By Deborah Ese Ekperigin
Hello guys another day another Word. Chapter 5 is another long chapter; I will definitely need your help on this one. For those who have newly joined the project, I will quickly give a brief explanation about this wonderful project. Every book in the bible has its treasures and i thank God for each and every one of them. The project is going through the book of Isaiah and finding God’s treasures deposited for us. Isaiah means “the Lord saves" tells us about the past, present and the future. Please join us in going through this wonderful book. Feel free to contribute and ask questions, we are all learning as we go on. There are verses that might minister to you, please share.
Chapter 5.............
End Product: When you work soooo hard on something you always want to have a good end product especially when resources and time have been used on that product. It’s no different from God’s expectations from us, verse 1-4 talks about God's vineyard on a rich and fertile hill; he ploughed the land, cleared its stones and planted it with the best vines. In the middle he built a watchtower and carved a wine press in the nearby rocks, then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes but the grapes that grew were bitter. It’s surprising the end product of this vineyard; it really hurts after seeing the care and time that had been given to this vineyard.
When you read further you will understand that this well kept vineyard is no different from God's people ( You and I ) , he put us on a land that is fruitful , but he did not end there he took away those things that would disrupt our growth ( some of these things we see and some of it we do not see, believe me if we knew some of the tribulations God has taken away from our lives without our knowing we will give thanks every second, the only ones we see are the ones he knows we can bear, he knows we can learn from them and give him the glory for it at the end of the day), but it did not end there he gave us guardian angels to watch over us 24/7 . After all this you would expect that he would want results immediately, but the Word says he WAITED for a harvest, he was patient and is still patient for you and I, although when he expects good fruits and when we end up producing bad fruits (sins) it's heart breaking. Let search ourselves today. Are we fruitful in God's kingdom, what fruits are we producing? What is the end product after all God has showered on our lives?
Daddy loves you: There are different ways love can be expressed; love should always be expressed in truth no matter the medium we use. Parents love their children, that’s why they provide for them, but also when they do wrong because of this love they correct them. It is no different with God. Revelation 3: 19 “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent”. God is not wicked when he disciplines, if he does not discipline then he is wicked. Some people are very indifferent about their sins/behaviours and act like this behaviours are right, God is patient but he will definitely discipline the disobedient ones. Verse 5 - 6 tells us what he will do with those that are not fruitful, disobedient, stubborn etc. He will break down those walls of protection and let strangers/animals trample on what that person has, he will stop growth and leave thorns instead. I pray that would not be our portion in Jesus name.
Rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer: if I am being totally honest, there is nothing wrong with rich getting richer or the poor getting poorer it all depends on how they get richer or poorer. If the rich are getting richer because of their hard work and dedication and the poor are getting poorer because of laziness and poor decisions then that's how life is, but there is a problem when the rich get richer at the expense of the poor. verses 8 - 10 talks about greedy people who keep it all to themselves, they spend soo much time acquiring earthly possessions they seem to forget they can't take it anywhere, they came to this world naked and will leave naked( with nothing). Now for those that God has blessed with riches, help the poor this can only add to the riches you already have. When you help the lowly it affects God as well.
Your time: Verse 11- 12 talk about what we use our time to do, there it talks about those that wake up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings making themselves drunk and throw grand parties, the message is in verse 12 " but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing" what do we spend our time doing? he has given us 24hrs what are we doing with it, is there time to get to know him in our plans ( I am guilty of this at times), it necessarily does not have to be alcohol it could be anything that takes the time we should be spending with him. May God help us.
Repercussions: We should know the effect of our decisions. Verses 13-15 talks about what will happen to those that choose not to know God, they will starve, they will be swallowed by the earth they will be destroyed and brought down. Why go through all this when you have knowledge of the truth.
Baggage drop it!!!: Verse 18 says " What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them, with ropes of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart!! Sin is baggage as we drag it with us not only do we feel heavy, but more will be added, because sin attracts more sin. People are carrying sooo much baggage and garbage that they are getting too used to it, Christ died on the cross and took all this baggage from us, why do some of us want to go back, pick this baggage and carry it. Please DROP IT!!!!.
