Analysis of “Parable of the Vineyard” in Isaiah 5

Analysis of “Parable of the Vineyard” in Isaiah 5



The Vineyard symbolizes the nation of Israel. My Well Beloved (God) goes to great lengths (hundreds of years) to prepare His vineyard. The location is the side of the hill that gets just the right amount of sunlight. The soil is fertile, and the owner removes the many stones. He chooses healthy plants. He fences the perimeter and builds a watchman’s tower to protect His investment. He hollows out a winepress. He expects to harvest the highest quality fruit. Instead, He receives wild grapes.

God, My Well Beloved, had spent hundreds of years nurturing His chosen people to produce spiritual fruit. In Isaiah’s time sin and rebellion are the fruits He is receiving for His efforts. The people of Judah fail in many ways. In verse 7 God anticipates justice but He sees oppression. The people abuse alcoholic beverages in verses 11 and 22. They seem to wave their sins in God’s face in verse 19. They call evil good and good evil.

The owner of the vineyard reacts. He takes away the fences and the wall that protects the vineyard. He stops cultivating the vines and stops the rain. He knows that briars and thorns will take over.

God allowed the Babylonians to conquer the Southern Kingdom just as He allowed the Assyrians to carry off the northern ten tribes earlier.