Understanding Righteousness in Isaiah 5

Posted on by Adrian Clark
A large tree glowing with warm golden lights in a meadow at twilight with a crescent moon and starry sky

“Humanity will be destroyed, and people brought down; even the arrogant will lower their eyes in humiliation. But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be exalted by his justice. The holiness of God will be displayed by his righteousness. In that day lambs will find good pastures, and fattened sheep and young goats will feed among the ruins.”
Isaiah 5:15-17 NLT

Isaiah wrote about a time coming when “humanity will be destroyed”. Such an event must have seemed a long way off for the rich and partying people in Judah. People who were rich landowners were made richer by the misfortune of their poorer neighbours, who were forced to sell up in their poverty. People who had no concern for God and His ways, having abandoned their part of the Covenant God had made with them. So what was going to happen to them? We know from historical evidence that foreign invaders entered their land, and those who were not killed were taken away into exile. Their pride and arrogance were replaced by humility. What happened to their wealth and partying then, as they discovered that God was real and was seeking justice? Earlier in Isaiah 5 we read, “But I have heard the Lord of Heaven’s Armies swear a solemn oath: “Many houses will stand deserted; even beautiful mansions will be empty” (Isaiah 5:9). In those days, the sins of rebellion against God, idolatry, injustice, oppression of the poor, and so on were the signs of a ticking clock, counting down the time to when God would finally act, bringing justice, holiness and righteousness back to the land he had given His people. 

Righteousness is a character trait that reflects what God desires from His people. Righteousness is defined as being morally right, and synonyms include goodness, uprightness, morality, integrity and honesty. That is who God is, and He demands that everything we think or do is founded on righteousness. In Micah 6:8 we read, “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”. Proverbs 21:3 reads, “The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices”. And of course we mustn’t ignore the role the Bible has when we look for help about righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right”. 

Righteousness is something that we have to work at and apply in every part of our lives. When we do what is right, we are aligning ourselves to God’s way. 1 John 2:29, “Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children”. Early on in the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).Other translations use the word “justice” instead of “righteousness”, and the two meanings can be synonymous. And those who find a life filled and directed by the pursuit of righteousness will find a reward. Matthew 13:43, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear”. 

Are we pilgrims “shining like the sun” in our families and communities? I’m sure we are, as we stand in our sinful world, displaying and upholding God’s righteousness and justice. Isaiah 5:17, the last of our three verses today, reads, “Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture; lambs will feed among the ruins of the rich”. After God’s justice was applied to Judah, the land quietened. No sounds of music and drunken partying. No revelry and debauchery. Just peace and tranquillity, as once again the land returned to God’s ways. I’m sure there were a few righteous people left in the land to tend the sheep and set the scene for a future, aligned to God and His ways.

Dear Heavenly Father. You require Your people to seek righteousness and justice. We commit ourselves to that today and look to You as the Source of all we are. Amen.

Examining Hedonism in Isaiah 5: The Perils of Excessive Drinking

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Four empty wine bottles standing on stone steps along a cobblestone street at dusk

“What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk. They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties— lyre and harp, tambourine and flute— but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing. So my people will go into exile far away because they do not know me. Those who are great and honoured will starve, and the common people will die of thirst. The grave is licking its lips in anticipation, opening its mouth wide. The great and the lowly and all the drunken mob will be swallowed up.”
Isaiah 5:11-14 NLT

“Flaming drunk”? Surely a strange adjective to find describing inebriation from the New Living Translation. The words are more genteel in the NIV with “inflamed with wine” or “… Who stay up late in the night till wine inflames them!” from the Amplified. But the versions all agree, describing an occasion marked with debauchery and partying, with probably more going on than can be found in these verses today. In the ancient world, only the wealthy could afford to spend all day, every day, from early in the morning until late at night, getting drunk. These people turned pleasure and drinking into a full-time pursuit. Drunkenness and debauchery were the reasons why these wealthy people got out of bed in the morning. The constant drunkenness brought with it nightly rounds of being “inflamed,” likely indicating participation in sexual immorality.

