Corrupt by Choice

Isa. 5: 3-7 This section of Isaiah is a masterpiece. First, Isaiah concealed the identity of the vineyard and the One who planted; and then, when He explained what happened, He asked His hearers to "Judge" between the owner and the vineyard. It is easy to know what the judgment of the people was certain to be in that situation. Next, notice the dramatic shift to the first person on the part of the prophet. Why? Isaiah was G-d's mouthpiece here and was speaking for G-d Himself. Notice the promise to "command the clouds". Only G-d could do that. At that point, no doubt, the more discerning of Isaiah's hearers had begun to understand; but then the prophet hit them squarely with the full, literal, unvarnished truth. G-d indeed had planted the vineyard which was composed of Israel and Judah. He would now remove all of the protection from His people and cause them to be overrun and destroyed. Furthermore, He restated their guilt in some of the most dramatic words in the Bible, utilizing the device of paronomasia. The Hebrew here uses pairs of words to contrast what G-d looked for and what He received. These words, similar, and almost identical in sound have radically different meanings.
"G-d looked for justice (mishpat] in Hebrew) but received bloodshed, or oppression, (mispah] in Hebrew). G-d looked for righteousness (tsedakah] in Hebrew) but received a cry (seakah] in Hebrew). This play upon the contrasting meanings of similar words is called paronomasia, and will be noted often in this prophecy. Of course, much of the force of such contrasts is lost in translation from one language to another.
The ground was carefully prepared (dug it up and cleared out its stones). It was planted with good stock (planted it with the choicest vine). It was protected (a tower in its midst). Provision was made for the fruit to be processed (made a winepress in it).
With all these advantages, it is not surprising that He expected it to bring forth good grapes. What else would be expected? In the story, there was nothing left undone by the owner of the vineyard. He did all he could do. In the same way, G-d cannot be blamed at all for the wild grapes people brought forth. G-d did all He could do, apart from making men robots, acting apart from or against their wills.
We are dealing here with something worse than unfruitfulness. The New Testament also speaks of a faith that brings forth fruit, but the fruit is dead works, which pollute the air like a cadaver. The wolfs-bane, or wild vine (2 Kings 4:39), does bear beautiful berries, but they are bitter, foul-smelling and poisonous in nature. This is a precise description of the self-willed and false religion of the unfaithful covenant people.
Wild grapes mean that the vineyard produced just what you would expect it to produce if nothing had been done to it. All the love, care, time, work, and investment resulted had no result.
Has it been so with us? Have we rewarded the Well beloved thus ungratefully for all His pains? Have we given Him hardness of heart, instead of repentance; unbelief, instead of faith; indifference, instead of love; idleness, instead of holy industry; impurity, instead of holiness?
Vine-dressers use to dig up and open the earth about the roots of the vines. The vineyard will receive nothing from the L-rd. The vineyard resisted and protested the "pruning" and "digging" and "watering" the owner did. So now, the owner says, "Fine. No more pruning or digging or watering. You will see for yourself if that is better."
Many discouraged children of G-d wish the L-rd would stop pruning, stop digging, and stop watering. Those things may be hard, but it is even worse when the L-rd stops doing them!
The parable is partly dropped and Jehovah, is implied to be the Owner: for He alone, not an ordinary husbandman (Matt. 21:43; Lk. 17:22; Matt. 21:43.), could give such a "command."
No rain - I will deprive you of all My blessings.
Judgment and righteousness are true fruit of the fear of G-d and therefore in the cruel oppression there is no religion.
When errors and corruptions, vice and immorality, go without check or control, no testimony borne against them, (no one speaking up) no rebuke given them or restraint put upon them, the vineyard is un-pruned, is not dressed, or ridded; and then it will soon be like the vineyard of the man void of understanding, all grown over with thorns.
G-d in a way of righteous judgment, denies His grace to those that have long received it in vain. The sum of all is that those who would not bring forth good fruit should bring forth none. The curse of barrenness is the punishment of the sin of barrenness, as Mark 11:14.
The departure of G-d's Spirit from those persons who have long resisted Him and striven against Him and the removal of His gospel from those places that have been long a reproach to it, while it has been an honor to them. It is no loss to G-d to lay His vineyard waste.
He looked for judgment and righteousness that the people should be honest in all their dealings and the magistrates should strictly administer justice.
It is very sad with a soul when instead of the grapes of humility, meekness, patience, love, and contempt of the world, which G-d looks for, there are the wild grapes of pride, passion, discontent, malice, and contempt of G-d instead of the grapes of praying and praising, the wild grapes of cursing and swearing, which are a great offence to G-d.
Since the Father made us with “free will”, we can choose to be as the good grapes bearing much fruit or we can choose to be corrupt. There are too many corrupt societies; maybe it is the sign of the times.
Remember who owns the vineyard; He will one day come as fire (judgment).
Choose wisely for we will be held accountable!