A Root Out of Dry Ground
David
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Let me sing for my Beloved my love song concerning His vineyard:
My Beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines;
He built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine press in
it;
and He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded worthless ones.
"And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
judge between Me and My vineyard.
What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield good grapes, why did it yield worthless
ones?
"And now I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard.
I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it."
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah are His pleasant planting;
Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress! (Isaiah 5:1-7)
The One who identified Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
sang this love song through the prophet Isaiah about 2,700 years ago,
expressing His heartache over His people Israel. He longed for a
harvest of righteousness and justice from them, but they bore only the
bitter fruit of division, violence, and injustice.
Seven centuries later Yahshua[*] re-told Isaiah's love song as a
parable to the chief priests and elders of what remained of old Israel:
"There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge
around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to
vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew
near, he sent his servants to the vine dressers, that they might
receive its fruit. And the vine dressers took his servants, beat one,
killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than
the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his
son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the vine
dressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' So they took him
and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the
owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine dressers?"
They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and
lease his vineyard to other vine dressers who will render to him the
fruits in their seasons."
Jesus [Yahshua] said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:
'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief
cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our
eyes'? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from
you and given to a nation bearing the fruit of it." (Matthew
21:33-43)
Of course, the Master's words that day proved true. In a jealous
rage[1] they cast the Son out of the vineyard and killed Him,[2] and
the Owner of the vineyard took it away from them and gave it to a
nation that would bear the fruit He had longed for - righteousness
and justice. But who was that nation, and how and when did they bear
that fruit? And what is the nature of that fruit?
The answer to these questions is found in the Gospel of the Kingdom,
which is what Yahshua was constantly infusing into His disciples.[3]
Consequently, it is also found in what His disciples did with what He
taught them.
He often talked to them about vineyards and vines to help them
understand what the Kingdom of God is like, as in this familiar
passage:
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser... Abide in
Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it
abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the
vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears
much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:1,4-5)
Yahshua had come to restore His Father's vineyard, which is a
metaphor for His kingdom. John the Baptist had gone before Him to
prepare the way by pronouncing the old vine dead and laying the ax to
the root of it, calling all Israel to repent.[4] Then came the Messiah,
just as the prophet Isaiah had foretold, "For He shall grow up before
Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground..."[5] Yahshua
was the new vine growing out of the old root system, in order to bear
the fruit that His Father had begun to cultivate when He called and
chose Abraham:
"For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his
household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness
and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised
him." (Genesis 18:19)
It was for the hope of this fruit that God promised to make a nation
out of Abraham's seed, and to give them the land to dwell in where
they would bear the fruit of righteousness and justice as a
demonstration to the nations around them of what people are like who
are truly connected to Him. That is still His objective[6] and He still
needs a vineyard.
So Yahshua came as a root out of dry ground, the Vine of His Father's
planting, but who are the branches?[7] You may think that you are one
of them, along with everyone else who truly believes in Yahshua, but is
that really what Yahshua was saying? Consider the context: He was
speaking to His disciples, whom He was training to be apostles, in
their last and most intimate meal together before He was crucified. He
was not speaking for the benefit of the crowds that had often gathered
to hear Him teach, for they were not in the upper room that night. So
to "overhear" His intimate conversation with His disciples and to
assume that it applies to you is presumptuous, don't you think?[8]
His apostles understood Him, for they were very familiar with vines and
vineyards. They knew that a cultivated vine would be pruned to have at
most twelve branches, and from those chosen branches the vinedresser
would expect to obtain clusters of juicy grapes. For the time He had
been with them, Yahshua had been filling His disciples with the sap
that came from the root so that they would produce the fruit of being
connected to the Vine - clusters of grapes which, when squeezed,
would make the sweetest wine.[9]
So Yahshua was the Vine, and His apostles were the branches, but what
were the clusters? To discover that you must look at the
"Vinedresser's journal" to see what came forth from the branches!
