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6) Analogy
The vine expressed some characteristics of Israel, that of verdant growth filling the land, the care of Yahweh and the support structure given by the law.
The lesson of Israel as the vine is that Yahweh's people are of little or no value to him unless they are producing 'fruit' or righteous works. And a vine produces fruit abundantly only when it is pollinated, cared for, pruned and when it has a well designed support structure.
An analogy is merely a picture to help us see characteristics of a situation. Therefore, Yeshua can be both the true vine and the one treading the winepress.
Modern Israel and the Grape Vine
Previously it was mentioned that Israel in the past was associated with the grape vine, in analogy. And that it also figures in future prophecy associated with the grape vine. To complete the picture Israel of the present is also seems inextricably linked with the grape vine.
In the late 1800's the Jewish population was small and struggling and its agriculture a failure, until a specific year: 1882. In that year two remarkable things happened, the first major immigration wave of Jews arrived called the first Alijah or 'going up' (1882-1904) and Baron Edmond de Rothschild in that very year poured finances and expertise into helping the settlers drain the swamps and establish two crops: citrus and grapes. It just so happened that Edmond de Rothschild's main interest was not in banking but in philanthropy and he happened to be of the French branch, which had two family estates growing grape vines and making wine.
According to Wilkipedia, Nathaniel de Rothschild, (1812 -1870) moved to Paris in 1850 to work in the banking business owned by his uncle, James Mayer Rothschild, but in 1853 he acquired Château Brane Mouton, a vineyard in Pauillac in the Gironde département from a Paris banker named Thuret. Under Nathaniel's direction it became of the world's best known winemakers. In 1868, Nat's uncle James acquired the neighbouring Château Lafite vineyard. A prestigious winemaking property more than three times the size of Chateau Mouton. It seems an odd step to go from banking to wine making, from being merchants to agriculture. Due to laws Jews often could not own land and had no traditions of agriculture. One can only assume the opportunity presented itself. In any case by the 1870's the Rothschild's were expert winemakers. By 1882 it would seem logical to take this expertise to Israel. Therefore, one of the very first successful Jewish ventures into agriculture was with the grape vine! What a co-incidence that by a chance investment modern Israel is associated with the grape vine and with the growth of the vines came the growth of the nation itself.
As an aside, according to Wilkipedia in 1922 Philippe de Rothschild at twenty took over the operation of the Château Mouton Rothschild vineyards and two years later came up with the idea of bottling the vintage at the Château. To retain the quality of his label in 1932 he began to sell his lesser quality vintages as a low-cost Bordeaux "Mouton Cadet". It became so successful that he had to purchase grapes throughout the Bordeaux region to meet the demand. Today, Mouton Cadet is the number one selling red wine in the world. In 1933 Philippe expanded acquiring the neighboring Chateau d'Armailhacq. By the late 1930s, the wines of Mouton Rothschild were recognized as among the world's greatest and Philippe de Rothschild was one the most prolific wine producers in the world. Think how extraordinary this is! At the time of Israel's maximum growth from the from the 1930's to the present time the biggest producer of wine for the entire world is a Jew. Not only that but its largest output is a red wine. This is an aside, for the main action regarding the association of the grape vine with Israel occurs actually in Israel.
The following is an excerpt from a time line of wine production in Israel by Medovoy.
1516-1917 - During Ottoman rule, Muslim law prevented Jews and Christians from manufacturing wine. During this time, it was only permitted to make ‘house wine’ – which enabled non-Muslims to continue using wine during religious ceremonies etc.
1848 - First recorded winery opens in the Old City of Jerusalem, by Rabbi Schorr
1870 - Efrat Winery founded by Tepersers Family. Mikveh Israel Agricultural School established. They planted vines, taught viticulture, and built a winery and one of the largest wine cellars of the day. European varietals first used here.
1882 - Baron Edmond de Rothschild targeted Rishon LeZion and Zichron Ya’acov for the first viticulture settlements.
1890 - First harvest in Rishon Le Zion
1892 - Building of the Zichron Ya’acov winery commenced.
1906-At the behest of Rothschild, a growers’ cooperative is established. The wineries are deeded to the growers at a nominal price.
1957 - Israel Wine Institute established in Rehovot, Rothschild family sold the wineries at Rishon Le Zion & Zichron Ya’acov to Carmel Wine Growers Co-Op.
1972 - Prof. Cornelius Ough recommends the Golan Heights as a top growing region.
