Message Notes

SUNDAY SCHOOL SPECIAL 28 February 2021

Text: Isaiah 5, 37

Subject: “The vineyard of the LORD”

INTRODUCTION

1. The ministry of the Prophets

a) They were special servants of the Lord

b) They functioned in different capacities

i) Some served as advisers to kings (Nathan and Gad)

ii) Some served as preachers

2. The training of prophets

a) The Lord personally trained them

b) He would give them special revelation like visions

c) These would then be explained to them, sometimes through angels (Zechariah)

d) Things they needed to have

i) Knowledge

ii) Wisdom

iii) Faith

iv) A significant life

3. The prophet Isaiah

a) He had a ministry that spanned a good number of years

b) King Hezekiah consulted him (Isaiah 37)

4. Ministry skills of some of the prophets

a) Speaking (oratorical) skills

b) Writing (literary) skills

THE PROPHET AS A SONG WRITER/ POET

1. A sad song (Isaiah 5:1-2)

Composed as a song

2. Content

a) God portrayed as One who is Well-beloved (Isaiah 5:1)

b) The Vineyard of the LORD

THE PLANS OF THE LORD

1. A good location chosen

“A very fruitful hill” (Isaiah 5:1)

2. Preparatory work

a) Dug the ground

b) Cleared out the stones (Isaiah 5:2a)

3. Choice plant

a) Planted the choicest vine (Isaiah 5:2b)

b) Selection/ Chosen

4. Protection

a) A tower was built (Isaiah 5:2c)

b) It was, of course, manned

5. Anticipation of good produce

a) He made a winepress (Isaiah 5:2d)

b) It was within the vineyard

6. Expectation

a) To bring forth good grapes (Isaiah 5:2e )

b) It is not wrong to have expectations

7. The actual Results

a) It brought forth “wild grapes” (Isaiah 5:2f)

b) Characteristics

i) Sour

ii) Small

iii) Unsuitable for vintage

AN APPLICATION OF THE SONG

1. A plea from God to

a) The inhabitants of Jerusalem

b) The men of Judah

c) A plea “to judge” (Isaiah 5:3)

2. Was the failure of the Vineyard due to God?

a) What more could have been done to My vineyard? (Isaiah 5:4a)

b) The people of Judah were allowed to make their comments

3. The question God raised up

a) Why did it bring forth wild grapes? (Isaiah 5:4b)

b) The results were unacceptable

4. God’s plans for His Vineyard

a) God reveals what He would do (Isaiah 5:5a)

b) He will take away its hedge (Protection) (Isaiah 5:5b)

c) The Vineyard shall be burned (Isaiah 5:5c)

d) The wall will be trampled down (Isaiah 5:5d)

e) It would become waste (waste land) (Isaiah 5:6a)

f) It shall not be pruned or dug (Isaiah 5:6b)

g) Briers and thorns would come up (Isaiah 5:6c)

h) No rain would water the ground (Isaiah 5:6d)

AN EXPLANATION

1. The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel (Isaiah 5:7a)

2. The pleasant plant are the men of Judah (Isaiah 5:7b)

3. Good fruit: 

a) Justice (Isaiah 5:7c)

b) Righteousness (Isaiah 5:7e)

4. Bad fruit:

a) Oppression (Isaiah 5:7d)

c) A cry for help from victims (Isaiah 5:7e)

A SHORT LIST OF SINS

1. Greed (Isaiah 5:8)

2. Drunkenness (Isaiah 5:11-12)

3. No regard for the work of the Lord (Isaiah 5:12)

4. No knowledge (Isaiah 5:13)

a) Of God

b) Of faith

c) Of righteousness

5. Rejection of the law (Isaiah 5:24d)

6. Despising of the word (Isaiah 5:24e)

ANGER OF GOD

1. This was incurred (Isaiah 5:25)

2. A grave penalty warned (Isaiah 5:26-30)

VITAL LESSONS WE MUST HEED

1. Things can go badly wrong in our life even when God has blessed

a) Unproductive

b) Unfruitfulness

2. The root of the problem

a) Iniquity

b) Rejecting God’s law

c) Despising His word

3. Our challenge

a) To seek to understand our relationship with the Lord Jesus (John 15)

b) To submit to the Lord when He prunes our life

c) To seek to abide in the Lord that we might be fruitful