SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 65
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
This is what the Lord says: “As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, ‘Don’t destroy it, there is yet some good in it,’ so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. [Isaiah 65:8]
God is frustrated by the immorality and cruelty of His people.
But God still sees those who remain loyal to Him, He will not destroy them all.
Looking through the cluster of sour grapes, He looks for the few good ones, to produce good wine from them.
And from them He will create a new vineyard – and new and better world.
Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. [Isaiah 65:17]
No more sour grapes in God’s new world!
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. [John 15:1-5]
God is looking for good grapes.
He will prune the vine of dead branches and sour grapes to make room for living branches and good grapes.
He will not uproot the whole vine, just the parts that are dead or sick.
What does God see growing in my life?
This passage also describes the world that God is working towards.
A world where aging and dying are not an issue [Isaiah 65:20], and violence and cruelty do not happen [Isaiah 65:25].
This is the world that Jesus came to announce – the kingdom of God – made possible through His death and resurrection (to defeat the power of sin, death and hell) and through His Spirit.
It is by His Spirit, living and working in me, that I start producing the good fruit that God is looking for.
As He multiplies the fruit of the Spirit in the world through us, this world becomes better.
As He prunes off the dead branches and the sour grapes in me, I add to the good taste of this bad-tasting world.
And one day, everyone will produce good grapes – the good fruit of the Spirit – and the world will finally be the beautiful garden it was intended to be.
Is there any good juice in me?
What kind of fruit am I eager to produce?
What kind of wine will my life make?
Does my life add good taste to a bad tasting world?
PRAYER:
Lord, You see the good juice that is still in me, You are working to produce more of it in me by Your Spirit. Help me today to make choices that will result in good fruit, good results for You and others!
Here I am says the Lord my God. The I am who is the I am speaks once again, but once again it seems the people have lost their hearing and gone after their own ways. God will visit His people and will repay those who have done what was right in their own eyes – this generation and even their ancestors. God is looking for the fruit of His people. A fruit inspector – looking for the fruit of the Spirit in good works – being a blessing unto others as God has blessed them.
God’s vineyard workers will eat, drink, and rejoice. They will be called Christian – God’s people. Those wise in their own eyes will be hungry, and thirsty and cry out in their brokenness in their dying .
He remembers the sin of His people no more. Rejoice and be glad and enjoy the work of your hands for we are a people blessed by God living in His presence forevermore. He is our strong Tower, our Rock of strength and we will all be His people living on His holy mountain producing good works for all to enjoy. There we can all truly plant, eat, drink and rejoice forevermore for our God reigns.
Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore;
Mortals give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Jesus, the Savior, reigns, the God of truth and love;
When He had purged our stains He took His seat above;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
His kingdom cannot fail, He rules o’er earth and Heav’n,
The keys of death and hell are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
He sits at God’s right hand till all His foes submit,
And bow to His command, and fall beneath His feet:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
He all His foes shall quell, shall all our sins destroy,
And every bosom swell with pure seraphic joy;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice,
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Rejoice in glorious hope! Jesus the Judge shall come,
And take His servants up to their eternal home.
We soon shall hear th’archangel’s voice;
The trump of God shall sound, rejoice!