1976 - First planting of vines on Golan Heights
The start of the time-line is unexpected. It does not start with the date that wine was made but the period when it was not. This fulfils prophecy. As the land was to enjoy her Sabbaths (Lev. 26:34), it is logical that in that time vineyards would not be a feature of the landscape. In fact it was a law that was in place until 1917 that prevented the making of wine and therefore the commercial growing of grapes. The year 1917 was particularly significant as that was the year the proclamation went out from Britain supporting a Jewish state.
However, despite the restriction a winery is opened in Jerusalem in 1848. It may be totally a co-incidence but, it was this year that three things that were to effect the Jewish nation occurred. Firstly the 1848 revolutions were supported by Jews and lead to edicts granting them some level of emancipation in Britain and many countries in Europe. Adding to this emancipation was the publication by Marx of his Communist Manifesto, expressing the ideals that would later be used to physically build the nation of Israel, specifically through the Kibbutz. The last one seems just an odd co-incidence. 1848 was the year J.A Balfour was born, the prime minister of Britain who would issue the proclamation of support for the nation. And it was precisely that year that they first made wine in Jerusalem. All co-incidence perhaps.
The very first co-ordinated Jewish venture into agriculture was in 1870. You would think they would focus on essential foods, but according to this time-line, from the very first they decided to grow grape vines and to produce wine!
Wilkipedia says of Edmond de Rothschild that he “was involved in the founding of Israel's wine industry when he helped Russian Jews flee pogroms in the 1880s and plant vineyards in their Palestine settlements”. This quote is extraordinary as it links as one event the founding of the wine industry and the first immigration wave. Commay(1963) goes further and writes of the settlement of Rishlon-le-Zion, “But things went hard with them until Baron de Rothschild helped them to find water, and to build the wine cellars”. By 'cellars' Commay meant the establishment of a wine business. Modern Israel and the grape vine cannot be separated.
To keep the parallel in 1892 another winery is built and that is the year Theodor Herzl calls for a return to Zion.
The next date is 1906. Perhaps any year we pick we could find a significant event. It so happens it was significant for two reasons. It is the year of the start of the second Aliyah and it is that very year of 1906 that David Ben-Gurion arrives in Israel. It was from this group that the Kibbutz movement grew. Perhaps this is co-incidence. Except that David Ben-Gurion is associated with the grape vine. He was a workers' leader in the Yekev (winery of Carmel Mizrahi) long before becoming Israel's first prime minister.
It seems to disprove the analogy that the next date of 1957 does not seem significant. This is the date that Israel became totally in control of its own wine industry. Well, perhaps! 1957 was a year of a markedly increased immigration to Israel resulting form the Suez war and an increase in new settlements again with orchards and vineyards, and for the first time they, as a nation, share expertise and offer assistance to other nations, specifically in Africa. A kind of coming of age, forty years after 1917.
The suggestion to plant vines in the Golan Heights in 1972 is not surprising. In that year under the Allon Plan they were expanding the settlements which had previously been threatened by Syria until its capture by Israel in 1967. And with the expansion of these settlements came the planting of more vines. This is in contrast to Gaza and the West Bank. They planted neither vines nor encouraged settlements there.
The new nation of Israel was associated by someone with the grape vine. The nation always from the first relied on its defence forces. The insignia on the shoulder of the Chief-of-staff and the Brigadier is an olive branch and two or one vine leaves. The rank on the shoulders of the Colonel, Lt Colonel and Major are signified by a descending number of grape vine leaves. It is on the shoulder that a burden is carried (Isa 22:22 KJV). Therefore, on the shoulders of the commanders of the defence force is the representation of the nation. First rank bears the olive, but at all levels they bear the grape vine. As the defence forces are everywhere evident, this symbol of association is evident.
There is a very pragmatic reason, of course, why early settlers in Israel would have wanted to plant vines to make wine. It could not be bought from the Moslems who lived nearby and it would have been expensive to import. And they needed it to keep the Holy feasts. Also according to Medovoy, the climate of Israel is very suitable to growing good red grapes because they have a lot of sun, and few clouds in the summer, and in certain places they have very cool winters and moderate summers which is very good for growing red grapes. Israel's climate is perfect for growing grapes, therefore, we would expect them to grow grapevines and therefore that they would dominate the landscape. And it is this dominance of the landscape by the planting that could cause the people to associate themselves with the grape vine.
The later time line parallels I feel are weak, and are of interest only in that they seem to point to a possible continuance of the scriptural link between Israel and the grape vine. The pragmatic reasons, however, do not explain why Israeli's planted vines wherever they settled, as the collective ensured equitable distribution. It also does not explain why the initial settlements prospered after having planted vines. And in any case, the symbol of the nation borne on the shoulders of the leaders of the defence forces was selected before vineyards dominated the landscape of modern Israel.
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