THE SABBATH HOUR

Northern Advocate, 26 October 1935, Page 6

THE SABBATH HOUR

TEXT FOR TODAY. SUFFICIENT UNTO THE DAY. Take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itsalf. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. —Matthew 6:34. LESSONS OF THE VINEYARD. Sermon preached by Mr A. Wilde at Mangapai. Text: “My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill.” —Isaiah V:I. We perhaps are familiar with the parables in the New Testament, but many of the Old Testament parables are not so well known. Those found in the Old Testament were spoken by various people, covering a period of many generations and several civilisations. Each period had its own peculiar language and mode of expression. The New Testament parables, on the other hand, were spoken by Jesus, and during a period of three years. These are universal in their appeal, while those of the Old Testament are generally local and personal. Now, it is not known whether Isaiah was the first to make use of the vineyard as representing the people of God, but this parable in Isaiah was narrated at a very early date —probably as early as the year 740 B.C. It is likely that the vineyard had for a very long time' been associated with Israel and Judah, so that the people would be quite familiar with the meaning of the parable “My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill.” 1

The owner showed he was a good judge of land. He selected a •piece that would be suitable for the growing of grapes. Everything was favourable —the land lay well to the sun, and the soil had proved fertile. For it was, we are told, “a very fruitful hill.” The ground was well worked up, cleared of all stones, and well drained by the owner, and .'at the right season he planted the very choicest of vines, distinguished for their red grapes, and the wine from these was treasured for its excellent quality. In order to protect the vines from being destroyed by animals, and the fruit from being stolen by thieves, a tower was built in the midst of the Vineyard. Having done everything possible, the owner of the vineyardwaited for the fruit of his labours. But he was exceedingly disappointed—for his well tended vineyard yielded poor grapes: the grapes brought forth were wild grapes. No doubt by now Isaiah had his hearers in a sympathetic mood, and they were quite ready to sympathise with the owner of the vineyard. But, having brought his hearers to such a point, he announced the judgment of God upon the people who had failed to respond to the goodness of God.

“What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in_ it?” Everything possible had been done, but it had refused to bring forth good fruit, so the owner pronounced doom upon it. The hedge wals to be broken down and consumed by fire, and the vineyard to become a desolate waste. “It shall not be pruned nor digged, but there shall come up briers and thorns.”

The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, Isaiah now explained, was the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant. Upon Israel as a nation God had graciously showered every possible blessing. The land of Canaan was chosen by Him for their peaceful dwelling place. They had been blessed with all temporal and spiritual blessings. Nationally, Israel had many tokens of divine favour, and ought to have been a very fruitful vine, but the things of God were neglected. All those precious privileges had been spurned. Wherever God is honoured, people prosper and love and peace prevail, but once they forget Him and follow the devices of their own evil hearts, then strife and envy, lawlessness and oppression, soon take their place. The fruits of unrighteousness soon appear—and God demands righteousness.

Thus was it with the House of' Israel. Under such care# and guidance, it should have flourished, for everything was in its favour, but this vine, which had such wonderful prospects of fruitfulness proved to be a fruitless vine. A little insect had lodged under the leaf of the plant, where it was not noticed, and it began to eat away the very life of the plant, until at last there was nothing left but dead wood. Sin works in the same way in the life of the individual and of the nation. Let spiritual things be ignored, and assuredly a day of reckoning will soon come. History has been repeat-

ing itself in this respect all through the ages. Think, for instance, of the wonderful Grecian Empire. The ancient Greeks had great ideals. Their object was to develop the perfect man. They sought to develop to the utmost the physical, mental and spiritual life of man, but as time went on this ideal was lost. The spiritual was sacrificed for the physical. All their beauty and grandeur could not save them. They had forfeited that chief strength which alone could make them great. The mighty empire crumpled away. We, as a nation, have been greatly olessed by God. He has surrounded His [people with the Spirit of Pentecost, and with all the Christian graces, which should enrich and ennoble life. He has graciously revealed Himself to

“God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son.” What more could God have done for us than He has done? We are a greatly privileged people, having all the blessings of Christianity. Much more even has been done for us than was done for Israel. A greater sacrifice has been made in order that the Christian vine should be fruitful. God has given the dew of His Spirit to water this plant. We are a choice vine, grafted into the vine of Christ, for He said:"T am the vine; ye ar6 the branches.”

If the spirit is functioning in our lives, then will we be fruitful branches. God looks for good fruit in lives so privileged. Just as today, in every circle, of life, men are looking for some return for their labours, so God is looking for some returns in the lives of those who name His name. He is looking for congenial souls, fragrant with the spirit of Christ, giving a loving service to sweeten and to hallow life. And in the end, God will judge us—individually and na-tionally-according to our fruitfulness.