Fair Warning

KEY VERSE: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” —Isaiah 1:16,17

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 5:8-12, 18-23

THE FIFTH CHAPTER of Isaiah’s prophecy begins with the parable of the vineyard, which represents the nation of Israel. God prepared his vineyard by fencing it about, gathering the stones from it, and planting it with choice vines. He also built a tower, and a winepress, and waited for its fruitage. But the fruitage was unsatisfactory. It brought forth “wild grapes.”—Isa. 5:1,2

God had made a covenant with his people, promising Israel special blessings. He gave them his Law, spoke to their prophets, and guided them in many special ways, and they were assured of divine favor as long as they remained faithful to the divine law. That meant having true love for God, as well as for their neighbors; but they proved unfaithful in both instances—losing their special relationship with God, while experiencing the series of ‘woes’ which Isaiah prophesied.

“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!” (Isa. 5:8) The Israelites were tempted by their desire to be rich—joining their lands together to increase their acreage with very little regard for the rights of the poor to earn a living on their property.

“Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!” (vs. 11) They became intoxicated with wine, while their merry-making, feasting, and over-indulgence led them away from God.

“Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!” (Isa. 5:18,19) Those in authority used their influence as cords of falsehood to carry out their own selfish schemes, and greed was the order of the day. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil!” (vs. 20) Evil practices were acceptable, while truth and equity were treated lightly. They put bitter error where sweet truth had once been.

“Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and rodent in their own sight!” (vs. 21) Neglecting divine law led to pride. They put their trust in themselves instead of in God. “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” (vss. 22,23) Selfishness and pride led to arrogance and self-justification. They became intoxicated with their own will.

Jesus taught a parable illustrating the same lesson. A householder planted a vineyard, and took special care of it. He put a hedge around it, and prepared a winepress and tower for it. But, when he sent his servants to receive the fruitage they were beaten and killed, and his son was rejected.—Matt. 21:33-39

There is symbolism which applies to both houses of Israel—the natural house after the flesh, and the spiritual house of the Gospel Age church. The church-state systems of Christendom have joined themselves together to amass wealth and prestige at the expense of the people. They became intoxicated with the spirit of the world, the ‘wine’ of Babylon. In pleasure-seeking madness they abandoned the laws of God, and usurped authority over their subjects. But ultimately these systems and their leaders will go into oblivion.

However, until the present, there endures a faithful class, loyal to God.

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