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Isa.25:1. Lord my God, I will glorify you, I will glorify your name, for you have done wonderful works, the ancient true counsel: let it be, Lord. In the book (of explanations) that we completed, the prophet gave a lengthy and confidential speech about the malice of the devil and about the punishment and judgment awaiting him, as well as about the overthrow of evil and hostile forces. To this he added a loud sermon about the kingdom of Christ, for he said: The Lord will reign in Zion and Jerusalem: and he will be glorious before the elders (Is. 24:23). Because of all this, the prophets are filled with excessive joy and glorify the Performer of such wonderful deeds with great praise, which is why they say: Lord my God, I will glorify you, I will glorify your name, ancient and true counsel, and you have done wonderful deeds. And since he says: you created something that did not yet happen at that time, then, letting you know that it has not yet happened, but will certainly happen, he adds let it be, Lord. For they contemplated the time of the coming (of the Lord) with their spiritual eyes as if it had already arrived, although they fully knew that it had not yet come; He calls the mystery of the Incarnation of the Only Begotten and His consequences, beneficial for the whole earth, ancient council and wonderful deeds. We are saved in Christ, who was foreknown before the foundation of the world, and who appeared in the last summer of the age, as the wise Peter says (1 Pet. 1:20); since the mystery of Christ is not something new or just revealed; but it was predetermined before the creation of the world, and it was revealed in due time. Isa.25:2. For thou hast laid down the cities in the dust, solid cities, with the foundation of their mouths, that the city of the wicked may be built for ever. It was a matter of true counsel and the impeccable determinations of Almighty God that fortified cities should be destroyed, turned into heaps of earth and, as it were, moved from their foundations and deprived of hope of ever being restored, for, he says, they will not be built forever. By destroyed cities we do not mean in the sensual sense the cities or the people living in them; on the contrary, we think that each of the evil and hostile forces, and above all Satan himself, is called a strong city. For it is customary for God-inspired Scripture to sometimes compare those who possess great power to towers and walls or cities, as we have already said before that the blessed prophet Jeremiah was erected by God as a fortified city and as a strong copper wall. When Emmanuel appeared and shone to the world, the wicked horde of hostile forces was crushed and Satan was shaken to his very foundations and fell so much that he irrevocably lost all power and lost all hope of ever rising up and regaining his former power. Isa.25:3–5. For this reason, poor people will bless you, and the cities of offended people will bless you. For thou art a helper to every humble city, and a protection to those who are fainting because of their poverty, and delivered them from evil men: the protection of the thirsty, and the spirit of the offended, (they will bless thee) like the cowardly thirsty men in Zion, for having delivered them from the wicked men to whom thou hast betrayed us. Israel was called to the knowledge of God through education in the law and was enriched with divine gifts; for he was saved and received as an inheritance the land of promise: but countless other peoples, living, I say, throughout the whole of heaven, were completely deprived of spiritual and blessings coming from above: they did not taste divine gifts, were in some way stripped of clothing and naked, had neither divine protection and protection from above, nor spiritual wealth coming from virtue, nor anything else that deserves praise and is worthy of all surprise. When Christ himself appeared and, having removed them from the power of the devil, led them to God and the Father, and when they were enriched with the light of truth, participation in His glory, the greatness of life in accordance with the Gospel; then for all this they began to offer songs of thanksgiving to God and the Father. So, they say, since You, Lord, have carried out the ancient and true counsel, restoring everything in Christ, enlightening those who are in darkness and crushing the rulers of the world of this age, like some very strong cities, then the poor people will bless You and all the cities will glorify You; for You became a helper for all of them and became a protection for those who endured unbearable sorrow due to the poverty of their fatherly goods, and delivered them from evil people. For even in Zion some were faint-hearted, like people exhausted from thirst; and perhaps with these words the prophet points us to this. But there were undoubtedly those in Israel who longed for the coming of the Savior and strongly desired to see the Savior and Redeemer of all. Such was the case of a certain righteous Simeon, who, taking the newborn Jesus in his arms, said: Now you are releasing your servant, O Master, in peace, according to your word, because you have seen with my eyes the salvation you have prepared before the face of all people: a light for revelation in the tongue, and the glory of your people Israel (Luke 2:29-32). And also blessed Zechariah, the father of John, filled with the Holy Spirit, glorified God, exclaiming: Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and brought deliverance to His people: and He has raised up the horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David: just as the mouth of the saints who have been from the beginning said, His prophet, salvation is from our enemies, and from the hand of all those who hate us: show mercy to our fathers, and remember Your holy covenant, the oath by which we swore to Abraham our father, to give us, without fear, having been delivered from the hand of our enemies, to serve Him with honor and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives (Luke 1:68-75). You see how the ancient and true advice of God and the Father was announced to the holy fathers. I understand that salvation was revealed to the world - Emmanuel, who became a spirit for people unjustly offended; for they sighed from the oppression of their enemies and were delivered from the wicked people to whom they had been betrayed. And if someone were to apply these words to the pagans, then we will say that the unclean demons who have ruled over those living on earth since ancient times are called people; their weakness is very well indicated by the fact that they are called men. But it is likely that the false teachers among them, and the so-called initiates into the sacraments, or poets and orators and inventors of eloquence revered by the Hellenes, are also called evil people, because with their inherent ability to speak eloquently, they drew those deceived by them into the mire of destruction. If this is said about the Israelites, then we will call those who received the lot of teaching (the people), that is, the scribes and Pharisees, evil people. Having the glory of the priesthood and therefore enjoying honor and power, they took the key of knowledge and neither believed themselves nor allowed others to do so; The erring people, subordinate to the teachers of the law, were betrayed into the power of unclean demons, because God allowed them (the people) to experience this tradition, just as some were betrayed by Him into an unskilled mind, who turned out to be unworthy of His mercy and help. Isa.25:6,7. And the Lord of hosts will do with all his tongue: on this mountain they will drink joy, they will drink wine. They will be anointed with myrrh on this mountain: give this to all tongues: for that counsel shall be spoken unto all tongues. Having predicted that the Lord would reign in Zion and Jerusalem, (the prophet) extracts a mysterious meaning from this, as it were, similarity of sensory and visible objects. For Zion is interpreted as a place exalted and convenient for observation, and Jerusalem is a vision of the world. The Church of Christ is truly both; for it is high and visible from everywhere and as if located on a mountain. And in another respect, we understand it as high: there is nothing low in it and it is completely removed from earthly objects, for it is written: The powers of God on earth have been greatly exalted (Is. 46:10). Its divine and true dogmas are equally sublime; for the teaching about God or about the holy and consubstantial Trinity is unartificial, pure and directed towards truth alone. Again Christ, who is the world, is contemplated in it. So, he says, the Lord of hosts will do it, and not only to the Israelites, as beloved for the sake of the fathers and chosen, but also to all nations, that is, living in all the heavens. What will he do? They will drink, he says, joy, they will drink wine. They will be anointed with myrrh on this mountain. In a word: joy, of course, indicates joy in hope, that is, in hope established in Christ. For together with Him we will reign and enjoy every pleasure of the soul, surpassing mind and word. In a word, wine indicates a mysterious blessing and the property of a bloodless sacrifice, which we usually perform in holy churches. Myrrh perfectly signifies to us the anointing of the Holy Spirit. For the wise John writes: you also have the anointing of the Holy One, and do not demand, but who teaches you, but because the anointing itself teaches you in all things (1 John 2:20,27). For we are anointed with chrism especially during holy baptism, so that by performing the anointing we may receive the guarantee of the Holy Spirit. But, he says, deliver this all with your tongue; for this advice is for all nations. The ancient law and the ministry according to it, established through the mediation of angels, were not given to all nations, but only to Israel according to the flesh; grace in Christ and calling through faith, and along with this sanctification by the Spirit and the sacrament itself (the Eucharist) according to the advice of God and the Father - for all peoples; for Christ, according to the word of the Saint, is the hope of the tongues. Isa.25:8. Having devoured death, it was possible, and again the Lord God took away every tear from every face: the reproach of people was taken away from all the earth, for the mouth of the Lord spoke this. It is very timely and necessary that a word about the resurrection of the dead is added to the sermon about the sacrament. Therefore, during holy baptism, by pronouncing the confession of faith, we express our expectation of the resurrection of the body and thus believe. Death prevailed over the forefather Adam for breaking (the commandments) and, attacking like some fierce and cruel beast, kidnapped (people); Therefore, crying, cries, tears and grief for the dead ruled among those living on earth. But in Christ (all this) ceased; for on the third day He rose from the dead, having corrected death, and becoming for human nature the way to deliverance from corruption. He became the firstborn from the dead and the firstfruits from those who sleep; after the firstfruits, and the first will undoubtedly follow, that which comes after it, that is, we. Therefore, sorrow turned into joy and the sackcloth was torn, but we girded ourselves with God-given joy, so that we could say rejoicing: where is the sting of death? Where the hell is victory? (1 Cor. 15:55). The sting of death, he says, is sin. So, every tear is taken away. For believing that Christ will certainly raise the dead, we do not drown in tears for them; and we do not give ourselves over to immoderate sorrow, like others who do not have hope (1 Thess. 4:13). The prophet probably calls death itself the reproach of people, as having its origin in crime among us, or, perhaps, sin, through which corruption entered (the world) and the power of death prevailed over those living on earth. But since the mystery of the resurrection is inconvenient for many, it is natural that many did not believe in it for the sake of its inherent greatness; then the blessed prophet added that the mouth of the Lord said this. And who would dare to claim that God can tell a lie and is not able to fully bring into reality what He has foretold? Heaven and earth, he says, pass by, but my words do not pass by (Matthew 24:35). Isa.25:9. And they will say on that day: Behold, our God is the one who trusted and will save us: this is the Lord who suffered Him, and we rejoiced and rejoiced in our salvation. God will give you peace on this mountain. Know, he says, the One who gives joy to drink, and with it wine, and who anoints those in spiritual Zion with myrrh; know that He truly is God and the Son, born by nature from God, although He appeared in the form of a servant and for the sake of the salvation and life of all became man and became like those living on earth in everything except one sin. For, he says, as if already stretching out his hand, they say: behold, our God is our hope, and we rejoice in our salvation. I think that this speech is most appropriately attributed to the Israelites, who, having been brought up in the teachings of Moses and knowing the prophecies of the holy prophets, expected that in due time the Savior and Redeemer and our Lord Jesus Christ would come. So, as I said before, Zechariah, the father of John, prophesying in the spirit, spoke about Christ that a horn of salvation would be raised up for the people. And Simeon, taking the Holy Child in his arms, says in the same way: my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people (Luke 2:30,31). Therefore, he says, those who knew the Savior and Redeemer who was foretold of old, who is the hope of all, will say: Behold, our God, and they will confess that God will give rest on this mountain. And again understand that the church is called a mountain: for in it rest is given, as we heard the words of Christ: Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Through faith in Him we have been freed from the terrible and unbearable burden of sin; and we also calmed down (through Him) and in another way got rid of the fear of the inevitability of the punishment to which we should have been subjected - and of the retribution that we had to bear for our sins. And the love for us of the Savior of us all, Christ, was not limited to this, but to this are added the expected benefits - receiving the kingdom of heaven, endless and immortal life and deliverance from everything that usually causes sorrow. For it is written of the saints that eternal joy is upon their heads. Isa.25:10–12. And Moabiti will be trampled, as they trample the current with chariots: and he will lift up his hands, as he would humble that hedgehog; and he will humble his pride, laying his hand on the weaker. And the height of the refuge of your fence will be humbled, and will be brought down even to the ground. The word of the holy prophets is always somehow deep and follows an internal and hidden path. Therefore, there is no need to think that the external side of writing is always and in all respects true: on the contrary, it is necessary to examine the meaning embedded in the letter. So, the Moabites were neighbors of the Jews and were overly prone to error and were given over to the service of idols. Saying that Moabitis will be trampled underfoot, as they trample the current with chariots, (the prophet) teaches that after the appearance of Christ and the calling of the pagans to the holy and divine sacrament and their sanctification through faith, shameful and unclean idolatry will be completely and completely destroyed and that Satan will be cast down under the feet of believers, since he has given us the power to tread on the serpent and the scorpion and on every power enemy (Luke 10:19) We think that in these words he points either to the idolatry of Moab, or, borrowing the whole image from one idolatrous country, refers his word, as I said, to all idolatry. So, having been overthrown, he says, it will be trampled under foot, as it were, of those who thresh. And he will lift up his hands, just as he would humble the one who would destroy him. Who will raise up their hands? The inventor of idolatry, the keeper of lies and the turner of man from God, that is, Satan. For he will raise up his hands, that is, all his power and strength of activity will be destroyed, since hands are considered an image of strength. How he humiliated those living on earth to the point that he destroyed everyone; in the same exact way, Christ will humble his pride, that is, the unbearable love of power, which he turned on everyone, as if laying hands (on everyone), and boldly subordinated to his dominion those who were created by God for good deeds. Then the prophetic word again turns, as it were, to the Moabite country itself or to unclean idolatry and says: He will humble the height of the refuge of your fence. By the humble height of the refuge of the fence we mean the leader of idolatry and lies, the one who fenced it in, as it were, with a wall and strengthened it for resistance. But, he says, he will fall. For Christ will overthrow it and destroy it to the ground, that is, completely destroy it. And we see from events (history) that what was predicted has completely come true; for the churches fell and everything that was in the sanctuaries was cast out; there are no more altars and sacrifices, and sorceries, and those who performed deceitful games. All this was destroyed by Christ and for those living on earth the light of truth shone and the sun of righteousness rose, gladdening the hearts of those who believe in Him. Isa.26:1. On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judea, saying: Behold, the city is strong, and salvation will build for us a wall and a fence. After the trampling of the Moabite country, that is, according to the understanding indicated above, after the complete destruction of idolatry, freed from error and turning to the light of truth and opening the eyes of the mind, they will know, he says, the Creator of all things, the Lord Savior and Redeemer, through whom are all things and in whom are all things, and who for our sake descended to earth. And as if the song and singing itself were rattling on the lyre, they would say in praise: behold, the city is strong and salvation is for us. And truly, our Lord Jesus Christ or the hope in Him is like some very fortified and completely invincible city; for he accepts those who flee from the dominion of the devil, and by accepting, he saves. That is why he said: My sheep hear my voice, and they come after me, and I will give them eternal life, and no one will snatch them from my hand (John 10:27,28). So, the Savior of all is a strong and saving city, a city that has a wall and is surrounded by a fortification, that is, providing all security, just as cities that are quite well fortified do not have a simple trench, but on top of a large wall are also fenced with another fortification. And it befits those who offer a song of praise to say about the church of our Savior: Behold, the city is strong and salvation is for us; for the gates of hell will not prevail against her, according to the word of the Savior (Matthew 16:18). For it is surrounded, as it were, by a kind of double wall - the intercession of the holy angels and the intercession from above and from God, Who is its encircling wall, because He is the power of the holy spirits themselves, as the very and only Lord of all powers. You need to know that Christ, as born from the tribe of Judah, is sometimes called Judas in the Holy Scriptures, according to the saying of Jacob, who says: Judah, your brethren will praise you (Gen. 49:8). So in the land of Judah a song is sung; for the church is the city of Christ. Isa.26:2,3. Open the gates, so that people who keep the truth, and who keep the truth, who accept the truth, and who keep peace, come in. For I have placed my hope in you, O Lord, forever. When the inhabitants of the entire universe have already come to know our Lord Jesus Christ and confessed that He will be a strong and saving city, having an internal wall and an external one, then, finally, the Holy Spirit urgently commands the holy masters, I say, the holy apostles and evangelists through the mouth of the holy prophet, saying: open the gates, that is, expand for those who wish access through faith and entry through immaculate secret leadership, and let the people enter, one who preserves truth and who preserves truth; for divine, evangelical and saving preaching teaches believers the truth from above the law, so that they are constant in keeping the truth: it introduces ministry no longer in images and shadows, as the ancient law did, but in spirit and truth. And this is the truth. Accepts the truth; for he desires, as I said, not what is in the shadows, but what is through Christ, Who is the truth. They also preserve peace: How or in what way? For he who is completely accepted by Christ, after the destruction of this ancient enmity (since he was in discord with Him in error), will be an unshakable admirer. And Blessed Paul convinces us to do this, saying: having been justified by faith, peace be upon the imams and to God our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). Serving creation and indulging in carnal passions, we were at enmity with God: but saying to Him alone: ​​Lord, do You know no other: we call Thy name, we become His friends and allies; and besides, we are adorned with a certain crown of perfect life and evangelical behavior. To glorify this, it could justly be said to God through the mouths of the saints: for in Thee we trust, O Lord, forever. For they will not cease to hope in God; on the contrary, they will constantly boast about Him. Isa.26:5,6. Great, Eternal God, who has humbled those who live in the high places, I have destroyed strong cities and brought them down even to the ground. And I will trample the feet of the meek and humble. For very wonderful deeds, the holy prophets usually bring thanks to the ruling God of all and seem to jump for joy. And this serves as clear proof of the greatest sincerity (of this feeling) among them. They rejoice greatly when they see the spread of the glory of God and the destruction of those who hate it, I say, unclean demons and among them Satan, whom (Isaiah) likens to fortified cities and about which he claims that they live on high places; for they always have proud and arrogant thoughts, so that they rebel against the right hand of God himself and think that, having cruelly offended Him, they will not suffer at all for this, but that they completely reign over those living on earth. But You, he says, are one great and eternal God, and You have proven this by your very deeds, for having humbled You brought down those who live on high, that is, crushed the power of the proud, the exalted and the arrogant, You brought them down to the ground and, as it were, destroyed fortified cities to the ground. This is exactly what it means: even to the ground. You gave them to be trampled under the feet of the meek and humble. Who are they again? Are they not faithful keepers of the Savior’s commandments, trying to imitate their Lord, who proclaims and says: come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest? Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28–30). Let us also remember His words: Behold, I give you power to tread on the serpent and the scorpion, and on all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). For the apostate dragon is trampled; and we stepped on the asp and basilisk, wanting to live in the help of the Most High and finding ourselves under the roof of the heavenly God, that is, Christ. He receives worship in heaven, for when, he says, he introduces the firstborn into the universe, he says: and let all the angels of God worship him (Heb. 1:6). Isa.26:7,8. The path of the pious is right, and the path of the pious is prepared. The way is the Lord's judgment: we trust in your name and memory, even as our soul desires. The blessed prophet Jeremiah reminds us of the gospel life and truth in Christ, saying to lovers of truth: stand on the path and see, and ask about the eternal paths of the Lord and see which is the good way, and walk in it and you will find cleansing for your souls (Jer. 6:16). For the words of the holy prophets and the commandments of Moses, the prophecy of the secrets about Christ, as if in shadows and images, are the paths and ways of the Lord. So, by exploring these paths, we learn the good path, that is, life in Christ, and by walking along it we will find true cleansing for our souls and through the Spirit. Therefore he says that the path of the pious has become straight. And how can we not call it straight and even, and without any difficulties, when, by pronouncing the word of faith, we are justified and through holy baptism we receive cleansing in abundance. The path of the pious is straight in another respect. For after the enemies are destroyed, the dominion of the devil is overthrown and every difficulty is removed, what else can resist the lovers of piety and weaken their strength? Look, how he says that after making the path of the pious in some way easier, there will be the destruction of what is in images and shadows, because not without intention he adds: the way of the Lord is judgment, that is, not the bringing of calves, not the slaughter of sheep, not bread and incense, on the contrary, judgment, that is, righteousness. In inspired Scripture, the word: judgment usually denotes truth, as for example, blessed David says: the king’s honor loves judgment (Ps. 98:4), that is, truth, since every kingdom that loves truth is in honor with God and people. So, the way of the Lord is judgment. But again he represents as greatly rejoicing those who walk this right path, for they say that we trust in your name and memory, which our soul desires, because (they say) all our hope is in Christ, of whom we always remember, having such a desire, because through this we are saved. Isa.26:9. From the night my spirit grows strong towards you, O God, for the light of your command is upon the earth. Night calls the time before the incarnation of the Lord, morning is prophetic foreknowledge, and true light is the Gospel of the Sun of Truth - Christ, who is commanded to be studied everywhere on earth. It is impossible to learn it by nature, as we learn to look or walk, but this requires diligence and effort. Whoever has not studied it will be taken away from among the living and will not see the glory of Christ. Those who say: we trust in your name, and the memory that our soul desires, necessarily add this too. For having installed the divine light in their minds and expelled (from it) the darkness of ancient error, and seeing the darkness of sin disappear, they send out songs of thanksgiving, saying that they will wake up, as it were, from night and darkness, because in them, as it were, a spiritual day is dawning and in their hearts the morning star has finally shone, as it is written. The divine Paul writes to such people in his epistle and says: sometimes there is darkness, but now there is light in the Lord (Eph. 5:8), and in another place: the nights are unbearable, lower than darkness, but sons of light and sons of day (1 Thess. 5:5). For the minds of believers are enlightened by the gospel commandments. That is why the divine David, as it were, says to our Lord Jesus Christ: a lamp to my feet is your law and a light to my paths (Ps. 119:105). The law given through the wise Moses was aggravated, as it were, by some darkness and shadowing, I say, of the letter; in the gospel preaching, the beauty of the truth is open and clear and, like an influx of light, enlightens the mind in the souls of the pious. Isa.26:10. You who live on earth will learn the truth. For the wicked cease: everyone who does not learn righteousness on earth will not create the truth: let the wicked be lifted up, so that he does not see the glory of the Lord. Nowhere did God, through the mouth of the prophet, say: and they will all be taught by God. See how in these words the prophet introduces Christ to us as a kind of secret guide for the pagans who believed in Him. For those who once knew that the light of His command is on earth, necessarily receive from Him the knowledge of what is useful. O you, he says, who live on earth will learn the truth. This is similar to what was said through the mouth of David: all the nations will hear this, and all who live throughout the world will be taught (Ps. 48:2). The law, contained in writing, guided only Israel according to the flesh, but our Lord Jesus Christ, spreading a net of meekness, caught all the things under heaven. Therefore (the prophet) rightly gives advice to all who live on earth, saying that they should learn the truth spoken through Him, that is, the Gospel. And that it is unsafe not to obey his words, he adds and says: for the wicked cease: everyone who does not learn righteousness on earth will not create the truth; for, he says, he will undergo death and destruction and, as it were, disappear: this, I think, is what the expression means: the end. Anyone who does not acquire the knowledge of the truth of the Gospel will not create the truth. And again in these words he refers to the power of Christian life and the worship and service of God as spirit and truth. The law, having a shadow of future benefits, and not the very image of objects, was not the truth; Christ and His commandments in justice must be recognized as truth and truth. I think that this should also be said: Christ has become our truth from the Father; At the same time, he is also the truth. Therefore, he says, learn righteousness and truth, that is, know him who is truly the Son, the Creator of all things and the Lord; because everyone who is wicked will be taken away and removed from among the living, so that he may not see the glory of the Lord. This is the same thing that Christ himself said to the Jewish people: Amen, amen, I say to you: if you do not have faith as I am, you will die in your sins (John 8:24); and again: he who believes in the Son will not be condemned: and he who does not believe is already condemned, because he does not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). And once condemned and dead in his sins, how will he see the glory of the Lord? For he will not remain with Christ and in no way, having received a share in His glory, will not see the inheritance of the saints. Isa.26:11. Lord, your muscle is high, and without knowing it, they will be ashamed: people will become jealous, unpunished, and now the adversaries will burn with fire. While God, as we can see in the words now spoken to us, makes a threat to people who do not learn the truth and do not create the truth, the prophet turns to a reminder of the ignorance and at the same time the disobedience of Israel. For the Creator of all things. God the Word, the omnipotent Hand of the Father, through Whom everything came into being, Who exists in the image and likeness of the Father, condescended to voluntary exhaustion and humbled Himself, according to what is written, becoming man, in order to justify those living on earth, that is, through faith in Himself, and performed unspeakable deeds and through the greatness of deeds made it known that He is God and from God by nature, saying: If I do not do the works of My Father, you do not have faith in Me: if I do, if you do not believe Me, believe in My work (John 10:37). But they, being eyewitnesses of His wonderful deeds and direct listeners of His words, remained stubborn and adamant and, on the contrary, had an unbridled tongue; They dared, wickedly, to call Him a Samaritan and a wine drinker, and the son of a carpenter, and other even more hateful names. Therefore, the prophet, who foreknew all this with the illumination of the Spirit, turns with these words to the heavenly Father and God and says: Lord, high is Your arm, and you do not know: for by the dignity of His own superiority and as if in divine glory He is great and high and truly is the all-powerful arm of the Father, that is, God the Word, through Whom everything happened. When He appeared in the flesh, they did not know His glory, but, he says, they were ashamed, meaning when they learned that He is the life-giving Word of God. How will they know if they themselves killed the chief of salvation and rejected the Holy One of Israel, as the divine Peter says (Acts 3:14-15). But when Christ, having broken the bonds of death, rose from the dead on the third day, and when the Jewish leaders especially learned about this, then they were ashamed and fearful, lest the mystery of the resurrection should become known to everyone, the silver pieces were pleased, giving to the warrior, as it is written (Matthew 28:12), so that they would say that his disciples came in the night and stole him (Matthew 28:13). They will also be ashamed in another way: for when they see Him at the end of the age coming in the glory of the Father with the angels, then they will feel endless shame, because although they were the sons of marriage for the sake of the fathers, for the promise and the law and the covenant belong to them, they will be sent into outer darkness. Therefore, he rightly calls them an unbridled people and says that jealousy will consume them and fire will burn their opponents. For when they became rejected and lost hope in Christ and found themselves alien to the promises, and when the pagans were accepted, then they, the unfortunate ones, were tormented by jealousy and, as it were, consumed by fire, obviously envy. Something similar is written in the songs (psaloms) about the descendants of Israel, (namely) - that they were jealous of Me not for the gods and grieved Me among their idols; and I will show them not for the people; I will stir up anger against them among a foolish people. Isa.26:12,13. Lord our God, give us peace, for you have given us everything. O Lord our God, we are gainful: O Lord, do we know no other than You: we call Your name. The holy prophets were in the habit of bringing supplications for Israel, for they (the prophets) were dear to God and beautifully crowned with the virtues of piety; and since at the same time they came from the root of Abraham and from the blood of the holy fathers; then, as half-blooded Israelites, it is necessary to grieve, seeing their destruction for the sake of their wickedness towards Christ. That is why now the blessed prophet Isaiah turns to God in prayer, saying: Lord our God, give us peace: for you have repaid us with everything. For if You, he says, would give us peace; we would be filled with every good thing and would receive the most modern participation in Your gifts. And you need to know what kind of peace they are asking for. Or they ask Christ himself because He is our peace, according to Scripture, and through Him we are united with the Father through kinship, that is, spiritual. Or they say the following. Those who have not yet believed and have not yet been cleansed from the filth of sin, are separated from God and are rightly considered among His enemies, proudly hold their necks and rebel against the laws of the Lord; but those who are submissive and obedient to Him and are ready to do everything pleasing to Him are very dear to Him and have peace with Him. But this, truly, is a gift from God and comes from the highest bounties. So, grant us, Lord, that we may be at peace with You and, after removing unclean and disgusting sin from our midst, unite with You spiritually through the mediation of Christ. Therefore, what was said through the mouth of Paul is true: being justified by faith, peace be upon God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). As a result, we will be God's possession and inheritance. Therefore, it is wisely added: Lord, we are acquisitive, do You know no other: We call Your name: for those who are at peace with God must be like-minded and associated only with Him, so that they know only Him alone, and never pronounce the name of another false God even with their tongue; He alone must be named, because He alone is God by nature and truth. The law given through the wise Moses also proclaimed to us: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and thou shalt serve only His name (Deut. 6:13). Isa.26:14,15. The dead cannot see their bellies; they will be resurrected by doctors: for this reason you brought them, and you destroyed them, and you took away every male of their sex. Do evil to them, Lord, do evil to the glorious ones of the earth. Only those who know the true and by nature existing God and call His name and do not equate anyone with Him at all, and therefore say: Lord, do You know no other, necessarily add: They cannot see the dead belly again unless You; for the Creator of all things and the Lord, being by nature life, imparts life to everything, and in Him we move and are (Acts 17:28). But the doctor below, he says, will resurrect; because with this, obviously, it should mean: is it for you, since everything we have is from God and He created medicine for them from the earth (Sir.38:4), according to what is written. So, as regards, I say, the letter and the immediate and clear meaning, then this explanation of the thoughts (of this place) should be this and not another. But since it is necessary to delve into the inner meaning of this speech and discover the purpose of the true thought of the prophet, we must say the following: some are dead and not at all according to the flesh, but are mortified by attachment to worldly pleasures, and do not have a life holy in Christ and in accordance with the Gospel. But such, he says, without You would not have received life or life-giving grace. In the same way, those who could relieve those infected with mental illnesses and could rightly be called spiritual doctors, without You could not restore the strength of the sick. We call spiritual doctors the holy prophets, apostles and evangelists, who, possessing in abundance the word that can heal with the help of heavenly grace and spiritual intercession, heal those wounded by sin and the wickedness of the devil. But probably the prophetic word hints to us here at something else; for our Lord Jesus Christ, having shown himself equal to the Father in power and glory, raised the dead from their graves and healed those suffering from mortal diseases. However, although He performed such wonderful deeds, He was not honored by those who were spectators of these deeds, on the contrary, while being persecuted by the peculiarities of the leaders and teachers of the Jews. So, since without You, he says, the dead would not have seen life, since You alone can impart life, and doctors would not have raised them from their graves. whom You raised up, since even after that they remained unbelievers and fell into a furious rage, those who should have believed in Him before others: then for this reason You brought them, and You destroyed them, and You took away every male sex of them: for You brought upon them wrath, which did not destroy to the foundation of all Israel, because the remnant was saved, but every male sex of them, that is, the ruling class, since the male sex is compared with the female is more capable of managing. He already calls men, perhaps, as it were, the youngest of the Jews - not because of their physical strength, but because of their knowledge of legal institutions. This is what God said to one of the prophets: I will go to the powers and speak to them (Jer. 5:5). And so they unanimously broke the yoke and broke the bonds. But that he rightly calls those who were foremost and most sacred among the Jews pitiful and poured out the strongest anger on them, Christ himself explains this, saying: woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you have traversed sea and dry land, creating one stranger: and when it happens, you will create for him a son of hell worse than you (Matthew 23:15); and again: woe to you who are lawyers, because you have taken away the key of understanding; you yourselves have not entered into, and those who have entered have been rebuked (Luke 11:52). Therefore, the male sex, that is, those with advantage and honor, are justly punished; and since they then achieved spiritual courage in the knowledge of the law, he wants evil to be applied to them. For they not only fell away from communion with God, raging against Christ, but they were also destroyed by famine and fell into the resulting disasters, when their country was completely devastated and ruined. And those whom he called men are also called glorious, that is, as outstanding and elevated above others, because they were crowned with the advantages of the priesthood. Every male sex was given by God and served to help them; he calls evil that which causes harm, or executions sent down from God, famine, plagues, wars, and the like; He calls those who have gained fame by evil deeds and who are famous for their power, glorious. Isa.26:16,17. Lord, in sorrow I remembered You, in sorrow Thy punishment is small for us. And as a sick woman was approaching to give birth, and in her illness she cried out, so Thy beloved was gone. Moved by a very great love for God, the blessed prophet said against the Jews for their daring actions: apply evil to all the glorious ones of the earth, but so that he is not considered somehow harsh and cruel, exhorting those who have sinned not to seek mercy, but to remain in sorrow and disasters, he, as necessary, adds what usually happens to everyone, namely, that in sorrow and In times of need, they usually remember Almighty God. For an excess of peace of mind disposes people to negligence and, one can say that, due to extreme laziness, having come to such a state of mind, they do not even recognize their sins: grief, as if by force, forces them to turn to God and leads them to the knowledge of the fall. For this reason, he says, I said: apply evil to the glorious ones of the earth, since it is a common property of all people, so that they remember You and conform their thoughts and actions to Your will, especially when they are exposed to disasters. In a little sorrow, we come to our senses, because God does not subject us to excessive and not entirely cruel punishment, but, on the contrary, dissolves anger with mercy. So, the appeal (to God) that He would bring sorrow to those who had sinned was not the work of one who hated them, but, on the contrary, of one who loved them and called them to admonition, so that if they did not have the fruit of piety by their own free will, then at least, as if by necessity, they were brought to this, feeling the wrath of the Divine. I think that this is precisely what was said through the mouth of David: with the bridle and the bridle of their jaws you will bind those who do not approach You (Ps. 31:9). But those (Jews), having committed grave sins and acted impudently with Christ, fell into sorrow. We are yours and we philosophize and say what is pleasing to You, and are differently disposed towards Your beloved, that is, the Son. Truly, we, like a woman in the throes of birth, seem to cry out against those who dishonored Him, and, suffering greatly from this, we rebel with all our strength against those who disobey Him. What the (prophets?) say is true. Therefore, blessed Isaiah, condemning the insolent words that the Jews uttered against Christ, says: “Now come you, sons of iniquity, seed of adulterers and harlots: in what do you delight and against whom are your lips open? and against whom is your tongue directed? Are you not the offspring of destruction, the seed of iniquity? (Isa.57:3,4). And blessed David speaks of them nowhere: let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and let their backs be cut off (Ps. 68:24). And besides this, the holy prophets have a lot of speeches (accusatory) against the synagogue of the Jews for their wickedness in relation to Christ. Isa.26:18. For the sake of Thy fear, O Lord, I received