VINEYARD OF LOVE

 

“Now I will sing a song to my wellbeloved….touching his vineyard….” (Isaiah 5:1). Is there a more poetic way for a writer to begin? And could there be a more beautiful metaphor for the House of Israel than that of a vineyard (v7) housing vines that yield sun-drenched mouth-watering grapes? I grew up in Croatia and I have picked such grapes in vineyards. If you have ever been in a vineyard you would appreciate the beauty of it.

 

I am knee deep in Isaiah and his lamentations over the House of Israel. In chapter 5, Isaiah speaks that only wild grapes grew in the vineyard of Judah which produced spiritual drunkenness (v 11) and the Lord of the vineyard was forced to leave it desolate vulnerable to captivity (v 6,7,9,13). Isaiah, however, ends the chapter with the hope of gathering in the latter days. This is what breaks my heart though…..the Saviour’s lament of ‘what could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?’ (v 4). This lament of the Saviour is repeated in Zenos’ allegory of the olive tree in the Book of Mormon where the Saviour does the plucking, pruning, digging and grafting. He also grieves, preserves, laboures, watches and tends to the vineyard constantly. His frantic efforts to ensure the divine destiny of the House of Israel, as represented by the olive trees in His vineyard, can be seen through repetitious declarations of His love and long-suffering. His desire to preserve the vineyard is mentioned in the parable 11 times; at least 15 times the Lord expresses His desire to bring the vineyard and its' harvest 'unto my own self'; eight times He says 'it grieveth me to lose the trees of my vineyard'; and 3 times He asks with anguish, weeping, 'what could I have done more for my vineyard?' 

 

The parable of the vineyard in Matthew chapter 21 is the one that renders one’s soul. It speaks of the Father sending His Son to the House of Israel after all the servants the prophets have been ignored, stoned and killed with a hope that they will ‘reverence His Son’ (v 37) but instead of reverence the Son receives death. What more could possibly be given than this????

 

I wait for you to come

Into the shadow of my wings;

I have paid the price: come unto Me,

Your God and Your King. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Jesus Wept by Liz Lemon Swindle)