"No Cluster"

by D. Smith, Lerwick | Category: General | Aug 1973

Micah felt keenly his isolation as he patiently walked the lonely path of obedience to God in a day of indifference and declension, a time when "the godly man is perished out of the earth", and discord and deceit were found on every hand.

Sitting in darkness while his enemies rejoiced against him, Micah looked to the Lord and waited for the God of his salvation, who more than 700 hundred years before had saved Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians (Exod. 14:30). With the intention of bringing them into the land of Canaan. He led them to Kadesh-barnea, from whence the twelve spies were sent to survey the promised land, "and they came unto the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it upon a staff between two ... that place was called the valley of Eshcol (a cluster), because of the cluster which the children of Israel cut down from thence" (Num. 13:23,24). Despite this evidence of the rich, fruitful place which God was going to give to His people, they there rebelled against him and murmured in their tents and said, "Because the LORD hated us, He hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites

The people is greater and taller than we" (Deut. 1:27,28). Thus God was displeased with them and swore that they should not enter into his rest because of their unbelief (Heb. 3: 18,19).

But the day came when their children took possession of the land flowing with milk and honey given them by God, and with it went the divine guarantee that if they would hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD their God, then blessings would come upon them and overtake them. But if they would not hearken unto the voice of the LORD nor keep His commandments then the LORD would smite the fruit of their ground and the labour of their hands, and although they planted vineyards and dressed them they would neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes and the "olive shall cast its fruit" (Deut. 28:1,2,40).

How sweet and satisfying to the soul of the godly is that which God provides for His own.' Surely Micah had often enjoyed the "first ripe fig"; it was something which his soul ever desired. It is of paramount importance to each one of us what our soul desires and how we satisfy that desire. Happy are they who can say like the Psalmist, "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD" (Psalm 84:2). Such a longing desire is precious in the sight of God and blessed to behold in the life of saints, a resemblance to the Lord Jesus of whom it could be rightly said, "The zeal of Thine house shall eat Me up". The law and the testimony of the Lord are more to be desired "than gold, yea, than much fine gold" (Psalm 19: 10), even in this materialistic age.

Does it not become us to pray God to grant us an earnest desire for Him and His things that we may be able to say, "With my soul have I desired Thee ... diligently" (Isa. 26:9, R.V.M.)? Spiritual development is not possible in the life of a believer who has no desire for God and His word. Nothing can take the place of personal longing after God and continual feeding on His word. Peter says, "long for the spiritual milk ... that ye may grow thereby unto salvation" (1 Pet. 2:2). Spiritual growth will come by no other means.

It is not surprising that the prophet should lament the prevailing sparseness, for well he knew that this was not mere misfortune but the hand of the Lord upon His people who had refused to hearken to His voice. The transgression of Jacob and the sins of the house of Israel were the cause of the dearth of the precious fruit of the land, and to Micah God had declared further foreboding judgement saying, "Yet shall the land be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings". It is sad that the people of the Lord by their evil doings could bring desolation to a land that once excelled in fulness and abundance as prepared by the Lord (Exod. 23:20). Surely these words are a solemn warning to all those to whom God has entrusted a divine heritage.

A depth of sorrow is expressed in Micah's words "Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; my soul desireth the first ripe fig". The Israelite was commanded to leave the gleanings of his field and vineyard as a portion for the poor and the stranger. How moving that the faithful prophet through whom God had spoken concerning the coming to earth of His beloved Son, "whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (5:2), should have no part among God's people but that of the poor and the stranger! Yet this is in keeping with the faithful of every age, "strangers and pilgrims on the earth", of whom the world is not worthy. But such an experience was a fellowship of the sufferings of the Christ and a shadow of the time when the true Prophet would come and find God's people Israel as barren spiritually as the fig tree that grew between Bethany and Jerusalem (Mark 11:13).

No cluster (Heb. Eshkol) was available for Micah (7:1). Once upon a time one cluster had to be carried between two men, now there was not sufficient for one man. Perhaps there are times when we also bemoan the lack of-spiritual food in the assemblies. Week after week we find no cluster to eat but only the dried gleanings of the vintage. Sad indeed if there be no food in the Israel of God, nothing to raise the spirit and cheer the heart of God's people. Then well may we ask, is the cause of such famine due to our disobedience and indifference, and is God withholding his blessing till he sees a change in our hearts and an exercise in searching the Scriptures? Such famine can never be due to lack of divine resources, for through the Holy Spirit God can at any time work immeasurable blessing but often blessing is restrained through the negligence of His people. Lack of reading and meditation on the Scriptures will surely bring spiritual poverty. Diligent searching and conformity to God's word bring enriching blessing.

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove M6 now herewith, saith the LORD of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing" (Malachi 3:10).

D. Smith, Lerwick | Aug 1973
General