It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
The vine is Israel and Judah, brought out of Egypt after the heathen were cast out, planted in Canaan, rooted, carefully tended, and spread until it filled the land. The golden vine of the temple represented Israel as that prosperous vine. To be burned with fire and cut down is for that planted vine to lie in devastation and ruin. To perish at the rebuke of the countenance is to die as the rebuking face is turned toward it. The ruin includes hedges broken down, the vine plucked by all who pass by, wasted and devoured.
The destruction came through unfaithfulness in rejecting care and resisting warnings, leaving the vineyard spoiled and fruitless. The image fits the rejection of Christ after loving work among them, with judgment about to fall and soon to fall on the nation. The verse belongs to a cry to the Shepherd of Israel who leads Joseph like a flock and dwells between the cherubim to give ear, shine forth, and stir up strength before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. It pleads for God to return, look down from heaven, behold and visit the vine and the branch made strong, look upon the ruined vine, turn His people again, cause His face to shine, quicken them, restore them, and save them, expressing its devastation and need for restoring attention.
The deliverance sought is that the nations of earth may know that the God of the Hebrews still lives and reigns, that He alone is God of all the kingdoms of earth and Maker of heaven and earth. His honor is at stake and He alone can bring deliverance, in keeping with His promise to maintain the cause of Israel at all times. He hears and saves when the chief men enter the house of prayer and plead in times of war or oppression by an army.
The vine is Israel and Judah, brought out of Egypt after the heathen were cast out, planted in Canaan, rooted, carefully tended, and spread until it filled the land.
The golden vine of the temple represented Israel as that prosperous vine.
To be burned with fire and cut down is for that planted vine to lie in devastation and ruin.
To perish at the rebuke of the countenance is to die as the rebuking face is turned toward it.
The ruin includes hedges broken down, the vine plucked by all who pass by, wasted and devoured.
The destruction came through unfaithfulness in rejecting care and resisting warnings, leaving the vineyard spoiled and fruitless.
The image fits the rejection of Christ after loving work among them, with judgment about to fall and soon to fall on the nation.
The verse belongs to a cry to the Shepherd of Israel who leads Joseph like a flock and dwells between the cherubim to give ear, shine forth, and stir up strength before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
It pleads for God to return, look down from heaven, behold and visit the vine and the branch made strong, look upon the ruined vine, turn His people again, cause His face to shine, quicken them, restore them, and save them, expressing its devastation and need for restoring attention.
The deliverance sought is that the nations of earth may know that the God of the Hebrews still lives and reigns, that He alone is God of all the kingdoms of earth and Maker of heaven and earth.
His honor is at stake and He alone can bring deliverance, in keeping with His promise to maintain the cause of Israel at all times.
He hears and saves when the chief men enter the house of prayer and plead in times of war or oppression by an army.