Isaiah 5

“For 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; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!” (Isaiah 5:7, ESV)

Isaiah gives a love song about the Lord’s vineyard. It was located on a very fertile hill. He dug it, cleared it of stones, and planted it with the best vines. He expected it to produce sweet grapes, but it only produced wild sour grapes. So what would He do? He would break down its walls and let animals trample it. He would stop pruning the vines and cultivating the soil so that it would be overtaken by weeds and thorns.

This vineyard was a metaphor for the house of Israel. God looked for the fruit of justice, righteousness and mercy, but instead He only found bloodshed and the outcry of abused victims. Therefore, God would allow Judah to be overtaken by the Babylonians and lie desolate for seventy years.

Likewise, God desires good fruit from our lives. This is the fruit of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23, NKJV)

This fruit comes naturally as we abide in Christ, and He abides in us. Are we bearing this fruit? Would others use these words to describe us? If not, then why not?

“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24, NKJV)

Perhaps this is where we begin. We first put to death the works of the flesh so that we may produce the sweet fruit of the Spirit.