The Return of Joy

One of the images used throughout Isaiah to describe Israel's exile is the loss of vineyards. This was both a literal loss, the physical destruction experienced during the exile, and symbolic. The loss of the vineyards meant the loss of wine and the loss of wine symbolized the loss of joy. Consider the exilic associations between wine and joy in Isaiah 24:

The earth mourns and withers;
the world languishes and withers;
the highest people of the earth languish.
The earth lies defiled
under its inhabitants;
for they have transgressed the laws,
violated the statutes,
broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore a curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched,
and few men are left.
The wine mourns,
the vine languishes,
all the merry-hearted sigh.
The mirth of the tambourines is stilled,
the noise of the jubilant has ceased,
the mirth of the lyre is stilled.
No more do they drink wine with singing;
strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
The wasted city is broken down;
every house is shut up so that none can enter.
There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;
all joy has grown dark;
the gladness of the earth is banished.
Desolation is left in the city;
the gates are battered into ruins.
For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth
among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,
as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is done.

The wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh. The mirth of the tambourines and lyre are stilled. The noise of the jubilant has ceased. No more do they drink wine with singing. All joy has gone dark. There is outcry in the streets for lack of wine. The gladness of the earth is banished.

All this sits in the background of Jesus' miracle at Cana, the making of wine for a wedding banquet. The making of wine for a celebration signals the end of Israel's exile. The wine no longer mourns. This is the exilic meaning of Jesus' inaugural miracle. The first sign of the kingdom's arrival is the return of joy.