[:en]SCRIPTURE: ISAIAH 5
“The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress” (Isaiah 5:7)
“The have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands. There, my people will go into exile for ack of understanding; their men of rank will die of hunger and their masses will be parched with thirst” (Isaiah 5:12-13)
“But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness” (Isaiah 5:16)
The nation of Israel is the vineyard. God had spent so much time in digging, clearing, planting and building a vinepress. But it only yields bad fruits. So, God will not cultivate it anymore. He will make it a waste land for briers and thorns to grow. He will command the clouds not to rain on irt (vs. 6-7)
WOES AND JUDGMENTS:
THE 8 WOES:
- To those who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left (v. 8)
- To those who rise early in the morning to run after their drink and stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine (v. 11)
- To those who draw sin along with cords of deceit and wickedness as with cart ropes (v. 17)
- To those who say, “Let God hurry, so we may see it. Let it approach, let the plan of the Holy One of Israel com, so we may know it” (v. 19)
- To those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (v. 20)
- To those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight (v. 21)
- To those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks (v. 22)
- To those who acquit the guilty for a bribe but denying justice to the innocent (v. 23)
THE SPECIFIC SINS MENTIONED ARE:
- Bloodshed instead of justice and distress instead of righteousness (v. 7)
- Inflamed with wine and champion in drinks (vs. 11, 22)
- No respect for the work and deeds of the Lord (v. 12)
- Deceit and wickedness (v. 18)
- Questioning God’s plan (v. 19)
- Twisting things: good and evil, light and darkness, sweet and bitter (v. 22)
- Consider themselves wise and clever in their own eyes (v. 21)
- Accepting bribe to acquit the guilty and denying justice to the innocent (v. 21)
Let us examine ourselves if we have committed the specific sins mentioned above. God is stretching us His hands in love and inviting us to repent. Let us heed His call.[:]