If Adam had thought carefully when he saw Eve eating the forbidden fruit, he wouldn't have participated in his companion's sin. He died spiritually, being cut off from God, and we are already born dead because we are his descendants (Romans 5:12). The first Adam failed, leaving us a bad inheritance, but the second Adam, Jesus, paid in full the debt left by the first, crossing it off the banknote against us (Colossians 2.14).

Until Jesus came, the vineyard of the Lord of hosts was the house of Israel, but after Christ died and rose again to give us salvation, the vineyard became His Church, made up of those who have been born again. We have been recreated anew to be the excellent vines of His garden. God expects us to produce wine, which represents the blood of Jesus. We lack nothing but to discover in the Scriptures what we are and have in Him!

At that time, the men of Judah were the plant of the Lord's delight, but today, that title is addressed to us. Having accepted Jesus as Savior, we are born again and made heirs of Him, as the Bible says: Woe to those who join house to house; they add field to field, till there is no place where they may dwell alone in the midst of the land! (Romans 8.17). Give thanks for such an honor!

God saw that Abraham would obey His command, so He called him to leave his land and go to a place that would be shown to him (Genesis 12). He obeyed and left everything he had behind to do the right thing: going out to follow the Most High and find His dwelling place. Abraham's character was changed, and he respected the Lord in everything, doing His will. Then God made him promises that, if he kept His commandments, he would be the father of Israel, a numerous and blessed people (Genesis 15.5).

The Almighty called the men of Judah to be the plant of His delight, the seed to be planted by Him to be the excellent vine. He knew that this planting would yield a good harvest. If the ground was a fertile hill, only good grapes would grow. It was the Truth in action! However, we often act like the Pharisees. We see evil, but we don't condemn it and we even agree that the mistake wasn't so bad. Watch out!

The Most High complained to them, saying that he expected them to exercise judgment, ordering evil to come out. However, they didn't bother to do the right thing, because neither they nor their families were harmed. When we take this kind of attitude, we give sin permission to continue in our lives. If someone knows that the other party is deprived of wisdom, they should never sell them something or buy from them that which will harm them. God expected His people to exercise judgment, but they didn't!

The Lord suffered a great disappointment! The men of Judah did nothing to ensure that the right was recognized, and the consequences were inevitable. Then the cry of the needy reached God's ears. Be obedient to your heavenly Father!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares