Attributed to King Solomon, the lyrics of the "Song of Songs" can be read as an erotic poem about the love between a man and a woman. It probably should be, as a Biblical emphasis that God created our sexuality, and behold it was very good. However, this Song of Solomon can also be read on a different level, as a poem about the relationship between God and us, a bond of love that goes beyond skin deep. Many early Christian writers saw it this way and drew much spiritual food from what otherwise appears to be a romantic interlude.

Where Solomon’s song speaks of what we might call the honeymoon stage of a relationship, a soft and fuzzy time, the Vineyard song of Isaiah (echoed by Jesus’ parable) tells of a darker side. And yet, according to the prophet, it is still a "love song." In spite of all the silliness on the human side of this covenanted relationship, the song of love still rings out. That’s something we should never forget! Through all the infidelity, all the rebellion, all the back talk, all the garbage thrown by God’s people toward the One who loved them first, the One who, in fact, gave them birth - the melody is still that of a love song. Even the words of judgement are framed in this context. When we forget this basic fact, we lose track of the God of the Bible.

In the middle of the Vineyard a watchtower was built, to further provide protection from both animals and men who might seek to steal the fruit before harvest time. With an eye on the purpose of the vineyard, the One who owned the land dug out a place for the grapes to be placed after they were picked, a vat where the workers could stomp them to bring out their sweet juice.

Both Isaiah’s and Jesus’ parables pretty much speak the same words up to this point. Here, however, the two love songs diverge. Even so, it is the same song. Furthermore, remember that in spite of what comes next, this ballad remains a "love song." For Isaiah, God’s people are the grapes, they are the vineyard. But the harvest has been a very sour one. Some of you may recall, from last week, Ezekiel’s words about "sour grapes," about how we shouldn’t blame the sour situations we may find ourselves in on everyone else. We each bear responsibility for our own actions.

Isaiah asks, "what is God to do, then, with such a vineyard," when season after season the harvest is so wild and sour? The judgement? God will take down the hedge, the wall that surrounds the vineyard and allow it to be trampled and eaten. God will refrain from pruning it so that it will grow as wild as it tastes, good for nothing. God will stop weeding and allow the undergrowth to eventually choke out the life of the vine.

The judgement may be harsh, but it is pretty much just a matter of allowing the vineyard to grow just like it wants to, leaving it (that is, the people of God) to control its own destiny. When these words were first spoken, that future was just around the corner. Those who wanted to tear down and eat the vine of Israel were at the gate, and soon God’s people would be forced into exile by the waters of Babylon.

Again, however, don’t forget that this is a love song! In verse 7 of chapter 5, we see the tear streaking down God’s face. "The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel," Isaiah sang for his beloved. "The people of Judah are God’s pleasant planting, his delightful garden; God expected justice, but only saw violence; God expected righteousness, but only heard cries of distress." The song is enough to break your heart.

The rest of the chapter runs through a litany of this sour harvest: how the rich had plundered the poor; how the people wanted only to ‘party’ their life away; how they mocked the One who formed them from nothing and who continued to love them in spite of everything they did; how they perverted the truth and preferred their own silly wisdom to God’s wisdom; how they let the guilty go free and violated the innocent, making laws that only lined their own pockets.... You’d almost swear Isaiah was talking about this generation and not his own. Does the song change all that much over the years?

As Jesus sang the vineyard love song, the people of God were not the grapes, but the tenants; they were not the vineyard but the sharecroppers responsible for caring for the vines. At harvest time, the owner sent his representatives to collect the produce. One by one, they were disregarded, abused, killed. As we listen to the melody, we hear Jesus at this point placing himself into the song. He became the music, as he spoke of the landowner sending his very son to the vineyard, in spite of the fact that every previous representative had been killed. As it turned out, that’s exactly what happened to the son, also - a foreshadowing of events to come?

Jesus then asked, "what is the owner to do, then, with such tenants." It was a rhetorical question, for he was speaking in the Temple to the chief priests and elders, who knew very well the vineyard song of Isaiah. At the time they were questioning what authority Jesus had to speak as he was. They knew, as they responded to his question, where all this was headed. They understood what he was implying, that they were themselves the tenants of God’s vineyard, and that the judgement they spoke was upon their own heads.

As I have said, though, we mustn’t lose track of the fact that this is a love song. Yes, these parables told by Isaiah and Jesus involve rejection and heartache, anger and (even) revenge. Like every tale of judgement, they are not easy stories to hear - especially if we take to heart. Oh, I suppose that we could just look on from the sidelines and not ask the tough questions of ourselves - questions like: How are we not bearing fruit? In what ways is the fruit of our life sour, not sweet? How are we taking care of the vineyard God has provided us - cultivating, harvesting, sharing? Do we have such a sense of ownership and control over "our" lives that we don’t allow God into that very land which belongs to him? This is God’s vineyard (point outside, to congregation, then to self)!

If you’re like me, such questions bring forth words of judgement upon myself. That’s one of the purposes of a parable - to break open the hard shells with which we insulate ourselves from God’s kingdom. If we only hear the story as applying to somebody else, then we haven’t really heard it. When the questions sting, we have heard the Word. Remember, though, we need to keep our ears open, also, for the refrain that sings out through the judgement. After all, this is a love song. And it’s not a "silly" one, either. Do you hear that refrain?

This Vineyard love song is not only woven throughout the Bible, it echoes through every part of our lives. Do we hear it? ... Speaking of the fruit of the vine, on that night when he was betrayed, Jesus took a cup filled with new wine, and blessed it, and sang out loud and clear, "this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Mt. 26:28) Tonight, my friends, we gather for Love Feast. Do you hear the song? Won’t you come along?