What the branches did is recorded in The Acts of the Apostles. Here is
the vivid description of the first fruit that we find there:
Then those who gladly received [the branch's] word were baptized; and
that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they
continued steadfastly in the [branches'] teaching and fellowship, in
the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul,
and many wonders and signs were done through the [branches]. Now all
who believed were together [in a cluster], and had all things in
common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among
all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the
temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food
with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor
with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who
were being saved. (Acts 2:41-47)
Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul;
neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own,
but they had all things in common. And with great power the [branches]
gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus [Yahshua]. And great
grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked;
for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought
the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the
[branches'] feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
(Acts 4:32-35)
Was this not the fruit of righteousness and justice that ought to come
forth from Abraham's seed? Not just individual acts of righteousness
that men may do for the sake of conscience, but a collective
demonstration of the righteousness of God. It was a great cluster of
fruit, reminiscent of the one the twelve spies brought back as a
foretaste of their promised land, which took two men to carry between
them on a pole![10] For that is in fact what that community in
Jerusalem was to be: a foretaste of the Kingdom to come - a witness,
a testimony. Those who lived together in clusters were a visible,
tangible demonstration of what it means to be vitally connected to the
Vine through the good authority and care of the branches.[11] When
those grapes were squeezed by the circumstances of their common life,
what came forth was the sweet wine of love - righteousness and
justice. Abundant grace was upon them all, therefore all were cared
for.
Now some will say that the community life described in Acts 2 and 4 was
an abnormal growth and was not the typical fruit of the Vine. They will
even say that the branches are no longer necessary, nor are the
clusters, but instead the individual grapes come forth directly from
the Vine. But it was the giants[12] of selfishness and independence
that drove away the faith of those first-century disciples.
It is convenient to believe that the early disciples ceased living
together in communities, but in fact the pattern established in
Jerusalem was repeated wherever the apostles went,[13] as that was the
grace of apostleship - to bring about the obedience to the faith.[14]
Often in his letters, Paul would send his greetings to a particular
brother and the church that is in his house.[15] Contrary to some
modern translations, it does not say "the church that meets in his
house." The church in those days was not a meeting, but the full-time
occupation of disciples dwelling together in unity, in extended
households,[16] like clusters of grapes hanging from their branch -
continually devoted to their apostles' teaching and fellowship.[17]
The Hebrew word for branch[18] comes from a root word that means to
cause to spring forth, and that is what apostles do. They cause
clusters (communities) to spring forth by preaching the Gospel of the
Kingdom.[19] This causes faith to enter the hearts of those who hear
and are willing to do the will of the Vinedresser.[20] Faith causes
them to obey the gospel they are hearing, utterly surrendering their
independent lives and all their possessions[21] to become part of the
cluster - the hundredfold inheritance of all who obey the gospel.[22]
Many clusters on a branch form a tribe, and twelve tribes form the
nation[23] that bears the fruit of the Kingdom.[24] That twelve tribe
nation[25] is the fullest expression of the Vine, showing the whole
world the goodness of that Vine by the splendid clusters of fruit it
bears - interconnected communities full of whole-hearted disciples
who love one another in the same way their Master loved them, by daily
laying down their lives for one another, taking care of each other's
needs.
That expression of righteousness and justice was the witness of the
Kingdom that the apostle Paul at one time expected would bring about
the end of the age[26] and the return of Messiah in his lifetime.[27]
But the time came when he realized he would not live to see that
day,[28] and increasingly his and the other apostles' letters
contained dire warnings to the churches of the ways they were being led
astray.[29] Self-appointed "apostles" undermined the authority of
the true apostles[30] and led away their own followings[31] with
ear-tickling teachings that softened the so-called "hard sayings"
of Yahshua.[32]
By the beginning of the second century, when the letter of James was
written to the twelve tribes "scattered abroad," they no longer
shared a common life. They were "going to church" rather than being
the church; the rich looked down their noses at the poor, not meeting
their needs;[33] there was strife, competition, and boasting over
worldly pursuits;[34] the rich even oppressed those who worked for
them.[35] Gone were the succulent clusters, happily sharing the same
source of life from the Vine. Righteousness and justice gave way to a
form of religion lacking the power to love.[36]
1900 years have come and gone, leaving a trail of bloodshed at the
hands of those who claim to represent God, and cries of woe from those
who have suffered at their hands. It is just as the prophet Isaiah sang
for his Beloved, the Owner of the vineyard, so long ago, "He looked
for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a
cry of distress."[37] Most of what has been done in His name has made
a mockery of what is really in His heart. So just as in the first
century, He finds Himself in need of being justified.[38] His name
needs to be made great again by those who have the courage to separate
themselves from the fallen religious system of this day and restore the
Gospel of the Kingdom. Their life, which comes from Him, is a foretaste
of His coming Kingdom.[39]
We who write this paper have given our lives to do just that. Like a
root out of dry ground, the Vine has sprouted again[40] and brought
forth clusters - communities of men, women, and children who love
Messiah more than their own lives, who desire nothing more than to
abide in Him and bear the fruit of His Kingdom. When that fruit is ripe
for harvest, we believe the Owner of that vineyard will again send His
Son to receive its fruit:
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like
the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a
sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a
loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and
reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the
earth is ripe." So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on
the earth, and the earth was reaped. (Revelation 14:14-16)
That is the first of two harvests the Messiah will reap when He returns
- the gathering of His elect,[41] also described as His bride, who
will have made herself ready for Him.[42] Then they together, Messiah
and His bride, will come to earth to deal with the fruit of another
vine - that of the Antichrist and all of those who love and practice
evil. They will be trampled in the winepress of God's wrath.[43] The
evil ruler of this world[44] will be bound for a thousand years,[45]
and Messiah will be enthroned in Jerusalem and will reign over the
earth with His bride.[46]
Then the Promised Land, from the Euphrates River to the River of Egypt,
will be delivered over to the remnant of the offspring of Abraham, the
one third[47] who, by the end of the age had come to understand the
truth of Matthew 21:33-44.[48] They understood that their people had
crucified the Messiah sent to save them, and they mourned over their
guilt.[49] Then the faithful "branches" of the first century will
rule over the restored twelve tribes of Israel in the Millennial
Age,[50] just as their Master promised them.[51] They, along with the
faithful of the final century, will fill the whole world with the fruit
of righteousness and justice.
