The ‘friend’ means God. The *vineyard means God’s special people, whom he chose. The *vineyard should have produced wonderful red *grapes. The soil was very good. God had made all possible preparations for a rich harvest.... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS ISAIAH DECLARES HOW GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD BE LIVING ISAIAH CHAPTER S 1 TO 9 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 5 Chapter 5 begins with a parable (a story with a double meaning). A STORY ABOUT A *VINEYARD V1 I shall sing a song about my friend’s *vineyard. My friend had... [ Continue Reading ]
Like the *vineyard in the story, God’s special people have been a bitter disappointment to him. God now removes all his protection and care. The result is terrible. *SELF-CENTRED PEOPLE V8 *Woe to you who build more and more houses and buy more and more fields! No room will remain for anybody els... [ Continue Reading ]
God created the land. So it really belongs to him (see Leviticus 25:23).... [ Continue Reading ]
God controls nature. He uses it to express his judgement.... [ Continue Reading ]
People’s self-interest totally fills their lives. Their conscience no longer warns them about the result of their behaviour. No thought about God enters their minds. GOD’S JUDGEMENT V13 Therefore, enemies will take away many of my people to be prisoners in a foreign country. This is because my pe... [ Continue Reading ]
The result of God’s judgement is the collapse (total end) of society as people knew it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Nobody remains to look after the farmer’s animals. PEOPLE WHO REFUSE A MORAL LIFE V18 People are unable to free themselves from their wicked practices. V19 They even insult the Holy God of Israel and invite him to punish them. ‘Be quick and punish us! We want to see what you can do!’ V20 *Woe to... [ Continue Reading ]
People continue to behave wickedly until their own evil habits control them. Then they become like prisoners. They cannot even change their attitudes in order to do the right things.... [ Continue Reading ]
Such people decide that God has no place in their lives. Verse 20 Their behaviour becomes the exact opposite of God’s standards for his people.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they even consider that they are above the laws of their country. GOD’S JUDGEMENT V24 Therefore wicked people will disappear like straw on fire. They will vanish like flowers that die. Dead flowers will turn into dust that the wind carries off. This is because such people have refused to obey... [ Continue Reading ]
God’s judgement upon people who will not obey him will be sudden and total. His judgement is not mere words.... [ Continue Reading ]
He uses nature. This includes a great *earthquake (see Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5). Bodies that nobody has buried are a common sight after a major *earthquake.... [ Continue Reading ]
And God uses nations. He will send powerful enemies, first the *Assyrians, and then the *Babylonians.... [ Continue Reading ]
In all directions, people see nothing but trouble. Their future is without hope. VINEYARD ~ field where vines grow. VINE ~ plant that produces grapes. GRAPES ~ small sweet fruit of vines; the juice makes wine. WINE ~ drink that people make from grapes. VINE ~ plant that produces grapes. GRAPES ~ sm... [ Continue Reading ]