Song of the Vineyard

Isaiah 5:1-7

While living in San Francisco I had a friend whose family owned vineyards in the nearby wine country. Watching the workers care for the vines is a vivid memory of 7/24/365 constant care and pruning to ensure an abundant harvest.

For the people of Israel, the vineyard was part of everyday life. Throughout the Old and New Testaments the vineyard became a biblical symbol of hope for the people of God.

In Isaiah’s “song of the vineyard” he recalls the careful and loving treatment the owner God gave to his vineyard Israel.  As the vineyard continued to yield only wild grapes of sin and rebellion, God threatened destruction of the vineyard by the Assyrian army.

The historical context for Isaiah’s song of the vineyard was an attack expected against Jerusalem by the Assyrian army in the eighth century B.C.

Psalm 80 describes Israel’s origin as God’s people in terms of a vine transplanted from Egypt, and the often sad state of God’s vine. The Psalmist asks God once more to care for and protect his beloved vine.

Vineyard symbolism appears also Jesus’ parable in Matthew 21. The landowner is God and the vineyard, God’s beloved Israel. The tenants are political and religious leaders of the day and the servants sent to collect the landowner’s produce are the prophets. The landowner is Jesus the anointed and appointed One to bring in the harvest of God’s kingdom for final judgment.

Vineyard texts of Isaiah, Psalms and Matthew insist that God remains in personal relationship with his people, continuing to care for and preserve them and remaining faithful when the people fail to do so.

Solomon calls to our attention that it is the little foxes that spoil the vine. “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.” (Song of Songs 2:15)

Let us not allow the little things of life to bring us down; the things that destroy our relationships, our homes and our churches!