These first 4 verses here in chapter 5 are written as a parable. All through Jesus’ ministry He told parables. Mostly because as He taught He was speaking truth about those who in their pride wouldn’t connect the dots.


 When David sinned and slept with Bathsheba and then had Uriah her husband killed, Nathan the prophet came and told David a parable. David thought he had buried his secret with Uriah, and when first hearing the parable he didn’t see that Nathan was speaking about him.



Here in our text, God is using this parable to initially tell this story of Israel and Judah. I’m sure that as the prophet was speaking these words, the listeners weren’t connecting the dots, and like David and like the Scribes and Pharisees, they were thinking of others rather than themselves as they were listening.



Verse 1 reminds me of how the Song of Solomon was written. “My Beloved” This shows God’s heart towards Israel and Judah. They were His chosen people, the nation that was the fulfilment of His word to Abraham. He tended to them, He protected them, He loved them and did all He could do for them. He expected good grapes to come forth, but instead only wild grapes were produced.



This tells us that man has a sinful nature. No matter how much grace, how much mercy or how much love He pours out on us, we are still easily drawn away by our fleshly nature. All through Israel’s history, they saw God’s hand toward them and they would rebel against Him.