Isaiah 2:1-3 Isaiah predicts a future golden age of peace when people will walk in the ways of the LORD. "Then God will teach us his ways, and we will obey his teachings." (Isaiah 2:3)
Isaiah 2:4 “ He will settle arguments among the nations and will make decisions for many nations. Then they will make their swords into ploughs and their spears into hooks for trimming trees. Nations will no longer fight other nations, nor will they train for war any more." (Isaiah 2:4)
Isaiah 2:6-4:6 But before then, the LORD will bring judgement on Jerusalem and Judah.
Isaiah 5:1-7 Isaiah compares the people of Judah to a vineyard that produces sour grapes.
The Vineyard
In his ‘Song of the Vineyard’, Isaiah used the image of a vineyard in Judaea to show how God had cared for his people, only to be rejected by them. Instead of following God’s ways, they had turned to violence and injustice.
His description of the vineyard accurately reflected the cultivation techniques of his day: “My friend had a vineyard on a hill with very rich soil. He dug and cleared the field of stones and planted the best grapevines there. He built a tower in the middle of it and cut out a winepress as well." (Isaiah 5:1-2)
A watchtower in a vineyard at the Neot Kedumim Biblical Landscape Reserve, Israel
Isaiah went on to describe how, instead of producing good fruit in their lives, the people of Judah had rejected God and were like sour grapes – good for nothing. As a result, God would cease to protect them and Jerusalem would be destroyed by her enemies.
“Now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will remove the hedge and it will be burnt. I will break down the stone wall, and it will be walked on. I will ruin my field. It will not be trimmed or hoed, and weeds and thorns will grow there.” (Isaiah 5: 5-6)
Isaiah 6:1-13 Isaiah has a vision of God enthroned in heaven. “In the year that King Uzziah died," (Uzziah or 'Azariah' died in 737BC - see 2 Kings 15:7) "I saw the LORD sitting on a very high throne. His long robe filled the Temple. Heavenly creatures of fire stood above him. Each creature had six wings… Each creature was calling to the others: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD All-powerful. His glory fills the whole earth'.” (Isaiah 6:1-3)