1. God “also made a winepress” in the Garden
We will continue to explore the revelation about the Garden of Eden found in Isaiah 5. We discover that God “also made a winepress” in the vineyard:
I will sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes
A winepress was the juicer which was used in ancient times for making wine from grapes. Scripture references show that wine making was a time of joy – shouting and gladness (Isa 16: 10; Jer 48: 23). The revelation is that the Garden of Eden was a place of fruitfulness, productivity and gladness, at least before the rebellion.
I believe that the grapes were succulent and huge and that the winepresses “burst out with new wine” (Proverbs 3: 10). We know this because the Jewish spies returned from their reconnaisance mission to Canaan carrying a branch with a single cluster of grapes. The single cluster was so huge that two men had to carry it on a pole (Num 13: 23).
We know from scripture that Adam was placed in Eden to “dress and keep it” (Genesis 2: 15). Growth of plants, including grapes and the production of wine were among his responsibilities. The use of winepress also refers to the Holy Spirit of Joy and the joy that Adam and Eve had as they fellowshiped with the Father.
The reference to juicing of grapes in the wine press indicates the nature of the work done by Adam. He was placed in the Garden to till and dress it. God gave him productive and satisfying work to do.
2. God expected the vine to bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wildgrapes
Alas! The fall or rebellion of our forefathers is revealed in Isaiah 5. God:
built a tower in the midst of it…made a winepress… He looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes
`Enab is the Hebrew word used for grapes in the text amd means ripe grapes, grapes of the vine, liquor of grapes, cluster of grapes, wine grapes, flagons of wine. Wine was produced from the mature grapes = mature human beings.
I wrote previously that `enab referred to Adam and Eve as the firstfruit humans of the earth. However, something went terribly wrong in the vineyard. Instead of producing grapes, wild grapes were produced in the vineyard.
Wild grapes in the Hebrew means:
- the stink or stench from a carcase.
- stench from dead bodies
3. Given the context in which it is used, grapes can be interpreted in two ways
First, since “wild grapes” means stench, we should ask who or what died in the Garden of Eden? Adam and Eve died when they sinned, just as God had warned them. He had no choice but to expel them from His place of beauty:
“It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die'” (Gen 3: 3).
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned (Romans 5: 12).
After sending them out, the LORD God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Gen 3: 26).
Secondly, grape is a fruit in this context can be interpreted as:
- teachings or doctrine
- evidence of the inner condition of the spirit
- productivity
- words are the fruit of the mouth
- work done for God
Please click this link to read more about the revelation of fruit – The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. To be very specific, Adam and Eve obeyed satan’s doctrine and this fruit produced the disgusting stench of sin in the Garden.
I wrote the following previously in The tree of the knowledge of good and evil:
God told the Jews that they had “… plowed wickedness … reaped iniquity… eaten the fruit of lies:” (Hosea 10: 13). False prophets had been lying to them causing them to sin, just like the false prophet in the garden of Eden, who had appeared in such a pleasant and engaging manner to Eve. Jesus told us to beware of false prophets, because they are ravening wolves inside. Satan was a ravening wolf, mercilessly killing Adam and Eve, a murderer from the beginning as the Lord said.
Jesus also used the imagery of food if not fruit, to refer to His teachings. He said:
- eat my flesh and drink my blood (Jn 6: 53-60)
- I am the Bread of Life (Jn 6: 48-51). My teachings will give you life, but beware of the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees
- I am the Living Bread (Jn 6: 53-60)
- that the bread of the Last Supper represented his body while the wine represented HIs blood
- I am the Water of Life (Jn 7: 37-39)
Apostle Peter also told the disciples to desire the sincere milk of the word for spiritual growth.
Science shows that the food that we eat will either nourish or harm our cells, leading to growth or death. Poor nutrition will lead to obesity, cancer and other nutritional disorders. The devil’s diet led to the immediate death of Adam and Eve’s spirit (loss of fellowship with God, infection with sin) AS WELL AS slow physical deterioration and death. Will you eat or believe and practice the devil’s doctrine which is really based on half-truths OR will you believe the pure word of God and be saved? (Jn 8: 51).
Blessings and more to come. Happy Easter.
Firstfruit offerings
The temptation and fall of man is WRITTEN IN A PARABLE
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Power of Prayer, Praise and the Word of God 