week of 4/12/11 3rd recorded HighQuest Isaiah 5:1-7

The passage I read was Isaiah 5:1-7

You can find that passage here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+5%3A1-7&version=NIV

The verse that most stood out to me:

Is verse 7 (which really summarizes the passage too). “The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.”

My wife said verse 6 stood out to her because she can see the wasteland that is the unbelieving world today.

As I reflect:

Though this passage seems to be about Israel, that’s only surface value. We can take directly from this the character of God in relation to our fruitfulness because we are adopted children and are also part of His Israelite chosen people being discussed in this passage. For this reason we can learn how the Lord relates to our fruitfulness (or lack thereof) with but one difference between now and the time period of Isaiah’s writing. That difference is of course the redeeming work on the cross. On this side of the cross, we cannot take forgiveness and the mercy and grace of God and use it as an excuse to continue in our wicked ways. When we come to salvation, we make a choice to give our lives in service and in friendship to our Messiah. That choice if genuine will bear good fruit. One cannot have a genuine encounter with the Lord and take nothing from it. A genuine encounter has repercussions. In the case of the saved, those repercussions are good fruit demonstrated through an ever growing new heart and relationship empowered by the Holy Spirit.

God’s character is shown here as wrathful, and I think it’s a side of character that we too often reserve only for the unsaved in our constant reliance on mercy. This is a mistake by the common day Christian. God will hold us accountable for our fruit or our lack of fruit. If you refuse to grow after given opportunity after opportunity, there does eventually come a point where (like the lukewarm are spit out) you will be cut off and trampled for lack of a genuine salvation in you. For just as faith without works is dead, so is a supposed Christian without evidence of salvation. God has laid out the blueprint for us and He has certainly put in the time and efforts for the harvest. Will you be one of the faithful few who produce good fruit and are harvested or will you bear bad or no fruit and be cut off and thrown into the fire?

This to me is one of many passages that can serve as a daily reminder of the reverent respect and fear we are to have before the Lord. It also serves as a driving force in allowing for my faith to produce good fruit and for me to live in such a way that it is evident that I am engrafted into the vine of the Most High.

My response to the Lord:

Elohim, I am most thankful for the redemptive work through your son (both on the cross and in the resurrection). I am also thankful for your Holy Spirit here with me to help me carry out all the plans you have for me. Father, I ask humbly that you would help me in this life as I desire to be more fruitful for you and multiply your harvest. For this reason, I ask you to multiply my efforts that I would bear much fruit in my service to you. Above all Lord, I pray your will be done always. I am forever yours. Amen.