Isaiah 5:1-30

Expectations can be very dangerous things.  Many of us face disappointment because we have expectations that are not fulfilled.  Of course our expectations are flawed because we expect things that are unbiblical and or unreasonable.  However, God also has expectations of man that, due to our sinfulness, are not fulfilled.  This does not surprise God because He knows our hearts and knows all things before they happen.  The problem of man not fulfilling God’s expectations lies with man alone, therefore the consequences of these unfulfilled expectations inflict great suffering on those who fail to meet God’s expectations. 

MAN’S PRODUCTION DOES NOT MATCH GOD’S PROVISION: God made great provision for the nation of Israel.  He compares Israel to a vineyard that was plowed, protected, and provided for in every way and yet it only produced sour grapes.  There was no lack of provision for the nation of Israel just like there has never been any lack of provision for any of us.  God has provided forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross.  He has provided power for freedom from sin in the person of the Holy Spirit.  He has provided the revelation of His will through the inspiration of Scripture.  He has provided protection through membership in the Body of Christ which is the church.  Yet, despite all of this provision, we fail to produce lives of holiness dedicated to worshiping Him and spreading the fame of Jesus to the nations just like Israel failed to do.  Isaiah was clearly speaking to the nation of Israel, but his description is very appropriate to describe the condition of man today as well.

MAN’S BEHAVIOR DOES NOT FOLLOW GOD’S INSTRUCTION: God had clearly revealed His will to the people and yet they refused to follow His instruction.  Instead of using their wealth to be a blessing to those less fortunate, the wealthy just expanded their homes and fields until they were left alone and desolate.  God grants us resources so that we can be a blessing in the lives of other people and surround ourselves with people who are being blessed by God’s provision through us, not so we can isolate ourselves as untouchables surrounded only by things.  The people have made the pursuit of pleasure their highest aim so they get drunk early in the morning and they surround themselves with music and laughter but in the end they are miserable and alone, hungry and thirsty.  Perhaps worst of all, the people have an external appearance of religiosity and claim to want righteousness but in reality they are perverting justice and calling good evil and evil good.  Where God planted generosity He reaped selfishness.  Where God planted purity He reaped pleasure seeking sinners.  Where God planted righteousness He reaped hypocrisy and the perversion of justice.

MAN’S REBELLION DOES NOT ESCAPE GOD’S DESTRUCTION: God is not mocked and will not tolerate such rebellion and insubordination from anyone.  God’s anger was inflamed against the people and He destroyed all of their crops, stripping them of their wealth.  God’s wrath came down on the people so that those who were out seeking for pleasure in the streets ended up having their corpses lying in those same streets with their flesh rotting in the open air.  God’s judgment came down upon the people who refused to promote righteousness and the nations of the world were fortified to come sweeping down on this hypocritical nation to carry them of as slaves in exile.  The land was destroyed, the people were killed and those who survived were carried off as slaves.  These are the consequences of sin that nobody wants to talk about and the judgments of God that nobody wants to think about.