Skip to main content

"Judge... Betwixt Me and My Vineyard," 2 Nephi 15:1-7

2 Nephi 15:1-7

Vs 1 - A parable about "God's mercy and Israel's unresponsiveness,"(see the chapter heading). Israel is described in this verse as being located on a "very fruitful hill."

Vs 2 - God prepares a choice vineyard, attending to every needful element in its preparations to bring forth good grapes. So diligent were His preparations, that He looked expecting grapes, but instead He found wild grapes. Herein is the premise for the remainder of the chapter.

Vs 3 - Jerusalem and the men of Judah are asked to think about this thing and determine if there was anything more that God could have done, in all reality, for his people, that he didn't do, so that they might have brought forth good fruit.

Vs 4 - This verse reinforces verse two where it says the Lord expected to find grapes, good fruit, as a result of His labors. He drives home the point with a question: "What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it?" (See also Jacob 5:49)

Vs. 5 - Here God explains what he will do with his vineyard gone wild: He will remove all protection from it, so that wild beasts can enter in and the walls that were a as defense, will now be made easily passable by the enemy.

Vs. 6 - He continues to explain what he will not do: no digging, no pruning, no weeding, no rain. This last point is a sobering reminder that this is God, who is all-powerful, "I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it."

Vs. 7 - The significance of the parable is revealed in these verse plainly, "For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, the men of Judah his pleasant plants..." Comparing grapes to wild grapes, Isaiah goes on to explain, "he looked for judgment, and behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry."

These verses are very illustrative of the spiritual causes for apostasy among the house of Israel from long ago. I am impressed at how applicable these verses are to me with a reminder of all that God has done to prepare the way for us to bring forth fruit.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"The Lord Seeth Fit to Chasten His People," Mosiah 23:19-24

Mosiah 23:19-24 There are footnotes on the word "chasten." I've found the reference in Deuteronomy 11:1-8 speaks directly to me. Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm... But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did. Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it; ( vs. 1,2,7,8 ) The admonition to be diligent in all commandments is particularly more applicable to those who know and have witnessed the power of His almighty hand.

"Behold, Here Are Six Onties of Silver," Alma 11:1-22

Alma 11:1-22 I finally arrive at chapter 11 of Alma. We have at the beginning of the chapter an explanation of the currency of the day among the Nephites. It is laid out as such: Nephite Coinage Chart Gold Silver Value limnah onti ( vs.22 ) Equal to a senine, a seon, and a shum of gold combined, or equal to a senum, an amnor, and a ezrom of silver combined. (7 senines, 7 senums, or 7 days of work) ( vs. 10, 13 ) shum ezrom 2 seons (4 senines) or 2 amnors (4 senums) ( vs. 9, 12 ) seon amnor 2 senines or 2 senums ( vs. 8, 11 ) antion 3 shiblons, which means it should be 1½ senine ( vs. 19 ) senine senum This is the base measurement from which all other coins are valued. A day's wages for a judge. Also, the worth of a measure of barley and every other kind of grain.( vs. 3, 7 ) shiblon half a senum, half a measure of barley ( vs. 15 ) shiblum half a shiblon (4 shiblums = a senum) ( vs. 16 ) leah half a shiblum (8 leahs = a senum) ( vs. 17 ) In verse 20 , we learn that the motivation...