overgrown

July 8, 2016

The ruin of the vineyard (Isa 5:5-5:6)

“Now I will tell you

What I will do

To my vineyard.

I will remove its hedge.

It shall be devoured.

I will break down its wall.

It shall be trampled down.

I will make it a waste.

It shall not be pruned.

It shall not be hoed.

It shall be overgrown

With briers.

It shall be overgrown

With thorns.

I will also command the clouds

That they rain no rain upon it.”

Now Isaiah carries this metaphor forward. What should he do with this wild grape vineyard? He decided to remove the hedges and walls that protected this vineyard from other animals and wild growth. He wanted this vineyard to be devoured and trampled on, so that it would go to waste. He was not going to prune or hoe it. He wanted it to be overgrown with wild briers and thorns. He even was going so far as to command the clouds not to rain on this vineyard. That was a stretch.

February 12, 2016

Badly kept fields (Prov 24:30-24:32)

“I passed by the field

Of a lazy person.

I passed by the vineyard

Of a stupid person.

See!

It was all overgrown with thorns.

The ground was covered with nettles.

Its stone wall was broken down.

Then I saw it.

I considered it.

I looked.

I received instruction.”

This wise person passed by the fields of a lazy person as well as the vineyards of a stupid person. These fields were overgrown with thorns and nettles. The stone wall fences were broken down. Once again, this indicates a strong agricultural society where there were general rules on how to keep up your farming fields. The wise one saw it, looked at it, considered it, and received instructions about it. This un-kept farm field was a big deal.

January 26, 2016

Hot temper (Prov 15:18-15:19)

“Those who are hot-tempered

Stir up strife.

But those who are slow to anger

Calm contention.

The way of the lazy

Is overgrown with thorns.

But the path of the upright

Is a level highway.”

The hot tempered angry people stir up strife. If you are slow to anger, you can calm contentious situations. The way of the lazy people is overgrown with thorns, but the upright have a nice level highway. Watch your temper! Do not be lazy!