Redeeming the Time: Advent week 2

The coming week's readings center around Israel's betrayal of her training and privileges, and our need for repentance. Our Scripture for discussion this week is: Isa 5: 1-7

The Vineyard of the LORD Destroyed

1Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. 2He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
and men of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
4What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?

5And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;^[a]
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
6I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.

7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
and he looked for justice,
but behold, bloodshed;^[b]
for righteousness,
but behold, an outcry!^[c]

Footnotes:

1. Isaiah 5:5 Or grazed over; compare Exodus 22:5
2. Isaiah 5:7 The Hebrew words for justice and bloodshed sound alike
3. Isaiah 5:7 The Hebrew words for righteous and outcry sound alike

Come back on Friday to post your reflections on the Scripture passage and suggestions for entering into this theme in our Advent celebrations at home.

(Drawing can be found at scards as an e-card.)
(Bible quotation courtesy BibleGateway.com)