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"I had planted you a noble vine"

Text: Jeremiah 2:21

THE IMAGERY OF A VINE

The vine was a national symbol of ancient Israel. The imagery of a vine was also used by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 5). It was used by the Psalmist Asaph to describe Israel too (Psalm 80:7-11).

“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?”
Jeremiah 2:21

1. “Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality”

a) God described Israel as “a noble vine”.

i) There were different types of vines.

ii) Some vines produced poor grapes.

iii) The vine that was Israel was of the “noble” kind.

b) He went on to describe the seed that God chose.

i) It was a seed of highest quality.

ii) It was capable of being very fruitful.

iii) It would be able to produce an outstanding vintage.

2. “How then have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?”

a) But Israel’s future became blighted.

i) Israel took a turn for the worse.

ii) The nation turned wayward.

iii) It had forsaken the Lord.

b) It has become a degenerate plant of an alien vine.

i) From nobility, Israel became degenerate.

ii) From being a seed of the highest quality, Israel produced anything but a good vintage.

iii) This would cause the heart of the Vineyard Owner to feel a deep sense of hurt.

c) “An alien vine”

i) It is like wild vine that is not tended.

ii) Grapes may be found on the alien vine too.

iii) But the grapes would be of the sour kind.

iv) It would not even be good table grapes.