in the womb, and was sick, and gave birth to the spirit of Thy salvation, which I created on earth. Those who claim (about themselves) that out of love for the Beloved Father, that is, the Son, they became like a woman giving birth, holding well to figurative speech, say that they suffered the pangs of birth and in their womb received and gave birth to the spirit of salvation on earth. These words, as I said, befit the prophets, and the holy apostles and evangelists, who, having been enriched with the gifts of the highest secrecy and having received, as it were, some spiritual seeds, gave birth to the spirit of salvation on earth, that is, the spiritual teaching that brings eternal life. For in St. The scriptures of the spirit are often called the writings of some. So, test, he says, the spirits, if they are from God; since saving doctrine is always preached in the Holy Spirit, and what is preached in a worldly spirit is contrary to the truth. Therefore, the divine Paul writes about himself and about other saints: we have not received the spirit of this world, but the spirit that is from God, that we know that which is given to us by God (1 Cor. 2:2). Thus, the preaching of the gospel is called the spirit of salvation; for it leads into endless and lasting life. Isa.26:19. We will not fall, but all who live on earth will fall. They will rise from the dead, and those in their graves will rise, and those on the earth will rejoice: for the dew that comes from You is healing for them, but the land of the wicked will fall. The mind of the saints is truly worthy of wonder; for they always seem to have in their thoughts the opposite of the words they speak to us. So, since they said that they gave birth to the spirit of salvation for those living on the earth, and meanwhile they see that death even after this rules over those living on the earth, so that someone could say: what benefit is there for us from divine preaching, where is the spirit of salvation, for those living on the earth fall: they consider it necessary to justify this and say: the dead will be raised by the grace of God, as blessed Paul says. Our Lord Jesus Christ tasted death for everyone, but rose again, the third day, and became the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep and the root of those who through Him are transformed into life, and, as it were, the beginning of human nature, freed from corruption, and we were enriched with the unshakable hope of eternal life. So, the dead will undoubtedly rise and the dominion of death will be completely abolished, but the time has not yet come in which there will be a resurrection; in the meantime, human nature submits to the need to die and awaits death, which in Christ is already weakened, and subsequently will lose power over us ourselves. But, he says, wouldn’t it be in contradiction with our words and saving preaching that those living on earth are still dying? Really, not at all. For the dead will rise again, and the bodies that are in the earth and in the tombs will return to life again. How will this happen again? Dew, even from You, is healing for them. And they knew that by dew he refers to the effectiveness and power of the Spirit, by which the dead will be awakened—blessed David speaks about this; he sings to God and says: I will turn away your face, they will rebel, take away their spirit, and they will disappear and return to their dust: after your spirit they will be created, and you will renew the face of the earth (Ps. 103:29,30). So, the Spirit of the Father through the Son is the life-giving dew, imparting incorruption to even the most earthly bodies; but those who fall on earth will live. The land of the wicked will fall. And this happened to the country of Judea to endure: for they brazenly acted against Christ and the holy secret leaders, although they gave birth to the spirit of salvation to those living on earth. Isa.26:20,21. Go, my people, enter your church, close your doors, hide yourself a little, until the wrath of the Lord passes by. Behold, the Lord from the holy place brings wrath upon those who live on the earth, and the earth will reveal its blood, and will not cover those who are slain. In these words we see God preparing the minds of the saints for the endurance of sorrows. since the descendants of Israel and those who spread the spirit of salvation throughout the entire universe, that is, those who preach the Gospel word, were subjected to terrible and unbearable trials and were exposed to the danger of the most torment and death: then He very appropriately convinces them to behave courageously during such (suffering), saying: go my people, enter your church. Church, however, very wisely and well probably calls the coffins located in the ground: and just like for those truly hidden in them, it locks the doors and keeps them there for a short time until the wrath of the Lord passes. For it was said to the head of the (human) race, that is, to Adam: you are earth, and you went back to earth, and human nature was cursed for its crime, which is why it underwent corruption. But the consequences of the Divine wrath will also cease, and this will be finally fulfilled at the time of death, when death will be destroyed, the dominion of the devil will be destroyed and sin will be destroyed. Therefore, take refuge, he says, my people, be patient a little and for a very short time, until death, the consequence of the wrath of the divine, passes by and the time of general resurrection comes. Although you, he says, may be subject to death when the anger of those who hate falls even on the holy secret guides; but the Lord of all will punish those who killed the saints; because the Lord brings wrath from the holy place upon those who live on the earth. This is similar to what was said (in Scripture): and the Lord made the Lord rain upon Sodom fire and bogeyman (Gen. 19:24). So, the Son from the Holy Spirit (?) created wrath on those living on earth, as He Himself said nowhere: The Father judges no one, but all judgment is given to the Sons, so that everyone honors the Son as they honor the Father (John 5:22,23). When the time comes when the wrath of those who deal wickedly with the sanctified will befall, then the earth will reveal its blood and will not hide those killed, that is, all the blood that was shed into the earth will be visible and none of the offended will hide or remain in obscurity. For the Creator of all things will remember everyone, and there will be absolutely not a single one of those unjustly killed who would remain unknown and whom God would not remember. Isa.27:1. On that day the Lord will bring the holy, and great, and strong sword against the dragon of the fleeing serpent, and against the dragon of the evil serpent, and will kill the dragon. Having beautifully depicted how (divine) wrath will fall on those who acted wickedly and were murderers of the saints, he says that Satan himself will perish along with his children, who, obeying his tricks, fought against the saints and opposed their preaching. For at that time, he says, when the earth will reveal its blood. - The Father will bring a holy and very sharp, great, omnipotent and invincible sword, that is, the Only Begotten Word, against the dragon of the fleeing serpent, at the dragon of the evil serpent, and will kill the dragon. And Satan is called a dragon and a serpent, because he is caustic and poisonous, and at the same time cowardly, so that he always tends to flee. He is terrible and a lover of villainy, because he wriggles like a snake; but nevertheless he will be destroyed, finally brought into inaction, and moreover, he will receive retribution for the words of wickedness, undergoing extremely severe punishment, becoming a prisoner in the gates of hell and food for eternal fire and suffering endless punishment. Isa.27:2,3. On that day the grapes are good, the desire to sing over them. This is a strong city, a city at war, I will water it in vain: for it will be captured by night, and the wall will fall in the day. Having beautifully finished his speech about those caught by faith and very clearly shown that they will be anointed with myrrh and will drink wine on the holy mountain of the Savior of us all, Christ (the mountain, we say, is the church), and also adding that vengeance will follow for those killed for the sake of faith and that the apostate dragon will completely perish from the holy and great sword, (the prophet) transfers (his) speech to what happened to the descendants of Israel as a result of (their) foolishness. At that time, he says, when they reject faith in Christ, I am good grapes, the possession of which someone would call lust, I am a strong city, for as it were spoken on behalf of Jerusalem, I will be a city at war. Then the prophet brings God himself before us, saying (on His behalf): I will drink him in vain; for, he says, although Israel was luxuriantly grown as a vine, according to the word of Jeremiah, it created thorns and made instruction through the law useless for itself. So, in vain I watered it (the vine) with the ancient law: and if I had watered it with the Gospel preaching, then this too would have remained without any benefit. What will happen to her as a result of this? He will be captured by night, but the wall will fall in the day. For after he called the city itself strong, but besieged, he, in accordance with the sequence of thoughts, says that it will be taken, and asserts that its wall will fall. It seems that the words: he will be captivated precisely by night, but on the day the wall falls, indicate something similar. For the city was taken and devastated, as if it were in darkness and darkness, due to the fact that it did not accept Christ, who says: Walk ye, until you have light, so that darkness has not you (John 12:35). since they paid little attention to His words, they, the unfortunate ones, were enveloped in a kind of darkness, because sin reigned in them, and this was precisely what Christ said to them: Amen, I say to you, if you do not have faith as I am, you will die in your sins (John 8:24). So, he was captivated by sins and remained in them, and the wall fell as if during the day, that is, in a clear and obvious way it was deprived of protection from God. Blessed Isaiah also speaks about this beginning (of his book): for the grapes of the Lord of hosts, the man of Judah, is a new beloved garden. Waiting for him to create the grapes, let him create the thorns. Then he adds: Now I will tell you what I will do to my grapes: I will take away their fence, and it will be a plunder; and I will destroy its wall, and it will be a reproach. And I will leave my grapes, and whoever is not pruned will dig deeper, and thorns will come up on them, like on a floe; (Isa.5:2,5-7). You see how true it is what He said, that is, that I gave him drink in vain. And He gave the Israelites no more spiritual rain, but destroyed their fence, and also the wall. Perhaps he calls angelic help a fence, and a wall the invincible and strong protection of the strength He himself gives; for the mountains, he says, are around him, and the Lord is around his people (Ps. 124:2). If he said: fallen, then this does not mean: he was transferred (to another place), but, on the contrary, destroyed, because Israel remained helpless and was completely deprived of divine mercy and love. Isa.27:4. There is no one who will not take it. Who will put me to the cross of the stalks in the field? For the sake of enmity, I sowed and... After the crucifixion of the Savior, the country of Judea was besieged and the most powerful Roman army gathered from all nations courageously waged war against the Jewish people. But she was also devastated in another way, that is, in a spiritual and mysterious sense, for she was given over to unclean spirits as a reproach; and if it was deprived of a fence and the wall protecting it was destroyed, then who can doubt that it became a pasture for mental animals? And this was exactly what was said about her through the mouth of David to the Savior of all Christ: whose stronghold have you cast down, and all who pass by embrace them? Ozoba and the boar are from the oak grove, and the solitary (donkey) eats and eats (Ps. 79:13,14). For with these words he denotes the various passions that ruled the minds of the Jews, since the donkey signifies extreme unreason, and the boar signifies sensual pleasure. And that (the country of the Jews) could be an easy prey for anyone who wants to devastate it, he shows this by saying: there is no one who will not take it; for there is no hand, or power of people, or evil spirits, that has not encroached on it. But, Lord, maybe someone will say, You did not save your people, did not protect them, and were not a strong wall for them. No, he says, I truly protected and protected him with my grace and strength; but it was necessary to protect him when he had the fruit of the law. When, he says, he finally reached such weakness and spiritual laziness that he could not bear any fruit of virtue, and became like a bare and barren stem; then who will force Me to take care of him? For what is the use of security if one has become incapable of bearing good fruits? Who will incline Me to this? This is what the expression indicates: whoever sets Me among the stalks in the field. But how he came to such a misfortune, he explains this by saying: for the sake of enmity, he rejected and sowed. In these words He points, as it were, with a finger to Jerusalem. since, he says, he became very hostile towards Me, he rejected him in all justice. Here he is not talking about any other hostility and again rejected (he says) not another city, but, on the contrary, he makes Jerusalem itself hostile and says that it is rejected as having turned away from communication with Him, that is, spiritual; for he said to him: If your fellow children have desired as much as they gather their chicks under the wing, and have you not desired? Behold, your house is left to you empty (Matthew 23:37,38). Isa.27:4,5. For for this sake, the Lord God created all things, all things of counsel. And when it was burned, all those who lived in it cried out. When, he says, it became hostile (the country of Judea) and resisted the one who saved and, like an enemy, fought with the one who called to life; then, as a result of this, everything that he intended, that is, determined and decided to happen, was carried out. What is it? To be completely rejected and not receive spiritual rain, to be under siege, to lose the highest favor and protection. For (Jerusalem) was burned and reduced to complete insignificance. And it was burned, and all who lived in it cried out, he says. If anyone wanted to explain these words historically, he would find Jerusalem burned; and if we explain them in a different way, then burning, in these words, means complete worthlessness and complete destruction that befell the Jews, when divine wrath kindled against them and turned them into dust and ashes. The divine prophet Jeremiah says something similar, as it were, to Jerusalem: the blessed olive tree, the red one, the Lord called your name, to the sound of its pruning: a fire was kindled in it, great sorrow was upon you, its branches were useless (Jer. 11:16). For it is disastrous for a person’s soul in all respects to move away from God and to be deprived of His grace and help, since it is terrible to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31) and as Moses says, our God consumes fire (Deut. 4:24). Isa.27:5,6. Let us create peace for Him, let us create peace, O coming child of Jacob: Israel will vegetate and prosper, and the world will be filled with its fruit. Since the Jews rejected love and faith in Christ, the Savior of all, and since the Beloved rejected (them) and turned with a calling to the pagans, and Christ, through the holy apostles, captured everyone living in the heavenly places: then the blessed prophet in advance is a wise adviser to all nations and says to them: Israel has withdrawn, denied the firstborn and rejected the faith and acted wickedly with the Redeemer. But we who come, that is, those who will one day come - let us come from darkness to light, from Hellenic ignorance to the knowledge of the true God, from sins to truth - let us create peace for him, that is, having destroyed the ancient enmity, we will be reconciled with God; for, having killed sin and eliminated Satan and no longer meeting anyone who would stand in our way and who would separate and separate us from Christ, we will conform our lives to His commands, we will follow what He wants and what He says, we will bow our neck to the gospel teaching, thus we will be reconciled with Him. The Apostle Paul says the same to those called from among the Gentiles: having been justified by faith, peace be upon God our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). So, having made an admonition to those coming (about whom blessed David said: the coming generation of the Lord will proclaim (Ps. 21:31), he turns his speech to the holy apostles themselves and having understood or seen through the Holy Spirit that they will gain the whole world for the Lord, he seems to jump with great joy and says: the children of Jacob will vegetate and Israel will prosper and the world will be filled with his fruit: for the divine disciples were the descendants of Jacob, who was renamed Israel. But since their message went out from the east of the sun to the west (Ps. 112:3) and to the ends of the world their words (Ps. 1:5), then many peoples were called to the knowledge of (the truth) and, as the prophetic word says, the world was filled with the fruit of it. Obviously, Israel, that is, the descendants of Israel; for those who believed were the fruits of the strengthened exploits of the apostles; the divine Paul called them his joy and crown; for truly the praise and glory of the holy masters are those who were saved. Isa.27:7,8. Food like that will strike you, and will your breast itself be wounded? and just as you kill, will you be killed in the same way? Quarrelsome and reproachful, I will let you go. The idea contained in the words just cited is in close connection with what has been said above; and what this connection is, let us show it as much as possible. We have shown that the children of Jacob will vegetate and prosper, and the universe will be filled with their fruit. But against this, it is as if someone raises his voice and says: but Israel was immensely dishonest, was rude and stubborn, killed the saints, attacked every righteous man and prophet, and has hands filled with blood; How will it flourish again and how, as if in the absence of anything dishonest, will the universe be filled with its fruit? In response to this, the prophet says: strike food like that, and the baby itself will be wounded? and just as you kill, will you be killed in the same way? He, he says, acted with indomitable rage against the saints and killed them with unbridled swiftness, as if having no feeling of compassion for them. Will the Source of mercy really treat them with the same cruelty and subject them to equivalent punishment, and kill them in the same way as they killed the saints? On the contrary, as God he will defeat them and will not ultimately destroy the one who was once loved and chosen for the sake of the fathers. The same thing was said by God through one of the holy prophets: what will I do for you, Ephraim? Will Judas protect you? what shall I put you? As I will build you as Adam, and as He will make you, my heart has been transformed in him, and my repentance will be troubled. I will not create in my wrath; I will not leave Ephraim to be consumed: I am already God, and not man: I am holy in you (Hos. 11:8,9). It truly behooved Him who is God, and not a man like us, to have superiority in mercy, and just as He is by His nature superior to everyone born, so it behooves Him to have superiority over those living on earth, I say, in love for mankind. So, according to what has already been said above, Israel will prosper and the universe will be filled with its fruit. For he will not be killed, he says, as he himself killed, and will not be slain in the same way, although, driven by wild rage, he smote the saints. What is the measure of indignation against them? Quarrelsome and reproachful, he will let me go. Expression: let go, understand in the sense of removing them from communication with Himself. This is what the Savior did, for He deprived Israel of fellowship with Him. Quarrelsome and reproachful. Having boiled, he used instead: reproaching. For reproaching and denouncing the Jews, the Savior said: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, beating the prophets and stoning those who were sent to you, since your fellow children desired so much, just as your chicks gather kokosh under the wing, and did not you desire? Behold, your house is left to you empty (Matthew 23:37,38). These words meant nothing more than that His distance from them would not last long. As a result of this, Israel perished, although the remains were saved, as Isaiah himself says: and though the number of the children of Israel be like the sand of the sea, their remains will be saved (Is. 10:22). Isa.27:8. Was it not you who, thinking with a cruel spirit, killed me with a spirit of rage? Look, with what directness characteristic of a saint, the prophet speaks here and denounces Israel for the fact that he was at enmity against the saints and, as if driven by a cruel and indomitable spirit, tried to kill them and rushed at them with evil fury. So, if I say, he says that he killed and struck, then it will not be false, on the contrary, what I said will turn out to be true. For did you not plot against Israel, or were you not, or were you usually moved, as I said, by a cruel spirit to attack, like a beast, those sent by God? And if you, he says, renounced (this); then I will bring, he says, the Judge of all himself as a witness; for nowhere, Christ said to them: Which of the prophets did not your fathers kill? (Matthew 23:29–35), as it is impossible for a prophet to perish except in Jerusalem (Luke 13:33). Isa.27:9. For this reason, Jacob's iniquity will be taken away, and this is his blessing, when I will take away his sin, when all the stones of the churches are laid in pieces, crushed like dust, and their trees will not stand, and their idols will be cut down, like an oak grove. Having inserted into the middle of his speech a denunciation against those who acted wickedly towards the holy prophets, the blessed prophet again returns to the sequence of thoughts and, as if on behalf of God, says: for this reason the iniquity of Jacob will be taken away. For this reason - what does this mean? since He will not be killed, as He himself killed, and will not be slain, as He himself smote, due to the meekness inherent in God, which always overcomes human weaknesses and does not send punishments that are fully consistent with the sins of those living on earth, on the contrary, always dissolving anger with mercy: therefore he says: Jacob’s iniquity will be taken away, that is, he will show philanthropy, will subsequently remove his guilt from him and deliver him from his crimes; and this is his blessing, for He promised Abraham, saying: I will surely bless you by blessing, and by multiplying I will multiply you (Heb. 6:14). But the divine Abraham was not actually blessed and his seed did not multiply when his descendants were subjected to punishment corresponding to their sins. since, although they did not do anything good, on the contrary, they reached extreme wickedness, and were themselves enriched by remission, the promise of blessing was preserved and passed on to them. So, when, he says, I take away his sin, this will be the image of the blessing to him. It also clearly indicates the time when he too will be free from crimes. When, he says, those who are called through faith to the knowledge of the true God will rise up against ancient error: when the altars and churches and many idols are destroyed, when the churches built to soulless idols are burned, when their trees are cut down and at the same time what is made with hands like some kind of forest: then God will forgive the Israelites themselves for their sin. I think this is what the divine luminary Paul spoke about: when the fulfillment of tongues comes, then all Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:25,26). For completely burning the churches, destroying the oak groves located near them and adding to this the destruction of the idols themselves means nothing more than the conversion of those who were once mistaken and worshiped the works of their hands to the knowledge of the truth, so that they will be imbued with such love for God that they will lay their hands on what they once worshiped and destroy the gods from the tree, like some oak grove. Isa.27:10,11. The living flock will be let go, just like a flock abandoned: and there will be much time in pasture, and there the flocks will rest. And in time there will be no grain in it, it will dry up before it starts to dry up. He calls Israel a living flock because he had very many good shepherds and had, as it were, those living with him who were capable of guiding him to all that is praiseworthy. So, it was full of good shepherds, but, he says, it will be released. And what it means to be released, he immediately explained, saying: like a flock abandoned, that is, deprived of every overseer and trustee. When this happens, it will be turned into pasture for a long time. For they will be plundered by spiritual and very powerful beasts, that is, Satan and the evil forces that are with him and are subject to him, because if no one drives away the attacks of evil forces from a person’s heart, then it easily falls into their captivity and conveniently bends towards everything that pleases them. If it is necessary to point out something consistent with historical events, then they became the pasture of the Roman army after the crucifixion of the Savior: since it camped and rested with them like a strong ox. But after a short time, he says, there will be no grain in it, it will dry up, that is, he has devastated the country to such an extent that it will seem dry and without pasture. And this serves as a clear indication that those who devastate the country will not first leave it until they have destroyed everything that they have that is useful and even the least valuable and has converted it into their own property. However, if anyone wants, these words can also be given the meaning that unclean demons, like some oxen, will devour the hearts of the Jews; for they ate them to such an extent that there seemed to be no more food left, due to the fact that nothing good was no longer preserved in them that could be destroyed by them. Isa.27:11. Wives coming from disgrace, come: for men have no meaning, for this reason the One who created will not spare me, the one below will have mercy on them. Having said that the living flock will be released, and that, according to the above words, it will be prey and given to be eaten, since Israel has already become out of communion with God in lawlessness against Christ and outside the first covenant, and since the customs of the law have passed away, he commands the holy women to preach the good news of the resurrection of our Savior, which Matthew recalls, saying this: on the Sabbath evening, having gone together from the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came and saw the tomb. And behold, behold a great coward. When they came to great horror, the blessed Angel said to them: you are not afraid: for we know that you are looking for Jesus crucified. There is no word here: there is no voice, as there is speech. Come see the place where the Lord lies. And quickly, as you go along, you cry as his disciple, as if you have risen from the dead: and behold, you are in Galilee: there you will see him. After the words of the Angel, behold, I saw Jesus, saying: Rejoice: he came to eat his nose, and worship him. Then Jesus said to them: Do not be afraid: go, tell my brethren, that they may go to Galilee, and there they will see me (Matthew 28:1-10). So, after the rejection of Israel, you, wise women, go, he says, and with great boldness preach the gospel of Him who put death to death, destroyed corruption, and through faith justifies those who have sinned and frees those who have fallen into them from filth, and brings those who come to Him into a new life, showed a new, that is, gospel life to those living on earth, abolished the ministry of the law, spread the radiance of the light of truth, and showed a clear path of worship to those who worship Him. in spirit and truth. Go therefore, for Israel has fallen from hope. People who have meaning are not the same: he hardened his heart, remained in darkness and was given over to the darkness of sin, therefore he did not want to listen to Christ, Who says: Walk, let there be light, so that darkness has not you (John 12:35). But we must, I say, be amazed at the economy of the Savior and regarding these wise women, for I think someone will say: were there really no holy disciples to whom, as preachers of divine dogmas, it would have been better to preach the resurrection before others? Why were they not the first to see Jesus, who crushed the power of death, but He appeared to the women and, having granted them the dignity of the apostleship, commanded them to go and tell the disciples that Christ had risen from the dead, and that they were the first to behold His glory? To this we say: the Only Begotten Word of the Father became man in order to heal the sick and deliver man from ancient crimes; That is why it was necessary to bring joy to women - to be the first to preach the gospel of the resurrection; for the first and most ancient wife, obeying the words of the serpent, led Adam into crime and became the author of death. Why should the apostleship not destroy the cause of such terrible accusations? where, he says, sin abounds, grace abounds (Rom. 5:20). The gospel of salvation was given to the wife who caused the death. Therefore, it was necessary for them to be told: rejoice from the One who placed a curse on them in the beginning: for he said to her: in sickness, give birth to children (Gen. 3:16). So, the first is smoothed over by the second and the sick is healed. He commands to preach the gospel when Christ renounced love for the Jews; for after they, he says, remained in their madness and ignorance, having created them, He will not have mercy on them, and they will not be worthy of His compassion. Isa.27:12. And it will come to pass on that day that the Lord will block the river from the same age, even to Rhinocorura: but ye shall gather the children of Israel one by one. After Christ was resurrected and gave the holy apostles the command: go and teach all languages, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), and after He ascended into heaven itself, those who dealt wickedly with Him suffered the consequences of wrath, that is, divine. For they were destroyed by sword and fire, when the Romans waged war against them and burned all their cities and destroyed Jerusalem itself and that famous church. The country of Judea is bordered to the east by the waters of the Euphrates, and to the south by a city called Rinocoruro. This city stands on the border between the country of the Egyptians and Palestine. So, having told us the borders of Judea, he asserts that the Lord will block off everything contained within these borders, that is, all of Judea. And he used blockade instead of surround with siege, constrain and lead to extreme disaster; that is, barrage or imprisonment means inevitable disaster or misfortune. You can understand the word zadorit in another way. For the mind of the Jews was, as it were, imprisoned, so that in no way could it absorb the light of true knowledge of God and know the mystery of Christ, as Blessed Paul writes: Israel was partly petrified; and even to this day, whenever Moses is revered, a veil lies over their hearts (2 Cor. 3:15). I think this is the barrier. And that this was done not against the whole of heaven, or against all peoples, but against Judea alone and those living in it, he clearly showed this, not just saying: a barrage will follow, but: from the same age of the river even to Rhinocorura. And this, he says, will happen to the people of Judah, who beat the prophets and stoned those sent from God and put the Son Himself to death. Then he transfers the speech to the face of the Savior of us all, Christ, who talks and says to the holy Apostles, or to everyone who will subsequently preach His Gospel and perform the sacraments: you, gather the children of Israel one by one. That is, let not the speech of those to whom the right to teach be entrusted be long-winded, even though Israel should not turn out in great numbers; but whichever of them is reasonable, let him be called through faith and come one by one and, as it were, chosen alone; for the remnant of Israel will be saved. Therefore, the divine disciples often addressed them with a word, such as the divine Peter: and now, brethren, he says, we know that through ignorance you did this, just as your princes did. Therefore, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins: and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For there is a promise for you and for your children (Acts 2:38,39; 3:17). And, it is true, a considerable number of people were caught; but, in comparison with the entire Jewish people, they (those caught) were extremely few in number and those who were saved, that is, through faith in Christ, were accepted as if one by one. Isa.27:13. And it will come to pass on that day that they will blow a great trumpet, and those who are destroyed in the land of the Assyrians, and those who are destroyed in Egypt, will come, and they will worship the Lord on the mount of saints in Jerusalem. The holy prophets had the custom of covering their speech with some darkness, and since the Israelites were very prone to rage, they (the prophets) chose some middle way to express their thoughts, so that what was explained was often unclear. When I say: at that time the trumpet will be blown, I mean, as I again think, no one else but the same holy secret guides. They will not simply blow the trumpet, but with a great trumpet, that is, they will, as it were, announce the gospel sermon to those living on earth and announce to them something great and extraordinary. For truly their message went out into the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Ps. 18:5). The great Moses once used the trumpet, but not a great one: since he had a weak voice and was tongue-tied, and the power of preaching the law extended only to one country of Judea. The divine and saving sermon flows through every city and country and, as if with thunder, resounds throughout the whole of heaven. Something similar is written in the books of Moses: the God of all descended in the form of fire onto Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:18); there was smoke and hail, and the air was darkened with deep darkness, but a strong sound of a trumpet was also heard, he says. Then he adds to this, saying: when the sound of the trumpet sounded, it was very strong (Ex. 19:19). For at the beginning the law was proclaimed with a weak voice, but after some time a very strong trumpet sound was heard. So, he says, at that time they will proclaim, that is, the gospel sermon, with a great trumpet, gathering those who were mistaken and were in the category of captives and delivering from ancient error those caught in the nets of idolatry: they will come, he says, those who were destroyed in the land of the Assyrians and those who were destroyed in Egypt and will worship the Lord on the holy mount in Jerusalem . I pointed to two countries, I say - Assyrian and Egyptian, as especially devoted to superstition compared to others. But those who perished (was) in them will come, he says, called through faith, to the knowledge of the true Lord and God and will worship Him not in the bad churches, but on the holy mountain, that is, in the church, which he also calls Jerusalem; he calls it a mountain because in the churches there is nothing low and despicable, but everything is distinguished by high and great dogmas; Jerusalem because (the church) truly is the contemplation of the world. Isa.28:1. Woe to the crown of pride, Ephraim's servants, the flower that has fallen from glory, on the verge of the fat mountain, drinking without wine. Having explained that all who perished in the networks of idolatry will be called through faith to the knowledge of the truth and worship the Lord, he turns his speech to the Jewish teachers, who were for the people under their control the beginning and example of ungodliness against Christ, for they did not lead the people to the knowledge of what was foretold through the law and the prophets; but they themselves, having fallen into the depths of destruction, excommunicated from the synagogue those who confessed that He is the Christ - this is what the divine John says nowhere. Rejecting faith in Him and turning the minds of ordinary people away from the straight path, they called Jesus a Samaritan and a wine drinker and born of fornication and, most wicked of all, they brought Him to Pilate and demanded that He be crucified and, as far as it depended on them, killed the Author of life. But He rose again, having corrected death; for He, as God, was by nature life, although He was in the flesh. Therefore, woe to the crown of pride, he says. He calls them a crown because they were, as it were, some crown and glory of all Israel, distinguished by the advantages of the priesthood and possessing the dignity of power. But they did not remain faithful to the advantages and dignity they had acquired; on the contrary, they fell away, becoming the crown of pride, and thus were subjected to dishonor and disgrace and, having become the perpetrators of wickedness, like a flower, dried up. They were Ephraim's mercenaries. He calls Judah Ephraim because he was from the tribe of Ephraim (?); therefore, the leaders of the Jewish synagogue hired him to use his services in committing their murders and to betray the teacher, which was done. Therefore, he says, woe to the crown of pride, that is, to the leaders who hired Ephraim, that is, to those who belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. For the sake of this crime they fell from glory. For just as the glory of flowers is that they should not appear withered and should possess the beauty of their nature; I think we can think in the same way about ourselves. As long as we possess what is appropriate for us, so long we completely preserve the beauty of our soul intact, but when our thoughts are turned to what is indecent, then we are the waste of its due glory. This is what happened to the scribes and Pharisees, who offended Christ with their thoughts and words and plans and everything that was dishonorable. But where was the color of the fallen glory, and how did he lose his heritage? (Was) on the side of the fat mountain. He calls Israel the fat mountain: fat because he enjoyed pleasures, and a mountain because he was placed high by God, which is why he was called, I say, (and a mountain) glorious, for nowhere does He himself speak of the descendants of Israel: sons begotten and exalted (Is. 1:2). Divine Scripture usually sometimes likens the mountain to the mother of the Jews, I say Jerusalem. So, they were placed like a flower on the top of the mountain, that is, above everyone and, as it were, in command over everyone and, according to the law, they received the lot to rule over others. But they were drinking without wine; for from the vine of Sodom was their vine, their branch was from Gomorrah and their grapes - a bunch of malice and a bunch of bitterness and the inhealable wrath of dragons: they were drunk not because they drank sensual wine, but because they (drank) the intoxicating drink of uncontrollable anger and rage and established the darkness of devilish bitterness in their souls. Isa.28:2,3. Behold, strong and cruel is the wrath of the Lord, like a hail that is brought down, without shelter, forcibly brought down: like the multitude of waters that draw the land of the earth, it will create peace hand and foot, the crown of pride, Ephraim’s servants, will be trampled upon. In these words, the prophet will indicate to us how disasters will befall them and that for their wickedness against Christ they will receive a worthy retribution, having fallen to the cruel and inexorable wrath of the Righteous Judge: he says, the cruel and grievous wrath of the Lord will come upon us, it will come as hail falls on those who have no shelter, falling with force, that is, as if someone uncontrollably and powerfully sweeps it with a sling and cruelly hits someone. So it will come, he says, like hail or like a great multitude of waters, dragging the country. And nothing can resist this. For when, for example, a river or a mountain stream falls very quickly, what can resist and resist it and what will not yield to the rush of the waters? Therefore it will come like water, flooding the whole country, obviously Judea. And there will be terrible destruction, so that it will create peace on earth. What kind of peace? Arms and legs. The meaning of these words will be like this. Those who know how to swim, if the state of the waters is calm and, as it were, comfortable for the touch, by bending and stretching their legs and arms and using moderate efforts, they avoid the danger of drowning; if the movement of the water has a completely uncontrollable swiftness, then, captured by it, he stops swimming altogether and, apparently, gets rid of labor, but, as if by necessity and force, having been completely immersed in the water, he finally inevitably drowns. So, the prophet, as it were, mocks and constructs irony, saying that water will create peace on the earth, and peace for the hands and feet. For this is as if someone said: let no one labor in vain to prevent the disaster that is about to befall everyone; it will come so quickly that it will be completely inevitable and the efforts of those who would want to resist it would be useless. No one will be able to swim, and everyone, against his will, will find himself where the water that carries him away will bring him, that is, the most powerful and indestructible hand of the Roman army. Then it will be that the crown of pride, Ephraim’s servants, will be trampled upon, that is, underfoot: and who they are, we already know from what has been said above. Isa.28:4. And there will be a flower that has fallen away from the hope of glory on the top of a high mountain, just as the early fruit of the fig tree, having seen it, first taken in its hands, will delight to devour it. What the words mean: the color that has fallen away from the hope of glory and, moreover, that it is located and visible on the top of a high mountain, this is clear from what was recently said. For by the color, as if visible on the mountain, you will quite correctly understand either Israel, or those who were called to govern it. But it will be, he says, like the early fruit of figs. If, when the fruits of a fig tree are ripening, one fruit reaches maturity before the others and thus becomes fit for food; then the one who sees him hastily runs up to the tree, is filled with a strong desire to eat it and, under the influence of an ardent desire, and, becoming excited, seems to accuse the hand that is slow to reach out to him, so that, with his mouth open, he jumps up on the branches. This, he says, will be Israel for predators: for she, as I said, was swallowed up by the Romans and became a pleasant food for the victors. Isa.28:5,6. On that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of hope, woven with glory by the remaining people: and they will be left in the spirit of judgment to be judged, and the fortress of those who forbid