Admonition to National Righteousness

ISAIAH 5:1-12—In this lesson we again find the nation of Israel being warned against the dire results of unrighteousness. History records, however, that despite the foretold punishment came. They went into captivity in Babylon, and while later they were permitted to return to their land, throughout the centuries until now they have continued to be a subject people, and for much of that time have been scattered and persecuted.

As a rule we associate parables with Jesus, but in reality there are many parables in the Old Testament, and we all the warnings given by the prophets the nation continued its waywardness, and that finally have one of them in this lesson. Here the Lord likens the nation of Israel to a vineyard—the “vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah, his pleasant plant.” The fruit which he expected from this “pleasant plant” was justice and righteousness. But as Jesus pointed out, the nation failed to bring forth this fruit, hence failed to continue as the vineyard of the Lord.—Matt. 21:43

Jesus’ parable of the vineyard is similar to the one the Lord gives us through Isaiah. (Matt. 21:31-41) Jesus associates the parable with Israel’s hope of the messianic kingdom, and it was the privilege of joint-heirship with Jesus in this kingdom that Israel lost because of sin, their final transgression being the rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah.

The parable as given by Isaiah emphasizes that the Lord in planting the vineyard had made every needed provision for the protection of his “pleasant plant,” in order that it might flourish and bear the fruits of righteousness. He had put a fence, or wall, around it. The Law given at Mt. Sinai could have served as a wonderful wall of protection against the encroachments of human selfishness, and thus have held the nation intact and ready to receive the Messiah had its provisions of righteousness been observed, but they were not.

And he gathered out the stones, that is, the stumbling stones of error and false worship. He did this through the services of Moses and the prophets.

The vineyard was planted with a “choice vine.” Israel was that vine; and, beginning with Abraham, God had chosen this people, and watched over them. He delivered them miraculously from Egyptian bondage, and planted them in their own land, the land he had promised to their fathers.

The Lord also set up a beacon tower in the midst of his people; namely, the great hope of a coming Messiah. From the vantage point of this national hope of Israel their prophets continued to warn them of their own transgressions, and of the encroachment of dangers from without.

And a winepress was built, symbolic of the Lord’s provision for joy and of all the other rich blessings which might have been theirs had they observed God’s Law, and through its spirit of righteousness dealt kindly and justly with one another and rendered unto God the things which belonged to him. But they did not, hence the vineyard dried up, and the “pleasant plant” withered—Israel was cast off from divine favor, and the kingdom hope and its privileges were transferred to another vineyard, a vineyard in which there is another “pleasant plant,” the one referred to by Jesus when he said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.”—John 15:5

This is, of course, all symbolic, or parabolic language, but the lesson is plain. It means that when the Lord calls a people and makes every necessary preparation to use them in connection with the outworking of his plans, he expects from them a fruitage of righteousness. If they bear no fruit, they are cast aside. This was true of the natural house of Israel; and it is true of us as branches in the true vine of the Gospel age; for these, too, when they bearing fruit, are removed from the vine.—John 15:6

QUESTIONS

Did the nation of Israel benefit from the many warnings given by the prophets?

What is represented by the “pleasant plant” referred to in the parable of the vineyard recorded in Isaiah 5:1-7?

In what respects is this parable similar to the one given by Jesus in Matthew 21:31-41?

What may be represented by the “fence,” the “stones,” the “tower,” and the “winepress” mentioned in the parable of our lesson?

What constitutes the Lord’s “pleasant plant” during the Gospel age, and how can we remain a part of it?

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