What Could Have Been Done More

Isaiah 5:4 – “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?”

The first part of Isaiah 5 is an allegory about a vineyard, which describes God’s displeasure with Judah and Israel. He planted the vineyard and protected the vineyard, yet it did not produce the fruit He desired and anticipated. It produced “wild grapes.” Rather than sweet grapes, they put forth sour or poison grapes. As a result, God removed His protection and allowed His people to be devastated as He chastened them.

In our text, the Lord asks the question concerning His vineyard, Israel and Judah: “What could have been done more?” Was their failure a result of God’s lack of provision or planning? We know, of course, that God did everything that could have been done for them to assure that they would produce the right fruit. The fact that they did not produce good grapes was the result of their negligence and disobedience, not some fault on the part of God. What is it that God wants from us? Is it not that we might produce the kind of fruit that pleases Him?

We can be sure that God is interested in the kind of fruit that we are generating. God is seen as a fruit inspector. When He looks at us, does He see that we are producing good grapes or wild grapes? What kind of fruit are we to be producing? God is looking for the fruit of the Spirit which is detailed in Galatians 5:22-23: “…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance….” This is the fruit of godliness and spirituality. Christian character and conduct is to be seen in our lives.

In John 15:5, Jesus said that His disciples were to bring forth “much fruit.” As branches in the Vine, we are to bring others to the Savior. The fruit of the vine and the branches should be more grapes. Let us now consider the Lord’s question. “What could have been done more?” As with Israel, God has done all that is necessary for us to be fruitful. He has saved us by His grace, given His Spirit to indwell us, and given us the Word of God to teach us. We are to abide in Him and let His Spirit control us that He might produce through us the kind of fruit that He expects.