News of the World today: Verse 20 says " What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter" is that not what is happening in the world today, the ones that decide to do good are seen as the backward, while the ones that decided to follow the world, are seen as the wise ones. Cheating, murder, adultery, fornication, lies, bribery etc are now a norm in the world any other way is seen as foolishness, the man/woman that decides to be faithful to their spouse is seen as a fool who does not know what's in trend, the man/woman who decides to go about business the right way without lies/cheating is seen as slow or stupid, the girl/boy who decides to keep themselves till they get married are told they are only deceiving themselves, sleeping with your own sex is norm are you blind the whole world is doing it !!!!! The Lords anger is burning against those that are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever, who have rejected the law of the Lord of Heaven's armies.
Their end will be nothing to write home about, the last verse of this chapter verse 30b says " If someone looks across the land, only darkness and distress will be seen; even the light will be darkened by clouds" Does this sound familiar to you, listen to news today and see what’s happening around the world..... Natural disasters, inflation, fear, crimes etc
I pray none of us will be caught in this darkness in Jesus name.
Please feel free to contribute, I have left out some verses, you can contribute or add comments to what has been written.
I give God the glory for this note.
Have a lovely week people.
Ese signing out.
you can reach the writer on ese@systemini.net
COMMENTS FROM FACEBOOK !
The woes mentioned in verses 8-23 had the most impact on me. They provide a current meaning towards God and His word.
Vs 11 & 12- “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, and stay up late at night till they are... inflamed with wine. They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of His hands."
This verse is literal; it addresses a lifestyle of partying, getting drunk, ‘living life’. This epicure kind of living has become the norm. It’s no longer viewed as wrong but as having fun. I remember living this kind of live. For years, I drank and I partied like there was no tomorrow. I ‘lived life’. I did those things not because I wanted to but because it seemed cool and everyone was doing it so why not? I realized now and I have conversations with people that not because culture says something is fine does not mean it is fine with God. The amazing thing is He is such a forgiving God.
Vs 13-15, these verses pronounce judgment for the blatant disregard for Gods law. Vs 15 most especially; “So man will be brought low and mankind humbled the eyes of the arrogant humbled”.
The purpose of Gods judgment is to humble every man, not just the arrogant man. If we think we can do as we please, without the fear of God or His judgment, we do it more and keep doing it until arrogance sets in and then we become boastful in our ability to defy Gods word. The bible is full of accounts where the same pattern is followed.
“if I can get away with it, why not rebel?’ that’s the attitude of man. If our errors are not confronted, reproved and corrected they will only remain obstinate and we will be self confident in our arrogant disobedience. My sister for example has a very nonchalant attitude towards live. She doesn’t think she should call u when she travels out of the country and lives you in her house. She doesn’t think she is doing anything wrong and then you get mad at her but she is just so clueless as to why u are upset. Hahahahahahahaha, it’s funny now but not so when she does it.
Vs 21- "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight."
The bible is the clearest way to live a just life. It’s a constant struggle for me. I ask God to show me all the time but then I get a nudge saying, “how much clearer can God make things?” I digress….
Man's wisdom has crowded out the true knowledge of God to the point that those of us who still believe the Bible is the God Breathed Word and Will of God are looked upon as weird and crazy. Worldly wisdom rules in every school district in America and every secular university we attend. Is it any wonder that by the time most people graduate from college, they are lukewarm Christians at best?
Even though Satan was thrust out of God's presence because of his rebellion, he daily persuades countless people to believe he really won and that his systems of greed, lust and power are genuine and the other "god's" are inferior and wrong. And people believe him.
I am not allowed to have a conversation around religion at my job. Its against company policies. I still do indirectly because I have to let pple know that there is a supreme being greater than us all that is willing to be that comforter that they yearn for.
May the good Lord bless u all richly and may His word never depart from our hearts.
