Book of Isaiah Chapter 5

“What does it mean to receive the grace of God in vain?”

“What more could I have done for my vineyard than I did? Why, when I expected a yield of good grapes, did it yield worthless grapes?” Isaiah 5:4

1. God Lavished Grace: What more could He have done? (vv. 1-7)

“Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” 2 Corinthians 6:1

• Common grace is given in a variety of ways. o Modern medicine, sunshine, clothing, shelter, family, friends…etc. • Isaiah opens this chapter with a vineyard picture, a vineyard planted for good things, which yields bad things.

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25

• Why do we choose sin over God?

“He declares plainly what he sees: He expected justice but saw injustice, he expected righteousness, but heard cries of despair. And God was enraged over it.” — Andrew Davis

2. Six Clusters of Bad Grapes (vv. 8-23) • Aggressive greed (vv. 8-10) • Sinful excess (vv. 11-12) • Self-deception (vv. 18-19) • Redefining of the truth (v .20) • Arrogant false wisdom (v.21) • Corrupt justice system (vv. 22-23)

3. The Fruits of God’s Terrible Judgment (vv. 15, 25) • Invasion by a foreign army • Natural disasters (v. 25) • Death (v. 25)

4. The Gospel of Christ in light of God’s Judgement and Vindication. (vv. 26-30) • Two types of grace o Irresistible or effectual grace o Common grace • NT Examples o Raising of Lazarus o Revelation of Peter

“Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, The Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who in in heaven.” Matthew 16:16-17

Questions for Further Reflection:

1. How can the warnings given in Isaiah 5 be a catalyst to live holy lives to the Lord? 2. Give examples of how you have experienced common grace in your life. 3. How does the gospel of Christ draw out many of these same themes and give us the only hope of salvation from God’s coming wrath?

Notes adapted from “Exalting Jesus in Isaiah, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary” by Andrew M. Davis, Ph.D.