will be destroyed. The prophetic word showed us what and how will happen to the deicides. Finally, it adds an explanation regarding those who believed, for Israel was not completely destroyed, but the remnant of it was saved, according to the words of the prophet. A considerable number of people believed in Christ, of whom the holy apostles were the first and, as it were, the firstfruits. Therefore, at that time, he says, the Lord of hosts will be a crown of hope, woven with glory by my remaining people. The Lord of hosts Himself will crown those who believe with hope and glory, that is, with the hope of receiving future benefits, with glory because they will reign with Him and, having become partakers of the highest honors, will be worthy of wonder and glory; for what glory can compare with this, that those who hope will receive the crown of the kingdom in Christ? In another place, the prophet Isaiah himself tells them: and you will have a crown of kindness and a diadem of kingdom in the hand of your God (Is. 62:3); for Christ will crown those who believe in Him with endless glory and fill them with the most joyful hope. And the remaining, he says, my people, that is, the remnant of the Jews, will be a participant in all this, obviously, after another people is accepted, that is, the pagans, who, realizing their greatness in Christ, pray and cry out to the heavenly Father and God: Lord, for you have crowned us with weapons of favor (Ps. 5:13). For when God and the Father showed his favor (towards us), Christ appeared and became an indestructible weapon for us, opposing Himself for us to the arrows of the evil one, and kept His people invulnerable and inaccessible to his malice. I think he is hinting at the same thing when he speaks of the people who remain, that is, those justified by faith: they will be left in the spirit of judgment for judgment and the fortress of those who forbid to destroy. In ancient times, Satan, so to speak, once destroyed the earthly beings, casting them into the depths of sin, for, according to the word of the Psalmist, if you do no good, there is not one. But everything turned aside, and all became indecent (Ps. 52:4). But when the Only Begotten Word of the Father became man, It judged us with judgment, It carried out judgment both between us and between the ruling Satan, and determined his destruction and removed him from the earth as a destroyer and man-killer, and saved those who were thus destroyed, that is, us. Teaching this, he says: now is judgment for this world: now the prince of this world will be cast out. And even if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everything to Me (John 12:31,32), because He clearly says: God did not send His Son into the world, that He should judge the world, but that the world might be saved by Him (John 3:17). How does he say that there is judgment for this world? For of old we cried through the mouth of the prophets: Arise, Lord, and attend my judgment, my God and my Lord, upon my tree (Ps. 34:23). When righteous judgment has been accomplished over us, we, giving thanks, say: I will confess to You, Lord, with all my heart, I will tell of all Your wonders, I will sing to Your name that is Most High (Ps. 9:2,3). For what reason? For you have created my judgment and my judgment: you have sat on the throne and judged righteousness. You rebuked with your tongue, and the wicked perished (Ps. 9:5,6). For the armies of demons were condemned and the wicked one, that is, Satan, perished with them. So, they will be left, that is, preserved by the spirit of judgment, because He judged and justified, as I said, in judgment and strength, that is, with righteous judgment and power, obviously divine, forbidding the destruction of those who believed in him. Isa.28:7. These are the essence of deception by wine: the priest and the prophet were deceived by the strong drink because of the strong drink, they were devoured by the wine, shaken by the drunkenness of the strong strong drink, they were seduced: this is a ghost. He explains how they fell and offended God with such prolonged disobedience: they turned aside, he says, from the true path, indulging in wine and drunkenness, not sensual or physical, but taking into their minds the darkness that the all-evil dragon introduces into the souls of those devoted to carelessness. For the Divine Paul writes that the God of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the light of the gospel of the glory of God would not shine upon them (2 Cor. 4:4). “Wine and strong drink” he perfectly calls the darkness brought into the souls of people by the deceit of the devil, and he seems to be amazed that not only the most ignorant crowd of ordinary people are devoted to this vice (spiritual drunkenness), but also the priest and the prophet along with them went into a frenzy from wine. He again calls intoxication from ignorance wine. What is surprising is that both the priest and the prophet find themselves suffering from this vice along with others. Those who were supposed to guide all others to the acquisition of useful things and show (to all others) the path of salvation—those, perhaps, above others, perceived darkness, so that they were swayed and whirled by every wind, and this is from spiritual drunkenness. And if someone were to say that it was like a kind of ghost, that is, a miracle or frenzy, then here it is not at all clear that he is a true prophet and sent from God, on the contrary, he is one who, as it were, arrogates to himself the glory of a prophet. He speaks about such people through the mouth of Ezekiel: He who prophesies fiercely from his heart (Ezek. 13:3), and not from the mouth of the Lord. They are also reproached by the mouth of Isaiah: for (this) nowhere says about Jerusalem that its rulers carried out judgment for gifts and its prophets performed prophecies for silver (Mic. 3:11). Isa.28:8. This advice will be cursed, this advice for the sake of covetousness. Having said that the priest and together the prophet were lost, and were driven out of their right mind by the action of the wine from the grapes of Sodom and from spiritual intoxication, and adding that this was a ghost, that is, something amazing and, as it were, monstrous, he immediately indicated the reason for this amazing and the criminality of the frenzy and drunkenness of the priests. Therefore he says: this advice will be cursed. For truly the council of the Jews was worthy of a curse, I say, against the Savior of us all, Jesus Christ. God and the Father first sent holy prophets to them, but they killed them: then after them he sent his beloved to receive the fruits of his vineyard, as the Gospel parable says; But the rulers of the vineyard, the most foolish farmers, although they knew that He was the Son and the lord of the property, said, he says, within themselves: this is the heir: come, let us kill him, and keep his property (Matthew 21:38). Therefore, he says, this advice is cursed: blessed David also reminds us of it, saying: How are the nations and people staggering, having learned in vain? The kings of the earth appeared, and the princes gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ (Ps. 2:1,2). And again about those who sinned in this way: I destroyed, and I did not create. As if I had turned evil against you, I thought of advice that they could not formulate (Ps. 27:5; 20:12). For as far as the strength of their designs depended, they killed the Son, thinking that they would take advantage of the Lord's lot. But He, as God, rose again and destroyed the evil - the criminal and stupid farmers - and transferred His property to others, that is, to the holy apostles and evangelists and teachers of the holy churches. So, cursed is the council of the Jews, for it was for the sake of covetousness. For truly it is covetousness for the servants to want to lord it over the Master and to appropriate for themselves the lot to which they were assigned (only) as farmers, and had the advantages of the priesthood and the honors of their high position as a sufficient reward for themselves. Isa.28:9. To whom did I tell the evil, and to whom did I tell the news? The holy prophets and all the inspired Scriptures usually arouse in a person the desire for a righteous life in two ways: either by the fear of punishment, as if crushing a hardened soul, they incline to the better, or by the promise of rewards they arouse courage to endure suffering for deeds of piety. This was said through the mouth of Isaiah to the Jews: and if you are willing and listen to Me, you will destroy the good land; if you are not willing, you will listen to Me; you will girdle the sword: for the mouth of the Lord speaks this (Is. 1:19,20). So, saying: to whom I have told evil, he, as if with a finger, points to unbridled Israel, who despised the preaching of the holy prophets. For “that’s who” he says instead: we served a cruel, rebellious and unreasonable people and, passing on the verbs received from above from God, we announced to them evil, that is, punishments and threats that would certainly fall on the heads of those who are accustomed to disobedience. We preached the message, that is, we preached the good things prepared from God to those who are accustomed to doing good. But the stubborn Israel, entrenched in sin and suffering much from disobedience, received absolutely no benefit. So, when he says: to whom? then he does not at all understand what is worthy: for even after such a clear prophecy of the holy prophets, they, nevertheless, remained adamant and evil and having a heart filled with all stubbornness, and were also zealous doers of the devil’s malice, for they delivered up to crucifixion the Savior and Redeemer of all, I say, Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit forever, Amen. Isa.28:9–11. Like milking (essence) from milk, separation from the breast. Expect sorrow upon sorrow, hope upon hope, still little, still little, as if through the thinness of your lips, in a different language. Our previous conversation focused on the interpretation of the words: to whom did I tell the evil, and to whom did I tell the news? Explaining the meaning of these words, we said that the face of the holy prophets is introduced here, as if reproaching the descendants of Israel for the fact that they listened to their words without benefit and did not change at all for the better, despite the fact that disasters were foretold to them and comforting news was communicated to them. We said that by the word: evil we mean the punishments prepared for those who have acquired the habit of sinning, and by the news - honors in good hope. So, when nothing brought any benefit to the descendants of Israel, although the prophets announced to them what was received from God, I mean threats and promises of future benefits: then, he says, to whom did I tell the evil and to whom did I tell the news? When the holy prophets seemed to fall silent and stop their speech, then the God of all things adds his word to the speeches of the saints, saying: those who are milked from the milk and cut off from the breast. Expect sorrow upon sorrow, hope upon hope. For, he says, those who were inattentive to the warnings and suffered from great disobedience were justly rejected and, having become unparticipated in salvation in Christ, they will come to destruction. But you, who were called by faith to the knowledge of the truth, who were, as it were, taken away from childbearing from a certain breast and milk, with the help of the law, who in ancient times took the food proper to infants and who had an unenlightened mind, but who have now come to be a perfect man, to the measure of the age of the fulfillment of Christ, who have passed on to the food proper to the perfect, and who are not deprived of the knowledge of the word of truth, prepare your hearts to receive the new preaching of the gospel life, consistent with the teachings of Christ; show yourself to be men of patience, and if frequent sorrows come upon you and temptations befall you one after another and the cruelty of persecutors befalls you, be patient and endure them for a short time, so that you may be enriched with a hope that surpasses the human mind; For eye, he says, has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the heart of man has not breathed what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). Then we show what the first tribulation will be for them. For, he says, with thin lips and a different tongue. This is the meaning of the prophecy. In the Acts of the Holy Apostles it is written that on the day of Pentecost all were gathered together 71 into one 72 and behold 73 there came from heaven a sound like a storm of breath (Acts 2:1,2): then it is said: the nations appeared to them divided like fire, and sat on one of them, and began to speak with other tongues, as if The Spirit gave them prophecy (Acts 2:3,4). For Christ commanded them not to separate themselves from Jerusalem, but to wait for what was promised from the Father until they are endowed with power from on high (Acts 1:4). Then they descended and spoke to the Israelites and to all those who came from other countries in the languages ​​given to them by God, and their listeners were amazed and said: Are not all these sitting Jews who speak? and how do we hear everyone speaking them in our own language? The others, it is said, are said to be full of wine (Acts 2:7,8,13), that is, drunk. This, I think, is what the saying indicates: thin lips, a different language. For they spoke with other tongues, since God can do all things and foretold this, saying: With other tongues and with other lips I will speak to this people, and neither will they listen to me 74 . And although they, having delved into the prediction that was from God regarding this event, should have accepted this sign with full confidence, they did not do this, but reproaching them for drunkenness, they remained in disobedience. Isa.28:11,12. For they will say to this people, saying to them: This is rest for the greedy, and this is contrition, and you do not want to hear. Expressing indignation at the madness of the Jews, God said nowhere: Behold, I will send a famine on the earth, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord, and from east to west they will flow around, seeking the word of the Lord, and will not find it ( Am. 8:11,12 ). So, a spiritual famine was sent to the Israelites, and because through faith they did not receive the bread of life that came down from heaven and gives life to the world; then, in all fairness, they suffered a lack of God-given food; For, he says, man will not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). They committed a daring crime against the Savior and Redeemer of all; but since He is good, He also called the extremely wicked (Israel) to repentance through the holy apostles. So blessed Peter cried out to them that they denied the holy and righteous one and killed the ruler of life, and asked to give them a man - a murderer (Acts 3:14,15). However, he added this: and now, brethren, we know that through ignorance you have done these things, just as your princes did (Acts 3:17): Repent therefore, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ: and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For there is a promise to you and to your children (Acts 3:19, Acts 2:38,39). So, he says, those who are weaned from the breast and from milk, called to the apostleship and become ministers of the new sermon, will speak to this people, clearly showing what kind of rest there will be for the greedy and what kind of contrition, that is, what is useful and what is disastrous. And they didn’t listen. Therefore, one of the saints, driven by indignation, said against them: stiff-necked and rebellious hearts, you always resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). Look how, although they were extremely dishonest, they had as their leaders the holy Apostles, who led to repentance and imparted knowledge of what was useful to them; but they were arrogant and extremely insensitive, and irresistibly inclined to obstinacy and disobedience of disposition. Isa.28:13. And the word of the Lord God will be to them, sorrow for sorrow, hope for hope. Who will it be? Obviously, to the holy apostles and evangelists, who, carrying out the work of divine preaching, went around the whole of heaven, catching those who were lost, through faith bringing to Christ those who once said to the tree: as art thou my father: and to the stones: thou hast begotten me (Jer. 2:27). And not without difficulty they completed the path of their apostleship, but they were oppressed, tormented and suffered attacks from the enemies of God. So the word of the Lord came to them, sorrow for sorrow, and not only this, but also hope for hope. For, having patiently accomplished deeds for piety in the name of Christ, they will remain in long-lasting, or rather, endless hope and, having co-reigned with Christ, will be clothed with the crown of incorruption. Isa.28:13. It’s still a little, it’s still a little, but they will go and fall back and fall into trouble, and be crushed and captured. It incites the holy leaders (apostles) to courage and prepares them for patience. They preached to the Israelites and brought them the word of salvation. But these, like wild beasts, rushed at them, brought them into the hosts and, as if for the most terrible crime, accusing them of true love for Christ, inflicted cruel insults on them; insulting and scourging them, they said: Isn’t it forbidden for you to speak 76 about this name to anyone? and behold, Jerusalem is filled with your teaching (Acts 5:28). And in other ways, attacking and maliciously slandering, they became for them the cause of contrition and suffering. But the God of all gives them sufficient consolation and foretells the soon-to-be destruction of their persecutors, saying: if it is little, it is still little; for the time is not far off, he says, when they will fall backwards and be crushed and fall into trouble and be taken into captivity and go to destruction. This, he says, happened to the Jewish people spiritually and together in a bodily or sensory sense; for they fell into trouble and perished in two ways: partly by being destroyed by war and siege, and partly by becoming a pleasant prey for Satan himself and by wickedness bringing destruction upon their own heads. Isa.28:14,15. For this reason, hear the word of the Lord, you men of embitterment, and the princes of the people who are in Jerusalem, as if they said: I have made a covenant with hell and with death: the storm that we bear, even if it passes by, will not come upon us: I lay my hope in lies, and we are covered with lies. Since, he says, unbearable calamities are coming upon you, and those who have completely given themselves over to wickedness will suffer a heavy and inevitable punishment, for this reason you will hear the word of the Lord; for they could have avoided evil if they had paid attention to the apostolic preaching and agreed without hesitation with what Christ said. And so the angry men and princes of the people who are in Jerusalem will hear the word of the Lord. He calls the Israelites embittered, as burdened with a condemning law: for the law does wrath (Rom. 4:15), and whoever violated the law of Moses, in the presence of two or three witnesses, was put to death without mercy. Therefore, the wise Paul writes a letter to those who, having believed in Christ, wanted to return to the shadow of the law and says: Our mouth has been opened to you, Corinthians, our heart has been enlarged. You do not fit tightly into us, but you are cramped in your wombs. The same retribution, as I say to a child, will spread to you too. Do not be easily yoked like unfaithfulness (2 Cor. 6:11-14). Thus, those who are still under the commandment of Moses and, as it were, oppressed by it, having an unbearable burden of the law on their minds and hearts, can be considered embittered. With such a speech God addressed the princes and people. Then in the middle he introduces some speech of the Jews, wickedly invented by them out of madness and, as it were, despair. And what this speech is, it is necessary to say about it. The God of all, being long-suffering and merciful, does not immediately send punishment to those who err, but will touch (his) anger, threatening with fear of punishment and sometimes encouraging repentance by foretelling future disasters. That is why we see that He often says through the holy prophets: “Behold, it is coming,” and: “It is yet a little, yet a little, and soon, soon.” But impudent and arrogant, although subsequent generations should have corrected their sins, they turned the mercy of the Lord into a reason for ridicule. For while they heard the words of the prophet: not yet, not yet, soon, soon, they said to each other: a lot of time will pass between the predictions of the prophets and the fulfillment of what they had foretold; we will die and divine wrath will strike those who will live after us. Therefore, God said to the prophet Ezekiel: Son of man, the sons of your people say: this hedgehog sees a vision for many days, and prophesies for this time of debt. For this reason: As I live, says the Lord Adonai, no one will endure all My words that I will say: as I speak a word, I will do it, says the Lord Adonai (Ezek. 12:27,28). So he blames the Israelites for being accustomed to disdainfully treating (the words of the prophets) and almost saying: we have made a covenant with hell and with death. What are these? The storm is still passing by, it will not come to us. They almost say, it is said, for although they did not speak with their voice, they cried out with their very deeds that we had entered into an agreement with hell; he will take us. And even if a storm comes to us or a terrible danger threatens us, it will not come to us; For I lie in our hope, and we are covered with lies. Imagining themselves to be what they imagined, and saying that they would die before the storm, or before the disasters, did they not place their hope in a lie? After all, they did not have the opportunity to avoid and prevent by death the onset of what threatened them; on the contrary, it was in the power of divine and ineffable power and might. Isa.28:16,17. For this reason the Lord thus says: Behold, I lay for the foundation of Zion a stone of great worth, chosen, a cornerstone, an honorable one, for its foundation, and whoever believes in it will not be put to shame: and I will lay judgment for hope, and my mercy is a measure. This must be put in connection with the previous words, placed in the middle: for this reason, he says, hear the word of the Lord, men of embitterment and princes of these people in Jerusalem. What did he command to listen to? Behold, I lay for the foundation of Zion a stone of great value, chosen, a cornerstone, an honorable foundation for it, and he who believes in it will not be ashamed. He calls our Lord Jesus Christ, shining with the glory and omnipotence of the Divine, the chosen stone, valuable and honorable. And that He became the affirmation and support and unshakable foundation for the spiritual Zion, that is, the church, indicates this by saying that He was laid as a foundation by the Father. (Matt.21:42; 1Cor.3:11; Eph.2:20). He calls Him the cornerstone because through one faith he brings two peoples to spiritual unity, I mean the people of Israel and the pagans, just as two walls always meet in the corners of buildings, which, being harmoniously added to one another, are united into one. But if you believe in him, he says, he will not be ashamed. See how he sets prisoners free, as it were, and gives the oppressed the freedom of the gospel life: O oppressed! He says, behold, I lay the chosen stone for the foundation of Zion. What's the use of this? Believe in him and he will not be ashamed. By this He urges us to free ourselves from the yoke of the law and move away from the incomprehensible and ineffective shadow; on the contrary, to strive for grace received through faith and to delight in justification in Christ, not associated with any labor (given to tuna). I will put, he says, judgment in hope, but my mercy in standards; as the Savior himself says: The Father judges no one, but the Son gives all judgment: that all may honor the Son, as they honor the Father (John 5:22,23). Understanding this, blessed Paul writes and says that it is fitting for us all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that everyone may receive what he has done with his body, either good or evil (2 Cor. 5:10). So, we hope that there will be judgment and mercy will be shown in the way that is appropriate for everyone and, obviously, in accordance with his deeds. This, I think, is indicated by the expression: the one who judges us has mercy in measure, that is, according to the law of righteousness and in proportion to good deeds. Isa.28:17,18. And you who have trusted in vain in a lie, for the storm will not pass you by, and will not take away the mortal covenant from you, and your hope, like hell, will not endure. If the coming storm finds you, you will be trampled upon by it. Whenever it passes by, it will take you back: for every morning it will pass into day, and the hope of evil will be in the night. I said that when the holy prophets foretold the future to the Israelites and showed them the divine wrath as if already approaching, then these, being arrogant to the point of excessive madness, reasoned and said that although this might happen, the fulfillment of what had been foretold would not come at a distant time; The time of our life will pass and these disasters will come after us. By speaking and reasoning in this way, they seemed to have entered into an alliance with death and, as it were, placed their hope in hell. That is why he says to them: those who have hoped in vain in a lie, lest the storm should pass you by, be afraid, lest the mortal covenant be taken away from you, and hope not abide to hell. Of course, the Creator of all things knows the hearts and wombs and the power of the movements of the soul, and if they have such hope, then, he says, will He who knows your innermost things not destroy this agreement of yours with death? How will it destroy? When the manifestation of wrath comes, that is, a storm, then no one else will come after you, but you yourselves will be trampled under foot. And he will take you early, early, that is, not in a distant time, but as if in the morning and tomorrow. There will be no complete relief from disasters; but in days and in nights there will be hope of evil, that is, at all times you will be exhausted by the expectation of disasters. For when God wishes to send misfortunes, who will avert the approach of misfortune? or who will resist divine wrath? Isa.28:20,21. Learn to hear, we are oppressed: we cannot fight, but we ourselves are exhausted, even if we are gathered together. The Lord will rise up like a mountain against the wicked, and will be (as) in the wilds of Gibeon, with fury he will do his deeds, a woeful deed: but his fury will be used in a strange way, and his destruction is strange. As the all-good God of all, He wants all men to be saved and to come into the understanding of truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Therefore, admonishing the weak and leading those who have neglected their souls onto the straight and unfalse path, He uses all means: either with threats of punishment and the fear of His anger He induces (people) to a better life, or with promises of blessings He entices them to good. Having expressed threats and predicted that they would be completely engulfed in a storm, or a disaster that would soon befall them, and that at all times they would be in an evil hope, He gives a word of consolation and does not allow them to fall into despair, like the wisest and most skillful doctors who either treat sick members of the body with sharp medicine and with very strong means stop the development of diseases for the worse, then, as if charming 77 moderate and very gentle means significantly reduce pain. So, having made threats, he gives exhortations and commands to pay attention to the gospel sermon, saying: learn to hear those who are oppressed. Then he says: we cannot fight and reminds us of what once happened in the wilds of Gibeon. Here the meaning of expressions and the very connection of speech become very unclear. I think what needs to be said about historical events; for only in this way will it become at least a little clearer to those who are curious about what is being pointed out here. When Joshua waged war and led the Israelites, when he mercilessly struck the countries of the pagans and many of these countries were destroyed, then the inhabitants of Gibeon (and this was one of the cities of the foreigners), fearing to suffer the same fate, came to him (Jesus) and, telling a lie, first hid themselves (who they were) and were accepted by him. But after it was found out who they were and where they came from, they became water-bearers and woodcutters for the host (of Israel). Having learned about this, the pagan kings, and there were five of them, went to war against Gibeon, blaming him for the fact that its inhabitants had betrayed themselves to the Israelites. When the Gibeonites were in extreme danger and considered it impossible for themselves to resist, they asked for help from the hand of Jesus. He, giving help to those who once submitted to him, opposed the leaders of the foreigners. And what was then done at that time by the hand of God - the Holy Scripture will tell about it. It is narrated this way: and Jesus came suddenly against them: for I went all night from Gilgal, and the Lord terrified me from the presence of the children of Israel: and I crushed them with great contrition in Gibeon, and I drove them along the way of the rising of Oronim 78, and cut them off even to Azik and to Madaik 79 But when they fled from the face of the children of Israel before the rising of Oronim, the Lord brought down great hail from the sky even to Azik, and there were many more dead from the hail of stones than those killed by the sons of Israel with the sword in battle (Joshua 10:9-11). them, if they wanted to obey the words of our Savior. For you, he says, are oppressed, that is, filled with many sorrows, as if suppressed by threats and fear of future disasters, learn to hear, call on Jesus for help, say, as the inhabitants of Gibeon said without a doubt: we cannot fight and we are exhausted, obviously, to counteract the advancing enemies. And what, they ask, will it be? Know, he answers, that if the attack of wicked men were to rush upon you like a mountain, the same thing will happen to them as happened in the valley of Gibeon. For against those who rise up against you, he will do his deeds with wrath, sorrowful deeds, that is, anger. Who? Obviously a helping God. His wrath will be used in a strange way, and His destruction is strange. A strange and extraordinary anger, he says, rises up against your persecutors; The sky will fight with them, pouring down from above, like some hail, the severity of irresistible anger. The psalmist says something similar: if only my people had listened to me. If Israel had gone on my way, I would have humbled his enemies in no way; and I would have laid my hand on those who insulted them (Ps. 80:14-15). Isa.28:22. And do not rejoice, let your bonds be as strong as possible: the things that you have heard from the Lord of hosts that he will do over all the earth are finished and cut short. Again the face of the blessed prophet is introduced, persistently demanding from the leaders of the Jews and saying that they should not rejoice, that is, be proud of their insolence against Christ, but, on the contrary, grieve and shed tears over their own wickedness, nor strengthen the bonds of the law over the people subject to them, but, on the contrary, allow those who believe in Christ to be free from the ancient commandment and, leaving the filial and figurative, to accept worship in the spirit and truth. For God is Spirit and it is fitting to worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). That the law, without justifying anyone - (for it did not do anything), on the contrary, drawing the weak and guilty of crimes, after exposing them, to punishment, was like some kind of bond, no one will doubt this. Therefore, I think that the blessed prophet David very rightly exhorts the Israelites to strenuously strive for grace through faith, saying: let us break their bonds and cast away their yoke from us (Ps. 2:3). Truly, the Jewish leaders burdened their subordinates, wickedly, they placed on them the unbearable yoke of the commandments of the law and, as it were, bound them with some unbreakable chains. Below may your bonds be possible: the things that you have heard from the Lord of hosts are finished and shortened, even he will do over all the earth. What kind of things are ended and shortened? The preaching of the gospel, grace through faith, justification in Christ, sanctification by the Spirit. The law was neither ended nor abridged, because, as I said, it accomplished nothing; his instructions consisted, as it were, in circles and long detours of writing. On the contrary, saving preaching has a most perfect and shortened path; for through faith it leads (directly) to justification and sanctification. Moreover, the law was given to the Israelites alone, with the assistance of Moses, but grace and truth came to Jesus Christ (John 1:17) and not only to the Israelites, but also to those who were in all the heavenly places. The Divine Moses addressed the Israelites, saying this: Hear, O Israel: But our Lord Jesus Christ, through the lyre of the psalmist, says: Hear this, all the nations, teach all who live throughout the world (Ps. 48:2). Isa.28:23. Inspire and hear my voice, listen and hear my words. In these words, the face of the Savior himself is again introduced, as if delighting the Israelites with song and clearly convincing them to accept the word of the gospel preaching and not reject His voice for the sake of the commandment of Moses. And that one should not carelessly and carelessly approach the divine and gospel words, this is shown by saying: listen and hear my words; for attention, as well as obedience, is necessary for those who have reached such a height of good thoughts that they try to fill the entire breadth of their mind with the study of the law, of course, the Christian law. And that after the appearance of Christ, it is dangerous and harmful for anyone to adhere to the legal ministry, Paul will attest to this. To those who, after faith in Christ and after cleansing through holy baptism, due to extreme stupidity, returned to the Mosaic or legal service, he says: you have been made void of Christ, even though you are justified by the law: you have fallen away from grace. For in the spirit we wait for the hope of righteousness from faith (Gal.5:4-5). Probably, something else is hinted at in the words of Christ: listen and hear my words. If you want, he says, to direct your subtle mind to the shadows of the law, and pay due attention to the types, then hear my words in every possible way: for I will describe myself in types, and the power of my revelations has not introduced anything new, if you only understand the law spiritually, if only, he says, they believed in Moses, they quickly believed in Me: for that is written about Me (John 5:46). Isa.28:24,25. Will there be food all day long? or will he prepare the seed before cultivating the land? Doesn’t it always soften and level her face, then he sows a little blackberry and kimin, then he sows wheat, and barley, and millet within your borders? The meaning of these words presents a very deep and very difficult mystery. I will say (to explain it) as much as is possible and permissible. The dishonest Jews rejected the teachings of the Savior and the reason for them was their stubborn attachment to the commandments of Moses. They thought that they were acting piously, of course, by continuing to cling to images and despising the beauty of truth. That is why they persecuted Jesus, since He seemed to direct the power of the legal commandment in a different direction and led them to another, that is, gospel service. So, he takes an example from what they have at hand, agriculture, and says: will there be food all day long? and with this he wishes to explain the following. The hearts of idolaters are hard and rough, like wild hardened earth. Therefore, they need, as it were, a kind of plow, a word that softens (the soul), that is, catechumens, so that they can receive the highest and heavenly seed and thus they would then bear fruit to God - desire and zeal for all that is good. The Israelites had something similar. So, in Egypt they worshiped the gods there: but they are called through the wise Moses, and a law is given to them, which, like a plow, could soften their hard hearts and hardened minds. But it was necessary for them not only to have a calling to the rudiments of spiritual agriculture, but also, when the Savior of us all, Christ, arose, to bear fruit to God with the power of service in the spirit. So, since they, as I said, rejected the teachings of Christ, becoming attached to Moses; then he, in all fairness, turns them away from such a disposition of soul, saying: will the food be screaming all day? He who cultivates, he says, uncultivated land, wild and producing thorns, does not he constantly plow it so that it becomes capable of receiving seeds? And whoever wants, he says, to cultivate the land, will he not prepare the seed before he thinks about it? When her face softens, then she sows a little blackberry and kimin, then she sows wheat and barley and millet within your borders; It was fitting, he says, it was fitting that the hearts of those who bear children should be softened in advance by the transformative commandment and be prepared, as it were, for the face of some earth, so that it (the heart) would then be fully capable of proper fruit-bearing. The farmer, he says, although he softens the face of the earth, does not immediately and not the first time sow the harder seeds, but sows those that are small and weak, that is, black cherry and caraway seeds, and after the earth is prepared for fruiting, then, and only then, he says, sows wheat and barley and millet. For this is the way of skillful agriculture within your borders. So, the law was for everyone, as it were, a pre-preparer and, as it were, some very skillful farmer, sowing in the children he produces something similar to chernuka and caraway seeds - small seeds and, as it were, located in the shade - such that alone in themselves are not at all edible, but must always be mixed with others in order to be useful. If they are added to wheat and barley, that is, to bread made from wheat and barley, then they turn out to be very useful. The same is the meaning of the service of the subordinate. For if it did not turn out to be useful, in spiritual interpretation, for more solid food, that is, gospel food, then it alone would not have any meaning. Isa.28:26–29. And you will learn the judgment of your God and rejoice. For the chernukha is not cleansed with cruelty; below the bell chariot the kimin is cleared: but the chernukha is shaken with a rod, and the kimin is carried away with the bread. I will not forever be angry with you; the voice of my anger will trample you. And this miracle came from the Lord of hosts. When, he says, the law turned out to be powerless to cleanse sins, then the shadow was eliminated; images became useless and life-giving and truly most beneficial judgment was introduced. Which one is it? since man could not be justified by law, the Only Begotten Word of God appeared to us, offering the most perfect and shortened work, that is, justification through faith. So, he says, you, Israel, having bowed your obedient neck to the Savior of all Christ, will learn judgment from Him, that is, you will receive knowledge of the path of salvation perfected by Him. And thus you will be in joy. since he once mentioned chernuka and caraway seeds, he extracts something useful from them and says: chernuka and the following are not cleansed with cruelty. For Israel was guilty of crimes and, having become lazy in the very keeping of the law, was defeated. Therefore, the God of all said: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me: but they honor Me in vain, teaching the commandments of men and teachings (Is. 29:13). And was he not, quite rightly, punished for his negligence in relation to the law? Yes, he says. But the goal of the legislator is humane. For, as the chernukha, he says, is not cruelly cleansed, below the bell chariot there will be a kimin, obviously - threshing and crushing, as without a doubt this is done with grain bread, on the contrary, it is cleansed or shaken with a rod: the Lawgiver will do the same with those who have sinned against the law - he will not subject them to cruel punishments, but will cleanse them with a rod and moderate actions. Having added that kimin and bread will go together, he showed that the external side of legal service alone, in itself, does not matter, but will be useful and necessary if combined with solid food, that is, with the Gospel revelation. However, I already talked about this when I explained the parable of the cumin and the chernushka. What did he mean by this? Having declared that the black earth is being shaken with a rod, he adds and says: “I will not be angry with you forever, but the voice of my anger will trample you.” I will not be hard-hearted, he says, I will not subject you to extreme punishment, I will not bring cruel judgment on you so that you will be trampled upon, as usually happens in anger. On the contrary, the God of all will show an extreme degree of long-suffering, which he again points out when he says: and this from the Lord of hosts went forth miracles. It is truly a miracle and a sign worthy of wonder that Israel, despite so many sins, was pardoned and, by the mercy of God, received forgiveness for their countless crimes. Isa.28:29. Advise, offer vain consolation. Promising them forgiveness for their folly and very clearly saying that anger will not be too cruel to them, He commands them to accept good advice, but also accuses them of the fact that, considering vain consolation for something great and lofty, they move away from what is rightful. What kind of consolation was this, which they considered great, but was useless? Without a doubt the following. They said: we have made a covenant with hell and with death: even if a storm passes by, it will not come upon us: I lay my hope in lies, and we are covered with lies. But those who thought this and had this vain hope, who thought that they would die before the onset of disasters, heard clearly: if the storm comes, you will be trampled underfoot. Whenever it passes by, it will take you away. Isa.29:1–4. Woe to the city of Ariel, even after David was a warrior. Gather the grain from year to year, and carry it along with Moab. I will make Ariel angry, and his strength and wealth will be mine. And I will sit around you, like David, and I will build a fort around you, and I will build pillars around you. And your words will be humbled to the earth, and your words will go down into the earth: and your voice will be like those who speak from the earth, and your voice will fail to the earth. He takes some historical events during the reign of blessed David, and does this as if in order to show the insolence against Christ on the part of the Jewish synagogue. For what happened among the ancients, as if in the shadows, served as an image of true things. Thus, present-day Jerusalem was once called Jebus. It was he who was besieged by blessed David: and for what reason, we learn about this from the Holy Scripture itself. The following is narrated in the second book of Samuel: and David and all his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusite who dwelt in