Shema “Tree of Life” Living Series #6
A Grapevine Tree of Life
I planted you in the land like a special vine of the very best stock. Why in the world have you turned into something like a wild vine that produces rotten, foul-smelling grapes? (Jeremiah 2:21, NET)
Though, technically, we leave the pure identity of a “tree” this biblical metaphor revealed in the Scripture—Old and New Testaments—one must and not overlook the powerful illustration and spiritual application of the grapevine (often shortened to “vine”). Thus, it merits our inclusion as a “tree” of life. The grapevine, like a tree, does have a root system and it has branches, but instead of a tree trunk it grows a running vine in which it branches grow, develop, and bear fruit.
The fruit of the grapevine was an essential provision to the Middle Eastern landscape and culture. Grapes! They could be eaten as grapes but also dried into raisins. Additionally, and prominently, the less vibrant-tasting grapes would be stomped in a wine vat and made into juice and wine. So, not only was the product a staple in the food diet but a tremendous benefit as it could be used when fresh drinking water may not be readily available as well as for times of celebration.
The grapevine, as a tree of life imagery, speaks probably more than any other spiritual tree of life of the relationship God has desired and hoped to experience with His people. The Old Testament revelation pivots around Isaiah 5:1-7:
I will sing to my love – a song to my lover about his vineyard. My love had a vineyard on a fertile hill. He built a hedge around it, removed its stones, and planted a vine. He built a tower in the middle of it, and constructed a winepress. He waited for it to produce edible grapes, but it produced sour ones instead. So now, residents of Jerusalem, people of Judah, you decide between me and my vineyard! What more can I do for my vineyard beyond what I have already done? When I waited for it to produce edible grapes, why did it produce sour ones instead? Now I will inform you what I am about to do to my vineyard: I will remove its hedge and turn it into pasture, I will break its wall and allow animals to graze there. I will make it a wasteland; no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground, and thorns and briers will grow there. I will order the clouds not to drop any rain on it. Indeed Israel is the vineyard of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the people of Judah are the cultivated place in which he took delight. He waited for justice, but look what he got – disobedience! He waited for fairness, but look what he got – cries for help! (Isaiah 5:1-7, NET)
The detail given to the prophet Isaiah to describe would have been, oh, so, familiar to his audience and would be for centuries to come…and yes, to this day existing in that part of the world. The Father revealing His love to Israel—the vine/vineyard (v. 7) through the steps like one would need to accomplish in planting an earthly vine (a fertile location and remove impediments in the ground) and then preparing for its protection (building a hedge) and anticipated production (a wine vat), describes wonderfully, graciously, and personally how the LORD God had chosen, placed, and looked forward to His life of relational harvest through and with His chosen.
Yet, the results that were hoped and purposed, did not come to fruition. The “grapes” of Israel were small and sour. Then, in a surprising step, because of the many generations of those same results, God announces through His prophet that He was now going to remove all that He had worked to provide. His protection would be gone. Everything the LORD had done to expect production would no longer be extended—no pruning or working the ground or sending of rain. The promised grapevine would now become an empty vine overrun by thorns and a meal for animals.
Though Israel is judged by God, the grapevine imagery is not forgotten. This horticultural relationship that God desires to have with His people would resonant once again, but, with a slight change!
“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me – and I in him – bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing. (John 15:1-5, NET, the full passage goes to verse 17)
Jesus’ final parable, that we know of, before going to the cross, brings back and restores the Vine as a Tree of Life. In short, Jesus replaces Israel. The Father is still the Vinedresser—planting, providing, protecting, and pruning the Vine, His Son, Jesus. Now, God’s people—Christ-followers, His disciples (‘in Me’)—are placed in the servant role of branches who are charged, in order to have life and be fruitful, to abide, remain, stay, continue, and take-up permanent residence in the Vine. Andrew Murray refers to this initial condition “If you abide in Me” being understood as the “structural union” between the branch (a disciple) and Vine (Christ Jesus). In return, the Vine, “…I will abide in you”…will reciprocally receive the grafted-in branch and Jesus, as it were, will sink His spiritual life-giving fibers and sap into the branch. This mutual connection now establises what Murray calls, the “vital union” between the high and holy Vine-Jesus and the branch-disciple. (Andrew Murray, The True Vine, “Abide” chapter)
The role that Israel failed to receive, know, enjoy, and experience with God, the Father…Christ Jesus has received and moved into that role. Yet, God’s people still have an important, strategic position in this imagery of spiritual life and unity—to display the fruit the Vine/Christ produces through His disciples. So, in this Tree of Life, we, as abiding branches are connected to the wonderful, relational role we have in Christ and with God, the Father. Pretty cool that we are afforded the responsibility and joy to bear Jesus’ fruit before a watching world!
Samantha, has taken this powerful parable and brought it forward into our modern-day focus with the idea of an outside the home water faucet connected to a garden hose. The faucet is Jesus and we, the branch-hose are connected to His life-giving Source of the sap-water in which He flows through. A powerful teaching that Samantha often shares is how our focus is often what comes out of the hose. We are outcome/result oriented. Yet, Jesus’ life is not coming out because we are not vitally connected-abiding-remaining to the Source, the Faucet, the Vine. Our life focus as a hose is to look to Christ Jesus the Vine-Faucet-Source and turn Him on. Then, what comes out of our lives as a hose will be an automatic result of Jesus’ Life and Love…His nutrition to others.
Our Father, thank You for revealing Yourself in such a relational way to us through the Vine/Tree of Life. We receive its significance and promise as Jesus shared this wonderful updated version of what was initially presented of God’s heart for His people in Isaiah 5. Thank You Lord Jesus for being the Vine, the True Vine, the Faucet and Source. We appreciate that we can be a branch, among many other branches, who choose and allow You to enable us to remain in You. So, You can flow Your life-giving sap/water into us and then through us to bear and display Your fruit and refreshment for others. We understand we are without excuse—all is in place—with Jesus now as the True Vine—to bear fruit to Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