We notice that the Bible does not condemn the drinking of alcohol, and table wine was a part of Jewish life, with their wines having a lower alcoholic content than would be expected today. In an age with uncertain water purity, wine was sometimes considered a safer option. But drunkenness was frowned upon. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, wrote, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18). There are other Bible verses, notably Proverbs 31:4-7, “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed. Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress. Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more”. In these verses, we find that those in leadership should show restraint when alcohol is around, because the effect of the drug on a person’s thinking could lead to situations where an injustice could occur. But it is interesting to note that alcohol was suggested as an analgesic for those in distress as a form of end-of-life care, or a remedy for mental health issues. 

But the problem is that the wealthy people of Jerusalem and Judah made pleasure a way of life. They lived to feel good, which is the definition of hedonism. Because of this, they stopped recognising God for His power or what He had provided for them. They served only themselves. Does any of this sound familiar in societies on twenty-first-century Planet Earth? The way of life in Judah was less demanding than it is today. But in my lifetime, I have met people in high-powered jobs, with consequent generous monetary rewards, but with the cost of experiencing high stress levels that have impacted their mental health. Where have these people turned? To the consumption of alcohol, attempting to drown the pain of having to carry on with long, stressful working hours. But even less demanding jobs still have an element of stress, as any bus driver will testify. 

But living life God’s way avoids such debilitating problems, and rather than apply a “sticking plaster” of alcohol, masking the symptoms of stress and anxiety, it is far better to deal with the root causes, turning to God in the process. About the rich people with all their partying, Isaiah pointed out, “they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing”. This is a poignant moment in Judah’s history because God made a covenant with these people, yet they turned their backs on Him to pursue hedonistic lifestyles. As Isaiah had previously written, Isaiah 5:11 starts with the word “Woe”. What does that mean? Well, one day will come the time when the partygoers will have to face the consequences of their actions. Verse 13 describes their fate: “So my people will go into exile far away because they do not know me. Those who are great and honoured will starve, and the common people will die of thirst”. 

If the people of Judah had repented of their sins and turned to the Lord, then I’m sure that the judgment of exile would have been averted. Their punishment would have been replaced by blessings once more. In our societies today, God is still being spurned and ignored by most. But judgment in their lifetimes is being held back by God’s grace, giving everyone time to repent. Such grace is available right up to a person’s dying moments, but, sadly, after this, God’s grace is no longer available. All that remains is the terrible time before the Great White Throne. 

So we pilgrims reach out to those around us with our testimonies at the ready. God wants everyone to be saved, and He is graciously giving everyone the opportunity to reach out to Jesus who died in their place for their sins. 

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You that we can access the wine of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and through You, we will live in Your Kingdom forever. Amen.

Lessons from the Rich Landowner: A Cautionary Tale

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Sun rising over mist-covered fields and hills with scattered trees and a farmhouse

“What sorrow for you who buy up house after house and field after field, until everyone is evicted and you live alone in the land. But I have heard the Lord of Heaven’s Armies swear a solemn oath: “Many houses will stand deserted; even beautiful mansions will be empty. Ten acres of vineyard will not produce even six gallons of wine. Ten baskets of seed will yield only one basket of grain.””
Isaiah 5:8-10 NLT

A strange picture emerges of a land with empty houses, surrounded by empty fields. A landowner has bought up farms and houses because their owners could no longer afford to live in them. Yes, the landowner lived in great splendour, but many poor people were forced into unsuitable accommodation because their family home, sometimes there in their family for several generations, had been sold. And we end up with the landowner living isolated from his immediate neighbours. A lonely existence that was never in God’s plan for the communities of Israel and Judah. 

God foresaw such an eventuality when he gave Moses relevant instructions. The Year of Jubilee was instituted, as we read in Leviticus 25:13, “In the Year of Jubilee each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors”. The Lord continued, “The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me” (Leviticus 25:23). The rest of the Leviticus chapter provides some detailed instructions regarding property, but for the farms and houses out in the countryside, the price of any purchases were calculated with an eye on the remaining years before Jubilee, at which point the property had to be returned to the original owner.

