SS Pentecost 19a

Isaiah 5:1–7 “I will sing about the one I love, a song about my loved one’s vineyard:

A Parable using imagery of romantic love.

Bridegroom Paradigm in Scripture

The love of God for Israel not reciprocated.

The one I love had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He broke up the soil, cleared it of stones, and planted it with the finest vines. He built a tower in the middle of it and even dug out a winepress there.

The long process of creating a Vineyard both from the length of time to get usable grapes and the building of infrastructure

Lack of marauding armies in the land brought economic stability.

When armies destroy agricultural infrastructure it takes time to rebuild, but long periods of peace mean realizing return on investment.

He expected it to yield good grapes, but it yielded worthless grapes.

The disappointment of a bad harvest.

So now, residents of Jerusalem and men of Judah, please judge between me and my vineyard. What more could I have done for my vineyard than I did? Why, when I expected a yield of good grapes, did it yield worthless grapes?

The rhetorical question of a the prophet. John the baptist does it, Jesus does it, maybe you do it.

Renders verdict.

Now I will tell you what I am about to do to my vineyard: I will remove its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will tear down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland. It will not be pruned or weeded; thorns and briers will grow up.

Again the devastation of tearing up the infrastructure.

I will also give orders to the clouds that rain should not fall on it.

Along with that destruction, ecological devastation with lack of rain.

The God of a creation controls the weather.

For the vineyard of the Lord of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah, the plant he delighted in.

The explanation of the Parable

House of Israel: Northern Tribes

Men of Judah: Southern Tribes

He expected justice but saw injustice; he expected righteousness but heard cries of despair.”

They exist to show the glorious character of God, and instead behave ungodly, and bring ire to his name.