People who read the Bible remember a repetitious cycle in the Old Testament, of Israel misbehaving, getting squashed, repenting and then rebuilding. Getting squashed was understood as a penalty from God for Israel’s collective sinful behavior, and His blessings returned after their repentance. Isaiah 5, the first Sunday Reading for Catholics (Oct 5) is an example of such a cycle and it brings to mind the present day.
1 Let me sing now for my well-beloved A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.
2 And He dug it all around, removed its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it, And hewed out a wine vat in it; Then He expected {it} to produce {good} grapes, But it produced {only} worthless ones.
3“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge between Me and My vineyard.
4“What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected {it} to produce {good} grapes did it produce worthless ones?
5“So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.
6“And I will lay it waste; It will not be pruned or hoed, But briars and thorns will come up. I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.”
7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.
Are you seeing any parallels in the events of today?
We’re Hosed.
When America suffers, much of the world suffers even more. That’s an economic reality.
Repentance and reformation is in order.