Reading on in today’s verses, we see what will become of the beautiful mansions of the wealthy landowners. Not only will the farmhouses stand empty and neglected, but, for one reason or another, so will the mansions. Such is reality for people who think they will live forever. There have been many building projects over the years that have ended up unfinished because of the owners’ premature deaths. Also, perhaps the Lord’s judgements in those unstable times created situations in which wealthy people were removed, went to live elsewhere, or faced other family calamities. God never intended that such a dysfunctional society would exist. Greed replaced the fruit that God demanded from His people. 

The final verse from our verses from Isaiah 5 today describes how, all of a sudden, the yield from the farms the wealthy have acquired plummets, with insufficient crops being harvested even to replace what had been planted. What could have caused that? Well, as any farmer knows, climate problems such as drought can decimate their crops. Blight or disease was not unknown in those days either. Sadly, the Jewish people had forgotten the instructions given through Moses in Leviticus 25:18,-19, “If you want to live securely in the land, follow my decrees and obey my regulations. Then the land will yield large crops, and you will eat your fill and live securely in it”. Simple, really, I think we agree, but so often the Jews rebelled against God and abandoned His ways.

What about these verses today? Are they relevant to us pilgrims? Jesus told the story of the Rich Landowner, which we can find in Luke 12. He had a “fertile farm that produced fine crops”, and he decided to tear down all his barns, build bigger ones, and store enough crops to keep him going for many years. Then he could “take it easy [and] eat, drink and be merry”. Such a worldly perspective is common today, with certain people working hard to accumulate riches and possessions, all with a view to early retirement and a life of pleasure to follow. In the UK today, the state retirement age is 67, but many save for retirement through shrewd investments, hoping to have sufficient resources at 55 or 60. But none of us knows the time or place when we will leave this world, and all that they have accumulated will be left to someone else. We read further in the story of the Rich Landowner, “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’” (Luke 12:20). Jesus was quite forthright when He said in the next verse, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God”. I remember a man I worked with who was approaching the company retirement age, and he spent a significant amount of time planning for the day he would stop working for a living. He lived in a large house in an expensive part of Edinburgh, which he and his wife sold before buying a more modest dwelling in a more rural part of Scotland. He added equity release to his already substantial savings, and then planned his first retirement project in meticulous detail: a walking tour around Norway. So his retirement day arrived in the middle of January the following year, and he left to complete the final arrangements for the house and his project. However, we, his workmates whom he had left behind, were shocked to hear that he had suddenly experienced a massive heart attack just a few weeks later, from which he never recovered.

We never know when God will call us home. Blaise Pascal, the French philosopher and mathematician, decided that it would be better to live his life God’s way, setting aside the sinful and hedonistic lifestyles of his society, because otherwise he would have too much to lose after death. Jesus said, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19-21). Sound advice.

Dear Father God. Sometimes we weary of the world in which we live, a world with all its evil and difficulties. We look forward to the increasing glow of Glory, appearing over the horizons of our lives, and pray that we will be ready for the day when it comes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.



‭‭

The Son of God Rejected

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill. He ploughed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines. In the middle, he built a watchtower and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter.”
Isaiah 5:1-2 NLT
“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.”
Matthew 21:33-34 NLT

In this, another parable from Jesus, using a vineyard to illustrate His point, he told the story of a landowner who planted a vineyard, equipped it with a hedge, a winepress, and a tower, and leased it to tenants before going to a distant country. When harvest time came, he sent servants to collect his share of the fruit, but the tenants abused and stoned them. After sending more servants, who ended up with the same fate, the householder finally sent his son, thinking they will respect him. Instead, the tenants conspired to kill the son to seize his inheritance, and they subsequently did so. The owner then punished the tenants and leased the vineyard to others who produced its fruit in due season. The landowner represented God and the vineyard symbolised Israel, the people of God. The tenants who had leased the vineyard, and agreed to pay the rent through providing a share of the crops, were the religious leaders in Israel at that time, and they treated the servants sent by the landowner very badly, servants who represented the prophets who were often rejected and even killed by the people they shared God’s message with. The son represented Jesus Christ, whose rejection and subsequent crucifixion fulfilled the central message of the parable.

