Stink-Fruit
Opening Prayer
Gracious God, sometimes I am weary of fighting my way through another day. Give me strength to live faithfully today.
Read ISAIAH 5:1–7
I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My loved one had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones
and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
but it yielded only bad fruit.
3 “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more could have been done for my vineyard
than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad?
5 Now I will tell you
what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
and it will be destroyed;
I will break down its wall,
and it will be trampled.
6 I will make it a wasteland,
neither pruned nor cultivated,
and briers and thorns will grow there.
I will command the clouds
not to rain on it.”
7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty
is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed;
for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
God longs to bless us, and he also longs that we might yield fruit pleasing to him (7). This longing is frustrated because we, so often, fail to bring forth justice and righteousness.
Think Further
The overture to the book of Isaiah is drawing to a strong climax. Unlike the olive tree or the coconut palm, the vine is only good for fruit (Ezek. 15:2–5). It is grape-harvest time, a time of great conviviality and hope. Isaiah is about to sing a vintage song. I seat myself in the circle of listeners. Who is he singing the song for: “my beloved” (1, ESV)—who is that? I picture the vineyard, its fine location and aspect and, especially, the owner’s hard work—five verbs—clearing the rocky hillside, establishing the watchman’s hut (there are thieves…) and the wine vat. The owner has expectations (2,4,7), but his hopes are dashed: the choice vines have produced…stink-fruit! (The word for “wild grapes” is related to a verb that refers to smells like sweat, body odor, and dead frogs.) And now… And now… (3,5): Isaiah calls his listeners closer and I am among them (2 Sam. 12). He is like Nathan telling his story to David. What appeared to be a love song is turning into a protest; the song migrates from “he” to “I… me… my…” God is speaking through Isaiah’s words. He is demolishing the vineyard—ten verbs describe the tumbling chaos. The song becomes transparent: Isaiah is a prophet, not an entertainer
It is Jerusalem and Judah that Isaiah is talking about, the garden of God’s delight. However, there is tragic dissonance, disappointment: God looks for justice and righteousness (two of the biggest ideas in the Old Testament), but instead he finds spillage of blood and shrieks of distress. By an unforgettable wordplay (7) Isaiah anchors the story in my heart.
Apply
What stink-fruit does the Lord find in my life, in spite of all the care he has lavished on me? How does life in my immediate area grieve and disappoint him, and what am I going to do about it?
Closing prayer
Dear Lord, forgive me for the times I have not lived a life pleasing to You. I offer myself now to the workings of Your Holy Spirit in life, bringing forth fruit pleasing to You.
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