But Israel did not fulfill God's purpose. The Lord declared, "I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?" Jer. 2:21. "Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself." Hosea 10:1. "And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt Me and My vineyard. What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not 291 done in it? Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For . . . He looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry." Isa. 5:3-7.

Men Israel opfyldte ikke Guds hensigt. Herren sagde: "Som en ædelranke planted jeg dig, en fuldgod stikling; hvor kunne du da blive vildskud, en uægte ranke?" "Og nu, Jerusalems borgere, Judas mænd, skift ret mellem mig og min vingård! Hvad mer var at gøre ved vingården, hvad lod jeg ugjort? Hvi bar den vilde druer skønt jeg ventede høst af ædle? Så vil jeg da lade jer vide, hvad jeg vil gøre ved min vingård: nedrive dens hegn, så den ædes op, nedbryde dens mur så den trampes ned! Jeg lægger den øde; den skal ikke beskæres og ikke graves, men gro sammen i torn og tidsel; og skyerne giver jeg påbud om ikke at sende den regn. ..... Han vented på retfærd se, der kom letfærd, han vented på lov se, skrig over rov!"