So, what do we learn from this parable? The story builds the picture that God is patient, and is prepared to send multiple messages to people in the land of Israel, as well as to everyone in the ages and generations since. But there comes a time when judgment replaces grace. Jesus asked the religious leaders who listened to His parable what they made of it. ““When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”” (Matthew 21:40). The next verse provided their response, “The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest””. An interesting response because they damned themselves in their reply. Finally, the penny dropped and we read, “When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realised he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers” (Matthew 21:45).

So, is there anything here that is of help to us pilgrims? I cannot think of any situation where a Christian would reject and even abuse someone sent from God. The problem for the religious leaders in Jesus’ day was that they failed to recognise Him as the Messiah. In fact, it went further than that, because Jesus challenged their cosy little world, with its financial benefits and their favour with the Roman authorities. So it was quite likely that even if they did accept Jesus as the Messiah, the consequences for their lives was something that they could not accept.

So it is with people today. Quite often when we share the Gospel with someone we find that, after initial interest, a rejection follows because the person realises that there is a cost to following Jesus. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it” (Matthew 16:24-25). Jesus also said the following, a scripture that has been much misinterpreted, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). There is indeed a cost when we turn from our natural, sinful lives, and instead repent of our sins and follow Jesus and His ways. Too often, a different Gospel has been preached with words that emphasise God’s love and grace, perhaps majoring on prosperity or healing, but one that minimises or ignores His righteousness and judgment, and people entering the Kingdom of God through that route often find that they are not prepared for what is to follow.

We pilgrims are a people who are true believers of Jesus, and we know the cost. We have experienced God’s blessings and, for us, there is no turning back.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your grace and love. For just a little while on this earth we suffer and put aside the desires of our flesh. We thank You for all You have done for us. Amen.


‭‭


‭‭


‭‭



Vineyard Parables: Lessons on Grace and Generosity

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Vineyard rows on rolling green hills with a village and farm buildings in the distance

“Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill. He ploughed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines. In the middle, he built a watchtower and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter.”
Isaiah 5:1-2 NLT
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.”
Matthew 20:1-2 NIVUK

Here is another parable about a vineyard, this time from Jesus, our Master, who taught about Kingdom truths in the form of parables. We know the story. The owner of the vineyard hired some workers early one morning, and he sent them to work tending the vines. He agreed to give them the standard manual rate for a day’s work in those days – a denarius. But, deciding that he needed more labour, he returned to the marketplace several times during the day to hire more workers. He agreed to pay each of them the standard day’s rate, even though they were starting to work later in the day. Finally, at the end of the day, the owner instructed his foreman to give each worker a denarius, starting with those who had joined the workplace most recently. What followed was much grumbling from the workforce, particularly from those who had worked from early in the morning. We read, “When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. “Those who were hired last worked only one hour,” they said, “and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day”” (Matthew 20:11-12). This is a wonderful picture of God’s grace, so freely given. If we equate the denarius to the gift of salvation, we see that no matter when we receive the gift, we will be accepted into His Kingdom. Jesus finished this parable with the words, “‘But [the vineyard owner] answered one of them, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?” ‘So the last will be first, and the first will be last’” (Matthew 20:13-16). Whether or not we have been a Christian for 50 years or 50 minutes, the outcome is the same. God’s generosity and grace know no bounds.

The vineyard in this parable represents the Kingdom of God, and the vineyard owner is God Himself. In the vineyard, the workers are God’s people, but we should note that they are not just standing around, doing nothing. They are working at tending the vines. They will be removing weeds that spring up around the roots. They will pick off harmful insects that might be sapping the strength of the vines. And when harvest time arrives, they will collect the grapes and take them to the winepress to be pressed into wine. A vineyard is a wonderful analogy for God’s Kingdom and the people we find there.

