1634. Israel the Vine
Israel the Vine
"Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: Thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
"Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.
"The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
"She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.
"Why hast Thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?
"The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.
"Return, we beseech Thee, O God of Hosts: look down from Heaven, and behold, and visit this vine;
"And the vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that Thou madest strong for Thyself.
"It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of Thy countenance.
"Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, upon the son of man whom Thou madest strong for Thyself.
"So will not we go back from Thee: quicken us, and we will call upon Thy name.
"Turn us again, O Lord God of Hosts, cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved" (Psa_80:8-19).
1. The Vine Transplanted
"Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast east out the nations, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land" (Psa_80:8-9).
The vine here refers to Israel. When she was a child, God loved her and called her out of Egypt. He carried her through a great and howling wilderness; He led her across the Jordan; He swept, before her advance, the nations of Canaan; and He planted His people in a fruitful soil. He prepared room for her and He caused her to take deep root.
This land was given unto Israel when God divided unto the nations of the earth, their inheritance.
God planted His people that they might grow and multiply and bring forth fruit.
2. The Boughs and the Branches
"The hills were covered with the shadow of it (the vine), and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river" (Psa_80:10-11).
Thus did God bless His people Israel. He increased her numerically; He increased her in her store; He increased her in her power over the nations. She reached out her hand to nations which were afar. Those who rested under her shadow were blessed.
3. The Vine Devoured and Burned with Fire
"Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they that pass by the way do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. * * It is burned with fire, it is cut down" (Psa_80:12-13, Psa_80:16).
What a sad sight, the vineyard which the right hand of God planted, the branch which He made strong for Himself, is plucked out; it is wasted; it is devoured; it is burned; it is cut down.
Why was this done? Let us stop now a moment and look at the 15th of John.
The Lord Jesus is referring to Israel and to her lack of fruit. The Lord Jesus says: "Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away."
There is, in this word, a future interpretation, but there is also a past.
Christ is speaking of Israel's fruitlessness; therefore she was taken away; therefore, she was withered and men gathered her branches and cast them into the fire and they were burned.
4. The Vine Quickened–A Prophecy
"Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the Son of Man whom thou madest strong for thyself so will we not go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord, God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved" (Psa_80:17-19).
We have before us now a prophecy of the time of Israel's restoration. Jesus Christ Who is here recognized as the Son of God's right hand, is to come forth. He, Who is the Son of Man, Whom God made strong, will come back and quicken the vine. He will cause His face to shine upon His people, and they shall be saved.
In that day, God will have fruit, more fruit, and much fruit from Israel.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR