When a nation Forsake God
Romans 1:18
God’s Judgement.
Wrath of God revealed.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Why?
Romans 1:19, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. No excuse.
Romans 1:20-23, For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Judgement of God is been revealed.
Romans 1:24-32, Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonour their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil- mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
What is the judgment? On nations that turn their back on God. Nations that having known the truth, reject it, and suppress it. Verse 24, “Therefore God gave them over.” Verse 26, “For this reason, God gave them over.” Verse 28, the middle of the verse, “God gave them over.”
What is the judgment? The judgment is abandonment. When God looks at a nation, they have the truth, and they suppress the truth, and they turn from the truth, God gives them over. The first thing that happens is immorality dominates. God literally gives them over to the fulfilment of their lusts.
The second step is the sexual revolution, and a homosexual revolution. V 27-28. And then comes the reprobate mind V29. So God gave them over. Paul and Barnabas preaching at Lystra.
Acts 14:15-17, and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16 who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
We will look at the nation of Israel. Isaiah chapter 1.
Isaiah 1:1-15, The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The Wickedness of Judah 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; 3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.” 4 Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward. 5 Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the
whole heart faints. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, There is no soundness in it, But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; They have not been closed or bound up, Or soothed with ointment. 7 Your country is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your land in your presence; And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. 8 So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, As a hut in a garden of cucumbers, As a besieged city. 9 Unless the Lord of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: 11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?
13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. With this background come to Isaiah chapter 5. The nation of Israel is under tremendous amount of prosperity by God through the reign of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah was reigning as monarch for 52 years! Longest serving monarch. Isaiah chapter 5 is the Parable of the vineyard.
Isaiah 5:1-7, Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill. 2 He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a winepress in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes. 3 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. 4 What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes? 5 And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6 I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, But there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds That they rain no rain on it.” 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah are His pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but behold, oppression; For righteousness, but behold, a cry for help. 1. Justification Portrayed.
God did everything He could do for Israel. God loved them and nurtured them as vineyard and expecting a good fruit.
- a. Prime Location
“My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.” Real estate – it is all about Location, Location, Location Canaan = Promised Land
- b. Careful Cultivation
Preparation of the Soil: “And He dug it all around,” Laborious work is involved.
2. Removal of Obstacles
“removed its stones,” These stones would be piled about the perimeter of the field as a wall to keep out marauding animals. Those left over from the wall could be used later to build a watchtower.
3. Planting the Best Vine
“And planted it with the choicest vine.” The best kind
Jeremiah 2:21, Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine? Strong Protection “And He built a tower in the middle of it,” Where God can keep watch to protect it Great Expectations “And hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected it to produce good grapes,” Two year waiting process before you realize the fruit of all your hard work. So confident is he in the harvest that he expects to be able to make his own wine, rather than simply selling his grapes to others. At Gibeon, the winepress is close to the storage caves for the wine. Privileges of the Jews detailed.
Romans 9:4-5, “who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.” Inexplicable Results “But it produced only worthless ones.” Tree is known by its fruit! Worthless grapes will be further defined in the 6 woes.
When the vine owner returns to inspect your fruit, what will He find? 2. Judgement God Invites Evaluation of His Performance!
What More Could He Have Done? God Invites Evaluation of His Expectations.
Is He Wrong to Expect Good Fruit? God asks rhetorical questions – not because He needs answers, but He wants to wake up His people to realize their sinful condition. What more could God have done to produce good fruit in our lives?
God pronounce the judgement upon the guilty vineyard.
- a. Right of Ownership
“So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard:” We are so quick to try to tell God about,
- what He should be doing,
- what He is doing wrong, and
- why our lot in life is so harsh and unfair.
He is the Creator and we are the creatures. He is the Potter and we are the clay. He is the owner and we are His vineyard. It is His vineyard!
- b. Complete neglection.
Exposing it to Devastation No more hedge of protection No more wall of protection Exposing it to powerful enemies Exposing it to denial of nourishment
Hosea 5:15, “I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”