Tuesday after Septuagesima Sunday
Posted on January 30, 2024 by under
Scripture: Isaiah 5:1-7 (NKJV)
5:5 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved a song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard:
“My Well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill.
2 “He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.
3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, please, between Me and My vineyard.
4 “What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?
5 “And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
‘I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
6 “I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.”
7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help.
Devotion
Consider all the work that Isaiah’s Well-beloved puts into the vineyard. He plants it on a fruitful hill so that it would receive sunlight from all directions. He took the time to work the soil and remove the rocks and debris. He planted a choice vine, meaning he purposely planted a culture of grape vines that would produce good grapes. He also built a tower in the midst of it so that he could observe it and be ready to take whatever necessary action to protect and nurture it quickly. Finally, he built a winepress so that he could harvest the grapes and make delicious wine. But the vineyard only produced wild grapes, that is, sour, harsh, and small grapes; grapes not fit for consumption.
This is the care that the Lord had given to His people Israel. He cared for them deeply, but they remained a rebellious nation. Our Lord continues to care for His creation. He gives us His Word and Sacraments; He draws us to Himself to receive His gifts that He richly provides for us. But even from our first parents we have been rebellious. We are nothing but wild grapes—small, bitter, and harsh. This is how full of sin we are. We cannot produce good fruit. Our Lord Jesus, however, came and purified the vine with His own flesh, so that all those who believe on Him might be good grapes and produce good wine.
Collect: O Lord, we beseech Thee favorably to hear the prayers of Thy people: that we, who are justly punished for our offenses, may be mercifully delivered by Thy goodness, for the glory of Thy Name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