that land: and he decided to David, “Thou shalt not see these things, for thou shalt rise up lame and blind, saying, Thou shalt not see these things.” And David took the fortress of Zion: this is the city of David. And David said on that day: “Whoever smites Jebus, let him touch with the sword the lame and the blind and those who hate the souls of David” (2 Sam. 5:6-8). So, the blind and lame who lived in Jerusalem or Jebus opposed blessed David, and, having done this, they died in a pitiful manner, for he took the city. And the Savior of all, Christ, at the time of His coming, was opposed by the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the lame and the blind, for they (not only) could not walk on straight paths, and did not receive the divine light in their souls, not accepting faith, especially the scribes and Pharisees. Therefore, through the mouth of David, he said: the strangers have lied to me: the strangers have vowed, and are lame from their paths (Ps. 17:45-46). And Paul writes to them, saying: In the same way, restore the weak hands and the weakened knees: and make right paths with your feet, so that the lame may not go astray, but rather may he be healed (Heb. 12:12,13). And that they were blind, the Savior Himself will attest to this, saying: I came into this world for judgment, that those who do not see may see, and those who see will be blind (John 9:39). For the Gentiles have seen, although they were once blind. The Jewish people were blind, although they saw the mystery of Christ, to the extent that it was part of the mystery through the law. Therefore, he complains about Jerusalem and says: woe to the city of Ariel, even before David was a warrior. He calls him Ariel, using a name common to many. For Ariel is interpreted: Lion of God. since Jerusalem made serious attacks on all countries and peoples, winning with the help of God, and like a lion, kidnapping and tormenting those who resisted it; That's why it got that name. So, woe to you, he says, unfortunate city, which once roared like a lion against the nations, and after that fell into such bitter and cruel disasters! For David once conquered it, and after David, He who came from his seed, that is, Christ. Then he says to them: Gather the grain from one year to the next, and carry it along with Moab. For our Lord Jesus Christ, for two whole years, 80 went around all of Judea, used wise instructions and offered divine and evangelical preaching. So, since, he says, the favorable time has come and since He makes it possible to gather spiritual food and, as it were, to store it in the mind and heart, then do not be slow in this, but on the contrary, putting aside all laziness, gather with diligence. Sneste bo with Moab. The country of Moab was once the most superstitious and there was no one in it who would strive to worship the natural and truly existing God. Therefore, in the person of one idolatrous country, He means all those who are mistaken and says: you will destroy them with Moab. For the Gentiles were also called, so that the gospel and saving preaching became common food for both the descendants of Israel and those who were once mistaken. Then he adds and says: I will embitter Ariel. These words refer to that first saying (Is. 29:1, woe to the city Ariel); for he said (at first) that woe to the city of Ariel; then, inserting an admonition in the middle, he returns to the thought (previously expressed) and says: I said that woe to the city of Ariel, I will embitter him, and his strength and wealth will be mine, that is, I will take all his wealth and all his strength. And understand this in both a sensual and spiritual sense. Their earthly wealth became scarce when the besiegers plundered it; the once great and glorious power was crushed; for they were defeated by the hand of the Romans. But in addition, they lost the ornaments of virtue and, suffering from the poverty of all good, along with other things, they lost the wealth of legal wisdom. I also say that in the words: I will build a fort around you and build pillars around you, indicating the siege of Jerusalem that took place after the crucifixion of the Savior. because the Pharisees were proud and uttered terrible and arrogant words against Christ, saying: we know as Moses said God: but we know not this, from where we are (John 9:29); then he says that your words will be humbled to the ground. And without any doubt, this will actually happen not with the words themselves, but those who dared to speak them will be defeated, accustomed from ancient times to utter offensive and arrogant speeches, they will be subjected to the disasters of war; they will have an insignificant and very weak voice and they will begin to make the same sound as those who speak from the earth actually make, that is, the exorcists of the dead, who, when they show the appearance of summoning a soul, whisper something barely audible and muffled, as if the soul itself was speaking quietly and from the earth. Isa.29:5. And the wealth of the wicked will be like a finger from the wheel, and like dust it will fly, 81 and like a devil it will be suddenly from the Lord of hosts. He calls those wicked who raged against Christ and delivered the Redeemer to crucifixion and dared to subject the Chief of Salvation to death, although He rose again as God in the flesh. He says that such wealth will disappear like dust and fly away like dirt from a wheel - and not in a distant time, but soon and like hell (instantly). And that this work would be accomplished by the Lord of hosts, it was necessary for Him to show them, so that they would not be deceived by any empty hope that they would avoid this too. Isa.29:6. The visitation will be with thunder and with coward, and with a great voice, a storm carrying, and a fiery flame consuming. What He wanted to say with the words: from the Lord of hosts, he explains, saying that there will be some kind of visitation on them. For God the Father will never overlook the crimes of wickedness against the Son; but he says, he will bring, as it were, some thunder and an earthquake, and a storm, and a consuming flame of fire - a military invasion. Isa.29:7,8. And it will be like a dream that I saw in a dream at night, the riches of all tongues, who fought against Jerusalem, and all the congregations who embittered her. And as in a dream they will eat and drink, and as they will rise, then their sleep will be: and as in a dream they thirst, as they drink, and having arisen still thirsts, but his soul hopes in vain: such will be the wealth of all tongues, who have fought against Mount Zion. Having said that the wealth of the wicked, who obviously raged against Christ, will be like dust and like dirt from a wheel, he now asserts that even for the devastators themselves it will not become a lasting and solid acquisition; because those who are thus enriched, he says, will be like those who in a night vision seem to have become rich, while in fact they have acquired absolutely nothing. For, awakening from sleep, they recognize the deception of dreams, and what they thought was real, they will no doubt find it a shadow and a ghost. Something similar happens to those who are obsessed with hunger or thirst. For bodily nature necessarily demands its own, and although sleep sometimes deceives the soul, nature no less remains in its aspirations for what it would like. Hence, I think, as if some pairs and subtle images of an object surround the mind; but as soon as sleep runs away from the eyes, the ghost turns out to be empty and completely useless. Such will be, he says, the wealth of all languages, and you will fight against Mount Zion. When and how this happened, I will not say. Isa.29:9,10. Relax and be horrified, and get drunk not with strong drink, nor with wine, for the Lord has given you the spirit of compunction, and will close the eyes of them, and of their prophets, and of their princes, who see the unseen 82 . Again he turns to those who despised divine prophecies and tried to place nothing in the divine and heavenly, I mean, gospel preaching. For although it was in their power and, moreover, it was very convenient to receive the grace of salvation through Christ, obediently bowing the neck of their mind; however, they, pathetic ones, did not do this; but imagining a lot and thinking highly about themselves, they boldly said: we are Moses’ disciples. We know as Moses said God: but this we do not know, from where we are (John 9:28,29). But they heard Christ clearly speaking: I am the light of the world (John 8:12), walk until you are light, so that darkness does not have you (John 12:35). When, hearing these holy words, they did not become better or wiser in any respect, on the contrary, they later turned out to be cruel and disobedient, then, just then, and in all fairness, they were enveloped in darkness, in some way weakened, lost their prudence, and, like those drunk with wine, very easily staggered towards everything shameful. Pointing to something like this, he says to them: relax and be horrified (go into a frenzy) and get drunk not with strong drink or wine. For what can intoxicate the mind is not sensual wine at all, or an intoxicating mixture, that is, strong drink, 84 but it is more likely and more powerful that this is done by disasters and, as it were, a kind of hardening that occurs in the soul from divine wrath. This, I think, is what he teaches, saying: And you will close the eyes of them, and of their prophets, and of their princes, who see the unseen. For the ancients, he says, who were wise by the guidance of the law, who contemplated the beauty of truth, albeit in vague shadows, and who partly understood the words of the holy prophets, will be deprived of this very thing; because (God) closes their mental eyes, which previously saw the unseen. This will happen, he says, to the prince and the prophet, that is, the ruler and the priest. For they called those prophets who diligently studied the sayings of the holy prophets; and the Jews had certain mentors and teachers who had the glory of knowing the laws, as Gamaliel undoubtedly was, about whom they had many speeches. Isa.29:11,12. And all these words will be unto you, like the words of this sealed book, even if they give the scripture to a man, saying, Read this, and he says, I cannot read it, for it is sealed. And this book will be given in the hand of a man who does not know the scriptures, and it will be said to him: read this, and he will say: I do not know the scriptures. Our Lord Jesus Christ nowhere said to the Jews: try the scriptures, that in them you think that you have eternal life: and that is what testifies of Me. And you do not want to come to Me, but you die (John 5:39,40). So, constantly reasoning about the commandment of Moses and showing that they had formed in their minds and hearts more than a simple understanding of the scriptures of the law. The Israelites worked in vain, since they did not seek Christ, although the law itself speaks of His sacrament. Therefore, they heard again: If they believed quickly in Moses, they quickly believed in Me: for that is written about Me (John 5:46). So, although they had a lot of reasoning about the law, nevertheless they killed the One who was Foretold in it, without thinking at all about the honor of Moses. The inspired Scripture is in some way sealed by God as one book. For it is all one and spoken by one Holy Spirit. How is it sealed? For those who cannot read and know the letters cannot understand what is contained in it, nor even if someone knows the letters will not comprehend what is hidden in it; but the law will be sealed equally for everyone, so that the meaning of his thoughts was completely inaccessible to those. who could read. And this was sung by the lips of David to God: let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and let their backs be cut off (Ps. 68:24). Isa.29:13. And the Lord said: these people draw near to Me with their lips, and with their lips they honor Me, but their heart is far from Me: but in vain they worship Me, often with the commandment of men and with teaching. The Jews, pretending to comprehend the depth of the instructions of the law, and constantly having on their tongue the commandment that was once prescribed to the fathers, measured the meaning of serving God only by this alone. They did not fulfill anything at all that was revealed in Scripture, but, as if dishonoring the will of the Lawgiver, they turned to the teachings and commandments of men. Inventing some new arbitrary traditions for themselves, they considered themselves God-loving and kind, and yet by their very deeds they were exposed that they had recklessly abandoned the love of God. So, due to the fact that they constantly had the law on their tongues, they considered themselves close to God; but because they did not strive to fulfill it, they were exposed as having moved away from God and as being in some way outside of Him. And that they were more attached to human commandments can be seen from the following. One day the scribes and Pharisees approached the Savior, asking: Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the 85 elder? They do not wash their hands when they eat bread. And to this the Lord said: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God? 86 God commanded, saying: 87 Honor your father and mother: and: whoever curses his father or mother, let him die. But you say: if anyone says to his father or mother, “It is a gift that you would enjoy from Me,” and let him not honor his father or mother, and destroy the commandment of God because of your tradition (Matthew 15:1–6). And to this he added the saying (of the prophet) that is before you; for he said: You hypocrites, Isaiah prophesied well about you, saying: These people honor me with their lips (Matthew 15:7,8). So, since they, having despised the Schoolmaster and not paying any attention to the law of God, turned to the teachings and commandments of men; then for this reason the book of inspired Scripture was sealed from them, and quite rightly; because it was not proper. so that through the inspired Scripture, those who despise it will enrich their minds. Isa.29:14. For this reason, I will do my best to put this people away, and I will put them to death, and I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and hide the understanding of the prudent. The Jewish people, it seems to me, were resettled in many different ways. So it was called the inheritance of God, His inheritance and portion, but it seemed to have changed (in its meaning); for it was no longer called His portion, but became part of the fox and was given over to Satan and unclean spirits as food; He also departed from right-mindedness into an unskilled mind (Rom. 1:28), from glory into dishonor, from power into impotence, from wisdom into utter stupidity. I will destroy, he says, the wisdom of the wise, and I will hide the understanding of the prudent. The scribes and Pharisees, who were reputed to be lawyers, seemed wise and wise, but the mind of the wise, that is, the law or the inspired Scripture, was hidden by God and, as it were, shortened. Isa.29:15. Woe to those who give deep counsel, and not with the Lord: woe to those who work in secret, and their deeds will be in darkness, and they will say: Who have we seen? and who will understand what we do? When the God of all determines punishment and retribution for someone, he immediately indicates the reasons for this and shows the crimes of those who were punished, so that it can be seen that He who punishes everything with justice is just. So he said that after the sealing of the law the Jewish people would become extremely foolish, and that after all understanding was taken away from them, they would remain blind, obviously spiritually. And he immediately shows what crimes these are and why exactly he had to undergo this. This is what intentions they had against Christ, inconsistent with the will of God. This, I think, is what the expression means: not by the Lord. They thought of conferring secretly among themselves, starting evil enterprises, and perhaps saying: who do we see? or who will understand us what we do. But they did not know that no intention, no evil intent of a person, no purpose of an enterprise can hide from the divine and pure mind, even if it happens to happen in darkness and in secret. So they bribed the traitor Judas, as if saying: we will bind the righteous, for it is indecent for us to eat (Is. 3:10), they handed over (Christ) to be crucified and, as far as it depended on them, they killed the Author of life. But they also terribly attacked the one who had risen from the dead and secretly did what they instilled in them with wickedness and envy. For, having learned that He had risen, the silver coins were pleased to give the warrior (Matthew 28:12) to the guards of the tomb, so that they would say that His disciples secretly stole Him at night. Therefore, he says, woe to those who are accustomed to making such advice, not from the Lord, but rather, as it were, about Beelzebub. Isa.29:16. Is it not like the shavings of a poor man that you are imputed to? food says to the building that created it: did you not create me? or the creation to the one who created: did you not create me wisely? Having said: I will resettle this people, with these words he shows that he will certainly do this and without much effort, saying that they will be transformed into whatever the Creator wishes, just as without a doubt (transformed) and skillfully crafted (clay) 88 by the hands of a potter. The prophet Jeremiah taught the same thing, saying: Arise, and go down to the poor man’s house, and there you will hear my words. And he went down into the house of the poor woman, and there he did the work on the stones, and broke the vessel that he had made from clay with his hands: and again, make another vessel out of it, as he pleased to do in his sight. And the Lord said to me: food, as this wicked man cannot make you, O house of Israel? Just as clay is in the hand of the poor, so you eat in My hand (Jer. 18:2-6). For the artist and Creator of all things easily transforms what He has created into whatever He wants. Isa.29:17. Isn’t it just a little while before Lebanon will be added, like Mount Hermel, and Mount Hermel will be counted as an oak grove? Having said that they will be like the potter's clay and will be transformed into something worse for the sake of the many sins inherent in them, it clearly shows (now) how this will happen and somewhat clarifies what, apparently, was said in darkness. Mount Lebanon is located in Phenicia and the people who lived on and around it were extremely superstitious. Likewise, Mount Carmel was located in the Judean country, a very large one, on which, they say, Elijah the Tishbite lived 89 . So, by the mountains or countries in which the mountains are located, he wants to point out those living in them, and says: it will be changed, which means: Lebanon will change and will be like Mount Carmel, and Mount Carmel will be like Lebanon - that is, those who once served idols will know the God worshiped in Judea and will be numbered with the rank of the firstborn of Israel; and those who come from the seed of Israel will be like the inhabitants of Lebanon and those who once erred. For Israel was cut off from fellowship with God because of their wickedness against Christ; the pagans, accepted and sanctified by the Spirit, became partakers of the divine nature. So, he says, Lebanon will be transformed, like Mount Hermel, and Mount Hermel will be considered an oak grove, that is, a forest of wild trees, the end of which will be burned. Or in another way (interpreting): those who devastated it were like woodcutters for Israel, which, I think, the prophet Zechariah points to when he says: Open thy doors, O Lebanon, and let thy cedars girdle with fire: let the pitis weep when the cedar falls. Weep, O oaks of Vasanitis, for the planted oak grove has been cut (Zechariah 11:1,2). So, notice that he (Zechariah) likens Lebanon to Judea, as being no different from those. who once dwelt in it, that is, from those who were mistaken. He calls those who fall in it fir, cedar and oak. For, majestic and exalted, they were destroyed as if by the fire of divine wrath. Isa.29:18,19. And on that day the words of the book will be heard in darkness, and the eyes of the blind will see what is in darkness and what is in darkness. And the poor will rejoice for the Lord's sake with joy, and despairing people will be filled with joy. With these words, he very clearly points out to us the calling of the pagans. But the properties of occurring events can be recognized, as it were, from opposition. Previously, He said that the book of the law, or the whole inspired Scripture, was sealed, and the knowledge of the Word of God would be hidden from the minds of the Jews, so that he who knew the letters would say: I cannot read it, for it was sealed; and he who does not know: I do not know the scriptures. Now it clearly shows that the pagans will be called to the knowledge of God and will perceive with their minds and hearts the light of the Gospel preaching and will understand the very law of Moses, although they were once deaf and did not hear. And they walked as if in darkness and darkness, or ignorance and error. He says that they will rejoice not about any other objects of this world, but about the Lord, that is, about Christ. For being poor and having nothing good in mind, but lacking all virtue and having no hope, for they were ungodly in the world (Eph. 2:12), according to what is written; they will be filled with joy: they will be free from sin, and full of holiness, and they will conquer death and their hopes from God will be fulfilled and they will be participants in unceasing joy. Isa.29:20,21. The lawless one has disappeared, and the proud one has perished, and all the lawless ones have perished in malice, and all those who commit sins in word, will put a stumbling block to all who reprove in the gates, even though they have seduced the righteous in unrighteousness. When the Israelites were taken away and removed from communion with God, although not entirely, for the remnant will be saved, but according to the word of the prophet (Is. 10:22), then, he says, the wicked one disappeared and the proud perished. They are lawless because they did not keep the law itself; on the contrary, they turned to the teachings and commandments of men; they are very proud and terribly arrogant because they have dishonored Christ. For they once said, Isn’t this the son of Tekton (Matthew 13:55), whose father and mother we know? Why then does this one say that he came down from heaven (John 6:42)? And again: Abraham died and the prophets, and you said: If anyone keeps My word, he will never see death. Whom are you creating for yourself (John 8:51,52,53)? And in other cases you can see them - the scribes and Pharisees - speaking very wicked words: they have demons and are violent: why will you listen to Him (John 10:20)? So, the lawless consumed themselves for the sake of the great malice and enormity of their inherent corruption. They were also sinning people in the word: for, removing, as I said, the people subject to them from respect for the law, they tempted to sin by convincing them to observe their teaching or their commandments and inclined them to recognize them as law. And what is even more wicked than this, they considered stumbling to be a reprover in the gates. For the holy prophets, who proclaimed heavenly and divine words, sometimes denounced the Israelites and did this with boldness and not secretly, but as if in the gates. Called to manage the subordinate flock and obliged to guide those who deviate from the straight and immaculate path to everything useful, they, however, created obstacles to these useful denunciations, calling the prophets deceivers and liars. For their goal was to pervert the power of truth by deeds of unrighteousness. This, I think, means the expression: seducing the righteous in untruths. So, for example, if the law says: honor your father and mother, and: whoever curses his father or mother, let him die: then they taught children to say to their parents: a gift that you would have enjoyed from Me, and if anyone says this, he may not honor his father or his mother; Yes, it will be allowed, they say, not to honor your father or mother. It was for this that Christ reproached them, saying: destroy the commandment of God for your tradition (Matthew 15:4-6). Isa.29:22,23. For this reason the Lord speaks thus against the house of Jacob, which was appointed from Abraham: Jacob will not now be ashamed, nor will Israel now change his face. But when their children see my works, for my sake they will sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One, and fear the God of Israel. The prophetic word is always vigilant and anticipates the malice of those who are accustomed to blasphemy. For it is said: the wicked one perishes, the proud one perishes, the wicked are consumed in wickedness. But since some, due to great ignorance, could think that God spoke a lie, since Israel was not completely destroyed, but, as I said, the remnant was saved: it is very opportune to remind us of the hope kept for Israel in the last times of the age; and they will be called through faith in Christ and will be converted after the Gentiles. For when, it is said, the fulfillment of tongues comes, then all Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:25,26). So what does it say? For this reason the Lord speaks thus against the house of Jacob, which he ordained from Abraham; for Israel was singled out from all nations and the race of Abraham and Jacob was considered, as it were, some chosen portion of God. But they will not now be ashamed, he says, nor will they now change their face, that is, not immediately after they have disrespected Christ, they, having come to the knowledge of their sins, will be ashamed and move on to that (to consciousness) that they should not be like that. This, I think, means the expression: they will change their face. But over time, when their descendants see my deeds, that is, when they see everything called under heaven and the inhabitants of the whole earth who believed in Me; when they see the shocked power of the devil by the fact that this primordial and vile delusion will be destroyed and idols will be burned along with the churches; then they will sanctify My name instead: and they will consider Me Holy; They will sanctify as truly the Holy One of Jacob and the God of Israel, and thus they will fear Me; The fear of God is always the path to salvation, as it is written: the fear of the Lord is the source of life (Proverbs 14:27). Isa.29:24. And those who err in spirit will understand the meaning, and those who grumble will learn to listen, and the silent nations will learn to speak peace. Having sanctified the name of Christ, the Savior of us all, and having unshakably believed that He is the Holy One of Jacob and the God of Israel, they will understand the meaning, although they were once possessed by the spirit of error and had the law sealed. Those who grumble will always learn to listen. The Jew murmured against Christ, then saying: “I have not seen you for fifty years, and have you seen Abraham” (John 8:57), but at the same time not neglecting and persecuting Him and bringing the truth to blame for Him. The Savior of all called Himself the Son of God and the Father and, showing that the shadow of the law has no meaning, brought out the beauty of serving in the spirit. But they persecuted Him not only for destroying the Sabbath, but also for His Father, who said God, making He equal to God (John 5:18). So, those who murmur will learn to listen, he says, and the nations that do not rebel will learn to speak peace. For their tongues were silent. who are accustomed to say untruths about Christ; but they will learn, he says, to say what is appropriate about Him; it is better to proclaim peace, without returning to the former madness, on the contrary, bending the neck of their mind to Him. The world speaks to Jesus, if anyone says: Lord our God, gain us, don’t we know anything else than You, we call Your name. Isaiah 30:1–5. Woe, the apostate child, this says the Lord: make counsel not by Me, and covenants not by My Spirit, add sins to sins: those who go down to Egypt. I didn’t ask if I could have help from Pharaoh or intercession from the Egyptians. For the cover of the Pharaohs will be a shame for you, and a reproach for those who trust in Egypt: for they are the elders of Tanya, and their messengers are evil. They will work in vain for the sake of people who do not use them, below for help, below for benefit, but only to death and reproach. Again he complains about the Israelites, who became sinners and apostates, very wicked and plotting evil, not by God (not by Me). For it is impossible for those who want to agree to something bad to consult with God. Anyone who is pious and kind and loves truth will confer with God and receive success in business. For it is written: the thoughts of the righteous are destined (Proverbs 12:5) 90. So, he accuses the rejected 91 Israel for having an opinion about Christ that disagrees with God. For having gathered together, they took counsel among themselves and said, “What shall we do?” for this man does many signs. If we leave it alone, the Romans will come and take our city and country. Another one, one of those appointed among the rulers, says: you know nothing, for there is no one, but one man will die, and not the whole language will perish (John 11:48-50). The Lord teaches the same thing very clearly in the Gospel parables, saying that the householder who planted a vineyard sent his slaves so that they would bear fruit; the farmers killed them. And their wicked atrocities did not stop there, but when they saw the son sent after the servants by the Father, they said within themselves: this is the heir; let's go kill him and take possession of his inheritance (Matthew 21:33-38). So, they are apostates and authors of such evil and wicked plans, adding sin to sins; for they, as I said, killed the holy prophets, and then after them the heir himself, that is, the son. And that their will has long been inclined to depart from God, he tries to confirm this, saying: those who are going to Egypt, do not ask Me if they will have help from Pharaoh, and intercession from the Egyptians. In the middle there is an expression: Don’t ask me. The sequence of thoughts here is as follows: woe, he says, for those who go to Egypt to ask for help from Pharaoh and seek protection from the Egyptians. For when war was declared on them and the king of Assyria moved troops against the country of Judah; then they resorted to the Egyptians and asked them for help, while they should have propitiated God and, by turning to the better, made amends for what they had offended Him with. And that they, enjoying His favor in abundance, would not have been subjugated under the feet of enemies, the experience of their ancestors will confirm this. Who didn't they defeat? who has not been ruled over by God? However, having considered salvation from God as nothing, and even more so, having decided that the almighty Hand could not save them, they sought help from people. But, he says, this will be a matter for them to suffer and to reproach; for Tanya is his elder, the messenger of evil. The Israelites retired to Egypt and thought, as I have already said, that the help of the leaders or kings who were in Tanes would be enough for them. But some came there too, announcing disasters and suffering to the rulers of the country; for the Assyrian undertook a campaign against the Egyptians after the war with the Tyrians. So, in vain, he says. The Israelites will labor by resorting to a people who can in no way benefit them; since he will not be strong enough either to help them or to free them from the threatening disasters, but to pain and reproach. Thus, those who alienate their hearts from hope in God always have to be inevitably and completely exposed to all kinds of disasters. Blessed David expresses the truth when he says: it is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man (Ps. 118:8); He plucks out and delivers from all evil those who love Him and try to cleave to Him. Vision of four-legged creatures like those in the desert Now the prophet talks to us as one who has contemplated something that will happen in due time over the land of Judea. I think that we must again recall the historical events about which he had a word; for under this condition the meaning of the words cited will be more understandable for readers. So, when Jeconiah, the son of Eliakim, reigned in the land of Judah, then when Israel acquired a greater tendency to fall away from God, became strongly attached to idolatry and aroused the wrath of the God of all things against itself; then a lot of speeches were made against them by the mouth of Jeremiah, calling them to repentance, advising them, and very prudently, to wash away the shame of error, to push away the atrocities of extreme wickedness, changing for the better and returning to the truth. But they turned out to be cruel and stubborn, did not listen to the speeches of the holy prophets and tried to cause trouble for them. Therefore, Almighty God, angry with them, raised up Nebuchadnezzar against them, who took Judea and, having burned its cities and villages, installed Zedekiah (king). When this one retreated, the offended Assyrian again took up arms against Jerusalem and, taking it and setting the most divine church to flames, retired to his own country. It was then that those who remained, escaped, and were able to escape the sword of the Babylonians went into Egypt with their entire families, although God did not allow them to do this, but spoke very clearly through the mouth of Jeremiah: do not enter Egypt (Jer. 42:19). because, despite this, they remained disobedient - they died in Egypt. For Nebuchadnezzar took possession of it and destroyed the Egyptians along with the Israelites. This is the reason for the vision and the occasion and, so to speak, the whole situation. But I think we should talk about everything in as much detail as possible. Isa.30:6,7. In sadness and in distress, the lion and the lioness: from there the asps, and the tribe of the soaring asps, who ride on donkeys and velvets, their wealth is for the tongue, who will not help them to help, but to cold and reproach. The Egyptians will try to tell you in vain and in vain that your consolation is in vain. The divine Joshua distributed the promised land to the Israelites by lot. They say that the tribe of Judah received predominantly the areas to the east and south of the country of Judea; adjoining them is a desert through which anyone can pass into Egypt. So, during the time of sorrow and difficult circumstances, that is, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged, besieged and oppressed the cities of Judea, the lion and lionesses, he says, came from there. Lions probably refers to those who received leadership, were the most powerful and, in comparison with others, had considerable strength. Lions, perhaps those who were born from them. And asps and the tribe of asps he calls others (Jews), evil and poisonous and brought up in extreme deceit. If, he says: soaring, then understand those who quickly and quickly rush towards everything obscene. Undoubtedly, all those who move away from the love of God and say to a tree, “Thou art my father,” and to a stone, “Thou hast begotten me” (Jer. 2:27), and who give divine honor to the works of their hands, are deceitful and very evil. So, they took the remaining wealth they had on donkeys and camels to the people, who would not help them to help, but to punishment and reproach. It was completely useless for them, and the consolation, that is, the help that they expected to find, turned out to be in vain. For they, as I said, perished along with the inhabitants of the Egyptian country when Nebuchadnezzar conquered that country too. It is truly terrible to be at enmity with God, and if He sends His anger to someone, any advice is useless - nothing will save those against whom He is. For who can turn away His lofty hand? as it is written (Isaiah 14:27). Isaiah 30:8–11. Now write this on a tablet and in a book: for these shall be in the days of times, and even unto the ages. For a people are disobedient, lying sons, who did not want to hear the law of God: the prophet said: Tell us not a vision, nor tell us a vision; Since these events would have to take place in due time, he ordered that they be recorded and ordered them to be noticed; for, he says, they will happen in the days of times and will be worthy of remembrance forever. And this word is true. They will always serve as signs of true prophets, even to the very end of the present age. It is necessary, he says, to note (this is a prophecy) because people are unconquerable. This should be to their benefit. For if they do not believe the holy prophets who will appear at that time; then they should be ashamed of the fact that this was predicted by you. And he calls them false, as I think, because they did not maintain the reverence due to God, and turned out to be unfaithful to the promise that they made while Moses on Mount Sinai spoke to them the laws of the God who rules us all. For we see that they clearly stated: everything that the Lord says we will do and hear (Ex. 24:3). So, while the law commands and says: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and thou shalt serve that only one, and thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image (Deut. 6:13; Exod. 20:4); They took this commandment for nothing, for they served idols. Therefore, with all justice, he calls them sons of lies. And David nowhere sings: the Lord has defeated those who have lied to Him (Ps. 80:16), and as if on behalf of Christ he says: the sons of strangers have lied to me (Ps. 17:45). The reason for their illness was that they did not honor the law with any respect, and even despised the very speeches of the holy prophets. And he points to this by saying: whoever did not want to hear the law of God, saying: Do not speak to us, but speak to us and tell us another deception and seduce us from his path, take this path away from us and take away the Holy One of Israel from us. Thus shouting, the cruel Israelites often attacked many of the holy prophets. This can also be clearly seen from the following, when Jeremiah admonished them: do not go into Egypt, they said to this: You are a liar, the Lord has not sent you, but the son of Neriin is inciting you against us, and so on (Jer. 43: 2,3). Isaiah 30:12–14. If you do not submit to this word, and hope for a lie, and as if you were false, and trust quickly in this word, for this reason this sin will be for you, like a wall of hail that falls suddenly and is firmly captivated, and its fall will be real, and its fall will be like the breaking of an earthen vessel, from the clay, fractional, as if it is not possible to find a skull in them, which Stir the fire, and there will be little water in it. He tries to show that their unwillingness to obey the admonitions of the holy prophets will certainly end in a terrible disaster for them, that they place their trust in lies and recklessly try to implement what comes to their mind. because you have despised the words of the prophets, calling them errors and wickedly saying: take away the word of the Lord from us; then this sin will fall on you like a wall and a captive city, and it will be suddenly, that is, in a short time; a city, I say, crushed in the same way as an earthen vessel is broken into such small pieces that each fragment becomes useless, no one can bring fire to it, nor exhaust its small supply of water. Those who are disobedient, he inspires with these words, will be visited by such punishments and will suffer such calamities that they will be brought to an extremely pitiful state, and there will be no one among them at all who would escape this unfortunate lot. Isa.30:15. This is what the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: When you have returned, you have sighed, then you will be saved, and you will understand where you were, because you trusted in vain things. Having threateningly announced to them the greatest punishment of all and frightening them with the expectation of a terrible future, for their benefit he immediately shows both the cause of anger itself and the path to salvation. For the Creator is merciful and loving and, as He Himself says nowhere through the mouth of Ezekiel, does not want sinners to die, but to turn him from the evil way and to have his soul live (Ezek. 18:32). So, although Israel is being punished for the fact that it in every possible way moved away from the love of God and indulged in the service of idols, God gives those who wish it the opportunity to repent and be beyond evil. When, he says, having returned, as if from a bad and dirty road, I say, from worshiping the creature and giving divine honors to wood and stone: then you will be saved and at the same time you will finally understand where you were once with your mind, or, rather, stupidity, relying on vain (gods). For if they were not able to help themselves, how could they help others? What is more powerless than an idol? Soulless matter and nothing more are the gods of the deluded. Isa.30:15,16,17. Your strength was in vain, and you did not want to listen, but you shouted: let us run on horses: for this sake you will run: and you shouted: we will be on light horsemen: for this reason, those who persecute you will be light. At the voice of one thousand will flee, and at the voice of five many will flee; until you are abandoned you will be like a goldfinch on a mountain, and like a banner carried on a hill. Although you learned by experience the futility of trusting in imaginary gods and saw the insignificance of their power, nevertheless, he says, you remained rebellious. For when you heard the command not to go to Egypt, but to honor by faith the One who promised salvation, you did not want to listen (to Him), but said: Let us run on horses, and let us be horsemen on light ones. You thought that to be saved you had only to flee from Judea. But the light ones, he says, will be those who persecute you, that is, inspired and fast, - so terrible and terrible for you, and the spirit of the disobedient will reach such cowardice that with the cry of only one of the enemies, a thousand will take flight; and if five scream, then many from the group of Jews will flee. They will be subjected to such an extraordinary disaster that it will become noticeable and known to everyone; it will be visible in the same way as a mast if someone puts it on a mountain, or a banner on a hill. Banner and mast (goldfinch) refers to a tree erected on hills or elevations, which has some signs on it, with the help of which commanders let their troops know either that they have won a victory and military happiness favors them, or that they should gather to listen to something necessary. Isa.30:18. And again God will wait to show mercy to you, and for this reason he will ascend to have mercy on you, the Lord your God is the judge, and where will you leave your glory? Again he did not deprive the Israelites of hope; for the remnant was saved. Not until the foundation, he says, will the beloved (people) come to destruction, and God will not forget to show mercy to Him (Ps. 76:10), as blessed David says, but His name will be glorified and high when He has mercy on you. You may ask: Wasn’t it more characteristic of the Good to not impose punishment at all? But it should be remembered that, being good, He is also a judge. The judge’s job is to correctly and impartially determine the punishment according to each person’s crimes; and as the Good One, He also tends to change those punished for the better through gentle measures. Where will you leave your glory, he says? Leave says instead: will be left; for