self-conceit, an offense which is rebuked also by St. Paul, Romans 12:16, AND PRUDENT IN THEIR OWN SIGHT, such people being beyond the necessity of learning, their lack of humility causing them to reject all instruction that is brought... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink, champions of dissolute living, selling justice in order to obtain the means to indulge in the service of mammon and luxury;... [ Continue Reading ]
which justify the wicked for reward, openly seeking bribes, and, in fulfilling the promises made on the strength of such gifts, TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS FROM HIM, deciding against him in court and thus frustrating the ends of justice. Note that all the sins which are here condemn... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore, as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, in a sudden and thorough destruction, SO THEIR ROOT, the supposed firm hold of these transgressors, SHALL BE AS ROTTENNESS, moldy and decayed, AND THEIR BLOSSOM, their outward prosperous appearance, SHALL GO UP AS DUST,... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against His people, and He hath stretched forth His hand against them and hath smitten them, the scene again being painted before the eyes of the people, in order to urge them to repentance; AND THE HILLS DID TREMBLE, under the blow delivered by Jehovah, as... [ Continue Reading ]
And He, in delivering the last great blow, WILL LIFT UP AN ENSIGN TO THE NATIONS FROM FAR, as a signal and invitation for them to attack Israel, AND WILL HISS UNTO THEM FROM THE END OF THE EARTH, the figure being taken from the work of the bee-keeper, who coaxes the bees from their hives by a hissin... [ Continue Reading ]
None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep, neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, to retard their movements, NOR THE LATCHET OF THEIR SHOES BE BROKEN, all this being descriptive of their tireless activity, their unwearied zeal, and their readiness for battl... [ Continue Reading ]
whose arrows are sharp and all their bows bent, ready to send the arrows to their mark; THEIR HORSES' HOOFS SHALL BE COUNTED LIKE FLINT, a most important attribute for a campaign of war carried to such distances, AND THEIR WHEELS LIKE A WHIRLWIND, for their rolling resembled the sound of an advancin... [ Continue Reading ]
their roaring shall be like a lion, a fearful battle-cry, THEY SHALL ROAR LIKE YOUNG LIONS, eager for their prey; YEA, THEY SHALL ROAR AND LAY HOLD OF THE PREY, Israel becoming an easy victim, AND SHALL CARRY IT AWAY SAFE, AND NONE SHALL DELIVER IT, no one being strong enough to come to Israel's aid... [ Continue Reading ]
And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea, the surf breaking on the precipitous shore with a fearful thunder; AND IF ONE LOOK UNTO THE LAND, seeking a firm foothold, BEHOLD DARKNESS AND SORROW, AND THE LIGHT IS DARKENED IN THE HEAVENS THEREOF, literally, "darkness dist... [ Continue Reading ]