In that day, "A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! I, the LORD, am its
keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night
and day; I have no wrath. Would that I had thorns and briers to battle?
I would march against them, I would burn them up together. Or let them
lay hold of My protection, let them make peace with Me, let them make
peace with Me." In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall
blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit.
(Isaiah 27:2-6)
[*] For more on the name Yahshua, see What's in Name
[1] Matthew 27:18
[2] Hebrews 13:12-13
[3] There are at least 90 direct references to the Kingdom and the
Gospel of the Kingdom in the four Gospels.
[4] Matthew 3:3-12
[5] Isaiah 53:2
[6] Matthew 21:43 (quoted above)
[7] John 15:5
[8] 1 Corinthians 12:29
[9] John 2:1-11 was prophetic of this outcome.
[10] Numbers 13:23
[11] John 13:20; Matthew 10:40; Luke 10:16
[12] Numbers 13:30-33
[13] As in Thessalonika, for example, 1 Thessalonians 2:14.
[14] Romans 1:5
[15] Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2
[16] The apostle Paul had been well aware of this pattern of life even
before he was saved, for it says he entered every house, dragging off
men and women to prison (Acts 8:3). Did he have to steal a church
directory to find the house of each individual church member? No,
everyone knew where the disciples lived; their large households were
always buzzing with activity, like a beehive, which in fact is what the
Hebrew word for community actually means. See Ed Meets the Edah for
more about this.
[17] Acts 2:42
[18] Tsemach (#6780 in Strong's Concordance) - a sprout or branch
(literal or figurative); from tsamach (#6779), a primitive root meaning
to sprout (literal or figurative); bear, bring forth; to cause to or
make to bud forth; to cause to or make to grow again, or grow up; to
cause to spring forth, or spring up.
[19] Matthew 28:18-20
[20] Romans 10:17; John 7:17
[21] Luke 14:26-33
[22] Mark 10:28-30
[23] Not a political nation, but a spiritual nation, as in 1 Peter
2:9-10.
[24] Matthew 21:43
[25] Isaiah 49:6; Acts 13:47; 26:7; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Revelation 21:9-12
[26] Matthew 24:14
[27] 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
[28] 2 Timothy 4:6-7
[29] 2 Corinthians 11:3-4
[30] 2 Corinthians 11:4,13; 3 John 1:9-10
[31] Acts 20:29-30
[32] 2 Timothy 4:3-4
[33] James 2:2-6; 14-16
[34] James 4:1-4
[35] James 5:1-6
[36] 2 Timothy 3:1-5
[37] Isaiah 5:7
[38] Luke 7:29-30 - To be baptized by John meant to renounce the
religious system of that day (Matthew 3:7-12) and confess one's need
for true salvation, for the coming Messiah of whom John was the
forerunner.
[39] Matthew 6:9-10; Malachi 1:5,11
[40] Job 14:7-9
[41] Matthew 24:30-31; Revelation 19:14
[42] Revelation 19:7-8,14
[43] Revelation 14:19-20; 19:11-19
[44] 1 John 5:19
[45] Revelation 20:2-3
[46] Revelation 11:15
[47] Zechariah 13:8-9
[48] Quoted near the beginning of this article.
[49] Zechariah 12:10
[50] Acts 3:21
[51] Matthew 19:28