the inspired Scripture is sometimes indifferent to expressions. Thus, he reproaches them for the fact that they counted their glory of being and being called God’s for nothing, for they were His inheritance. They left it, doing the most desolate things, serving the products of their own hands, disobeying the holy prophets, neglecting the very salvation from God and placing a vain and useless hope on people: for they, as I said, went to Egypt. Isa.30:19. Blessed are all who dwell in Him, the holy people will dwell in Zion, but Jerusalem wept with tears, have mercy on me: He will have mercy on you when I saw the voice of your cry and listened to you. Having called the Savior of all God the glory of Israel, he shows that God reveals those who do not want to move away from Him, who, on the contrary, cleave to Him through obedience and submission to Him in everything, are truly blessed. And that at the coming of our Savior many of the descendants of Abraham will repent and those justified by faith and freed from all sin will receive sanctification from the Spirit, he teaches about this when he says: holy people will dwell in Zion, and weep, Jerusalem: have mercy on me. since the God of all people loves mankind and is abundantly merciful, He will have mercy on you and hear your cry, for He saw your repentance and without a doubt bestowed the grace of forgetfulness of malice. So, as far as the will of the Lord of all is concerned, all were saved through faith in Christ. But because they did not accept the Redeemer; then they were given over to destruction, or rather, they themselves chose this. Isa.30:20,21. And the Lord will give you bread of sorrow, and hard water, and no one who flatters you will come close to you: for your eyes will see those who deceive you, and your ears will hear the words behind those who deceive you, who say: This is the way, let us walk in it either on the right hand or on the left. Our Lord Jesus Christ has become for us the bread of life; for he clearly said: I am the bread that came down from heaven and give life to the world (John 6:33,51). But He is also water, not sensory and material, but divine and spiritual. So he is called the river of peace and the source of sweetness, he says this because blessed David sings about those who are justified by faith and says, as it were, to God and the Father: For you have a fountain of life, and I have given you to drink with the stream of your sweetness (Ps. 35:9,10). So, Christ is bread and life-giving water; but He is obtained through heroism and labor. For great and excellent blessings become the property not of those who are lazy and devoted to effeminacy, but of those who are accustomed to value hard feats and labors for the sake of it. So the divine David also sought to know the mystery of Christ, chanting and saying: if I go up to my bed, if I give sleep to my eyes, and slumber everywhere, and peace to my soul, I will find the place of the Lord, a habitation for the God of Jacob. Behold, I heard in Euphrath, I found in the oak fields (Ps. 132:4-6). For Immanuel was born in Bethlehem, which is Ephrathah. So, the God of all promises to the Israelites who turn to Him to give bread of sorrow and hard water, that is, to give life in Christ and the knowledge of Him, which can be collected and contained in the treasuries of one’s soul, without falling into effeminacy, without leading an easy life, not following the smooth and wide path, but entering through the narrow gates leading to life. This bread, he says, if you take it, you will be safe, not prone to mistakes, and will not be easily carried away by the words of those who deceive. For you will see them and hear their words. Once, due to your inability to discuss their words, you were like those who do not see anything at all and do not hear the words of people who are accustomed to deceive. But having accepted this bread, you will see them completely and understand fully what kind of properties they are who reason and speak unreasonably; This is the essence, let us walk along it, either on the right hand, or on the left: for they did not have the ability to distinguish between just and unjust, but with the words of each they were recklessly carried away by everything. Isa.30:22. And I rejected the silvered idols, and crushed the gilded ones, and scattered them like menstruation water, and like bloodworms I rejected them. To do this, I think, is appropriate for those among the pagans who are called through faith to the knowledge of the truth, and also for the descendants of Israel themselves. There is nothing inappropriate to say to those who turn from Hellenic error: I will give you the bread of sorrow and hard water, and no one who flatters you will come close to you. And the unfortunate Jews had crafty teachers, scribes and Pharisees, who wanted to persuade them to do everything that seemed to them - turning them away from the Law of Moses and urging them to heed the teachings and commandments of men. Moreover, Israel reached such madness that it wanted to worship soulless idols: the children of the Hellenes had wicked mentors who, possessing spiritual and demonic wisdom, preached the existence of countless demons and taught to worship the creature instead of the Creator. So, having accepted the bread of life and life-giving water, both of them freed themselves from their former teachers, or rather, their seducers, and having learned the error, they destroyed the idols. For they received justification by faith, as if they had said goodbye to Satan and unclean spirits, avoiding and abhorring the false gods who were once held in high esteem, I say, gods, as a very disgusting and extremely unclean object. For what could be more disgusting than the bloodworm [dung beetle] and the water of a woman’s period? Isa.30:23,24. Then the seed of your land will rain, and the grain of your land will be abundant and abundant: and your cattle will feed in that day in a rich and abundant place. Your young men and the oxen who work the earth will eat the chaff mixed with winnowed barley. The image of speech is taken as if from those engaged in agriculture. When they receive rainwater pouring down from above and from the sky in abundance, then of course they have a good harvest and a large supply of vital food, and even reap fodder for livestock in the fields. But here, too, the meaning of the above words is applied from sensory images to spiritual speculation. When, he says, God will give you bread of sorrow and narrow water, when you recognize those who deceive you and turn your mind away from them, when you destroy idols and receive the light of true knowledge of God; then you will have spiritual fertility. For there will be rain of the seed of your land. Rain calls spiritual consolation through the Holy Spirit, which, as it were, fattens the hearts of those who worship God and makes them fertile. So David sings about those justified through faith in Christ: God, God, will separate the rain from your inheritance (Ps. 67:10), obviously the gospel and saving sermon and, as I said, consolation through the Holy Spirit. And the prophet Isaiah, as if on behalf of God, nowhere said about Israel, which was grapes: and a cloud commanded that it should not rain on it (Is. 5:6). So, he says, there will be rain of the seed of your land, but the bread of the life of your land will also be abundant and fat, that is, the fruit of your deeds will be beneficial, for it will be fully ripe and will be fat and abundant. So the prophet Hosea addressed the retreating Israelites, saying: Do not flatter your calf, Samaria: for all things have been destroyed by the wind, and I will receive their destruction: a handle that has no strength, which will create torment (Hosea 8:6,7). Again, another of the saints reproaches some and says: You have not remembered the Lord your helper: for this reason you have planted seed incorrectly (Is. 17:10). The fruit of the wicked is unripe, their labors are useless, and the outcome of their enterprises does not bring any benefit: but those who love God are fruitful. The divine Paul appropriately prays for them, saying: May the God of righteousness multiply your seed and may the life of your righteousness increase (2 Cor. 9:10). To this the prophet adds that your cattle will feed in a richer and more spacious place. “Beasts,” I think, he calls those who are meaningless and simpler, those who are inert in thought. But, once called to the knowledge of God through faith, they will find spiritual food and be fed in the fat place, that is, in the inspired Scripture, truly extensive, because it is vast and great and leads to piety. The youths and oxen who work the land, he says, will eat chaff mixed with winnowed barley, that is, they will find abundant spiritual food and, filled with immutable teachings, will work the land. Oxen, I believe, here refers to those who carry out the work of divine preaching and those who preach the gospel with great power. The wise Paul will again assure us of this, having understood the spiritual meaning of the legal commandment. He said: it is written: “Let not the threshing ox block the walls,” and added: “God wills food?” or does he say all sorts of things for our sake? (1 Cor. 9:9,10). So, under the guise of excellent food, oxen depicts spiritual objects and makes it clear that the chosen ones and, as it were, some fertile land cultivating servants of Christ, will be offered excellent and strong food. For it is fitting, fitting for the leaders of the laity to first themselves be filled with the blessings of the Holy Spirit, so that they can benefit their subordinates. Isa.30:25. And on every high mountain and on every exalted hill there will be water flowing on that day, when many perish, and when the pillars fall. And understand this spiritually. Hills and mountains he calls the holy evangelists and apostles and all others who, together with them, were guardians of the holy churches and performers of the Divine sacraments - who do not think about anything earthly, but are, as it were, lifted up by the mountain. For it is written: The powers of God on earth are greatly exalted (Ps. 46:10). Having first been enriched from above with grace, they pour out the divine and heavenly word from their minds, as if from a source. This water is abundant, for the mountains and also the hills are numerous, and the water flowing from them is sweet and abundant everywhere. Moreover, on that day, he says, this will also happen: many will perish and the pillars will fall. Day again calls the time of the coming of our Savior, when those who were spoken of appeared, many died and the pillars were destroyed, that is, the teachers of the Jews, the scribes and the Pharisees. For although they were exalted above all others by the glory of the priesthood and the dignity of power, they dishonored Christ and put to death Him who had made them high; In addition, they misled the people subordinate to them. Other pillars also fell, the arrogant hordes of wicked spirits. Isa.30:26. And the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold on that day when the Lord will heal the contrition of his people, and will heal your wounds. Some interpreters believe that the idea of ​​the above words should refer to the time of the end of the century. For then, they say, with the intensification of light, the very elements will be able to illuminate. But we will find the Holy Scriptures saying that then the sun will darken and the moon will not give its light (Matthew 24:29), and the stars will fall, as the leaves of a fig tree fall (Isaiah 34:4). So, rejecting such an understanding (of the designated words), we, on the contrary, affirm the following. He does not say that there will be an increase in light in the elements; but the moon rather calls (people) walking in the moonlight and illuminated, as it were, by an unreal and moderate light. These may include those who are accustomed in their lives to be guided by the mind innate to us by human nature, but have not yet received enlightenment from above - which is the essence of some who have not yet known by nature the truly existing God, but are, as it were, in the night, having, however, a weak flicker that God put into human nature from its very structure. Those who have received the light of true knowledge of God do not remain as if in the night, having small and lunar light, but as in the days, already looking at the ray of the sun. And being as if in the days and being illuminated as if by the sun, they, thanks to their knowledge of the true God, will receive in addition to this incomparably greater (septenary) illumination. Such were some lawyers who had in their souls, as it were, a reflection of a ray of sunshine, I say, in accordance with their knowledge of the Creator of all things and the Lord. For they heard: Hear, O Israel, the Lord is their God, the Lord is one (Deut. 6:4); but they did not yet have an accurate understanding of the law. When Christ shone forth, when their knowledge began to advance for the better, and when, finally, the law began to be contemplated spiritually; then the sunlight inherent in them will be like a septenary (sevenfold), for the God of all abides and is thought of as the sun of righteousness and is himself all wisdom. He shone forth to the Israelites through the law. For, as if out of darkness, he brought them out of the original Egyptian error; inspired to understand and confess that He alone is God of all and Lord. But this will happen, he says, when the Lord heals the contrition of his people and heals the disease of your ulcer. We, crushed and overcome by the disease of the ulcer (for the fear of punishment threatened the Jews and Greeks), will be healed by Christ. We were in some way deprived of intelligence and had a soul powerless and incapable of doing the works of righteousness, but we did not remain in this state; for the God of all has granted us healing, made us free from the original disease, fully capable of everything pleasing to God and justified by faith in Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to God and the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever, amen. Isaiah 30:27,28 Behold, the name of the Lord goes forth for many times, his burning wrath: the word of his lips is full of glory, the word of wrath is full, and the wrath of his wrath is like fire: and his spirit, like water that draws into the wilds, will come even to the neck, and will be divided, to confuse the tongues about the deceit of vain things, and I will marry the deceit of vanity, and I will be carried away before them. Having clearly stated that for believers in Christ the light of the sun will be sevenfold at the time when the Lord heals the contrition of his people, the prophet usefully adds that Divine wrath will rush against Satan who crushed them and against his demons. For they (demons) should not have had unceasing power and unshakable strength over us, especially when the Savior Christ of all shone forth to the human race. The word of the prophecy was not, as it were, naked and unclothed, but, on the contrary, shadowed and deep. For it appears as if under the image of the Assyrians, who destroyed Jerusalem, took all of Judea and, having beloved Israel captive, returned to their land, almost mocking the Divine glory and thinking that even contrary to the will of God they had defeated those who worshiped Him. So Rapshakes also cried out to those on the wall, saying: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, saying: God will deliver Israel out of my hand: will you deliver food from the tongues of each of them out of my hand? (2 Kings 18:27–33). Thus, those whom we are talking about here turned out to be those who spoke boastfully and talked a lot of idle words against the ineffable glory. When Israel had been in captivity and slavery among them for seventy years, then the God of all took him away again and saved him; for he returned him to Judah under the command of the then leaders - Zerebabel the son of Shealtiel, who was from the tribe of Judah, and Jesus the great priest. So the force of the prophecy, as far as the overt meaning of the speech is concerned, seems to lie in the reminder of what happened to the Chaldeans and Babylon. The true meaning of what was said is directed against the mental Assyrian, that is, Satan, to whom it was said from God: just as a robe soaked in blood will not be clean, so you will not be clean: you have destroyed my land, and you have beaten my people: you will not endure forever, you evil seed. Prepare your children to be killed by the sins of your father, so that they may arise and inherit the earth, and fill the earth with war. And I will rise against them, says the Lord of hosts, and I will destroy their name, and their remains, and their seed (Is. 14:20-22). So, in time the name of the Lord will come to many, he says. And this, if anyone wishes to understand historically, then after seventy years God had mercy on Israel. If he follows the path of inner and hidden thoughts, he will understand that the inventor of sin spent a lot of time in imposing the yoke of his corruption on everyone living on earth, so that he made them his worshipers and bound them with the shackles of sin. But the only begotten word of God appeared to us for many years; and there was burning wrath with glory, and the word of his lips was full of wrath. For Cyrus, the son of Cambyses, prompted by God and restored to battle, conquered the kingdom of the Chaldeans and took by force the country of the Babylonians. He became like wrath and fire for them, because he seemed to eat everyone; Like the water that draws into the wilds, it appeared for the local inhabitants with its heavy invasion; filled all the Chaldean tribes with excitement and confusion, rightly accused of vain deception. For they thought, as I said, that even against the will of God they would take possession of Judea. And so they were overcome by the delusion of vanity, since indomitable anger was sent to them from God, and they destroyed themselves with their own wickedness. And that the chief of evil, the serpent, suffered the same thing, everyone can see. The word of the Lord was for him a word full of wrath, for both he himself and his evil forces are commanded to go into the abyss. They are destroyed as if by fire and as if by much water, crushed by the power of the spirit in the dens of the underworld. Also, they were confused about the deception of vain things, for he (the devil in the person of the prince of Assyria) said: I will embrace the whole world with my hand like a nest, and I will take up like an abandoned egg: and there is no one who will run away from me or speak against me (Is. 10:14). He thought that he was the true God and, constantly transferring the glory befitting the One Creator of all to himself, he believed that he could possess those living on earth. So they were confused, accused of vain deception, and were embraced by it. For judgment, wrath and punishment were sent to them because of this guilt. Isa.30:29. Is it fitting for you always to rejoice at food, and to always enter into My holiness, as those who celebrate, and as those who rejoice, should enter with sniffles into the mountain of the Lord to the God of Israel? I said that having taken possession of the country of Judea, the Babylonians danced and mocked the captives, and, perhaps, having chosen (for this) the very church of God, they committed wickedness (in it). But they were also taken prisoner; and how, this is known. So, O Assyrian, he says, should you really rejoice over My worshipers all the time and make them a reason for celebration, since no one forbids entering My holy place, even with a flute and a zither? This is the historical meaning. If it is said against Satan and those who think things characteristic of him, then you must understand something like this: for a long time he rejoiced, exalting himself over the unspeakable glory and crushing the saints, cruelly rebelling against the workers of righteousness, attempting, as it were, to desecrate the sanctuary of God, making it a place of celebration and joy and triumphing over those taken captive. But he, miserable one, lost all this when Christ cast him down where he did not expect, and when he expelled his dominion over us. So all his pleasure and merriment ceased, his dancing that cursed us stopped, and the nature of things turned to everything opposite. For it is our delight and pleasure to obtain salvation through Christ, justification by faith, and sanctification through the Spirit. He, having lost power, remains in constant despondency and mourns the overthrow of his power. Isa.30:31,32. 92 For with the voice of the Lord, the Assyrians will be defeated by the plague, even if I am struck by it: and it will be around him, from where their hope of help will be, they will rely on that one: they will fight with timbrels (flutes) and harps from change. By the voice of the Lord, he says, instead: by the command of the Lord. For the Assyrians were defeated and suffered the defeat inflicted on them when Cyrus, the Persians and the Medes devastated them, as I said, and defeated them, according to the power and will of God. But before this (the Medes and Persians) were for them (the Chaldeans), and the latter had the hope that (with their help) they could easily conquer those countries and peoples that they would like to take. So, those same ones, he says, on whom the Babylonians had no hope of help, after their affairs had taken a turn and course in a completely opposite direction, will fight with timbrels and harps, that is, rejoicing and rejoicing. The same thing can be seen happening to Satan and the crowd of unclean spirits. They had numerous, or rather countless, admirers in this world; but by the voice of the Lord, that is, by the preaching of Christ, they were defeated and defeated; - and those whom they hoped to have as their helpers suddenly changed in a completely opposite direction, for they were called by faith and waged war against them. The churches were destroyed, the (sacred) heights were destroyed, many unclean demons (idols) were destroyed by fire - and having condemned the ruler of ancient times, people recognized as their King and Lord the One who by nature and truly is God. They began to highly value a fair way of life and truly glorious in every virtue, possibly further sweeping away the vicious life. Isa.30:33. You will (not) be tortured before days: food and you are destined to reign? the wilds are deep, the wood lies, there is a lot of fire and wood, the wrath of the Lord is like a wild forest burning like a bogeyman. Saying that the Assyrian will be attacked by those from whom it was natural to expect help rather, and that he will experience the extremes of all evil, it is necessary to add this. For, after God had revealed Himself to those who had endured their evil for a long time and had barely laid punishment on those who had gravely sinned, He defended himself in some way in this, and said: You will not be tortured before days. The God of all is long-suffering and pours out His mercy in abundance on those who sin, if only their disposition changes for the better, if only they, having chosen repentance, avoid due punishment. since none of this happened, then He finally sends His anger, not doing this before the days, but as if already in time and when the anger came, as it were, to the extent most befitting of the meekness and love of mankind of the sovereign God over all. So, O Assyrian, He says, I have been merciful and long-suffering to you: for you will not be tortured before days, it is clear that through punishment for what you were mad against mine. This is also what was said to blessed Abraham: the sin of the Amorites was not fulfilled until now (Gen. 15:16). Also, the blessed prophet Zechariah says that he contemplated (in a vision) women, inspired like widows, 93 taking the measure and, as if in the form of a woman, sin sitting in the middle (of the measure) (Zech. 5: 9, 10, 7). For the Lawgiver proportions punishments according to the sins of each. But don’t you think, O Assyrian, He says, that you too are destined to reign constantly, or to be able to hold power and have unshakable dominion over everyone? You're wrong. You will rather inherit the deep forest and the lying wood and the fire: such will be the wrath of the Lord on you and on yours. I would say that this would most appropriately be said to Satan himself; for he forcibly possessed the whole earth before Christ arose. When God and the Lord appeared to us, he was driven away, as it were, by some most terrible beast from the herd of believers, and descended into hell, having there to inherit fire and flame. For for him the wrath of the Lord will be like a wild forest burning like a bogeyman. So, not before the days he was tortured, but when time finally called him to it; because he is not prepared to reign constantly, as, undoubtedly, the Savior of all Christ, for whom it would be fitting for us to say in the words of David: thy throne, God, is for ever and ever: the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom (Ps. 44:7). Isa.31:1–3. Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who trust in horses and chariots: for they are many, and the multitude of cavalry is very great: and they did not trust in the Holy One of Israel, and did not seek God. The same wisdom will bring evil upon them, and His word will not be rejected, and it will rise against the houses of evil men, and against their vain hope, the Egyptian, man, and not God, horse flesh, and there will be no help. Having taught what happened to the Assyrians in their time, and that when their country was devastated by the Persians and Medes, they would finally perish when, that is, God raised Cyrus against them, the prophet turned to a reminder of the disobedience of the children of Israel. For the Babylonian took Judah, even the most holy city, I mean Jerusalem, and took Israel captive; Then God granted mercy to those who remained in Judea. When they wanted to go over to the Egyptians, fearing that war would be inflicted on them again from the Assyrians, then He who is able to save commanded them through the mouth of Jeremiah not to go into the land of Egypt. And when even after this they remained rebellious and thought that human help would sooner save them, they fell in Egypt and they all finally perished. Therefore, the prophet mourns them: woe, he says, to those who descended into Egypt for the sake of help, since they relied more not on Almighty God, but on horses and chariots, of which there were very many in Egypt. But, being all-wise, the God of all has brought evil upon them, and His word will not be rejected; because through the mouth of Jeremiah He told them the following. So, he will rise up against the houses of evil men, that is, those who fled to Egypt, and against their vain hope. For they chose as a helper, he says, an Egyptian, a man, and not God, horse flesh. The prophet speaks very expressively, denouncing the foolishness of the children of Israel. For what is a horse if not flesh alone? What strength does the flesh have, so weak and subject to decay? The prophet Jeremiah also says something like this: cursed is he who trusts in a man, and sets the flesh of his arms on him, and his heart departs from the Lord (Jer. 17:5). For truly it is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man (Ps. 118:8). Isa.31:3. The Lord will lay his hand on her: and those who help will become weary, and they will all perish together. After the Egyptians, boastfully and arrogantly raising their eyebrows, accepted the Israelites and thought that the power of their false gods was greater than the power of the Hebrew God, they themselves were betrayed to the Babylonians; for the latter took possession of their country, and the children of Israel who remained there perished along with the inhabitants of the land of Egypt. That is why he says that the Lord will direct his hand against her and that they will labor in every possible way, that is, those who promised them irresistible help will weaken, and they will all perish together. Isa.31:4,5. Before this the Lord spoke to me: when a lion or lioness roars for the hunt that he has, and cries over it, until the mountains are filled with his voice, and is overcome and fears multitudes of fury: thus the Lord of hosts will descend upon Mount Zion, and make war upon her mountains. Like soaring birds, the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem, protect and deliver, and supply, and save. The Prophet inserted intimidation in the middle, I mean intimidation against those leaving for Egypt, as well as against those who wish to have an Egyptian as an assistant, a man, and not God. He also said that they would die along with those who promised to protect them. Then he returns the speech again to its initial subject; for having said that the Assyrians will inherit a deep wilderness, he clearly foreshadows that God will provide help to those who honor Him and will fight for the inhabitants of Judea, and will attack those who want to harm her in the same way as, for example, a lion about hunting, roaring strongly and extremely loudly at his opponents. They say that this beast, when hunger prompts it to attack either a herd of bulls or other livestock, first frightens them with a strong and terrible roar and quickly rushes at the shepherds. Thus, he says, the Lord will come down to fight against Mount Zion, that is, against Jerusalem, against its mountains. Like soaring birds, the Lord will protect Jerusalem. Birds on the mountains hatch their chicks and establish their nests in the dense thickets of the forest. And if any other bird or snake wanted to kidnap the chicks, the mother of these latter terribly protects them and represents the obvious strength of her inherent love for children, flying around (the nest), chirping and almost making the greatest attack on the one who wants to ruin her nest. Sitsa, he says, the Lord of all will protect Jerusalem, and deliver, and provide, and save. This came true when Babylon was destroyed and Cyrus freed Israel from captivity. For Israel returned (from captivity) when Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, who was from the tribe of Judah, was serving as king among them, and Joshua the son of Jozedek, the great priest, was serving as priest. And when the Israelites wanted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, then some of the neighboring tribes attacked, 94 wanting to prevent this. But no one defeated them, since God strained the strength of Israel. The power of our Savior’s help towards us was the same. For he who was considered the god of this age took everyone captive; but Christ attacked him like a certain lion or lioness (young lion) and destroyed him with the word of his power. He is the Lord of hosts (armies), and fought against Mount Zion, that is, he fought for the mental Zion, which is the church of the living God, and powerfully saved it, as if it were his own nest. The Father of sin, out of his great pride, said: I will embrace the whole world with my hand like a nest, and I will take it like an abandoned egg: and there is no one who will run away from me or speak against me (Is. 10:14). The Savior of all and the Lord gathered those who believed in Him, just as a bird gathers its chicks under its wings, and placed them beyond all slander. For He delivered and provided (gained) for Himself the whole earth and saved under heaven. Isa.31:6. Contact those who consult, the advice is deep and lawless. While God says that he will fight on Mount Zion, that like a mighty lion he will attack those who offend Israel or those who believe in Him, and also adds that he will protect, and deliver, and supply, and save, the prophet again appeals to those who are not firm in the faith that the right hand of God is omnipotent, and whomever He wants, it will easily save from enemies. So, he says, you, who are sick with such shameful and disgusting unbelief, have abandoned the God of all, foolishly asking for help from people, I don’t know how you have been honored with this lawless and ridiculous advice - turn to God, draw up the best advice, and you too say: Lord God of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in Thee (Ps. 83:13). Isaiah 31:7–9. For on that day men will reject the silver and gold that they have made with their hands, the silver and gold that their hands have made. And Assyria shall fall: not by the sword of man, neither shall the sword of a man girdle him, nor shall he flee from the face of the sword: but the young men shall be defeated. They will touch themselves with stones like a prison, and they will be defeated, but when they run away they will be captured. Now the prophetic word returns to its intended purpose. For, it is said, the Lord will protect Jerusalem, that is, he will fight for His Church, which is His city; and He will deliver those who believe in Him, and He will provide (acquire) them for Himself and count them among His lot (destiny), and in addition He will save. How? They will remove themselves from unclean and abominable idolatry, and will no longer serve the works of their own hands, whether they be gold and silver, or otherwise made of great value. For before the coming of the Savior, the human race was seized with fear of these objects, and some served the creation, others gave to the elements of the world the glory befitting God, as the prophet says: of your silver and of your gold you made for yourself idols (Hos. 8:4). When Christ shone, the whole earth became free from such shameful and vile crimes. The churches and altars and man-made (idols) were destroyed, the satanic delusion that anciently desecrated the entire earth was rejected. So, after the destruction of things made with hands, he says, along with error, its inventor will perish, that is, Satan, the mental Assur, or Assyrian. For he will fall, not struck by the sword of his husband, and will be in fear, since he will go to hell along with other evil forces. This is what the prophet points out to us, saying: the young men will be defeated, that is, strong and violently ruling over those living on earth, they will be defeated and fall. How or in what way? They will embrace themselves with stones like a prison. In these words, a stone refers to the unshakable and indestructible power of the Savior before us. So, being embraced by Divine power, as if by some stone and as if by a fort or fortification and fence, they (demons) will yield victory, and none of them will run away, for whoever wants to do this will be taken prisoner. This, I think, is what the saying means: if you run, you will be captured. Therefore, which of them will finally be saved if they are surrounded by stones, like a prison, and there is no room for them to escape? This was accomplished by the power of the Savior, abolishing Asshur, that is, Satan, destroying along with the latter and the evil forces united with him, surrounding them as if with a prison, rendering them ineffective and imprisoning them in the gates of hell for future punishment. Isa.31:9, Isa.32:1,2. This says the Lord: blessed is he who has a tribe in Zion and tribes in Jerusalem. Behold, a righteous King will reign, and princes will begin to rule with justice. And a man will hide his words and hide himself as if carried by water: and he will appear in Zion like a glorious river flowing in a thirsty land. In these words, the blessed prophet clearly proclaims the mystery of the economy of the incarnation of the Only Begotten. Blessed will be, he says, those who at that time inhabit Zion, obviously mental, which is the Church of the living God. Truly blessed, as the Savior Himself will assure us of this, saying to those who believed in Him: Amen, amen, I say to you: for many prophets and righteous women longed to see what you see, and did not see: and to hear what you heard, and did not hear. Blessed are your hair, for they see: and your ears, for they hear (Matthew 13:17,16). So, those who, he says, have an affinity through the Spirit with our Lord Jesus Christ, who bear fruit in the mental Zion and have relatives (yuzhik) in Jerusalem (this is nothing other than Zion) are blessed and possess all blessings. We also have relatives in spirit, that is, holy secret guides. Behold, a righteous King will reign, and princes with judgment will begin to rule. Our Christ reigns, righteous and blameless, the giver of all righteousness, the teacher of that which is above the law. The princes and the court also began to own. With the court, he says, instead of: secretly. The righteous king will be a man and in all respects the brother of those who (live) on earth; for the true God, the Word became flesh, according to the Scriptures (John 1:14). And he will hide his words; for our Lord Jesus Christ spoke very many things in parables. Who through the mouth of David proclaims the same thing, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, I will vomit up the secrets of the world (Ps. 77:2; Matt. 13:35). And not only does it speak, but it also hides, like being carried away by water. The Holy Scriptures usually liken the invasion of temptations to rushing water or river streams rapidly spreading over the earth. So, when they rise, he says, their temptations and if they walked like rushing water (swiftly). He will hide, that is, he will be elusive to the slander of those tempting. David also said nowhere about Him that the enemy would not succeed in anything against Him, and the son of iniquity would not try to embitter Him (Ps. 89:23). The people of Judah very often built feats, prompted to this by those who then had leadership over them, I mean the scribes and Pharisees. But it was impossible for Christ, without His will, to endure anything that usually caused sorrow. So, for example, they began to throw stones at Him, and He, as the blessed Evangelist says, passed through their midst: and just passing by (John 8:59), that is, without caring about it. For those who live in Zion it will be like a glorious river flowing into a thirsty land. For those who were thirsty, called among the pagans to know Him and did not have a word that could save, He became like a kind of river flowing in abundant streams, and moreover, glorious, that is, famous. And many others are called (in Scripture) rivers. Thus, blessed David, likening the rivers to the holy guides who draw the word from above and accept faith, said: He raised up the rivers of the Lord, He raised up the rivers with their voices (Ps. 92:3); for the voices of the holy Apostles were clearly audible. But none of them was as glorious as, without a doubt, the stream of sweetness (Ps. 35:9), that is, Christ, for from Him, we affirm, and others were given the sufficient ability to conduct the mysteries (perform the sacraments) and to instill in the believers the life-giving word of God. Isaiah 32:3–8. And to this they will not trust in men, but they will open their ears to hear, and the heart of the weak will listen, and the silent nations will soon learn to speak peace, and your servants will not say this: Be silent. The holy fool will speak, and his vain heart will understand what he is committing iniquity, and speaking deceit against the Lord, to corrupt the greedy souls, and to create vain thirsty souls. The lawless council of the wicked conspires to corrupt the humble words of the unrighteous, and to scatter the words of the humble in judgment. If you consult with piety meaningfully, your advice will remain. The meaning of what has been stated applies very well to those called by faith from the Gentiles, and to the descendants of Israel. The worshipers of false gods, having trusted in people who enjoyed in their opinion the glory of wisdom and the honor of the greatest learning, were brought to a strange and false idea, for they were in error and said to the tree: you are my father, and you begat stones (Jer. 2:27); and those who are not gods were called gods. The Jews, listening to their leaders, did not accept faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, since those knowledgeable in the Holy Scriptures thought that they were the best to give advice, and were not ignorant of what was pleasing to God and what was most beneficial to the people under them. So, they will not follow this, he says, trusting in men, but will open their ears to hear the word of the Savior, and the hearts of those who once fainted, finally, strengthened in understanding, he will listen. the silent pagans, that is, who once did not know how to speak correctly (for dumbness is, as it were, the impossibility of saying anything to the glory of God, but a waste of words in singing songs of false gods), will learn, he says, to speak peace. To speak peace is nothing other than to have Christ and His works on our lips: For by this is our peace, according to the Scriptures (Eph. 2:14). The stupidity of the Israelites lies in the fact that they cannot bear to talk about the sacrament of Christ, but constantly talk about the law, the shadows contained in it and the (rules of) teachers. But these too will cease, he says, and all their speech will be about Christ. And that they will no longer tolerate the ancient teachers, He explained this, saying: and they do not tell the holy fool to rule over everything. Fools, undoubtedly, are Hellenic sages, for the wisdom of this world has become a fool (1 Cor. 1:20). Fools and Jewish mentors and teachers who did not know what was written in the law and did not understand the words of the holy prophets. So, they no longer tell the holy fool to rule, but also the servants of the holy fools do not tell their students: be silent. In the name of Beelzebub the wise men of this world spoke and were the inventors of the teachings of the wrong, cold and, moreover, wicked. But if someone wanted to oppose their chatter and expose it as an absurd lie, then some of those who are accustomed to serving them (the sages) attack him and invite him to remain silent, wanting their words not to encounter contradictions. So they say that the Pythagorean disciples, who sometimes chatted empty and funny, when many expressed disbelief in this, had a custom of saying this: “he said it himself,” that is, be silent, and without research give faith to the inventor of the teaching. So, this is not what your servants say, says: Be silent. In any case, the holy fool will speak, and his heart will understand that it is vain, having one goal - to commit iniquities and speak deceit against the Lord. For delusion (delusion) and nothing else turns out to be the nonsense that the Hellenes composed against the glory of God, in order to corrupt greedy souls and thirsty souls to create vanity. Sometimes some people want to learn; but then, approaching them (the sages) without reasoning, they receive absolutely no benefit, although they turn out to be very hungry and thirsty to learn something necessary for them and useful for the salvation of the soul. But the council, he says, counsels the wicked, and is aimed at corrupting souls with the words of the unrighteous, and scattering the words of the humble in judgment. For lovers of worldly wisdom and defenders of perverse opinions argue against the teaching of the holy masters, whom (the prophet) calls humble, and puts all his efforts into scattering their words, even though they were in court, that is, not carelessly, but on the contrary, with reasoning and in the wisdom that is from above and from God. This, I think, he teaches by adding: if you consult with piety, your advice will remain. The noisy talkativeness of the wise men of this world disappeared, since the advice of the pious, that is, teaching or preaching, prevailed. And we call those pious who minister the Divine and Gospel word to those living throughout the whole earth. Isa.32:9,10. Rich wives, arise and hear my voice, daughters, hear my words with hope: make a memory of the summer day in sickness with hope. In the Divine and God-inspired Scripture there is a custom: the name of