THE LORD SPOKE (September 20)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Isaiah 3-5

The Song of the Vineyard (Is. 5:1-7)

The farmer’s love for his land is described in this pointed piece of prophetic poetry and applied to the description of God’s love for Israel. By application, we may see ourselves here too.

To start, Isaiah describes the planning and hard work that goes into creating an excellent vineyard. Great care and no little expense is coupled with huge effort and on-going labor to obtain the desired result - “a crop of good grapes” (Is. 5:2b, 4b). In an attempt to guarantee these results, the vinedresser makes sure his vineyard is:

• well-located (“on a fertile hillside”, Is. 5:1b) - good drainage, proper soil, will catch the morning sun
• properly cultivated (“cleared it of stones”, Is. 5:2a) - ever noticed how many stones there are on the Israeli landscape?
• best seed/starts (“planted it with the choicest vines”, Is. 5:2b)
• protected (“built a watchtower in it”, Is. 5: 2c, “hedge...wall”, Is. 5:5b) - essential to keep the top soil from washing downhill, to keep out animals, and to stop thieving invaders
• easily serviced (“cut out a winepress”, Is. 5:2d)
• properly maintained (“pruned...cultivated...[no] briers and thorns”, Is. 5:6)

Having done all that, the farmer sits back and waits expectantly for the desired results. But they don’t come. In fact, it’s worse than that. Contrary to all reasonable expectations, the fruit is enough to turn your stomach.

In case anyone misses the point, Isaiah spells it out in verse seven. This is a parable about Yahweh’s relationship to Israel, “the garden of his delight”. After all He has done for His chosen people they should now be producing the sweet fruits of righteousness. Given the effort that has gone into them, He has every right to expect better results.

The author uses a double Hebrew pun to express the miserable produce in the closing scene (Is. 5:7b):

He looked for justice [mishpat], but saw bloodshed [mishpah];
for righteousness [tzdakah], but heard cries of distress [tza’akah].

Are we any better? When you consider all that the Lord has done for us, doesn’t He have every right to expect more return on His labor? Like the old chorus says,

After all He’s done for me, After all He’s done for me,
How can I do less than give Him my best,
And live for Him completely,
After all He’s done for me?


Psalm 7-8

Psalm 8 begins, as everything should, with THE MAJESTY OF GOD (Ps. 8:1-3). In the opening verses we’re reminded that this may be observed “in all the earth” and even “above the heavens”. His glory fills the creation so that, no matter where we turn, we are reminded of Him.

He is Praise-Worthy. All creation points to His majesty. Even from the mouth of infants, God has “ordained praise” (Ps. 8: 2). Literally, the text says He has “established strength”. Every single element of creation proclaims His glory and contributes to His greatness. Even the smallest child knows that there is a God and is prepared (by God) to respond to Him. Unfortunately, as he “grows up” he becomes steeled to that and denies the very existence of God.

He is Powerful. When we pause to consider any part of God’s creation, we are immediately impressed with His omnipotence. Romans 1:20 and Psalm 19 tell us that this general revelation about Him is available to all men so that “they are without excuse”. But, creation is limited in what it reveals. Man can know that God exists and that He is powerful. Yet, that is enough that man is held accountable. From that starting point, man is responsible to God. Thereafter, special or more specific information has been made available to him through God’s self-revelation in Scripture.

Two things should result from this knowledge: we will see (1) the magnificent glory of God, and (you would expect) this would result in seeing (2) the miserable littleness of man. But the middle of the psalm surprises us a bit with THE MAJESTY OF MAN (Ps. 8: 4-8). His majesty is, to be sure, a derived majesty. It is the result of the imago dei which is stamped upon him. Therefore, even this truth is still in praise of the Creator!

He is given Purpose. God has “crowned him” and “made him ruler” over His creation. Man is not just some little “king of the mountain”; he is literally the “king of the earth”. Ever since the Garden of Eden, he has been the “keeper of the garden” but he is also given dominion over all the earth. This is both a privilege and a heavy responsibility. It involves both domesticated animals and wild animals. It should drive us to formulate a biblical theology of the environment. It can even give us a theology of hunting and fishing! As Spurgeon said, “Every dish of fish and fowl that comes to our table is an example of this dominion man has over the works of God’s hands.”

He is given Power. God has “put everything under him”. Though he is “lower than the angels” in creation (they are immortal), when time is over he’ll be higher because he will be glorified. For now, he is to exercise his dominion.

The psalm returns to the opening thought: “how majestic is your name in all the earth” or, as Nehemiah expressed it:

Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. (Neh. 9:5-6)