But there are some significant points that apply to us pilgrims. We have work to do in the Kingdom of God, and, incidentally, beyond. On earth, we are part of the Great Commission, working to introduce people to Jesus, and, for ourselves, we have fruit, spiritual fruit, to produce. Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” And instead of grumbling when we see people we feel don’t deserve it receiving God’s grace, we must rejoice along with the angels in Heaven.

Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your grace and patience. You lovingly accepted even sinners like us into Your Kingdom, something for which we will be eternally grateful. Amen.



Bearing Fruit: Lessons from Jesus’ Vineyard Parable

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Person wearing gloves and a hat pruning vines in a foggy vineyard at sunrise

“I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: my loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.”
Isaiah 5:1-2 NIVUK
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”   John 15:1-4 NLT 

The first four verses of John 15 were much referred to in the early days of the charismatic renewal. I can still remember a conference sermon based on these verses, delivered in 1979 or thereabouts, in which the speaker lambasted the charismatic audience for producing lots of leaves but no fruit. The “leaves” were all the charisma and excitement of a new move of God, but where was the Holy Spirit fruit being manifested in people’s lives? But Jesus’ illustration was clear. He described Himself as being like a grapevine from which many branches emanated, and there are as many branches as there are believers. The grapevine has always been of great spiritual significance to the Jews. For example, we read in Isaiah 5:1-7 about a vineyard God planted with great care, but instead of producing a harvest of sweet grapes, its fruit was bitter. And Isaiah finished with, “The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence ” (Isaiah 5:7). So, when Jesus described Himself as the Grapevine, the people of His land would know what He meant.  

To a Christian, a true, born-again believer in Jesus, His presence in our lives is indispensable. We cannot survive for long without Jesus’ life-giving spiritual nourishment, which sustains us and provides the resources we need for our daily life and pilgrimage. Sadly, some try to live without Jesus. They will read their Bibles. They will do all the right things, singing all the hymns and saying all the prayers, following their denominational liturgies to a fault, but in reality, they have been cut off from the true Grapevine. Their hope is that if they dig in and don’t do anything they shouldn’t, then they will get into Heaven. But Jesus went on to talk about fruit. Which brings us around to the thought – what fruit are we pilgrims producing? 

Jesus’ analogy was that He was the Grapevine but His Father was the Gardener. The thing about a vine is that it can’t just be left year after year, in the hope that the crop of grapes will never end. It has to be pruned. Dead and unfruitful branches must be cut off. The farmer and his staff therefore, and with great skill, know exactly where to prune to maximise the return on their investment. Some parts of the vine will stop producing the sort of grapes that are required, so those branches have to go. Other parts only produce small grapes – they are no good either. And so by careful husbandry, the vine is cleaned and fruitful. In a spiritual setting, the Master Vinedresser, Father God Himself, carefully does His pruning, and by doing so He allows even more spiritual fruit to be realised. What are we doing that we shouldn’t be doing? Can we feel the secateurs starting to cut? Are we producing fruit that is bitter and sour? Cut, cut. And so the process continues day by day, through God’s careful pruning.  

Thankfully, the Master Gardener is very patient. In Luke 13:6-9 we read, “Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertiliser. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”” God is in no hurry to lop off unfruitful branches, but in the end, fruitless branches are finally cut off and burned, and there is no way that they can be re-attached without repentance at the foot of the Cross. Thankfully, our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, will never reject a repentant sinner.  

Dear Father God, the Wonderful Master Gardener, we praise and thank You today. Amen.

The Parable of the Vineyard: Lessons from Isaiah

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Rain showers over vineyard with grapevines and dirt path under dark stormy clouds

“Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill. He ploughed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines. In the middle, he built a watchtower and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter.”
Isaiah 5:1-2 NLT

A song about a vineyard. A strange topic for the lyrics? But there have been many stranger ones. People of my vintage might remember the Beatles song, “I Am a Walrus”, which contains the words, “Semolina pilchard climbing up the Eiffel Tower/Elementary penguin singing Hare Krishna”. A good example of piffle, and reminiscent of an age of drug experimentation, hippies, and general nonsense. But Isaiah penned lyrics that describe the establishment of a vineyard. It belonged to the “beloved” who prepared the ground well, removing anything that would get in the way of the growing root systems. The best vines were planted, and all the infrastructure necessary for the functioning of a vineyard, such as the watchtower and the winepress, were put in place. But all to no avail – the fruit was not the intended sweet grapes, but instead, the fruit was bitter and of no use at all. 