wives is often applied either to cities or to villages and, since the main city is one, then other cities are called his daughters, as, without a doubt, the Divine David says about Zion or Jerusalem and the cities surrounding it: when Zion heard, she rejoiced, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced (Ps. 97:8). For there are almost always small and subordinate cities around the mother (cities), which dominates all. So, in these words the Savior himself is introduced to us, advising the cities of Judea and saying: rich women, arise, and hear my voice. Thus, he convinces them to desire to honor obedience and accept words from Him, that is, saving and evangelical preaching. It is now quite appropriate to call them rich, since they are already populous and have an immense number of inhabitants. Only they will not be empty for a long time and will become poor so that they will not have a single inhabitant, if they do not want to bend the neck of their mind to his predictions. So, about wives, he says, about daughters! Hear my words with hope, that is, no longer without reward, but with bright hope. What is thus commanded to them? Create a memory, he says, of the days of the year in which Christ appeared and clearly preached in cities and villages throughout Judea. For He himself said through the mouth of Isaiah: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for the sake of My anointing, to bring good news to the poor as My ambassador, to preach release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to send the brokenhearted into joy, to heal the brokenhearted, to call the year of the Lord pleasant (Is. 61:1,2; fn. Luke 4:18,19). Arise, he says, that is, stay awake, and having instilled good hope in your soul, remember the days of the year in which, as I said, the sermon from the Savior of us all, Christ, followed. He commands us to do this not weakly or carelessly, but as if with diligence and attentiveness, for this is precisely how good things are accomplished successfully. Isaiah 32:10–14. If the deception of wine is required, sowing will cease, and (gathering) will not come to anyone. Be terrified, take pity, have hope, be glad, be naked, gird your loins, and beat heartily about the desired village, and about the birth of the vineyard. On the land of my people thorns and former ones will arise, and joy will delight the house from everything: the city is rich, the desolation of houses, the wealth of the city and the houses of desire will be abandoned: and the caves will be weighed forever, joy will be given to the donkey, the pasture of the shepherds. These words show that the Israelites will not go unpunished, but, on the contrary, their reluctance to accept the word from Christ will be the cause of all shame and misfortune. For the cities throughout Judea were to be devastated when they were all burned by the hand of the Romans, so that they were left without citizens, the best places were destroyed, those who barely had the strength to flee fled, lost their homes and wealth, and the once populous city or village became the habitation of wild animals. If anyone wants to find spiritual meaning in the words proposed, he can understand the following. Gathering grapes (hug of wine), as I think, and sowing refers to the power of mental fertility, by which we become pleasing to God, not like thorns giving birth to many types of sin, but revered by God as rich and fertile soil. So, the unfortunate Jews were deprived of mental fertility; the mental vineyard became a land producing thorns. For He waited, saying, let him make the grapes, and make the thorns (Is. 5:4). It was also said through the mouth of the prophet about Israel that everything was destroyed by the wind, and I will receive their destruction: a handle that does not have the power to create flour (Hos. 8:7). So, you will consume, he says, the embrace of wine, that is, you will no longer bear the name of the vineyard, since you have nothing ripe. Stop sowing, you will not be a land that gives birth to good things and a nourisher of garden fruits. Therefore, and in all fairness, be horrified, that is, amazed and surprised. Have compassion, you who have trusted. You, he says, who of old were wise against God, when you see your heart deprived of all good, then, just then, take pity, be sore, wake up naked, gird your loins, and beat heartily about the desired village and about the birth of the vineyard. The reason for crying, he says, is the destruction and complete disappearance of the desired field and the amazing vineyard. This marks Israel. He explains this in another way, and says that in the land of my people thorns and former ones will arise. For Israel was desolate, as I said: God abandoned his vineyard and commanded the clouds not to rain on it. And he became a joyful donkey for the flock of wicked shepherds, that is, unclean spirits. So blessed David, speaking of Israel as a vineyard, speaks to the Savior of all God: you brought grapes from Egypt, you drove out the tongues, and you planted them (Ps. 79:9). Then he adds, saying: You have overthrown its stronghold, and they embrace all those who pass by. Ozoba and the boar from the oak grove, and the solitary divy from the grove (Ps. 79:13,14). For just as landowners neglect wastelands and pay no attention to them, even if any harm were brought to them, so our God, who loves virtue, leaves the soul and shows it deprived of all favor if it does not have the fruits of virtue. Isaiah 32:15–18. Dondezhe will find a spirit from the Most High on us (on you), and there will be a desert in Hermel, and Hermel will be considered an oak grove. And judgment will rest in the desert, and righteousness will dwell in Carmel: and there will be works of righteousness, peace, and righteousness will have peace, and they will dwell in hope forever: and his people will dwell in the city of peace and will dwell in confidence, and will rest with wealth. The time in which the rebellious tribe of Israel will be deprived of mental fertility is also clearly revealed. For I think the word transfers to those who honored our Lord Jesus Christ with obedience, were purified by faith in Him, and also became partakers of the Holy Spirit. It will be fulfilled, he says, what was foretold, and Israel will be devastated for its unbridledness, until the spirit from the Most High comes upon us (you). For, as we read in the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, the holy days of Pentecost were all gathered into one. And suddenly there was a sound from heaven, like a stormy breath, and the house was filled, where the gods were gathered: and the nations appeared to them, dividing them like fire, sitting on one of them. And we began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit had given them to speak (Acts 2:1-4). So, when, he says, the spirit of God comes upon you, believers, from above and from on high, then there will be a desert in Hermel. Hermel, or Carmel, is a great mountain in Judea and overgrown with dense forest. Thus, Mount Hermel likens Jerusalem itself and the entire surrounding country as having countless inhabitants. But, he says, there will be a desert and it will be considered an oak grove. An oak forest is a wild forest that is only suitable for burning, since wild trees are cut down and become food for fire. After Hermel was cut down and included in the wild forest, the court rested in the desert. Desert covertly calls the country of the pagans, which the prophet Isaiah himself mentions in another place, saying: Rejoice, thirsty desert, let the desert rejoice, and let it bloom like a tree (Is. 35:1). He likens it to a desert because of its sterility and exposure and complete deprivation of all vegetation. But even with this she was enriched and spiritually appeared abundant in beautiful trees, because Christ dwelt in her. So again through the mouth of the same prophet Isaiah said: And I will make water in the desert, I will place rivers, cedar, and waterspouts, and myrrh, and cypress, and poplar in the dry land (Is. 41:18,19). This marks the souls who have become glorified by faith in Him and who have risen to the heights of various and manifold virtues. Judgment will rest, he says further, in the desert, and righteousness will dwell in Carmel, instead: goodness will dwell in the desert and Carmel. Hermel and Carmel are not something different from one another, but both names signify the same mountain. So, how will it be in the desert and in the oak grove, and in it will truth dwell? We say that Israel did not completely fall away from communion with God, but the remnant was saved, those who believed among them are united together with those who believed among the pagans, and among them Christ, who is truth and judgment, dwelt. For we are justified in Him, after sin was abolished by righteous and just judgment and Satan was rendered powerless. So, what Christ, who dwells in the desert, will do, he explains this by saying: and there will be works of righteousness, peace. For our Lord Jesus Christ came, as Paul says, to bring peace to you who are far off and peace to those who are near (Eph. 2:17), that is, to the Greeks and the Jews. The truth has acquired (will gain) peace among us; because, having made peace with God and destroyed enmity, we are in cities of peace and eternal bliss. And we trusted in Him forever, and dwelt in the city of peace, that is, in the church of the living God, since Christ, who is the world, dwells in it. And we rested in wealth, for of old we lacked every good thing and every virtue, ungodliness in the world and lacking hope (Eph. 2:12), through Christ we are already rich and will be even more (rich), having received the most abundant supply of gifts from above and from God. Isa.32:19. But if the hail falls, it will not come upon you: and those who live in the oak groves will have confidence, just like those who live in the fields. When the Jews dishonored our Lord Jesus Christ and, as for the wickedness of their thoughts and the purpose of their attempts, killed Him, then it was like a great hail storm, that is. Divine wrath swept across the country. It was devastated, taken and destroyed, and its inhabitants were scattered throughout the wind, according to the word of the prophet (Ezek.12:14; sn. Ezek.12:17,21). So, when the hail is sent down, that is. Divine wrath will not come on you, not on those who believe and live in the city of the world, will not harm the products of our righteousness and will not spoil our good works, but they will hopefully be in the same degree with those living in the oak groves and those in the fields. What is it? The land, covered with dense forest, is somehow rough and inconvenient for plowing; For farmers, flat and smooth land is the most suitable for producing seeds for food. And so, by the will of God, everything will be fruitful, and the ancient rough earth will turn out to be a nourisher of domestic seeds. For all things bear fruit through Christ, obviously mentally and spiritually. And no one sows on thorns, but having replanted the fields, according to the word of the prophet (Jer. 4:3), we sow in righteousness, no longer living according to the flesh and lustfully, but, on the contrary, organizing ourselves according to the Gospel. Isa.32:20. Blessed are those who sow by all the water, where the ox and donkey trample. Since the speech is transferred to the affairs of agriculture and the fertility of the fields, this allegory remains; and he calls blessed those who sow by the water, where the ox and the ass trample. Inspired Scripture calls the Divine and heavenly word and the mystery of the saints water, for they also speak in the Spirit. The Savior himself will confirm this, saying: You will not be the ones who speak, but the Spirit of your Father will speak in you (Matthew 10:20). Since the word of God is life-giving, it is very rightly likened to water, since water is life-giving and contributes to all fruitfulness. So, having a mental supply of such waters, we learn to cultivate the seeds of virtue, and try to strive in the labors of piety. By these waters the ox and the donkey trample, that is, both the Jewish people and the pagans. For God justified circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision by faith (Rom. 3:30). And, as Paul says, having destroyed the mediastinum of the fence and abolished the law of the teaching commandments, He created both into one new man, creating the world (Eph. 2:14-16); reconciled with God, placing one yoke on both and uniting them in unanimity through faith, love and sanctification. The people of Judah liken it to an ox, since the ox, according to the law, is a clean animal and was offered up as a fragrant aroma to God. The donkey is unclean, and therefore, having commanded that the firstborn of the cattle should be offered to God (sanctify Me, it is said, every firstborn that opens the womb), he rejected the donkey, saying: everything that opens the womb of a donkey, replace it with a sheep (Ex. 13:2,13). However, although the pagan people were unclean, perhaps because they were mistaken, they were sanctified by faith, since they were justified in Christ, washed away the impurities of ancient sins through holy baptism, and together with the Israelites bore the yoke of our Savior. Isa.33:1. Woe to those who offend you, no one will harm you, and the one who rejects you will not reject you: those who sweep away (you) will be captivated and betrayed, and like prayer in a robe, so will they be defeated. He calls those who sow by all waters blessed, where the ox and the ass trample. And we said that through this, those who are called by faith to the knowledge of Christ are marked both from Jews and from pagans. But it was natural for some to reason and then say: how are such blessed when they are persecuted by the wise of the world, always surrounded by unbearable dangers, and often brought even to death? Therefore, the prophet’s speech turns to consoling those who believe and says: woe to those who offend you, no one will harm you. For to suffer for the sake of Christ is a glorious thing for the saints, but a destructive thing for those who stir up persecution. Thus, they show themselves as unhappy, and not at all as victims, since those who suffer with Christ also reign with Him (fn. Rom. 8:17 and 2 Tim. 2:12). And if someone rejects you, he says, then he rejects himself; because those who are accustomed to doing this will be captured, that is, they will not escape Divine wrath, but will be, as it were, devoured from the punishments sent to them, just like clothing from moths. So, the feat for the saints, as I said, serves as the culprit of eternal blessings; and the desire to do evil to those who are devoted to God will not go unpunished for those who do this, but on the contrary, will serve as the reason for the most extreme punishment. Isa.33:2. Lord, have mercy on us, in you we trust: the tribe of those who do not repent will be in destruction, but our salvation in time of sorrow. After God called to the saints: woe to those who offend you, no one will harm you, and they themselves, almost jumping with great joy, say that they ask for His mercy and place all their hope in Him, but that for those who do not want to submit, all work will be useless, and, suffering from great infertility, they will reach destruction, while the manifestation of the salvation given to them will undoubtedly be in due time. For all their strength is in Christ, and although they sometimes seem completely powerless against, I say, persecution from enemies; but then the One who Leads to Save especially reveals the greatness of his goodness and divine help towards them. So, especially in times of sorrow, salvation appears to the holy secret guides. The wise Paul will also show this when he writes: For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:10, to whom the Savior of all says: My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). Isa.33:3,4. With the voice of your fear, people were horrified by your fear and by your height, the nations were scattered. Now your self-interests, small and great, will be gathered together: just as if someone gathers rods, they will reproach you. That the Israelites, who did not submit and did not accept faith in Christ, would undoubtedly suffer the most shameful punishment, the law of Moses foretold this; no less, the speeches of the holy prophets declare this. Also, Christ himself said: when you see Jerusalem in such a state, then you will begin to say to the mountains: cover us: and with a hill, fall on us (Luke 21:20, 23:30). So with the voice, he says, of your fear, that is, causing people to fear and be terrified. Horrified, he says instead: they were struck by fear. But how were they defeated by fear? I think it’s because of the greatness of the misfortune, for unbearable disasters seem to take them out of their minds and make the victim seem insane. If someone, horrified, wants to understand it in a different way, then this saying could mean the same thing: “they were made outside the fatherland”: so they were scattered among all nations. Hitherto the speech of the holy prophets. Then it is immediately said on behalf of God, obviously to the stricken and scattered themselves, that now your gains, small and great, will be gathered together. Not in a distant time, he says, you will be betrayed to enemies, and the threat will not slow down, but on the contrary, immediately you will be given over to devastation, small and great. Those who devastate will gather you as if someone had gathered a multitude of locusts (springs) in the fields, performing this task not with effort, but without labor at all and as fun. It can be said that Israel suffered the same thing spiritually, being betrayed to Satan and unclean spirits, as it were, to some enemy for plunder and play with him like locusts. Isa.33:5,6. Holy is the living God in the highest, the Zion of judgment and righteousness is filled. In the law we will be betrayed, in treasures is our salvation, there is wisdom and cunning and piety towards the Lord: these are the treasures of righteousness. Again the saints proclaim and with appropriate praises hasten to honor the Savior of all God, who lives in the highest, obviously either in heaven, or in rational creatures, the height of which consists in the spiritual greatness of manifold virtue, so they glorify God, contemplating Zion with amazement, that is, looking at the church of Christ, full of judgment and righteousness. Earthly Jerusalem is deprived of such bright glory because it did not accept the truth that appeared from God and the Father, that is, Christ. The Church of the pagans, the mental and true Zion, became full of judgment and truth. Judgment here means justice in every matter, because it is common for saints to live wisely and legally and to delight in the revelation of the Gospel. Then they marvel that the Israelites, although they had a law given by God to help them, nevertheless perished through it. For they, as Blessed Paul writes, rejecting God’s truth and seeking to establish their own truth, do not obey God’s truth. The end of the law is Christ, for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. 10:3,4). The Law was laid in shadows until the time of correction (Heb. 9:10); when the new preaching dawned and the truth was introduced, then it was fitting, without a doubt, for the types and shadows to become ineffective. But stubborn Israel, although they wanted to be in agreement with the law, remaining with the commandments of Moses, and thinking through this to be pious, was nevertheless betrayed to their enemies, since it was not appropriate to dishonor the truth by such prolonged disobedience. Thus they will be betrayed by the law. For us, the pagan believers, the law, which was spoken in ancient times through the Angels, through the mediation of Moses, turned out to be a treasure of salvation. For there, that is, in him is wisdom and cunning and piety towards the Lord. The Law of Moses loudly proclaimed the mystery of Christ, and carefully delving into the Scriptures with our minds, we will find there, as if in the shadows, an indication of the gospel order of life. So the Savior said to the people of Judah: if they believed quickly in Moses, they quickly believed in Me, for that is written about Me (John 5:46), so the law is a treasury of truth for those who do not heed the shadow, but contemplate through it and try to explore the beauty of the truth itself. Isa.33:7,8. Behold, now in your fear they will be afraid: even though they were afraid, they will cry out (they will be terrified) from you: the messengers will send messages asking for peace, the mountain lamenting. For these ways will be desolate, the fear of tongues will cease, and the covenant that is like them will be taken upon them, and you will not count them among men. In these words, the Lord of hosts again appears before us, encouraging the holy masters, delivering them from all fear and foretelling to them the breadth of future blessings. The pitiful Jews persecuted the holy Apostles, sometimes calling them to the Sanhedrin, sometimes even beating them with rods, and charging them with guilt and crime for their piety in the name of Christ, their diligence and readiness for Divine preaching. We forbade you, they told them, not to speak of this name to anyone: and behold, Jerusalem is filled with your teaching (Acts 5:28; 4:17). And we find the holy Apostles themselves fearing the attack of the Jews, falling down to the all-holy God and saying: and now, Lord, look upon their rebuke, and grant to your servant to speak your word with boldness (Acts 4:29). So behold, he says, they will fear you rather than you fear them: those who feared them will be afraid of you. They will also send messengers in due time, asking for peace and crying to the mountaineer. These paths will become empty, that is, those who want to fight God and resist the beckons of the Master will not be successful in their path. For Israel of old, at the beginning, I say, of the Divine preaching, was intolerant of the holy secret leaders. When the community of believers became larger in number, then in every city and country their madness was finally overcome, and they threw themselves at the feet of the believers, defeated and weeping, and considering it sufficient to console themselves even if they were rewarded with peace with them. This, I think, is the meaning of the prophecy. Presta, he further says, is the fear of tongues, obviously Jewish, and the covenant like them will be taken upon them, since they have become alien to closeness to God and are far from the promises. For not all that are of Israel, these are Israel: neither are they the seed of Abraham, but all are children: but the children of the promise, these are counted among the seed (Rom. 9:6-8), that is, those who are of faith in Christ, for by faith the forefather Abraham was justified. So, after taking away, he says, the covenant that was with them, do not count them as men, that is, you will consider them not worthy of any attention. Isa.33:9. The earth wept, Lebanon was put to shame, Sharon came to grief: Galilea will be revealed, and Hermel (Carmel). Lebanon is a mountain in Phenicia, one of the most famous, very densely covered with cedars and other trees. The Divinely inspired Scripture usually likens the Jewish synagogue to this mountain, as having a great multitude of inhabitants. To her, without a doubt, and through the mouth of another prophet he says: open, O Lebanon, your doors (Zechariah 11:1). So, the land burst into tears, not just the whole land, but one Jewish land, which suffered devastation from the Romans, abandoned by God and deprived of His mercy. Lebanon was also put to shame, that is, Jerusalem. This city, once glorious and famous, strengthened by favor from above and having irresistible power against everyone, fell under the feet of enemies, burned and devastated, and deprived of mercy from God. Blato was Saron. There is a place in Judea called Sharon, which has plains suitable for arable land and very cultivable land. But, he says, such a fertile and fertile land was blessed, that is, densely covered with a great variety of thorns growing on it. Also, this passage, as if from its similarity to the visible, admits of a spiritual meaning. Israel, as it were, was devastated, and the ancient nutritious homemade fruits and what a kind and rich land, that is. The Jewish synagogue became a producer of thorns; For I have waited, he says, that he may make clusters and create thorns (Isa. 5:2). But this will happen to the Jews because they disrespected Christ. Galilea and Carmel will be revealed, that is, they will be glorious and visible from all sides. Galilee refers to the country of the pagans, or pagans, and, perhaps, the Church of the pagans, which it deigns to liken to Carmel. Carmel is a mountain covered with dense forest and high. In a way, the Church of Christ is like this because very many people have flourished in it, having a God-loving soul, filled with every good thing, soaring high and removed from earthly things. For it is written: For the powers of God on earth are exceedingly exalted (Ps. 46:10). And it is usual for the Inspired Scripture to liken the Church to mountains. Isa.33:10–12. Today I will rise, says the Lord, today I will be glorified, today I will be exalted. Now you will see, now you will feel, the strength of your spirit will be in vain: you will burn with fire. And the nations will be scorched, just as the thorns in the field are scattered and burned. The only begotten Word of God, being in the form and equality of God and the Father, as being born of Him by nature and ineffably, made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant and appearing in human form, humbled Himself, becoming obedient even to death, the death of the cross (Phil. 2:6-8). When, having endured the cross for the lives of all, It came to life again as God: then, just then, It laid down the appropriate punishment for those who had reached such a degree of wickedness that they not only did not submit to Him, although It called them to life, but even dared to subject Him to insults, torment and death itself, for the wicked perished in evil (Matthew 21:41). When their cities were burned and the land was completely devastated, it was then that they began to notice the glory of the Sufferer and, having been subjected to such terrible and inevitable disasters, they barely learned that it was not against one of the prophets that they had godlessly committed wickedness, but against the Savior of all and the Redeemer himself. As if to indicate that Divine wrath will soon fall upon them, he says: “Now I will rise again,” says the Lord. For having long-suffered evil, like God, before the honorable cross, He, after suffering on it, almost rebels against his enemies. He was glorified and exalted, betraying to destruction those who opposed him in everything, and calling the pagans through faith and illuminating with mental and Divine light those who were in darkness in ancient times and had the darkness of ignorance in their minds and hearts. So, now I will be glorified, now you will see, now you will feel: for the strength of your spirit will be in vain, that is, it will turn into nothing, since I will surround you, even if you did not want it, and you will be food for fire, just as thorns in a field are burned and scattered. Those who fell under the movements of Divine wrath were destroyed, as I said, by almost an all-consuming flame, for, according to the words of blessed Moses, our God consumes fire (Deut. 4:24; cf. Heb. 12:29). Isa.33:13,14. Those who are far off will hear what I have done (says the Lord), and those who are approaching will see My strength. Those who are wicked in Zion have retreated and will receive the trembling of the wicked. Our Lord Jesus Christ was sent from God and the Father to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24), for theirs were the promises, the law, and the covenant of the fathers (Rom. 9:4,5). And He constantly revealed Himself to the inhabitants of all Judea, either using teachings that surpassed the law, or striking Divine signs that surpassed reason. But this turned out to be completely useless for the Jews, due to the great inertia of their minds. For the Lord taught, and the scribes and Pharisees, reproaching those who listened to Him, said: You have a demon and are frantic: why will you listen to Him? (John 10:20). He rebuked evil and unclean spirits, and this with the authority of God; and they, slandering such an extraordinary and truly indescribable power, dared to say: this one will not cast out demons, except for Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). Therefore they were rejected and, quite rightly, they became excluded from their hope in Him. The pagans were rewarded with secret teaching and accepted the saving and evangelical preaching. I think he teaches this, saying: those who are far off will hear what I have done. For as far as education through the law was concerned, Israel was close (to God); The pagans stood far from the affinity with God, obviously spiritual, serving the creature instead of the Creator (Rom. 1:25). But these, he says, will hear what they have done, while Israel did not want to hear. Those who draw near will take away My strength; because Israel is not completely destroyed; but very many of them believed and, as if being close to God (since they had already received instruction in the law), they knew the strength of Christ, that is, they believed that He worked miracles as God. But while these were led away, he says, they retreated and found themselves completely outside the hope of the saints and the lawless ones in Zion. But trembling will also take them, although they are very wicked, for the experience of the disasters sent to them will be enough to finally curb their insolence. Isa.33:14. Who will tell you that the fire is burning? Who will tell you the eternal place? These words show that those who dishonor Christ will undergo cruel and inevitable punishment, having to be food of fire during the judgment. He Himself also said: Amen, I say to you: he who believes in the Son will have eternal life: but whoever does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36; cf. John 3:15,16 and John 6:40). And so to them, as hard-hearted and not submissive, he will proclaim an eternal place; the fire is prepared for them and is kindled, and this is forever. as the prophet himself elsewhere speaks of those who die in their sins: their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be a disgrace to all flesh (Is. 66:24). Isaiah 33:15–18. Walk in righteousness, speak the right way, hate lawlessness and untruth, and shake your hands from gifts: harden your ears, so that the blood will not hear judgment; close your eyes, so that you will not see unrighteousness; this one will dwell in the high cave of the strong stone: bread will be given to him, and his water will be faithful. You will see the king with glory, and your eyes will see the earth from afar, your soul will learn the fear of the Lord. The prophet showed very clearly that some who are possessed of wickedness against Christ will go down to hell for punishment and undergo unquenchable fire. Now he helpfully adds and puts it into perspective: who are those who should receive eternal life and in due time will abound from Him with gifts, obviously Divine and spiritual? He walks, he says, in truth, that is, he who honors the deeds of justice and strives in a fair life; speak the right path, that is, having on your lips everything that leads to righteousness; hate iniquity, and everyone who stands above covetousness is an enemy of taking gifts; he who turns away his ears from the judgment of blood, who also turns away his eyes from seeing anything unrighteous: this one will dwell in a high cave of a strong stone, since he will be safe, he says, and having a dwelling as if on a rock, he will find unshakable abiding in everything desired. It is also likely that in these words our Lord Jesus Christ is also referred to as a rock, in whom the Church is imagined as a kind of cave, having a safe and unshakable stay in prosperity. For you are Peter, says the Savior, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). To the one who dwells in such a rock, he says, bread will be given and faithful water will be given, since those living in the Church are given the bread of life Christ from God and the Father (John 6:35), as well as faithful water, obviously of holy baptism, showing those who are worthy of it to be faithful and steadfast; (for the grace of holy baptism is given to those who are purified through holy baptism). Those who have received the King with glory will see, he says, that is, Christ. You will also see the earth from afar, as those who have not yet seen the earth, about which the Savior speaks: blessed are the meek: for these will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). With the eyes of our minds we already contemplate it as if it were in the distance, and by this we learn to learn the fear of God, so that we may be in it and, filled with gifts through Christ, together with the other saints, glorify Him. Isa.33:18,19. Where is the essence of bookworms? where is the essence of those deliberating? Where are the people, small and large, who are fed (collected)? they do not consult, they know the deep voice of the possessed, as if they were not heard by destroyed people, and there is no meaning to the one who hears. Having clearly outlined the rewards for those who decided to live piously, he again proceeds to proclaim the sad, rightly condemning the Jewish teachers for the fact that, due to their foolishness, they were deprived of the opportunity to prosper through grace from above and, having accepted faith, to have a God-loving exercise in virtue. But they, unfortunate ones, did not do this, but on the contrary, they were convicted in various ways as having fallen into the most shameful state. For, although they were in the habit of constantly talking about the law and carefully occupied themselves with the sayings of the holy prophets, in order to thus recognize the Word of God who appeared to them in human form and who shone forth to those living on earth, they did not recognize Him, or perhaps even having understood the mystery, they, cruel, rebelled against Him. Having recognized the Son sent from God the Father after the servants, they said: this is the heir: come, let us kill him, and keep his inheritance for ourselves (Matthew 21:38). And truly, as for the purpose of their attacks on Christ, they killed Him (although He was not held by the gates of hell), stirring up the people under their power against Him, who cried out against Him, saying to Pilate: take him, crucify Him (John 19:15). And for this reason, as guilty of the most extreme wickedness and burdened with the crime of murdering the Lord, they became alien to hope in Christ, lost closeness to God and fell into inevitable disasters. Therefore he says to them: Where is the essence of bookworms? instead of: what kind of disasters did they find themselves in? He calls scribes scribes. Where is the essence of those deliberating? Who are these? These are those appointed for sacred rites, about whom the law of Moses says: until the mouth of the priest will preserve judgment, and the law will be required from his mouth (Mal. 2:7). For the people under their authority are guided by the instructions of the priests. So, where is the essence of those deliberating? Where are the people, small and large, who are fed (collected)? Here again you see a reference to the scribes and priests or Pharisees who gathered the people under their authority against Christ. They made a gathering of people, small and great, who, surrounding Pilate’s dwelling, demanded that the murderer Barabbas be released to them and that he be crucified, not convicted of anything reprehensible, I mean Christ, for He did not commit sin (1 Pet. 2:22). Matthew and Mark, the blessed Evangelists, mention this. When Pilate said that for the feast it would be more appropriate for them to release Jesus, who had sinned nothing, the bishops and elders, as Matthew says, told the people to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus (Matthew 27:20). Mark, as I said, says this very clearly (Mark 15:11). So, where do you count the people who are fed (gathered), small and great, who do not consult with them, who know below the deep voice of the possessed, as if they were not heard by people destroyed, and there is no meaning for the one who hears? The combination of words in this saying is very difficult and it is difficult to comprehend the meaning contained in them. I'll tell you as much as possible. Where, he says, count the people gathered, small and great, which people were not consulted? Most of the people, apparently, did not know that Christ, against whom they cried out, was the Son of God, but did this rather because those who knew, that is, the leaders, did not advise them to accept faith in Him. The people, it is said, do not know the deep voice of the one who has it, that is, Christ. He calls Him “Having a deep voice” because His words are hidden and seem to be in riddles and parables. So through the lyre of the Psalmist He is introduced to those who say the following: I will open my mouth in parables, I will vomit up the hidden things from the creation of the world (Ps. 77:2; Matt. 13:35). And He spoke to the Jews in parables. So they did not advise the people, he says, but below the deep voice of the one who had it. They did not advise that the destroyed people should not hear; because even if they had advised, the humiliated people would not have heard. On the contrary, blessed are those who have come to know the Redeemer. But, he says, there was no meaning to the hearer; for, being foolish, the Jews did not test the words of their leaders and did not discern whether they were advising what was beneficial or doing the opposite. Isa.33:20,21. Behold, the city of Zion, our salvation, your eyes will see Jerusalem, the rich city, the tabernacles that will not be shaken, its churches will be moved below in eternal time, and it will not be broken. Because the name of the Lord is great for you, there will be a place for you, rivers and rivers of equal breadth and spaciousness. Having placed in the middle the words of God, which He spoke to the foolish scribes of the Jews and to those who gave wicked advice, He again continues speaking on behalf of the lovers of truth who have known the appearance of Christ: Behold Zion, the city, our salvation. This is how they call either the Church existing on earth, or the beautiful city on high that exists in heaven and nourishes the saints. But whether someone names the Church existing on earth, or embraces this heavenly city with his mind, in both cases the same thing will be designated; for those who remain in the earthly Church will in due time also be in that highest and heavenly city. Therefore, while those who have known Zion rejoice with great joy. in which our salvation, that is, Christ, and point it out to each other, - the Divine Word immediately takes part in their speech and says: thine eyes will see Jerusalem, a rich city, and conducts a conversation as if from the likeness of that ancient tabernacle that was in the desert. He calls Zion rich, and about the tabernacle he says that it will be unshakable, since it is confirmed to have ties (already) indissoluble and pillars (stakes) erected forever. For the Church is established and has unshakable prosperity, so that even the gates of hell, says the Lord, will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). He also presents the reason why it will be like this, and says to those who believe in Christ: for the name of the Lord is great for you. For those who have not accepted the faith, the name of Christ is not great and glorified; for us who believe, it is great and lofty, because we worship Him as God, as truly the Son of the Father, as the Word who became man for the salvation of all. So this, he says, the ever-present tabernacle, will be your place, for we take the Church of Christ as a city, the image of the city on high. There will be rivers and rivers in it that are wide and spacious. These words signify the holy Evangelists, Apostles, guardians of churches in their time, who, like a river stream, irrigate the souls of believers, fill them with Divine words and pour into them abundant consolation, obviously the Holy Spirit. But all these rivers and rivers (canals) accept the One Supreme, that is, Christ, about whom it is written: the river’s aspirations make glad the city of God (Ps. 45:5). He Himself also speaks through the mouth of the prophet about His worshipers: Behold, I am turning away upon Him, like the river of peace, and like the flooded stream, the glory of the tongues (Is. 66.12). Isa.33:21,22. If you do not follow this path, a ship will sail below: for my God is great: the Lord our judge will not pass me by, the Lord our prince, the Lord our king, the Lord will save us. The speech again turns to the face of those who believe. Since the prophet made mention of rivers and canals, he very naturally speaks of a ship. And what exactly he reveals, I will try to explain. Before the coming of our Savior, Satan devastated the universe, and no one forbade him from doing this. But after we have been redeemed by Christ and, living in the holy tabernacle, I mean the Church, we delight in the gospel and apostolic words, we boldly opposed the one who of old had the power to prey, and believing that Christ will guard our hearts, not allowing the inventor of lawlessness to enter them, we say to Satan: if you do not follow this path, a ship will sail below, that is, we will no longer be available to your thefts, and in these rivers you will not find yourself like a floating ship. But perhaps someone will ask: why do you dare to say this? Yes, he answers, we have a reason to be brave: for my God is great and will not blow me away, that is, Satan will not pass through me as before. I will not throw myself at his feet, for the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our prince, the Lord is our king, the Lord will save us. Once upon a time he, that most wayward and unbridled, was our prince. When we have laid upon ourselves the yoke of the gospel and salvation, then we have the Son of God as judge, prince, king and Lord, and he will save us. And in another place the prophet Isaiah himself teaches this, speaking both about the Church of God and about those justified in Christ by faith: there the path will be pure, and the path will be called holy, and there the path will not be unclean. And there will be no lion there, nor will any evil beast come up there, but they will walk in it, the deliverance of the Lord (Isa. 35:8-10). Isa.33:23. Your goldfish has already been broken, as if it has not been strengthened: your goldfinch will bow down, it will not dismiss the sails, it will not raise a sign, the Dondezhe will be given up to captivity. Having mentioned the ship and named the tabernacle, he again returns to the speech of God, and speaks, as it were, to the Jewish synagogue or tabernacle: yours is already broken, as if it were not strengthened. Zion, the rich city, will not be broken, he says, in eternal time; because, as I said, our Lord Jesus Christ founded his Church on rock. But the Tabernacle of Judah was already broken, because it was not strengthened. And just as during a strong storm, the sails (sails) of the stormed ship gather, but do not unfurl at all (the wind does not allow this), and the ship itself awaits wreck: so, he says, your mast is also tilted, and you will not unfurl the sails (sails). So, under the image of those floating on the sea, he points to what happened to the synagogue of Judea. And he will not raise a sign, he says, but will remain so until he surrenders to captivity. So he uses this example, showing us in many ways what happened to them. Those who win a war have the custom of raising a banner, or erecting a sign of victory. The vanquished do not raise the banner. So, he says, he will not erect a sign, that is, he will not defeat his enemies, but on the contrary, he will be powerless (the synagogue), until he surrenders to captivity. All this indicates that she will be cast down at the feet of Satan and will suffer shipwreck and will never overcome his self-will, as, without a doubt, (they will do this) those living in the unshakable Tabernacle; but on the contrary, she will be handed over to him for captivity. Isa.33:23,24. In the same way, many Chromiums will create captivity, and they will not say, we toil, the people living in them, for sin is left to them. The Jews, although they received the opportunity to walk in the law from the rule of children, were sold to Satan for captivity; The pagans, although they had a tempting mind, because they were mistaken and did not know how to walk in the right paths, however, they themselves will make captivity, for they will acquire Divine gifts by defeating Satan. And that, having cast off the heavy burden of sin, they will also have spiritual peace, this is explained by saying: we do not say, we toil, the people who live in them, for sin is left to them. The descendants of Israel, being under the burden of sin, because they did not accept justifying grace, are justly handed over to the inventor of sin into captivity and as if captives. The pagans, having become above the accusation of sin, for it was taken away after Christ destroyed it, will abide in all kinds of spiritual pleasures and, having driven away sorrow from themselves, will be delivered from all torment. Blessed David also mentions them, saying: blessed are those who forsook iniquity, and those who covered themselves with sin. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (Ps. 31:1,2), although the sinner says: for my iniquities have exceeded my head, for a heavy burden has weighed down upon me (Ps. 37:5). The law was also inconvenient. Therefore, Christ said: come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Isaiah 34:1–5. Come, Gentiles, and hear, O princes: let the earth hear, and those who live on it, the universe, and the people who are on it. For the wrath of the Lord is upon all the tongues, and wrath upon their number, to destroy them, and to deliver them up to the slaughter. And their plagues will cast them down, and they will be dead, and their stench will rise up, and the mountains will be wet with their blood: and the sky will roll up like a scroll, and all the stars will fall like leaves from a vine, and like the leaves of a fig tree fall. Engraved my sword in heaven. Having beautifully explained that the Jewish synagogue will be shipwrecked and that it will be handed over to those who devastate it into captivity and prey, then adding to this the calling of the pagans, for many Chromiums, he says, will create captivity, now he makes the necessary announcement to those who once had a temple mind, but have learned to walk upright by faith in Christ. So he mentions the judgment that is about to take place on everyone, small and great. Therefore, he says to the pagans, as if they were still far away: come, O pagans, and hear, O princes. Proceed, put it instead: draw near. For as long as they are in error and serve the creature instead of the Creator, they stand far from God. After the destruction of the reason for which they are called distant, they become members of God and are considered close, having become partakers of Him through the communion of the Holy Spirit. So draw near, he says, heathens and princes; let the earth and those who live on it, the universe, and the people on it also hear. What is revealed here? Wrath threatens, he says, all those living on it, but not in general or without distinction, but, on the contrary, it will come on those who have not rejected sin and have sinful impurity imprinted on their souls. The general content of the speech also indicates that they will perish and be handed over to extermination and slaughter and will desecrate every place as if with decaying corpses. For, it is said, the mountains will become wet with their blood. Then, making this time clear, he places in the middle of the speech a prophecy about the end of the world and says: the sky will roll up like a scroll, and the stars will fall like leaves, just as the Savior’s disciple said about the last day, that on that day the heavens will pass by with noise, and the elements that are burned will be ruined, the earth, and all the deeds on it will be burned; But the heavens are new and the earth is new according to His promises (2 Pet. 3:10,13). So, that the sky will darken and the stars will fall, this may indicate a renewal of the universe. And the Divine Paul said that the creation will be freed from the work of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Rom. 8:21). And by adding the words: “my sword was written in heaven,” it makes it clear that the manifestation of Divine wrath will extend not only to the inhabitants of the earth, but will also come to the most unclean spirits, whom the Holy Scriptures usually call both the rulers of darkness and the spirits of wickedness in the high places (Eph. 6:12). And they will accept the judgment and punishment to which they will be subjected, as if they will satisfy the sword of God, after having had in their power for a long time and destroyed all that concerned them in heaven, but finally being brought to judgment for such terrible wickedness. Isa.34:5,6. Behold, it will come upon Idumea, and upon the people of destruction with judgment. The sword of the Lord was filled with blood, thick with the fat of the blood of goats and lambs, and with the fat of goats (oxen) and rams. From the general judgment he reduces the word to the punishment imposed on the Edomites for their wickedness against Christ. He calls Judea Idumea, slightly changing the sounds of the word, in order, it seems, to express condemnation of her. For Esau, born of Isaac, having lost his birthright for one meal, is rightly called “Eod,” that is, earthly 96. This was the mood of his soul, and from him his descendants were later named that way, that is, the Edomites, since they too are earthly. That they had earthly wisdom can be seen, I say, from the interpretation of the name. So he calls Judea Idumea, as one who did not know heavenly thoughts, but was immersed in earthly objects and had a carnal mood of the soul. Therefore, behold, the sword that was drunk in heaven, he says, will now come down on Judea or Idumea and on destructive people, but with judgment. What kind of pernicious people (pernicious people) could there be other than Israel? For he did not want to honor the Redeemer by faith. However - a sword with judgment or justice; that is, not simply or without distinction and as if Israel were destroyed to the ground, but the remnant was saved by faith, obviously in Christ (Rom. 9:27), since the Jews were also called not in small numbers and believed in Christ. Over the disobedient, the sword of the Lord was filled with blood, that is, wrath, almost piercing and casting down, as it were, some strong and fat rams and oxen, to whom we can justly say: come now rich people, weep and howl for the fierce sorrows that are coming upon you (James 5:1). Let us add to this the following: rejoice on earth, and rejoice: make your hearts as fat as on the day of slaughter (James 5:5). For such were the leaders of the Jews, in some way eating fruits from the people instead of fatness and wide pasture, and, as it were, being fattened with honors from everyone. But like rams and oxen they fell, wretched, under the sword of the Lord. Isa.34:6,7. For the sacrifice of the Lord is in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in Edom, and the mighty men, and the rams, and the younglings, shall fall with them, and the earth shall be drunk with blood, and shall be satisfied with their fat. Bozor means constraint, barrier, and gospel, and also flesh 97. So, he also calls Idumea Bozor, so that you can imagine it either as carnal, or as oppressed, that is, besieged, or as the gospel, for in it (Judea) Christ preached the gospel; I would add - and as a strengthening, because the Lord was around her and around his people, as it is written (Ps. 124:2). But in it, he says, is the sacrifice of the Lord; because they were sacrificed by the swords of the besiegers, and not by ascending to God as a stench of fragrance, but by the satisfaction of the sword that smote them. And that not only the simple people will be subjected to extermination in Idumea (Judea), but there will be a great and regrettable fall of the noble people among them, he secretly indicates this, saying: the mighty, and the rams, and the young men will fall with them, and the earth will be drunk with their blood, and from here it will be satisfied. This speaks of them as if they were oxen (youths) and rams, thrown to the ground and shedding so much blood that they were almost drunk with it. Isaiah 34:8–11. The day of the Lord's judgment, and the summer of the retribution of the judgment of Zion. And its wilds will turn to pitch, and its land to a monster. And its land will burn like pitch day and night, and will not be quenched forever, and its smoke will rise on high, and will be desolate throughout its generations. And in time many birds and hedgehogs, owls and corvids will nest in it: and they will lay down the land of the desert, and onocentaurs will dwell in it. In these words, the prophet makes it clearer what he said before in secret. For he names Zion, which, he says, is facing both a day of judgment and a summer of retribution, when, after the pouring out of pitch and brimstone (bogey) over their entire country, they will be destroyed by an indomitable fire and will have an unquenchable flame. By the rising smoke, perhaps, one should understand the rumor of suffering, letting those who are far away know the enormity of the disaster brought upon them. He also says that she will be desolate during childbirth and what will happen to the devastated cities. For birds, hedgehogs, owls and corvids will nest, he says, in it, and it will be set aside for the desert, and centaurs will dwell in it. Onocentaurs he calls wild donkeys, for which completely deserted spaces serve as a favorite place of residence. And he calls mice covered with thorns hedgehogs. If anyone wishes to accept a spiritual meaning in these words, then we will say that the souls of people, devastated and seemingly left alone, since the God of all does not dwell in them by the Spirit, will be devoured by wild beasts and unclean spirits will dwell in them, as if in the form of the above-mentioned hedgehogs and ravens and wild donkeys. Isa.34:12. His princes will not be: his kings and princes and his nobles will be destroyed. Having in the above words called the leaders of the Jews strong, rams and oxen, as having received great glory as their inheritance, either because of the priesthood, or because they possessed wealth and great nobility, the prophet now calls them princes, giving a clearer indication of them. So, those who once reigned over them, he says, and princes and nobles will not be. They will no longer enjoy power over everyone and will not raise vain eyebrows, enjoying such high honors in abundance, but they will be driven out from places of authority and, as if having lost their kingdom and removed from power, they will go to destruction along with others who perished from them; for they were the cause of destruction for those under their leadership. And the God of all will teach us this, saying: the shepherds of the multitude have corrupted my grapes, desecrated my part, and sent my desired part into the impassable desert. She put (she became) into the consumption of destruction (Jer. 12:10,11). Isaiah 34:13–15. And thorn trees will arise in their cities, and in their strongholds: and there will be villages of Sirin, and villages of Strufion. And the demons will fight with the Onocentaurs and cry out to each other, and the Onocentaurs will rest, having found their own chambers. A hedgehog will nest there. Again he tries to explain to us in a different way what happens in the desert. As long as the cities are populous, not a single wild tree grows in them; The animals that love the desert also move away. When they become deserted and deprived of inhabitants, then they will turn out to be like some kind of uncultivated land full of thorns, an abode for ostriches (strufions), especially for the Sirines. Sirins (eagle owls) he calls birds that make mournful sounds at night and seem to sob, that sit quietly during the day and nest in deserted places; They fly more in the darkness, like an owl and similar birds. And speaking of demons and onocentaurs meeting each other and crying out to each other, it secretly points to the complete desertion of cities, for it is said that evil spirits also love to dwell in deserted places (cf. Matt. 12:43). Predominantly those animals rest there that prefer to stay away from people and are driven into savagery by the most natural laws. Isaiah 34:15–17. And the earth will preserve his children with the affirmation: there the tree will meet, and they will see each other’s faces. I have surpassed them in number, and one of them will not perish, nor will they seek each other, for the Lord has commanded them, and I have gathered His spirit. And he cast lots for them, and His hand divided (for them) to graze: you will inherit in eternal time, for generations they will rest in it. Saying that the country of Judea will turn into a complete desert and will be completely deprived of mercy and love from above and from God, again reminds us of those who are saved in it. These may be the remains, that is, believers, it is about them that he says here that the earth preserved his children with the statement. For the believers from Israel became sons of the land of Judea, in our Lord Jesus Christ having found confirmation for themselves and, as it were, an unshakable stronghold to help. And from these saved children came the Divine disciples, who were born in some way. They are likened to deer, and quite rightly so; because this animal kills snakes and usually stays very willingly near sources of water. Such are the essence of all those who are accepted as the lot of piety towards God, having a readiness to destroy the mental serpent by overthrowing its glory and rendering the poison of its inherent malice powerless and ineffective. But they also enjoy mental springs of water, that is, the supply of spiritual benefits, as if irrigating the mind and making it fruitful for God. So there, he says, that is, among the saved, the Helens gathered with each other. They were surprised at each other, which I think is indicated by the saying: seeing each other’s faces. Not one of them was in danger, which is again indicated by the words: having outnumbered them, not one of them perished, nor did they punish each other. Who saved? The Lord commanded them, and I gathered His Spirit and commanded them to teach all languages ​​and to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). He casts lots for them, and His hand divides them to graze in eternal time; because among the holy Apostles the nations were divided, as it were, certain inheritances, in which each had to preach. Thus the Divine Peter is appointed to the circumcision; and about Paul and Barnabas the Holy Spirit revealed, saying: Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work for which they were called (Acts 13:2); they became the Apostles of the Gentiles. So divided the hand of His lot for them to graze for eternity. And when he made a mention of deer, he out of necessity put it: graze, for the Apostles seemed to graze in those countries, delighting in those called by faith to the knowledge of the truth - this was the lot (destiny) for them. So the Divine Paul cried out to those saved through him (by faith in Christ), saying: My joy and crown (Phil. 4:1). And that endless praise from God will be reserved for them for this, this is explained by saying: they will rest in him. What's in it? Obviously, in the inheritance assigned to them from God. We should also mention blessed David, who sings about them: the voice of the Lord makes the tree grow, and opens the oak groves (Ps. 28:9). As if oak groves for spiritual trees were opened from God by countless numbers of pagans, whom they mentally own, calmly enjoying the honest behavior of believers. Isa.35:1,2. Rejoice, thirsty desert, may the desert rejoice and may it bloom like a tree. And the desert of Jordan will prosper and rejoice: and the glory of Lebanon will be given to it, and the honor of Carmel, and my people will see the glory of the Lord and the height of God. The inspired Scripture usually calls the pagans a deserted and barren country, who were once in such a state, did not have a mental bridegroom from heaven, I mean Christ, suffered a lack of every good thing and fed, as it were, only thorns, being a dry and waterless desert. When Christ appeared in her (He was received by faith, and she was enriched from Him with the Divine stream, since He is the source of life (Ps. 35:10), and the stream of sweetness (Ps. 35:9); and He himself spoke through one of the holy prophets: Behold, I turn away upon her, like the river of peace, and like the flooded stream, the glory of the tongues, (Is. 66:12): she no longer barren and desolate, but on the contrary, having many children, and with the Bridegroom, and blossoming in thought. So let the one who once thirsted rejoice, and let her flourish like a flower, and this fragrance was Christ's, as Paul testifies, writing: For the fragrance of Christ is of God (2 Cor. 2:15). Jordan names the desert country near it. For it was not to the disobedient Israelites, but to us who were descended from the pagans and to those who believed among them that the stream of the Jordan was given - we have it - in it we are baptized, and, as I said, the holy source became ours. So to this desert, he says, once thirsty, now has inherited the glorious Jordan, given the glory of Lebanon, and the honor of Carmel. Jerusalem and the very church of God are often called Lebanon and Carmel. But the glory that anciently befitted the holy city and the Divine Temple is given to the pagan Church, and we contemplate in it the glory of the Lord and the height of God. The Jews approached the Lord (Christ) as an ordinary person who had nothing more than other people. We contemplate the height of His glory; for we know Him as God, who became man through His economy for our sakes, and thus truly God. Isaiah 35:3–6. Strengthen your weak hands and weak knees: take comfort in your faint-hearted mind, strengthen yourself, do not be afraid: behold, our God rewards judgment, and He will reward, he will come and save us. Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will hear. Then the lame will leap like a tree, and the tongue of those who destroy will be clear. The following words serve as appropriate secrecy and spiritual consolation for those called from the pagans to the knowledge of Christ: Strengthen the weak hands and weak knees: for those who are still in error have weak hands and weak knees. Of course, this does not mean the members of the body; but we will find those who are in deception and error to be spiritually ill; since among them one cannot find either deeds of piety, or strength of the knees, or a mind that follows the pure path of righteousness. But strengthen yourself, he says, so that you can also resort to God. But you, assigned to the sacred service of Divine preaching, console the weak, speak clearly to the faint-hearted: be strong, do not be afraid; because those who do not know God have a weak mind, they are afraid of an attack of passions, and of Satan, who ruled over them from ancient times, and, moreover, of death. But behold, God continues, that is, the Savior is not far away, Who will render judgment. He will judge the prince of this age and deliver those oppressed by Satan from his slavery. For He will come, He will come and save us. So what? Then He will come to those who live on earth, and the eyes of the blind will be opened. Those who served the ancient creatures instead of the Creator will make this very creature, which once misled them, as if they were some kind of leader, perfectly leading to the knowledge of the Creator. For from the beauty of creatures, the Author of their existence is contemplated in a corresponding way, or, as Paul says, His invisible essence from the creation of the world was conceived by created things, and His ever-present power and Divinity (Rom. 1:20). So the eyes of the once blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will hear: because those who of old rejected the words about God and tried to make the secret teaching of the saints unacceptable will joyfully accept it. The lame one will leap like a tree, and the tongue of those who perish will be clear. Those who in ancient times could not walk correctly, but had a weakened mind, will gallop like deer, that is, they will become fast and strong with their feet, 98 obviously mentally; and besides, they will be killers of snakes and able to speak correctly, because they will speak about the Divine, no longer addressing the tree with such words: art thou my father, and the stones: thou hast begotten me (Jer. 2:27). It should be known that Christ fulfilled this physically, astonishing Judea with ineffable Divine signs. Isa.35:6,7. Just as there is water in the desert, and wilderness in the thirsty land, and there will be a dry lake in the thirsty land, and there will be a spring of water in the thirsty land: there will be joy for the birds, and an abundance of reeds, and meadows. He commanded the thirsty desert to rejoice, and then immediately added the reason for this joy: as if the water had flowed in it, he said. And it is well said to sell, in order to denote the abundance of alms. He calls the wilds instead of a river. When this is accomplished (the overflow of water), the country that was once waterless will turn into a lake: it will also have a source of water or the holy Jordan, that is, the Savior of all Christ himself, for He is the source of life (Ps. 35:10) and the reservoir of living waters (Gen. 21:19). With them (the lakes and the spring) a gathering of birds and joy appeared. Birds here are called those who soared above earthly objects, flew high because of virtue and decided to think above. They rejoice at Christ, like a source, who made the desert a reed and luzi (meadows), because places abundant in water are usually almost always decorated with meadows. And the Church of the pagans, enriched by the heavenly stream, watered by Divine gifts and enjoying the teachings of the saints, is the giver of meadows and reeds, that is, those who have blossomed in Christ into eternal life through sanctification. Isaiah 35:8–10. And there the path will be pure, and the path will be called holy, and the unclean will not pass there; below there will be the unclean path: but those who are scattered will walk along it, and will not go astray. And there will be no lion there, nor will the evil beasts rise up, below will be found there, but they will walk along it in deliverance: and the gathering of the Lord will be returned, and they will come to Zion with joy, and eternal joy will be over their head: for above their head will be praise and joy, and I will receive joy, sickness and sorrow and sighing will have fled away. The pure path refers to the power of evangelical living or, in other words, cleansing by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit washes away the impurity imprinted on the souls of people, forgives sins and cleanses them from all filth; therefore, with all justice, it is called the holy and pure path. But this path is inaccessible to those who have not yet been purified, for no one lives according to the Gospel who has not previously received purification in holy baptism, therefore no one is an infidel. The unclean, he says, will not walk along it; on the contrary, they will walk in dispersion, that is, those whom Satan has scattered, obviously pagans, and will not go astray. From ancient times they were in error, serving trees and stones and walking crooked paths. Now they will know the straight and pure path leading to a holy life. Thus, having freed themselves from the power of the devil, they will lead a praiseworthy life, which is explained in the words: there will be no lion or any other evil beast there, that is, on this pure path. In ancient times, it was as if some wild beast, together with wicked spirits, rushed at the inhabitants of the earth, the inventor of sin. But in Christ he was deprived of power, driven away from the flock of believers and removed by Christ from violent power over them. So those redeemed (delivered) by Christ and gathered by faith into one mind will follow this pure path, and leaving the ancient path, will turn and come to Zion, that is, to the Church, having unceasing joy both on earth and in heaven. They will glorify God who saved them; I will receive joy and joy and every form of pleasure in Christ; they will not taste any sorrow or sighing. For those who are called to such bright hopes, future heirs of eternal life, who must be enriched with the ornaments of the highest glory and await the co-reign of Christ himself: what sorrow will they share? or what sigh will they receive? when all evil beasts will be exterminated and destroyed by the God of all. On the contrary, they will enjoy complete joy, as partakers of every good thing. Isa.36:1,2. And in the fourth ten year of reigning Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria went up to the strong cities of Judah, and took them. And King Rapsakes of Assyria sent from Lachish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with great power, and stood at the font of the high water on the way of the village of Knathe. The historical story is known to everyone, the more inquisitive ones. But I will convey it in as brief a word as possible. When Ahaz reigned in Jerusalem, then when Pekah, the son of Romelin, and Rahashon, king of Syria, took possession of Judea and had the intention of laying hands on Jerusalem itself, then the aforementioned king, being unable to resist them, sent an embassy and called Tiglaphallassar, king of Assyria, to his aid, and with many gifts persuaded him to help him and destroy the dominion of the kings who had entered into an alliance against him, I mean, Samaritan and Syrian. After this happened, his enemies died; for the Assyrian took Damascus and Syria, and finally Ahaz submitted to him and was forced to pay tribute and taxes; and he was one of the most wicked kings, for he was a worshiper of idols and a hater of God, and perhaps surpassed all others in his resistance to God. When Ahaz ended his human life, Hezekiah reigned in his place. But being his son, he was a God-loving man and adorned with the glory of supreme justice and piety. He, he says, broke away from the king of Assyria; for he did not tolerate his kingdom being subject to citizenship, as it was under Ahaz. As a result of this, Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, imagining that he had the right to citizenship of all Judea and to the kingdom itself, was inflamed with anger and, having devastated Samaria, moved an army against the cities of Judea and, having taken many of them, finally sent Rapsaks against Jerusalem itself, who intended to act not with weapons according to the law of war, but wanted to entice the people with threats and promises of mercy. Isa.36:3–6. Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, the stewards, went out to him, and Samnas the book-reader, and Joah the son of Asaph, the scribe of memory. And Rapsak said to them: Say to Hezekiah: This says the great king, the king of Assyria: Is there food by counsel and verbal battles? and now in whom do you trust, because you do not obey me? Behold, you trust in this broken rod of reeds, in Egypt: if a man leans on him, he will enter into his hand, and he will give birth: so is Pharaoh the king of Egypt and all who trust in him. Obviously, when the gates (of the city) were closed and when the bravest of the people stood on the walls and when the time for negotiations came; then those elected by the king and the highest dignitaries went to Rapsak. With the rudeness characteristic of the Persians and having a mouth that speaks proudly, according to what is written, he humiliated the glory of God and called Hezekiah simply Hezekiah, without adding the title of king and everything else that is quite befitting for people with such high advantages; He calls the King of Assyria not just a king, but a great king. He says this: food with advice and verbal words is a battle? since the Jews, having the law of Moses, were considered the wisest of all nations, and said: blessed are you to Israel, for what is pleasing to the Lord is reasonable to us (Bar.4:4): then Rapsaks does not value this advantage, saying that it will not bring any benefit to those who started the war and battle, and knowledge of the laws and, as it were, only advice and experience, as if in words, will not help them. But since some of those who reigned in Judea called upon the army of Egypt to help them and, in doing this, acted lawlessly; even now the Assyrian thought that Hezekiah had not placed his trust in God, but in someone else, and especially in the rulers of the land of Egypt. Therefore he calls Egypt a rod of reeds; for, he says, hope in them was always empty and deceptive and brought harm rather than benefit to those who fed on it, just as a reed rod, if someone leans on it, will be completely crushed and bring harm to the one who relied on it. Isa.36:7,8,9. If you say, we trust in the Lord our God... Now unite yourselves with my lord the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you can give all you can for them. And how can you turn away the face of the governor alone? Again he speaks boldly and raises his horn high and speaks lies against God. For if, he says, you trust in God, unite with my master, that is, arm yourself and stand in battle. I will add two thousand horses to you, and to ensure that you defeat the Assyrian army, it will be enough, he says, if you find horsemen or those who know how to ride horses perfectly. But if you cannot fulfill this; then how will you defeat one commander? For the Assyrian country was divided into parts and had kings subordinate to the most important of all, and these were called commanders. Isa.36:9,10. The servants are those who trust in the Egyptians, in horses and horsemen. And now food without the Lord has come to this country, to fight against it? The Lord spoke to me: go up to this land and destroy it. He completely destroys hope in the Egyptians, saying that those who trust in them are already considered among the slaves. For, he says, those who put their trust in the horse and rider will easily be taken captive. Then he says something sarcastic and as if coming from his characteristic bitterness, claiming that it was not without the will of the Lord that he began the war against Judea. For if, he says, your God is great and omnipotent, as you yourself claim, and protects the country; then how did we get into it? If we have overcome the power of Him who helps you; then He is not great, on the contrary, He is insignificant and powerless. If he is great and strong and did not interfere with our desire to devastate Judea; then we enter into it not without the will of the Lord. Isa.36:11,12. And Eliakim and Somnas the book-reader said to him, and Joah: Speak unto thy servants in Sirian, for we understand: and speak not unto us in Judean: And what havest thou spoken in the ears of a man sitting on the wall? And Rapsak said to them: food for your master, or did my master send me to you to speak these words? Is it not to the people who sit on the fence and eat bloodworms and drink as much as possible together with you? The populace is always very easily given over to fear and is very inclined to act frivolously when war is coming and when murders and fires are expected in the city. Therefore, those who negotiated with Rapsaks very wisely say that he should not speak Jewish, on the contrary, he should speak the Syrian dialect. For they did not want words filled with barbaric madness to reach the ears of the people, although King Hezekiah aroused the people to courage and clearly said that the Lord was with them and that those who trust in God have unshakable hope, and human calculations and deeds are shaky and, in comparison with the power of This (God), I say, completely insignificant. But Rapsaks also understands and does not remain ignorant of the reason why he is forbidden to speak Jewish. Therefore, he says that the purpose of his coming here is not to speak with them or with the king, but to negotiate with those on the wall. Again he behaves insolently and spews out words from an unclean heart, saying that those defending the city are sitting on the wall so that, due to a lack of bread and water, they come to the need to eat and drink something that is completely hateful even for the dogs themselves. Isaiah 36:13–17. And a hundred Rapsaks cried out with a great voice of Judah and said: Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria. This is what the king says: Let not Hezekiah deceive you with the words of Hezekiah, he cannot deliver you: and let not Hezekiah say to you, that God will deliver you, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria: do not listen to Hezekiah: this says the king of Assyria: If you want to be blessed, come to me and eat every grape yours, and figs, and drink from your stream, until I come, and I will bring you into the land that is yours, a land of wheat and wine, and bread and grapes. He addresses his words to those who were sitting in the fortifications and to those who were preparing to resist those who wanted to take possession of the city, constantly calls the Assyrian a great king, belittles hope in God, and calls Hezekiah a liar and a deceiver because he says that it is better to rely on God, and if He provides help, then there is no need to be afraid of human attacks. Then he promises those who would give themselves over to his side that they will live in their possessions until the time comes (for this is what the words mean: until I will come and understand you) and will use their fields, and he tries, as it were, to destroy the fear of captivity and covers up the severity of the disaster with crafty words, adding: until I will come and understand you in the land, which is also your land. For he compares the land of Assyria to the land of Judea, as if to say: having left Judea, although you will be with us, despite this, you (with us) will find your own land; because the land of the Persians and Assyrians is a land of wheat and wine and bread and grapes. Isaiah 36:18–21. Let not Hezekiah deceive you, saying: Your God will deliver you: have you delivered food from the gods of paganism, each of your countries from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where is the god of Hamath and Arphath? and where is the god of the city of Sepfarim? Can food deliver Samaria from my hand? Who of the gods of all these languages, who delivered their land out of my hand, as God will deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? And he fell silent, and no one answered his words, commands for the sake of the king, but no one answered. Rapsaks again is ignorant in mind and insults God with words and highly dreamed that the king of Assyria took very many cities of the pagans and not one of them was saved by the false gods who were in him: but he did not know that these gods were trees and stones and the creation of a human hand and nothing more. The God of the Jews is the living and true God of the whole world, not recently existing and invented, on the contrary, the Creator of the very ages and the Creator of all things and the Lord of powers. So, Rapsaks thinks that for the Jews the most obvious proof that they will certainly be taken captive, even if the great God helped them, will be the fact that not one of the Hellenic gods could save the city or country in which he was revered. Therefore he says: where is the God of Hamath and Arphath? He also adds that they could not save Samaria from my hand. But I would say to him: O most unfortunate one! and they worshiped golden calves and their country was taken (by you), because God deprived them of His help. And as I said before: if not one of the Hellenic gods saved his city, then this does not at all relate to the true, real and great God; for they (divine dignity) received from human art and only seem so, but He commands the universe, has an invincible right hand and is the Lord who controls the forces. No one answers Rapsak, because the king ordered silence, and very prudently. For it was more appropriate to mourn harsh words, barbaric exaltation and insolent speeches against God than to respond to them. And this, I think, is what blessed David teaches, saying: I have kept with my mouth that a sinner should never arise before me. I was dumb and humbled and kept silent from good things (Ps. 39:1,2). Isa.36:21. And there was Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, the steward, and Somnas the book-reader of strength, and Joah the memorialist to Hezekiah in torn vestments, and she told him the words of Rapsak. Isa.37:1. And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his robe, and put on sackcloth, and went into the church of the Lord. Hearing Rapsak's boastful speeches and his unbridled blasphemies against God, those sent to him tear their vestments and proclaim to the king obscene speeches spewed out by Persian madness. He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth, that is, the clothes of sorrow, and entered, they say, into the house of the Lord. What is the reason that he tore his clothes? The Jews had a custom of doing this when blaspheming God. And the Savior was delivered over to the rulers of the Jews, and the Judge of the world was judged by them; but, they say, He was silent, not answering the words of the false witnesses. Then the bishop spoke to him: I adjure you by the living God, so tell us, are you Christ the Son of God? Jesus said to him: You are advertising. Again, I say to you: from here on you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the bishop tore his vestments, saying, “Blame the verb” (Matthew 26:63–65). And through one of the prophets the God of all said to the descendants of Israel: rend your hearts, and not your garments (Joel 2:13). For they perhaps thought that they were acting piously and showing the highest honor to God by tearing their clothes in blasphemy against God, although they did not pay any attention to the commands of Moses. Hezekiah puts on sackcloth or mourning clothing and enters the church of God, and quite correctly. For those who are in extreme distress should lament, cry and lament, and place the hope of salvation in God, cleave to Him and serve Him with reverence in holy places, where everyone can very conveniently offer up their prayers to Him. Isaiah 37:2–4. And the ambassador Eliakim the steward, and Somnu the book-reader, and the elders were priestly clothed in sackcloth, to Isaiah the son of Amoz the prophet. And he said to him: This is what Hezekiah says: “This is the day of sorrow and reproach and reproof and wrath, before the sickness of the one who gives birth has come, but there is no strength to give birth.” May the Lord your God hear the words of Rapsakov, even as the king of Assyria sent an ambassador to rebuke the living God and revile the words that the Lord your God heard, and may you pray to the Lord your God for those who are left behind. The king commanded those who were foremost among the priests and adorned by law with the highest honors, together with others, not in sacred clothes and not in the clothes most suitable for public service, but in sackcloth and in clothes of sorrow to go to the blessed prophet Isaiah and announce that a day of sorrow and reproach had befallen them. For it seems to say that God reproaches the inhabitants of the holy city because they neglected the justice prescribed by the law, denounces those who have sinned and brings upon them the consequences of wrath. They clearly state that their state of affairs has reached the point that Israel is like a woman giving birth and suffering extreme pain due to lack of strength to give birth. He wishes that the God of all, through the prophet, would hear the words of Rapsak, which he heard directly. For he does not hide from him anything that has already happened, because in other cities many houses were destroyed and burned. Yes, pray, he says, for those who remain. The most pious Hezekiah asks someone who is close to God, that is, a prophet, to be his assistant. So it is useful to turn to God in prayer during the intercession of the saints. For for their sake He listens to prayer and is often touched by the tears of even those who are accustomed to a carefree life. Isa.37:6,7. And Isaiah said to them: Speak loudly to your master: this says the Lord: Do not be afraid of the words that you have heard, in which the ambassadors of the king of Assyria reproached Me. Behold, I will put spirit into him, and having heard the news, he will return to his country, and will fall by the sword on his own land. God does not hesitate, but quickly and immediately encourages the one who has placed his trust in Him and shows him hope for help. It did not go without reward that he came to the house of the Lord and, along with his prayers, shed tears of sorrow. Thus, the God of all, being a lover of mankind, softens. When Rapshakes took away all hope of salvation from the Israelites, even though Almighty God wanted to save them; he said wickedly: Let not Hezekiah deceive you, that God will deliver Jerusalem out of my hand. Have the gods of these peoples delivered each of their countries from my hand? Therefore, he quite rightly delivers from fear and does not allow him to worry about empty and abusive words and from barbaric insolent speeches, on the contrary, he strengthens with longed-for hope, saying that a proud tyrant against his will will have to return to his land, because the evil spirit will frighten him and arouse in him unbearable horror regarding his own kingdom, and he who has never been exposed to danger in a foreign country or boasted of the defeat of enemies and was rich will fall by the sword glorious signs of triumph over enemies. And indeed, while he was in his land, he fell, and this happened beyond all hope and unexpectedly. For where he thought to live calmly, freed from fear, there he fell, and from those from whom it was natural for him to expect salvation in case of danger. And who they were, we will find out about it later. Isaiah 37:8–13. And Rapsak returned, and found the king of Assyria lying near Lobna, and the king of Assyria heard that Pharak the king of Ethiopia had gone out to fight: and when he heard it, he returned, and sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying: Speak to Hezekiah to the king of Judah: Let not thy God deceive thee, for thou hast put thy trust in nothing. saying that Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Or have you not heard what the kings of Assyria did, how they destroyed the whole land, without delivering these gods of paganism, whom my fathers, Gozan and Haran and Rasem, who are in the country of Theemafi, destroyed? Where are the kings of Hamath, and where are the kings of Arphath, and where are the cities of Eptharu, Ana and Ava? Perhaps after Lachish was taken and subjected to barbarian power, Lamna was besieged after it. Here, it is said, Rapsaks found the Assyrian, who was in great fear. For Farak, king of the Ethiopians, marched against him. Then, fearing that after he took the