Isaiah 27 - The Vineyard of YHWH

Some Bibles title Isaiah 27 as "Leviathan Slain," as this is what the opening verse declares: Isaiah 27:1 (HCSB) "On that day the LORD with His harsh, great, and strong sword, will bring judgment on Leviathan, the fleeing serpent—Leviathan, the twisting serpent. He will slay the monster that is in the sea."

We have seen that the phrase "On that day" often means Judgment Day, but not exclusively. Leviathan is mentioned by Job and God (Job 3:8; 41:1) and in Psalms 74:14 and 104:26; where it is portrayed as a terrifyingly strong sea monster that God alone can handle; and that will be destroyed and fed to creatures of the desert when He restores His people (Ps 74). Leviathan was known in Canaanite mythology, representing evil. It is thought that Leviathan is mentioned in Scripture to convey the idea that when YHWH comes the second time He will destroy not only the historical and temporal forms of evil but the cosmic or spiritual forms as well. Just as Satan is portrayed as a serpent, evil is portrayed as Leviathan.

The balance of this chapter is about YHWH's vineyard - a wealth of metaphorical wisdom! Isaiah 27:2-3 (HCSB) "On that day sing about a desirable vineyard: I, Yahweh, watch over it; I water it regularly. I guard it night and day so that no one disturbs it."

It's implied that YHWH planted this vineyard, He is the One Who tends it. It is a most desirable vineyard that is guarded so no one who unbid may come in and disturb it. Verses 4 & 5 describe how wild vines are trampled down and burned and good ones rely on God and have peace with Him. Anyone else think of John 15?

Isaiah 27:6 (HCSB) "In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will blossom and bloom and fill the whole world with fruit." Similar to "On that day" we see that Jacob will take root and Israel will bloom and the whole world will be filled with their fruit. We know that YHWH has always had people from every nation, tongue, and tribe marked out to be included in His kingdom - to yield fruit keeping with repentance. We know from the parable of the soils (Mark 4) that only in good soil will seed grow healthy roots and only healthy roots produce fruit and all that do not yield good fruit are trampled down and burned.

Verses 7 & 8 describe how God disciplines His people, they will not be annihilated as will His enemies. His people will be scattered like the seed freely cast along the way, so that people in every nation, tongue, and tribe will hear the gospel and be brought into His sheepfold (mixed metaphors!).

Isaiah 27:9 (HCSB) "Therefore Jacob’s iniquity will be purged in this way, and the result of the removal of his sin will be this: when he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing." This is the result of God's people being purified, purged of sin: false gods will be removed and their altars torn down. As when Jacob flew Laban and Rachel secretly brought pagan idols with them, so it is with many of God's people - we unknowingly carry the baggage of false gods and false worship with us - and have need to examine ourselves and our walk, asking for eyes to as God does and repent of all false ways. Asherah was a Canaanite goddess of fertility, mother of Baal; the wooden pole was like an altar or shrine to her. If we fail to rid ourselves of false ways, and we are His sheep, He will purge us and, while it will not seem pleasant, it is for our good and His glory.

Verses 10 & 11 describe the desolation of temporal wealth and power: the fortified city will be deserted, the trees will dry up (not yielding good fruit) and be burned as firewood. They are people without understanding and Creator God will not be compassionate or gracious to them.

Isaiah 27:12-13 (HCSB) "On that day the LORD will thresh grain from the Euphrates River as far as the Wadi of Egypt, and you Israelites will be gathered one by one. On that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those lost in the land of Assyria will come, as well as those dispersed in the land of Egypt; and they will worship the LORD at Jerusalem on the holy mountain."

On THAT day, YHWH will thresh His grain, from the north boundary to the southern boundary. John the Baptizer gave a preview of THAT day, telling the self-righteous Jews that Jesus was the Christ and had His winnowing fork in His hand, ready to clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat; leaving the chaff to be burned with fire that never goes out (Matt 3:12). Jesus told a parable of wheat and chaff confirming this:

Matthew 13:37-43 (HCSB) He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

God's judgment is true and none of His wheat will be burned up, but there will be fiery wrath poured out on many who claim they know Him and do not. On THAT day, a great trumpet will be blown - just as on the 7th day, the walls of Jericho fell as the last trumpet sounded (Joshua 6:15-20), so it will be on THAT day, when the all lost from all the lands will come and worship YHWH on the Mount Zion. Here's a little homework: Search out every instance of the word "lost" in the New Testament and see if anyone described as such (except Judas) is not found and brought home. Jesus came to seek and save that which was LOST. Those who are not found were not lost; they are not His sheep, but are goats of the world. But all the lost sheep of Israel, the Israel of God, on that day that the last trumpet sounds, will be found and brought into the sheepfold of God but that great shepherd and savior of His people, Jesus - Who is the Christ!