INTRODUCTION

At creation, Adam was placed in a garden God planted, but after the flood, Noah planted himself a vineyard (Genesis 9:20). In the exodus and conquest, Yahweh placed Israel in a land of fields and vineyards, and so made Israel His vineyard (cf. Isaiah 5:7). But Israel has not produced good fruit.

THE TEXT

“Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine . . . . (Isaiah 5:1-30).

SONG OF THE VINEYARD

Isaiah 5 begins with a wedding song about the “beloved” (Heb. dodi ; cf. Song of Songs). Verse 7 explains the allegory: The vineyard is Israel, and the owner is Yahweh. Yahweh did everything necessary to make the vineyard productive, but it produces only wild or worthless grapes (vv. 2, 4), not justice but bloodshed and distress (v. 7). As a result, Yahweh removes the vineyard’s protective hedge and wall (v. 5), and orders the rain to stop (v. 6). Briars and thorns replace vines (v. 6).

SEVEN WOES

In a series of six woes in a 2 + 4 pattern (vv. 8, 11; 18, 20, 21, 22), Isaiah describes the worthless grapes Judah produces. The first and last woes (vv. 8, 22) condemn Judah for greed. Especially through its Jubilee regulations (Leviticus 25), Torah provides for a wide distribution of land but the rich in Judah squeeze the small landholder out (vv. 8). The woes end with a warning against judges who take bribes to justify the wicked and condemn the righteous (v. 23). In between, Isaiah condemns those who drink from morning to night, who party so much that they lose all perception of Yahweh’s work (vv. 11-12, cf. v. 22). He condemns falsehood, impatience with God, and putting the Holy One to the test (vv. 18-19). He condemns the inversion of moral categories (v. 20) and the pride of those who are wise in their own eyes (v. 21).

THEREFORE

The six woes are punctuated by four announcements of judgment, each of which begins with “therefore” (vv. 13, 14-17; 24, 25-30). In the shorter “therefores,” Isaiah shows that the judgments fit the crimes. Those who accumulate land will become landless and those who drink will be left thirsty (v. 13). Those who demand that God act will find that He acts all too swiftly (v. 24). The longer “therefores” stress the totality of judgment. Sheol opens its throat and swallows Jerusalem alive (vv. 14-16), and strangers will come in to pasture Judah’s flocks (v. 17). Mountains will quake, and the destruction will be so complete that there will be none to bury the dead (vv. 24-25). Yahweh will whistle, and Assyria will come with bows and arrows and chariots ready (vv. 26-28), roaring like a lioness over prey (v. 29). Assyria roars like the roar of the Gentile sea, and Judah’s lights will go out (v. 30), a de-creation.

HOLY GOD

God once permitted the nations to go their own way (Acts 14:16; 17:30). That might leave the impression that God is indifferent to evil and suffering. With the advent of the Son, God calls all men to repentance. Now Yahweh of hosts is “exalted in judgment,” because then the holy God “shows Himself holy in righteousness” (Isaiah 5:16). Isaiah preaches the good news that reveals the righteousness of God.