Isaiah 5

1 Cor 10:11 says…learn profound lessons history.  Biblical history best to study because God’s perspective. Isa lived during severe spiritual and moral crisis.  In fact, God already given message judgment. We live similar time. Therefore as read Isa 5 we can know well what to expect if things don’t change. Begins w/ parable (refer ‘Song of Isa’).

Vs. 3 Vs. 7 says=Israel, Fruitful hill been stated > fertile piece real estate on planet may well be Israel (specifically Jordan Valley) milk and honey. Dug and cleared stones may indicate how God removed satanic worship and built into social structure laws and customs that protected from encroaching ungodliness (food, work week, clothing, hygiene). God planted choicest vine w/ best opportunity. Built tower must refer to Jerus and Temple. Where prophets ‘watched over’ vineyard. Winepress may refer to sacrificial system or economic success. Point is, planted w/ detail and care.  Nothing more been done to insure success. Made investment, yet…

Vs. 4 Who is to blame when a person or a nation has an unfruitful life? Jn 15:5-8 Key? Abide! Directly applies America. As look at country reminded > beginning, the desire worship God in freedom. Bible held as source all truth and authority.  God center thinking. Church buildings center community.  A history >revivals and awakenings and > preachers and wonderful seminaries.  There was abiding! But as matured, drifting began. Heb 2:1 1^st individuals then institutions. God raised up Jonathan Edwards, George Whitfield, Charles Finney, Billy Sunday, D. L. Moody, Billy Graham, but drift continued. Schools refused abide, eventually churches themselves. Pulpits no longer held fast Word. Gvmt abandoned Scripture. What happened? That exactly what God asking!

 

Vs. 7 Dig it up! That what JC said, Lk 13:9, burn it Jn 15:6 Anyone experience failed crop understands…I hear cry of Jesus (Mt 23:37) How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! We have great heritage, a vineyard blessed by God. What more could done? Only nation founded on Christ! What more than New England Primer? Where the good grapes? At this time everything looked fine. Uzziah mighty, stable, blessed by God. According 2 Chr 26 formidable, well-disciplined army w/ up-to-date weapons.  They literally kept enemies from attacking, by their strength.  Underneath... rotten... brink of judgment.

Starting vs 8, God takes behind parable. Sets aside ‘song’ and gets specific. Each issue is identified by “Woe”. With each statement, God places finger on specific moral and spiritual issues.

Vs. 8 Again, things weren’t bad at the time, so message seemed foolish. GNP up, interest rates down, unemployment low, and people happy.  No wars, natural disasters, all was fine. But God does not see as man (1 Sam 16:7). Jerus been gradually becoming more and more materialistic. More and more consumed by greed.

Vs. 10 No other country even put in same sentence as U.S. respecting wealth. Undeniably richest nation on face of earth. Gross domestic product > than next 2 (China, Japan). U.S. economy outproduces combined economies 47 poor nations (53% popn, including China and India). If make $34,100 (average U.S. income), 360X more than world average. Is our society materialistic? Indulgent? Church free from? Book titled “God wants you to be rich--How and why everyone can enjoy material and spiritual wealth in our abundant world”. Is our nation caught up in materialism? 2ndly, Isa says Israel characterized by drunken entertainment, verse 11.

Vs. 12 Israel didn’t have time for God too busy being entertained. Spending thousands entertainment systems and living in a stupor of music and alcohol. Our nation over fixated on entertainment?

Vs. 15 Not society, but my people.  In an attempt to compete with greed, sermons moved to health/wealth. In attempt compete entertainment, church moved away from Word of God and Bible study to social interaction. The result? The grave had to open its mouth wider.

Vs. 18 These aren’t being enticed or persuaded to sin. They aren’t overtaken (Gal 6). They are active, industrious people who pursue sin and more of it. Think about it! Who exactly are the sports and movie stars America throws it’s $ at? Many if not most, live amoral Godless lives.  Look at M.J., or stop by Hollywood video and glance at titles. Everything become perverted, twisted and godless.  Even in church we have Ted Haggard and Catholic Church paying out 100’s of millions for abuse. The biggest sin exporter in world? USA

Vs. 19 Most common vulgarity in America? Why? The world is blatant about its sin, filthy TV, filthy movies, wretched music, lewd magazines, inappropriate billboards. All this is mocking God, as if can’t see or hear. Ps 10:11 God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see. Does our society mock God? 

Vs. 20 Absolutely not our place judge good and evil! God already done it and told us! Israel was inverting godly truth.  They would exalt adultery, promote fornication, homosexuality, lust while they mocked faithfulness, purity and integrity. They’d exalt divorce and mock marriage. Nation’s values so twisted that godly conduct condemned and evil called good. Their media condemn followers of God for hate crimes because read Scriptures while endorsing wickedness. This has swept the U.S. and flowed into the church. There is a book by Rev Joseph Fletcher of Episcoplal theological seminary in Mass that states 10 Commandments should be changed to read ‘ordinarily’ after each command. How could Israel w/ Temple, w/ Scriptures, w/ Prophets now be living the exact opposite. Good question!

It wasn’t that many years ago PBS had a special on 7 deadly sins, where polled to see what believed. Results: Pride was a virtue.  Lust? A virtue.  Greed? Virtue.  Covetousness? Virtue.  Reads like Rom 1 doesn’t it? Morality is simply the matter of a person’s opinion. 

Vs. 21 Is this a characteristic of out society? Just turn on TV or radio…There has never been so much media w/ so many who “have the answers”. Conversations, analyzations, viewpoints, theories, books. Everybody's got the answer and nobody is quoting the Bible. All we have left are polls, surveys and talk radio. Everybody is clever and giving their opinion. So it was in Israel.  Try this tomorrow. When hear someone talking about important local or national issues, try to inject some truth from the Word of God and watch reaction. We seem reached state of being wiser than God. 

Vs. 23 It’s not a stretch to say that we live in a nation consumed w/materialism?  It’s realistic to say we given over drinking and entertainment. We openly mock God like no other country. Marriage is bad and living together is good and so is homosexuality. Telling truth doesn’t matter, style does.  Personal opinions rule more than Biblical values?  And certainly this last one fits. Unbridled drunkenness, luxury and dishonesty among the leaders.  How many of our leaders live meager simple wholesome lives? We seem to find out answer daily. Has there ever been a time in American history when something like the DC Madam or Monika Lewinsky or Beau Breedlove ever imagined? Our whole leadership full of debauchery. We see it at all government levels. Our heart just aches for leaders who trusts God and have moral standards for life.

Vs. 24 First came parable, then particulars, now the punishment. They’re going to disappear without a trace.  Why?  Put little mark by vs 24 rejected, despised!

Vs. 30 Put yourself in place Isa. Heavy burden, loved Israel. Like any other Jew, hoping fulfillment God’s promises, not what wanted hear.  Everything gone bad. And here we are watching this take place...