Several years ago, I heard a talk by Henry Blackaby and Avery Willis. They declared from Isaiah Chapter 5 that God had removed His hedge of protection around America.
Considering current world events, I think it’s worthwhile to revisit this passage today.
Isaiah 5 begins with a song about a carefully prepared vineyard expected to yield good grapes. Instead, they were rotten and stinky. The owner of the vineyard faced a choice about his hard work.
This was his decision.
And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a wasteland;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it. (Isaiah 5.5-6)
When humans choose self-will over alignment with God’s purposes, they cannot expect God to continue to bless them. If He were to bless us with our self-will, that would only reinforce our willingness to serve ourselves.
This goes against the summary of the Law: to love God with our whole being and to love others as we love ourselves.
God has great enough power to create a universe. However, God is not recognized solely by His power, but by His character. Righteousness and justice are two hallmarks of God’s character.
He expects people who identify with Him to have those same characteristics.
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are his cherished garden;
he expected justice
but saw bloodshed;
righteousness
but heard a cry! (Isaiah 5.7)
When we are identified more with bloodshed and injustice than we are with God’s character, He has every right to remove His protection from us.
Character Flaws Exposed
It is hardly accidental that the final commandment in the Ten Commandments deals with covetousness. Paul sees covetousness as being at the heart of idolatry because it places material possessions as our ultimate value.
The acquisitiveness of humans is illustrated by a desire to possess more of this world’s property and goods.
Woe to those who join house to house,
who add field to field,
until there is room for no one,
and you are left to live alone
in the midst of the land! (Isaiah 5.8)
The idea of stewardship extends beyond giving 10% of your money to the church. It involves viewing all possessions, all of life, as a gift from God.
We are entrusted with material possessions to reflect God’s character of righteousness and justice.
God’s character was perfectly exemplified through the life of Jesus. Paul tells us that as we align ourselves with Him, we should do the same.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
But emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness. (Philippians 2.5-7)
There is no way that our desire to acquire more and more at the expense of others can co-exist with the character that Jesus exemplifies for us.
We must ask ourselves: How can God bless a world that looks more like those who strive for material possessions at the expense of others, than those who have the mind of Christ?
Misplaced Passion
God is the most joyful being and He rejoices when His children enjoy life.
However, when the passion for pleasure becomes the primary focus in a person’s life, the passion for God, His truth, and His ways are squeezed out.
When a society pursues pleasure and entertainment at the expense of the knowledge of God, they place themselves in a position where they risk the removal of God’s protection and blessing.
Woe to those who rise early in the morning
in pursuit of strong drink,
who linger in the evening
to be inflamed by wine,
Whose feasts consist of lyre and harp,
tambourine and flute and wine,
but who do not regard the deeds of the Lord
or see the work of his hands! (Isaiah 5.11-12)
When humans pursue pleasure and entertainment as the ultimate desire of their lives, they dull their senses to the ability to see what God is doing and working in the world.
If God were to reward our self-sufficiency, materialism, and pursuit of pleasure, He would confine us to a life that overlooks the most essential aspect: building a connection with Him and aligning with His values.
Aligned with God’s Character
It’s worth repeating that what makes God truly God and sets Him off as divine is neither His overwhelming power nor His mysterious otherness. What marks Him as God is His essential justice and righteousness.
But the Lord of hosts is exalted by justice,
and the Holy God shows himself holy by righteousness. (Isaiah 5.16)
“It’s not our limited intelligence, limited power, or limited lifespan that drags us down before God. It’s our inability to love justice and do what’s right that mocks our pretensions to have ultimate meaning in ourselves” (John Oswalt).
Imagine the change that would take place in the world if we devoted the same amount of energy we use for materialism and pleasure seeking to embody God’s characteristics of righteousness and justice.
Consider the transformation the world would undergo if we channel the energy we invest in materialism and pursuing pleasure into embracing God’s values of righteousness and justice.
My Prayer
As I study Isaiah 5, I come to several personal conclusions. First, I recognize that these verses aren’t provided for me to pass judgment on others; I should first reflect upon myself.
I’m uncertain about how to apply these verses in my prayers for today’s world.
I consistently turn to the Lord’s Prayer to pray for family, friends, and the world.
It’s a profound prayer and I suggest you consider it as a template for your prayers.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss the remaining verses of Proverbs 5 on today’s YouTube video. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 