What was there about this song that led to its being included in the Bible, in Isaiah’s writings? The first two verses of Isaiah 5 are part of the “Parable of the Vineyard”, a seven-verse story of God’s love for His people and how they spurned and abused His care. It was a lengthy process to create a vineyard from scratch. The correct location had to be found, with soil suitable for the best crops and free of rocks and stones that would prevent vine growth. The locals in Isaiah’s time would have known very well what was required and how long it would take, and the song’s topic was a good example of God’s love for His people. The song describes how, after his beloved had worked hard in preparation and waited for his first harvest, the grapes turned out to be “bitter.” Instead of the sweet grapes used for making wine, the owner discovers that after all the work he has put into his vineyard, the harvest is worthless. 

The next two verses of the parable continue with a question: “Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah, you judge between me and my vineyard. What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?” Why, after all of that hard work and preparation, did the fruit turn out to be sour and worthless? What more could have been done? Was it the owner of the vineyard who had done something wrong, or was it the vines, or perhaps the soil? At this point, the listeners were asked for their opinions. But the vineyard owner acted before any response was recorded, taking remedial action by abandoning the vineyard. Walls and hedges were broken down, and the beautifully prepared vineyard would become a wild place of weeds, thorns, and brambles; a dry and dreary place indeed.

But finally, the song’s explanation was given. “The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence” (Isaiah 5:7). The verse is self-explanatory and continues the complaint given in previous chapters. Judah was behaving in a way that was against God’s design, a way in which oppression, injustice, unrighteousness, and sin were prevalent, all characteristics that were the opposite of God’s expectations. The vineyard owner was none other than God Himself, and the beloved was the Lord. The vineyard was Israel and Judah, and the Lord was going to great lengths to ensure the people understood that He established His people as His own. They were His vineyard. His desire for them was that of a grape farmer, that his vines would produce good and useful fruit.

What lesson can we pilgrims draw from this parable, since we were not living in Judah nearly three thousand years ago? Our “vineyard” is well established where God has planted us, and we have a manual of expectations, the Bible, that describes the fruit that He expects. Paul even described the fruit, which can be found in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” We would do well to reflect on the “Parable of the Vineyard” and think of our Heavenly Father, who loves us so much, who has done so much for us, and who even sent His Son, Jesus, to ensure that we would one day be in His presence. 

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your care and compassion. Help us to be willing workers in Your vineyard here in our place and generation, that we too would produce the fruit You require. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Isaiah’s Vision: Hope and Judgment in Jerusalem

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“But in that day, the branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel. All who remain in Zion will be a holy people— those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem and are recorded among the living. The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains with the hot breath of fiery judgment. Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land. It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain.”
Isaiah 4:2-6 NLT

In his vision, Isaiah could see the day when the Lord would have dealt with the “filth” in Jerusalem by applying “the hot breath of [His] fiery judgement”. He could see a beautiful and glorious city with the survivors, a holy people, washed and cleansed. And the Lord will protect Mount Zion, where Jerusalem was located, with something reminiscent of the flight of the Israelite slaves from Egypt – “a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night”.

But what was the “branch of the Lord” that Isaiah could see? Some scholars believe this is a pointer to the coming Messiah, Jesus Himself, the divine descendant of David. There is also mention of the branch in Zechariah 3:8, “Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.” But is this a prophecy foretelling the First or Second coming of Jesus? Perhaps there is more evidence for the Second, because we have read Revelation and the chapter about the new Jerusalem. However, the picture of a redeemed and holy people, a remnant who have survived the destruction of Jerusalem is an encouragement that God will always bring new shoots of growth as he fulfils His promises to His people. Judgment will ultimately come at the End of the Age, and the “filth [of] beautiful Zion” will be washed away. In the parable of the Wheat and Tares we read, “Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn” (Matthew 13:30). Jesus’ parable describes how good and bad people will co-exist until the “harvest”, which is the End of the Age, the day of Judgment. Isaiah also referred to “the fruit of the land”, perhaps an indication of blessing and peace being restored after devastation and judgment. 

Isaiah could see a remnant of God’s people surviving the destruction of Jerusalem. But what about those, the larger group, who will not survive? They are those whom Isaiah spoke out against in the previous chapters. Amongst them were people who “made alliances with pagans”, who practised sorcery, who were involved in idolatry, and who rebelled against God. God views sin very seriously and sooner or later has to deal with it. Judgment is real and will ultimately cleanse His people, but in each generation, a small group of His covenant people remains. Today we are the people, people of the New Covenant, who Peter wrote about in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light”. 

We notice that Isaiah’s vision did not indicate when the judgment would occur. It was a warning to all those who engaged in sinful behaviour, and many, then as now, refuse to believe that God’s judgment would actually take place. People today live their lives without considering that there will come a time when they will be held to account for their sins. That judgment will occur is without any doubt, because, otherwise, why was it necessary for Jesus to come to this world? He came to provide a remedy for sin so that all who believe in Him will not have to face the terror of judgment. I recently met a man who shared a concern that he needed to move out of London for his retirement, but was at a loss about where to move to. I asked him if he had a faith, and he talked about his Roman Catholic upbringing, but admitted that he rarely gave God any thoughts anymore. I gently reminded him of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”, after which I talked about sin and the need for salvation in Jesus, as otherwise the only alternative was that he would “perish“. He went away thoughtful, and I pray that the Holy Spirit directs his house move to a place where he will find a Christian community.

Do we pilgrims know someone who needs to hear the same message? After all, there are plenty of opportunities because Jesus said, “ ... The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Luke 10:2). So perhaps we need to brush up on our testimonies and have them ready for the next person we happen to meet.

Dear Father God. Please lead us to the people You want us to share Your wonderful message of hope with. We thank You for Jesus and all He did for us in Jerusalem, two thousand years ago. Amen.

Destitution and Despair

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Instead of fragrance, there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding. Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle. The gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground. In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, ‘We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!’”
Isaiah 3:24-4:1 NIVUK

Jerusalem and women in despair. The men of Judah killed in battle. Destitution everywhere. Isaiah’s vision was a dire account of what could be the end of Judah, an end that had not yet arrived but was imminent unless the people changed their ways. The people who had so much were going to lose it all. There would be few men left to do the manual work. And the sad situation would arise in which there were so many widows in the land that they had to take drastic steps to assure their future.

The future of a society can never be taken for granted. Yes, all my life I have been fortunate to live in a country without wars or other instability affecting my or my family’s life, and I pray that this will continue for my children and grandchildren and beyond. But it is something neither I nor anyone else can take for granted. With the spectre of another Cold War with Russia emerging on the horizon, perhaps already with us, and the war in Ukraine in its fifth year, with political instability everywhere, the very foundations of our societies in Europe are perhaps under threat. We here in the UK take much for granted, but instead of looking to God, people look to their politicians. And inevitably disappointment will follow.

There was a vast Assyrian army threatening Jerusalem in 701 BC but the king, Hezekiah, declared to the people, “‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said” (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). Soon after, we see what happened to the Assyrians, and things didn’t end well for Sennacherib, the Assyrian king. “And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword” (2 Chronicles 32:21). Because they turned to God, the Judahites lived, and God resolved the situation. 

The people of Judah and Jerusalem were facing judgement from God because of their sin, rebellion, and idolatry, but they still refused to return to God. Nineveh was faced with the same challenge when Jonah was sent to them with a prophetic message of destruction. Jonah prophesied “ … Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4b). The people responded with a fast, and God relented and did not destroy them. But the people in Judah were stubborn, and those who survived were exiled.

We pilgrims have the benefit of the Bible, showing us, as it does, a limited view of the future. But with the Psalmist David, we declare, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7). In the First Century AD, there were reportedly many false prophets, and with the spirit of the antichrist present, the Apostle John wrote, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognise the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood” (1 John 4:4-6). Even today, God will help us because His Spirit gives us the strength and direction we need, whatever we are facing.

