The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.
The vine is Israel, which God brought out of Egypt and planted in Canaan. He cast out the heathen to make room for it, and it took deep root until it filled the land. It grew large and strong and vigorous and spread widely across the land, so that its shade covered the hills and its boughs were like great, fine, strong, mighty cedars, sending its boughs to the sea and its branches to the river.
The picture illustrates the prosperity God gave His chosen people, flourishing under His nourishing care, who nourished and cared for them and enriched the vine so it would bear fruit. Despite that care, the people failed to produce good fruit and turned to rebellion. God planted Israel in Canaan as a goodly vine intending it to spread through the land, and by faithfully taking possession of the territory He planned for them they would have filled it. Their failure to do so was a departure from God that changed what their history would otherwise have been.
The memory of that past planting and prospering is ground for crying to Him to return, to look down and visit the vine, to cause His face to shine so they will be saved, and to save them from the enemy so that all kingdoms of earth may know He alone is the living God who reigns.
The vine is Israel, which God brought out of Egypt and planted in Canaan. He cast out the heathen to make room for it, and it took deep root until it filled the land. It grew large and strong and vigorous and spread widely across the land, so that its shade covered the hills and its boughs were like great, fine, strong, mighty cedars, sending its boughs to the sea and its branches to the river.
The picture illustrates the prosperity God gave His chosen people, flourishing under His nourishing care, who nourished and cared for them and enriched the vine so it would bear fruit. Despite that care, the people failed to produce good fruit and turned to rebellion. God planted Israel in Canaan as a goodly vine intending it to spread through the land, and by faithfully taking possession of the territory He planned for them they would have filled it. Their failure to do so was a departure from God that changed what their history would otherwise have been.
The memory of that past planting and prospering is ground for crying to Him to return, to look down and visit the vine, to cause His face to shine so they will be saved, and to save them from the enemy so that all kingdoms of earth may know He alone is the living God who reigns.