Isaiah 5:5 says, 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: Isaiah said the people of Jerusalem might as well go away from there, since God was no longer going to provide them protection because of their rebellion against Him. We cannot expect God to protect us just because we may gather with others in His name if we are not being obedient to His word. This is not to say that we must obey God’s commandments in order to be saved, but that if we are saved, we should want to obey His commandments. We are saved through faith in Christ alone, but we are also saved to be obedient to God.
Verse six adds, 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. Still equating Judah and Jerusalem to a vineyard, God said He was no longer going to tend it. It would be allowed to grow wild, and He would no longer send rain on it. We need to understand that just professing to be a Christian without then being obedient to God’s word is never going to bring His protection on us. Even if we have truly accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, though we are forever saved, if we begin to disobey God’s word, we will no longer be assured of His spiritual protection in this world.
Verse seven continues, For the vineyard of the Lord 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. Isaiah reminded them that Israel and Judah, which should have been one nation, were called to be His people and to be fair in their treatment of people, but that He found only oppression in them. Still, He heard the cry of those who did call on Him. Even if we are oppressed by the world, or even by those who call themselves the church, if we cry out to God as believers, He will hear us. It is then plainly stated that the vineyard referred to is the house of Israel and the men of Judah were to be His pleasant vine. They had rebelled against Him, still expecting Him to protect them, but they found only oppression. As Christians, we are God’s vineyard today, but if we disobey His commandments, we will find that we may no longer have His protection. We are still part of His everlasting kingdom, but in this life, we may lose His protection spiritually.
Verse eight states, Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! Matthew Henry says this refers to being so self-centered that people don’t want anyone to have a place to live close to them. I know that many rich people today like to have vast mansions on lots of land so that they can be separated from everyone else and likely feel superior to them. This should never be the attitude of God’s people. We are not called on to separate ourselves from other people because of a feeling of superiority, but to reach out to the less fortunate with the love of God. This is a warning to the greedy who want everything for themselves with no concern for anyone else. They would leave no place for the poor and needy. I sometimes wonder how God feels about our big houses while others live in hovels, and we have nothing but contempt for them.
Verse nine adds, In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. God said that one day these houses, though they were great and fair, would be left desolate. This may not happen in our lifetime, but when Jesus Christ returns, this will be the case. Nothing here that we have valued so greatly will be of any importance then. It will all be left behind. God said that many of those great houses would be left desolate without inhabitants. We should know as followers of Christ that nothing material in this world is going to last in the coming kingdom of God. Only our good works will last when Jesus Christ comes again. Yet, we often put more emphasis in what we own more than on what we have done for God.
Verse ten continues, Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. God warned them that the yield of these corrupt vineyards was going to be very little. Even if we grow rich in the things of the world outside the commandments of God, it will amount to nothing when His judgment comes. The same would be true of the vineyards and they would no longer be productive. All our earthly riches that we may be so pound of are one day going to be worthless, and only the things that we have done for God will remain.
Verse eleven concludes, Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! God then warned of woe for those who drank strong drinks all day long. I believe we could add many drugs to that list today. I am not saying that those who have an occasional drink of alcohol are condemned, but those who only want to live for the pleasure that they believe that drinking or drugs may bring are not following God's commandments.
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