Dear Heavenly Father. We know that in You are all the resources we need for life in this world. So, please help us to turn from our sins and look to You, as we pray for our nation and our leaders. Soften our hearts, we pray. Amen

The Folly of External Beauty: Lessons from Isaiah 3

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Woman in worn, tattered clothing standing solemnly behind a sign that reads Jerusalem Day of Reckoning

“The Lord says, “Beautiful Zion is haughty: craning her elegant neck, flirting with her eyes, walking with dainty steps, tinkling her ankle bracelets. So the Lord will send scabs on her head; the Lord will make beautiful Zion bald.” On that day of judgment, the Lord will strip away everything that makes her beautiful: ornaments, headbands, crescent necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and veils; scarves, ankle bracelets, sashes, perfumes, and charms; rings, jewels, party clothes, gowns, capes, and purses; mirrors, fine linen garments, head ornaments, and shawls.”
Isaiah 3:16-23 NLT

What was going on in Judah? The previous verses in Isaiah 3 paint a picture of corrupt leadership, oppression of the poor, arrogance, social disorder, and, sadly, spiritual rebellion against God. But now Isaiah turned to the “daughters of Zion”, referring to wealthy and influential women in Jerusalem who reflected the culture’s pride and luxury. In his vision, Isaiah described Zion, Jerusalem, as being like one of the affluent women who resided there, a woman who flirted with her eyes, with a mincing walk just sufficient to bring attention to herself with the tinkling of ankle bracelets, and he went on to describe a long list of their possessions. So the woman could be seen to be wealthy, obsessed with outward appearance, and oozing with excessive luxury. 

But Isaiah continued the next section with “On that day of judgement”. All the woman’s finery would disappear when the Lord stripped everything she owned away. And he related all of this to his beloved Jerusalem, the city on the hill that he loved. So much in Jerusalem was just like this woman, full of luxury and finery, but none of it would survive the judgment of the Lord. 

What was going wrong? The people of Jerusalem had become guilty of the sin of pride, outwardly beautiful but spiritually impure. The warning was that external elegance could not save a society that was morally collapsing. The people were cultivating an image of luxury and pride in its appearance while ignoring justice and holiness. They had forgotten verses like 1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’”. God doesn’t look at how people present themselves externally. He looks directly into what is in their hearts, what they are thinking and how they view God and the people around them. Jesus warned the people about the Pharisees in a lengthy discourse in Matthew 23. Here is a selection of verses that record what He said, “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. … What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! … Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23: 5, 25, 28). 

For Christians, God’s people, today, does that mean we must dress sombrely and even poorly, without jewellery or any other embellishments? In days past, religious groups such as the Puritans dressed in sombre colours with styles designed to be modest and unrevealing, and there is nothing wrong with that unless it becomes an obsession. The Bible never forbade finery, with Rebekah being blessed with “… a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists” (Genesis 24:22b). The virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 “… dressed in fine linen and purple gowns” (Proverbs 31:22). And of course, we mustn’t forget Lydia in Acts 16. The issue is when appearance becomes an idol, luxury becomes pride, and wealth blinds people to justice and to God.

Peter wrote, “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewellery, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God” (1 Peter 3:3-4). Isaiah 3 speaks powerfully to modern culture, obsessed as it is with image, status symbols, social media presentation, consumerism and valuing appearance above character. If we pilgrims are caught up in any of this, perhaps we should pause and ask, “What are we really trusting in”? Another question perhaps is “How much energy are we expending in our outward appearance or the way we present ourselves, to the neglect of God and His Kingdom”? For the woman in Jerusalem, Isaiah had a stark reminder that beauty fades, and status could disappear at a stroke. The message to both them and us today is that Godly character lasts forever.

Dear Heavenly Father. A sober reminder today about our relationship with You and how so many worldly and temporal things can get in the way. Please forgive us for our pride and arrogance, and lead us in better ways, we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen.