A series on Jesus final teachings before his betrayal.
Isaiah 5:4,7 What more could I have done for My vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did My vineyard give Me bitter grapes?
The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the LORD of Heaven's Armies. The people of Judah are His pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead He found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead He heard cries of violence.
Psalms 80:8-12 You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine; You drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into Your land. 9 You cleared the ground for us, and we took root and filled the land. 10 Our shade covered the mountains; our branches covered the mighty cedars. 11 We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea; our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River. 12 But now, why have You broken down our walls so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?
In many places in the Old Testament, the nation of Israel is referred to as a vine, the scriptures tell us that God planted his grapevine and he gave it the best care that he could possibly give it but something went wrong.
This vineyard had an expert gardener that loved his vine and gave it the best possible care, he planted them in a land with good soil, he gave them water and he pruned the branches, he protected the vineyard from intruders, there isn't anything that he could have done to make his vineyard more prosperous.
The vineyard did prosper for a while but then the fruit of his vine became bitter, the fruit of oppression, violence and idol worship, the vine was growing out of control. The expert gardener tried to get the vineyard to improve but despite his efforts the nation of Israel resisted him and lived their own way.
Jesus is the new vine.
Isaiah 11:1 Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot--yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.Jesus said "I am the vine." This new vine is a fruitful vine, it is easy to see the difference between Israel's fruit and Jesus' fruit, his fruit includes: love, selflessness and peace. Jesus proved his love for God through his obedience and he gave us an example of the fruit that we should have in our own lives.
I want to live obedient to God's will so that my life will be full of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Thank you for your word Lord and the lessons for life that are in it. I want to produce good fruit in my life.