country, he would lose his best possessions, he left Judea and hurried to his own land, but did not abandon his characteristic audacity. Inflamed by impotent anger because the Israelites or the inhabitants of the holy city, not listening to the words of Rapsaks, did not want to submit to him, the unfortunate man again speaks blasphemous speeches against the glory of God and commands some of his servants to hastily go to Hezekiah and tell him the words he said. And these were blasphemies against God, because he said directly: since the gods of other countries or peoples perished along with those who worshiped them; then the God of the Jews Himself cannot deliver or snatch them from the hand of the Assyrians. Then he lists the cities he devastated, of which there were probably many, some of which suffered greatly. By this, those who have placed their trust in God Himself, the Lord, arouse the fear that they too will perish. Isaiah 37:14–17. And Hezekiah took the book from the messengers and opened it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, saying: Lord of hosts, God of Israel, who sits on the Cherubim, you are the only God, King of every kingdom of the world. You created heaven and earth, hear, Lord, look, Lord, and see the words of Sennacherib’s ambassador to reproach the living God. Due to great reverence for God, (Hezekiah) opens the book, not because God does not seem to know the great pride of Sennacherib, on the contrary, because he complains about barbaric madness and, as it were, calls on God, the Ruler of the universe, to witness this impudent speech. See how, in contrast to the words of Sennacherib, he extends his humility far. For one has come to the point that, blaspheming the glory of God, he says: Let not your God deceive you, in which you have placed your trust, saying: Lest Jerusalem be delivered into the hands of the king of Assyria; the other confesses the greatness of His power, calling Him the Lord of hosts and the God of Israel and the God of every higher and spiritual creature; for You, he says, sit on Cherubim. And moreover, he confesses that although some on earth are called kings, He alone is by nature and truly a king, and everything is subjugated under His feet, and He alone was the Creator of heaven and earth and with His wave supports that which once did not exist. He asks to hear and look upon, that is, not to forget and not to ignore such offensive slander, but to fairly punish the criminal. For, he says, he offended the living God, that is, the One who is in no way similar to the pagan gods, he dared to wickedly liken them. Isaiah 37:18–20. Truly, the Lord, for nothing, created the kings of Assyria, the whole earth, and their countries, and plunged their idols into fire: not for the gods, but for the works of human hands, wood, and stone, and I destroyed. But You, Lord our God, save us from their hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the only God. I heard, he says, the words of the barbarian: the gods of the pagans have not delivered each of his countries from my hand. If only someone had said this; then I praise such a person for this and believe it. For (the Assyrians) took possession of the whole earth and burned the cities, and the false gods could not help them, because they saved no one. For how, or by what force (could they do this), being made of wood and stone, being works of art of a mason and carpenters? That's why they died along with their fans. But You save us, Lord! For this will serve as true proof and will convince the whole of heaven that one must unshakably believe that You are the only God. For just as the fact that the pagan countries were captured testified that the false gods are nothing; so the fact that Jerusalem will escape his hand will be evidence that it is under Your protection and, as it were, Yours, and will clearly proclaim to all people Your power and perfect glory and that You alone are God in heaven and on earth. Isa.37:21. And Isaiah the son of Amoz was sent to Hezekiah, and said to him: This says the Lord God of Israel: I have heard that the king of Assyria prayed for them to Me about Sennacherib. The one who saves is not far away, but close, and the fulfillment of what is asked seems to follow in the footsteps of prayer. For a prophet is sent, who until now was silent about the barbarian and did not proclaim God’s decree against him. This says, says, the Lord God of Israel. They encourage the believer and say that he was not sent by any of the false gods, but wanting to make him undaunted, he names the Lord and God of Israel; as if he praises and approves of him, saying: when you heard about them, you prayed to Me about Sennacherib, king of Assyria. For, as it were, he says this: I approve of your zeal, I see your love for Me and the fact that blasphemy against Me is unbearable for you; You came in tears and as if in sorrow for Me, and you made the insults inflicted on Me with your sadness. So, the zeal of the saints is worthy of all praise, and when they grieve when the Glory of God is insulted, God rejoices. Isa.37:22,23. This is the word that God said about it: The daughter of Zion has cursed and mocked you, and the daughter of Jerusalem has reproached you with the head of her defiance. Whom did you reproach and anger? or to whom did you lift up your voice? and didst thou not lift up thy countenance on high unto the Holy One of Israel? For you reproached the Lord with your ambassadors. Finally, he explains the judgment against the barbarian and says that He will make a mockery of him and the maiden daughter of Zion or Jerusalem will nod her head at him. He says that he calls Zion or Jerusalem his maiden and daughter. He calls her a virgin as pure and without the taint of disgusting idolatry; daughter because He had the affection for her that a father has for his children. She showed contempt for the Assyrian or in some way nodded her head at him, for she laughed at him when he was defeated and, as it were, composed a song and a decent poem about his misfortunes. Then he says to him: whom have you reproached and angered? or to whom did you lift up your voice? For you did not insult any of the false gods with such impudent words. Shouldn't you, he says, raise your mental gaze to the heights and think about who and what the God of Israel is? For from the very contemplation of creatures you should have known the greatness of the Creator’s power and contemplated the height of His glory and not plotted anything base against Him. But you, not remembering any of this, reviled the Lord. Isa.37:24,25. You said: with many chariots I sighed to the height of the mountains, and to the last of Lebanon, and cut off the height of its cedar and its kindness, and breathed into the height of the oak forest. And he laid down the bridge, and emptied the waters, and all the congregation of the waters. Shows the arrogance and stupid arrogance of Persian pride and great boasting. For, as we said before, the country of Judea, and perhaps even Samaria itself, which was inhabited by ten tribes, is compared with Lebanon; because Lebanon is a mountain in Phenicia, famous and rich in very tall cedar trees. And this is how the land of Judea appears, high because God was its helper, covered with dense forest, because its inhabitants seem to be countless. But the Assyrian tyrants took Samaria and along with it devastated many Jewish cities. So you, he says, O Assyrian, having arrogant thoughts and attributing the success of military operations to your forces, said that with many chariots I climbed to the heights of the mountains and to the last of Lebanon, that is, to the very kingdom of Israel, and cut off the height of its cedar. Whom? Lebanon, that is, Judea. They call the kingdom the height of a cedar. And he breathed into the heights of part of the oak forest: for, as I said, along with the country of the Samaritans, many cities of Judea were destroyed. You also said that I laid down the bridge and emptied the waters, and the whole congregation was watery. For the Persians and Assyrians, attributing to their forces the ability to accomplish everything, during their raids on countries, they built bridges across rivers and, being so numerous, did what they could, as it were, empty springs and collections of water, and sometimes the rivers themselves were not enough for people and horses, tormented by thirst. And the Hellenic writers, who preserved memories in their writings of the Persian campaigns, say that they built a bridge across the Hellespont itself; and if, they say, a river was encountered on the way when they passed through a country or a city, then the tyrant gave the order, saying: let it be drunk. So, the God of all remembers the arrogance of the Persians and denounces those who are accustomed to boasting. Then he shows that they themselves could not have accomplished what they were so magnified and exalted; but the judgment He pronounced upon those who sinned gave them the glory that they were able to do all this. Isa.37:26,27. Have you not heard of these things that I have done? from the ancient days of councils, now it is shown to devastate the tongues in the strongholds, and those living in the solid cities: I let my hands fall, and it dried up, and it was like dry hay on the roofs and like a trowel. So, do you think, he says, that you did all this yourself and are not ashamed to attribute all this to your own powers? But you, who have no reason to raise your eyebrows arrogantly, have you not heard from ancient times what I have done? For if you want, he says, to examine the words of my prophets; then I already said before that all this will happen; because from the ancient days of councils, that is, he determined and commanded; and now, when the time had come, he carried out what had been predicted, so that he devastated the peoples in the fortified cities, that is, those who were not weak and easily overcome. I lowered my hand and dried up. For once, through my long-suffering, I supported them so that they existed and lived, but now I have taken away My helping hand, and they dried up like plants, and withered like hay, and like dry grass were given over to the fire as food. He also tells him in another place: for when the wicked brought into fulfillment what was determined by God and dreamed highly of himself; then again he heard God saying: food will be glorified by the ax without cutting with it? or will the saw ascend without attracting? (Isa.10:15). For just as these instruments cannot move by themselves to accomplish a certain task, but await the hand that sets them in motion; so you, he says, were an instrument of divine wrath; you did not accomplish these deeds on your own, but were, as it were, an ax and a saw, appointed to serve the will of Him who moved you. Isa.37:28,29. Now is your rest, and your departure, and your entrance I know: but your wrath, with which you were angry, and your grief came to me. So, he says, you, being the executor of divine judgments, are exalted and perhaps think to yourself that you yourself have defeated so many peoples and countries in order to destroy them with fire and captivate them. But am I your rest, and your departure, and your entrance? Peace, as I think, is what death is called, the exit and entrance - the path to the accomplishment of all affairs. For absolutely nothing can hide from the mind that knows everything. Having added that your rage, with it you were angry and your grief came to Me, as if saying: you will not remain unpunished for your blasphemy; for I will never forget the deceit and malice of your wicked devices; but, as if brought into grief by your rage, I will subject you to a worthy punishment. Isa.37:29. And I will put a bridle in your nostrils and a bridle in your mouth, and I will turn you back the way you came. Because the Assyrian, having the madness characteristic of cattle, reviled God and, as if carried away by unbridled savagery, uttered words offensive to the glory of God; then, in all fairness, he says about him, like about cattle, that I will put a bridle in your nostrils and a bridle in your mouth, by striking him, as if turning him back, and by the severity of disasters, as if by some kind of bridle, holding him back from such criminal actions. He also says that the Assyrian will return to his land; for he went back when he heard that Pharak, king of the Ethiopians, had gone out against him. But maybe someone will ask why, when his entire army fell, he himself not only escaped, but also returned to his land; because it was necessary that, having lost the army under his control, he himself should escape the hand of the slaying angel so that he would mourn his own misfortune and know against whom he had blasphemed, and announce this extraordinary event to everyone else. Isaiah 37:30–32. This is a sign for you: this year you have sown the food, and in the second year you have the remnant; and in the third year you will reap what you sow: and you will plant grapes and bear their fruit. And those who are left behind in Judea will bring forth roots below, and bring forth fruit to the top, just as those who are left from Jerusalem will be, and those who escaped from Mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this. Having said that the Assyrian will return to his land and leave the country of Judea, he determines the time at which this will happen, and says: the food of this summer, which thou hast omnipotently, and the words that follow, it is not yet clear to everyone exactly to whom this sign was given, whether to Sennacherib, or to Hezekiah and those around him. But we will explain the meaning of what was written, and then to whom it should be attributed to this or that. If we say that the sign was given to Hezekiah, then we understand it like this. Jerusalem was under siege; and when a very numerous Assyrian army had the intention of burning and taking it; Then there was a very large collection of food supplies and a large surplus of fruits, and with them those who were saved in Jerusalem could support their existence. So you, Hezekiah, and all your people with you, you have sowed the food of this year, and in the second year you will reap the remnant, and in the third you will reap what you sow; and you will plant grapes. For while he was in the land of the Samaritans for two whole years, the Assyrian devastated it all. And as soon as the third year came, he fled after the soldiers who were with Rapsaks near Jerusalem and besieging it suffered a very great destruction. So, in the third year, he says, there will be freedom and farmers and winegrowers will have prosperity, if only they decide to plant grapes, obviously because peace will provide them with the most security. And that those who survived the war and remained will be in joyful security, this is hinted at by saying, as if about trees, that they will take root below and produce seed above. And that they will live in safety and security and without any fear, this makes it clear by saying that they have taken root deeply. And that their prosperity will finally spread, this is indicated by the expression: they will create fruit to the top. He adds that the jealousy of the Lord of hosts will do this. since the Assyrian blasphemed (God) and likened Him to false gods, he dared to say that God will not deliver Jerusalem from my hand; then, he says, all this will come true, because the jealousy of the Almighty (about his glory) has been aroused. If the saying: the food of this summer, which you have sown, and in the second summer the remains are directed against Sennacherib; then we say that those who are accustomed to fight against countries or cities, when the siege slows down and the war drags on for a long time, take up farming in order to have food. And this saying, understood in this way, will apply to him as well. Isa.37:33,34. For this reason, the Lord says this to the king of Assyria: he will not enter this city, he will not shoot an arrow below, he will put a shield below him, he will fence around his fence below, but the way he came will return the same way. (Here) in some way expresses the meaning of all of the above and in a few words explains the final outcome of this event. For, he says, he will not undertake war, but before the battle, before he shakes his weapon, before he draws his bow and shoots an arrow, before he lays down his shield, before he surrounds it with a fence, he will return to his land and flee, he says, home. You need to know that in these words “fence” means many sharpened stakes and stakes driven into the ground in ditches, so that none of those who fell could be saved. Isa.37:35. This says the Lord: I will defend this city to save it for My sake, and for the sake of My servant David. It prevents the exaltation of those who are saved by the mercy of God and does not allow the inhabitants of the holy city to think highly of themselves. For it was very natural for them to think and say that they were honored by God for their good lives and for the spiritual beauty of their inherent righteousness. So, He saves as God, but takes care of the benefit of those saved, not allowing them to be carried away by the waves of pride. Therefore he says: I will protect the city, that is, the holy one; but he does such a good deed not for the sake of those who lived in it then, not for the sake of anyone who ever lived in it, but for the sake of Himself and for the sake of David, whom He calls His servant. For His own sake, because He is merciful and compassionate and because those who blasphemed His divine glory should be subjected to a completely fair punishment for this. For the sake of David, because in memory of the saints He often grants their descendants forgiveness of sins that they once committed. Isaiah 37:36–38. And the Angel of the Lord went out, and slew from the Assyrian army one hundred and eighty-five thousand: and when they arose in the morning, they found all their bodies dead. And from there Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, returned and settled in Nineveh, and at some point worshiped him in the house of Nasarach (Ασαρακ) of his fatherland, his ruler. Adramelech and Sarasar his sons were killed by his swords, but they themselves fled to Armenia, and Asordan (Αχορδὰν) his son reigned in his place. To promises he adds with benefit the fulfillment of what is expected, so that the God of all does not appear to be speaking a lie; for the Assyrian army was destroyed, not defeated by the hands of the Jews, not because anyone pointed a bow against them, raised a spear for battle, drew a sword, not because anyone started the battle on mighty horses, but because an angel struck them with unspeakable power and turned them into countless corpses. So, Sennacherib was struck with horror at the sight of this miracle, although he was a very brave military leader, and barely moved to his native land and, completely deprived of the army that he had brought with him, returned to his fatherland in a pitiful state. And they settled, he says, in Nineveh. So, finally, God's promises were fulfilled. For Sennacherib fell in the house, bowing to a certain ruler of his fatherland, apparently one of his fathers or grandfathers according to the flesh. For those who have once fallen into error usually worship not only unclean spirits, but also some dead ones of their choice; because once they have strayed from the straight path, they thoughtlessly rush towards everything that is pleasant for them. And his murderers, it is said, were his sons. For when a divine sentence is pronounced over someone, the one who falls under it is exposed to danger everywhere and, as it were, constantly goes to meet his own enemies. For them, neither blood relationship nor the love and affection inherent in children towards their parents can be a guarantee of safety; on the contrary, they are thrown into the depths of destruction by the very ones from whom it was natural for them to expect salvation in times of danger. And what relates to the external side of the historical narrative is told by us, I think, not without decoration, but I believe that something should be said about its internal meaning for the consolation of the spiritual. For the holy city, that is, Zion or Jerusalem, was a prototype of the Church of Christ - the true Zion itself. She is sometimes, or, better yet, always, besieged by the enemies of the truth, that is, the inventors of wicked heresies, and they are not attacking alone, but supported in some way by the worldly authorities, because this is suggested to them by the mental Sennacherib, that is, Satan, who seems to direct (against her) those who are subject to him and accustomed to carry out his evil intentions. When they come, they begin to argue with the leaders of the truth and greatly insult the glory of God; they may not hear any response at all. For those who are attacked can remain silent; That’s why blessed Paul also teaches, saying: “Do not resist words, lest I demand anything” (2 Tim. 2:14), and again: deny the human heretic according to the first and second punishment, knowing that he has become corrupt (Titus 3:10,11); because for those who once completely surrendered to error and deception and submitted to lies, the word of those who usually benefit those who listen may be unnecessary. For it is written: Speak into the ears of those who hear (Prov.23:9; Sir.25:12). So, when the enemies of truth promise honor and peace, like the criminal Rapsak, or threaten danger and war; then you need to resort to God and rely only on higher help. For the highest and all-powerful right hand will be sufficient both for the salvation of those who are accustomed to doing the right thing, and for the destruction of those who opposed it. For she will put them to flight by some indescribable power and thus free the holy and blameless Zion, that is, the Church, from war: for the gates of hell will not prevail against her. Isa.38:1–3. It came to pass at that time that Hezekiah was sick to the point of death: and Isaiah the prophet son of Amoz came to him, and said to him: This says the Lord: Build about your house, for you are dying and will not live. And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying: Remember, Lord, how we walked before you with truth and a true heart, and created what was pleasing before you, and Hezekiah wept with great tears. Hezekiah was one of the most famous kings for piety and therefore had great glory; for he overthrew the altars, destroyed the churches, burned what was in the churches, cut down the groves and did not cease to serve God with the sacrifices established in the law. He conquered the barbarians neighboring Judea and imposed tribute and duties on many of them: he restored the cities and, in short, having achieved the highest glory in abundance, he rightfully became the subject of surprise, but as, as the children of the Jews say, he soon departed from his due and dreamed highly of himself and fell into the net of pride. For this reason, God, out of love for him, stretched out a rod against him: for he loves him, says the Lord, and punishes him, and beats every son who receives him (Heb. 12:6). For, like a child-loving father, He punishes people with blows, directing them to the better and turning them away from the evil hidden in them. Like the most experienced and skillful doctors, members of the body that have undergone rotting are either cauterized or cut off with a knife and usually do this not out of hatred for the sick person, but, on the contrary, driven by compassion for him; so exactly, I think, God of all kinds suppresses the harmful consequences of the diseases inherent in us through appropriate punishments, so that we are not condemned with the world, according to what is written (1 Cor. 11:32). So King Hezekiah fell into illness and was subject to the lot of all the evil ones, for he was in extreme danger, according to the word of the prophet, who says that he will die, and that he should dispose of his house. God did this not because he did not know that he would live and be healed of a dangerous illness but because of (God’s) mercy towards him, but because he called and encouraged him to pray, so that the one who asked would receive mercy from him; for He is compassionate to those who love Him, and He gives what they ask for to those around Him and listens to the words of those who supplicate Him. And so it happened. For Hezekiah prayed, saying: Remember, O Lord, how we have walked before Thee in truth and with a true heart, and have done what is pleasing before Thee. Excellent is the boldness of the righteous; for they seem to ask for reward for what they have done, and for the fruits of their good life. For the God of all rejoices in those who lived in accordance with the laws, and is easily inclined to the request of those who lead a good life when he sees them in tears and in intense prayer. Isaiah 38:4–8. And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying: Go, and speak to Hezekiah: Thus says the Lord God of David your father: Having heard your prayer, and seen your tears, behold, I will add fifty years to your summer. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will protect this city. This is a sign from the Lord for you, that God will create this verb, his own verb. Behold, I will return the canopy of degrees, in the image of which the sun came down, ten degrees, to the house of your father, I will return the sun of ten degrees: in the image of the sun that came down, and in the image of the sun, ten degrees came down, in the image of the canopy. A little time passed, but God immediately bowed down and accepted the prayers of the righteous man. For. as it is written in the Book of Kings (2 Kings 20:4 and others), before the blessed prophet left the royal court, the word of God came to him. Therefore, immediately returning, he conveys to Hezekiah the words he heard from God. For, he says, he heard his voice, that is, he accepted his prayer and looked upon his tears. And it gives him the opportunity to immediately get rid of the fear of death and indicates the measure of life added to him, so that, looking at the end and constantly thinking that he will die, he does not allow the disease of pride into his soul; promises, as before he was promised, that He will make him the winner of the Assyrian army, and will protect Jerusalem. And he did all this in order to drive away despondency from him and restore him, who was very weak, with the benefits of His mercy; For the God of all is merciful and compassionate; The faith that what He promised will be fulfilled is confirmed by the sign of the sun and the return of the shadow to ten degrees that took place then. They say that Ahaz, the father of Hezekiah, with the help of some machine and art, built in his house some steps (degrees) that showed the time of day and measured the course of the sun by means of the movement of the shadow that appeared on them. And now that Hezekiah will return to life, God proves this by the fact that the sun's shadow returns back and the day increases by an unusual number of hours. For the Lord of all, nothing is impossible, but he does everything he wants only by the wave of his will. Prayer of Hezekiah, King of Judah, when he was sick and tired of his illness Isa.38:10–13. I rekokh in the height of my days, I will go to the gates of hell, I will leave the rest of the years. I said, therefore, I will not see the salvation of God on the land of the living, because I will not see man from my kinship, leaving the rest of my life, going out and leaving Me like destroying the tabernacle: my spirit was fast in me, cutting off the weaver who approaches. On that day I would have been betrayed until the morning like a lion, so having broken all my bones, I would have been betrayed from day to night. First of all, the following must be said. Seventy here read: in the height of my days, while other interpreters translated: in half of my days. And I think that the translation of seventy interpreters is very thorough. For the holy city was besieged while Rapsaks and with him a large Assyrian army stood around it. But God, through the mouth of Isaiah, promised that He would do amazing and unexpected things, and save those in danger, remove the tyrant from Judea and that he would die, struck by domestic troubles. So, when all this came to pass at the time that the God of all things had appointed, the glory of Hezekiah's reign reached its highest limit. And so I said within myself, says that at the time of glory or at the very time when my days reached heights, I will be at the gates of hell and leave the last years. Then these words are supplemented by those that happen to be uttered in extreme fear by people who have been exposed to illness and see death not far from them. These words are: for that I will not see the salvation of God, for that I will not see man from my kinship, I have left the rest of my life, departed from Me; and I was like a hut being destroyed, and like the camp of a woman worker, the mistress of the house, that is, working or weaving for herself and, finally, approaching to cut the fabric. Then he says that throughout the whole night and day he was betrayed, as it were, to a certain lion crushing my bones. Who is this lion? Or a serious illness, or death, opening its mouth like a beast and threatening to attack, or horror awakening in the soul from the expectation of death. For fear and despondency crush the soul and destroy all its strength. Isaiah 38:14–17. Like a gusset, I will cry out, and like a dove, I will learn: for my eyes are gone, looking up to the heights of heaven to the Lord, who delivered me and took away the sickness of my soul. Lord, this was announced to you, and you lifted up my breath, and I was comforted. For you have delivered my soul, so that it would not perish, and you have taken away all my sins for me. Continuing the song of thanksgiving, he proclaims that He imitates the beautifully singing birds and sends forth unceasing praises. He says that he directs his mental gaze to God because he is saved and delivered both from the sorrow of the soul and from death itself; for you, he says, aroused life in me and I came to life, and you preserved my soul so that it would not perish, and you cast away all my sins behind me. This is not said about the sins of a person suffering from pride, but who knew his nature and clearly understood that we are all guilty of many sins and that if God did not want to save us with his mercy, then no one could boast that he has a pure heart, no one would dare to say that he is clean from sin. So, let God be glorified for the benefits that He has given us - for the fact that He has forgiven us that for which it was fair to subject us to a worthy punishment. For he says that those who know themselves are wise. Isaiah 38:18–20. Those in hell will not praise you, nor will the dead bless you, and those in hell will not hope for your mercy. The living ones will bless you, just as I did: from this day on I will make the children tell your truth, O Lord of my salvation, and I will not stop blessing you with song all the days of my life. The same thought contained in the above words is contained in what was said through the mouth of the Psalmist: what good is there in my blood if I sometimes descend into corruption? food will you confess to the dust? or will your wonders be proclaimed? (Ps. 29:10). For those who have died and descended into the gates of hell may no longer praise God; they can no longer add anything to what they have done; on the contrary, they will become rigid in what they left with, and will wait for the time of general judgment. So, he says, only those who live and have the opportunity to do good, when they are in prosperity, will bless you, as I do. He promises to create children who will proclaim the truth of God. Some say that with these words He promises to organize a festival with songs and place the most sweet-voiced psalmists in the divine church; others, delving into the contemplation of mysterious objects with their minds, say that Ezekiah, reflecting on something sublime, perhaps thought that his kingdom had no end and his very life was eternal, imagining that what was written about Christ as the son of David was said about himself and applied to him. Therefore, they say, although he was in his fourteenth year as king, it is not clear that he cared about the birth of children. Having learned the limit of his life, he takes care of those who will be his successors, and speaks about his children and adds that they will proclaim the truth of the Lord. However, his word turned out to be inconsistent with the truth; because Manasseh was a wicked and criminal king. But his father had the intention that he himself (Manasseh) would be pious and for others to be a herald of the glory of God. Isa.38:21:22. And Isaiah said to Hezekiah: Take from the fig trees, and wipe them off, and apply a plaster to the sore, and you will be healthy. And Hezekiah said: This is a sign, that I will go up into the house of God. In the fourth book of Kings (2 Kings 20:7) it is written that the cause of Hezekiah’s illness was a malignant and incurable abscess, so that it was not inferior to the skill of the doctors themselves. When God deigned to give life to the righteous, and commanded the disease to disappear; then he received healing through something from which the ulcer, in all likelihood and even undoubtedly, should have come to a worse state and led to increased suffering. For the hand of the Almighty always does amazing things; help comes from something from which one could never expect it. It is clear that this is help from God. Wipe off, he says, a fig plaster, and apply it to the ulcer, and you will be healthy. And one should have expected, as I said, that the ulcer would be harmed or of no benefit from this. But since God commanded this, the most prudent Hezekiah fulfills it by virtue of the sign and says that if I recover from the fig plaster; then this will be a firm and true sign for me that I will ascend to the church of God and, obviously, will offer Him a sacrifice and pray after the cessation of the illness and after the destruction of all suffering in me. Isa.39:1,2. At that time Merodach the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent writings and ambassadors and gifts to Hezekiah: when he heard that he was sick, he ate to the point of death, and he arose. And Hezekiah rejoiced over them with great joy, and showed them the house of spices, and myrrh, and incense, and incense, and silver, and gold, and all the houses of the vessels of treasure, and all that was in his treasures: and there was nothing left that Hezekiah had not shown them in his house. When Sennacherib died, the Holy Scripture says, his son Nehordan (Asordan) reigned in his place from among his children. But it seems that after this last one departed from among the living, the royal throne was inherited by Merodach, the son of Baladan. This one, it is said, sent gifts and together with letters and ambassadors to Hezekiah. It is necessary to say what was the reason for this. Hearing this, he said that he was sick to the point of death, and then he woke up. But I say that the Babylonian was struck with surprise not only by the fact that Hezekiah was sick and again returned to good health, but especially by that great and truly extraordinary sign. The sun, as a result of an ineffable and divine wave, was commanded to reverse its movement and return back, so that the shadow rose ten steps. The very observant Babylonians and Chaldeans, as they were called, sages who studied the movement of the sun, the rising and setting of the stars, in all likelihood could not help but notice the turning of the sun back and the unusual length of that day. It is very plausible that they began to talk about the greatness of this sign throughout the whole earth and that it was given in confirmation of the promise of God, which was, I say, to Hezekiah. We think that Merodach was surprised by another circumstance, namely, what unexpectedly happened to those who besieged Jerusalem along with Rapsaces and whom the striking hand of the Angel destroyed in one night, so that in the morning they all turned out to be dead bodies. So, the ambassadors came because, as a result of these very divine signs that surpass reason, Merodach felt astonishment at Hezekiah’s righteousness. Although this latter had to tell the ambassadors who came from Babylon a glorious story about the help received at different times from God, and about the greatness of His wonderful deeds, so that they, enlightened by his words, would be even more amazed at the divine power and invincible power of the Ruler of the universe, and return to their land, enriched with the knowledge of God; for in this way it was possible to benefit others by telling them what they could learn: but he did not do this. On the contrary, he was carried away by the human passion for boasting and puts his glory not in what he was honored by God for, but in the wealth of his kingdom, and this only limits the greatness of the glory inherent in him. For they were shown, he says, the house of Reluctance (Reluctance means aromas) and the world, and stakti, and silver, and gold, and all the houses of the vessels of gas, that is, treasures. For, they say, Gaza is a Persian word and means wealth or property. Isaiah 39:3–7. And Isaiah the prophet came to king Hezekiah, and said to him: What do these men say? and where did I come to you from? and Hezekiah said: From a far land you have come to me from Babylon. And Isaiah said: What did you see in your house? And Hezekiah said, “Everything that is in my house has been seen, and there is nothing in my house that we would not have seen, but even that is in my treasures.” And Isaiah said to him: Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: These days are coming, says the Lord: and they will take away everything that is in your house, and the trees that your fathers have gathered even to this day, they will pass away to Babylon, and leave nothing: the Lord said: For even of your children, whom you have begotten, they will understand and create punishments in the king’s house. Babylonsk. The prophet was sent by God, but first meeting with Hezekiah, he pretended to speak on his own behalf. Therefore, he said: what do these men say? Such speeches of his were (then) very common. For the Babylonians came perhaps because, as I said, they wanted to know the reason for the sun returning back and why they talk a lot about this sign. He, as I said, instead of telling them about divine power and the obedience of creation to His beckons, showed them the house of incense and gases. Therefore, the prophet asks why they came and what they talked about. But he said absolutely nothing about that. He only says that they came from Babylon and from a distant land. Perhaps he dreamed a lot about himself that such men came to him, living in a country located at a distant distance, and tried a lot to gain his friendship. Therefore, when the prophet asks what they saw, and when the king said that there was nothing left that they had not seen; then the prophet says that the days will come when everything in his treasuries and collected through the efforts and concerns of his ancestors will pass to the Babylonians. Added to this is the fact that from the children he will have later, at least in his most distant descendants, they will make eunuchs, meaning masters of this business, eunuchs, that is, eunuchs in the house of the king of Babylon. That this was fulfilled, even the book of Kings testifies to this. In the days of Jeconiah, when Nebuchadnezzar took possession of all Judea, burned Jerusalem and, moreover, the divine church, he led the Israelites into captivity, among whom was the divine. Daniel and his friends were, they say, eunuchs, that is, eunuchs in the house of the king of Babylon. What is the meaning of this prediction and what benefit could it bring? Through this, God inspires either that it was better and more prudent for those who came from Babylon to offer the necessary story of what was accomplished miraculously by divine power and strength, or, at least, not to irritate the eyes of the Babylonians by showing what was hidden in the treasuries. Isa.39:8. And Hezekiah said to Isaiah: Good is the word of the Lord, let there be peace now and righteousness in my days. He refused to defend himself and, having no words to justify his falls, he says that the word of the Lord is good, although it foreshadowed something that could cause involuntary tears from his eyes. Then he wishes for peace in the continuation of his own life, as if saying “forgive” to his descendants and leaving all care for his country, his city and family, whereas it would be better for him to cry about what was foretold, and beg God for mercy and ask his descendants for short-lived and short-term happiness. But the human mind is weak and we sin a lot, according to what is written. None of us is always prudent and wise; but a heart that loves God and an amazing mind often fall into untruth. Isaiah 40:1–3. Comfort, comfort, my people, says God. Priests, speak in the heart of Jerusalem, console her, and, as if her humility has been filled, her sin has been resolved, as if she has accepted her sins from the hand of the Lord. The prophetic word looks back to the times of Christ, and finally makes a clear prediction of the grace to be received through Him. However, this does not seem to have been said inappropriately and placed in the wrong place. For some who have not sufficiently studied the divine Scripture may say: on what basis does the prophet place a prophecy about Christ next to the words of Hezekiah? In response to this, we will say the following: having recalled the final conquest of the land of Judea and Jerusalem itself, the prophetic word, as if timely and usefully, had to add after this the consolation given from God. And I will offer a brief but precise explanation of what we just said. There were many attacks on Jerusalem and the country of Judea was devastated very often, either by the hands of the Assyrians, or by neighboring barbarians and some others who devastated it. Its final conquest was carried out by Nebuchadnezzar during the reign of Jeconiah, when Israel was taken as a captive to the country of those about whom we have spoken. But during the reign of Cyrus, he was freed from captivity and returned to Judea, again built a church and lived inseparably until the coming of our Savior. So, after he made a mention of the last captivity, when everything in the treasuries of the kings of Judah was carried away by the Babylonians to their land, it was necessary after this to make a prediction about the consolation that was obviously accomplished through Christ to those who preach the divine Gospel, he commands and says: Comfort, comfort my people, says the Lord. For the coming of Christ and His preaching was first of all for the Israelites a call to salvation, because He clearly says: I was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). So, he says, O priests, ministers of the new covenant, speak into the heart of Jerusalem, speak a word of consolation that is acceptable to the listeners. For the law was heavy for everyone, it taught only shadows and images. Without introducing into the mind and heart instructions about the necessary, he barely communicated some external knowledge only about letters. The saving and evangelical preaching is proclaimed with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, Who shows the depth of every thought, introduces into spiritual speculation, imprints the words of the saints and, as it were, illuminates the most frank refuges of thought. Such was blessed David, singing and saying: I have hidden your words in my heart, lest I sin against you. (Ps. 119:11) But the Savior also announced to the holy apostles: keep in your hearts the word that He obviously spoke and saved. And that the gospel sermon is proclaimed by the holy secret leaders to the mind and heart (of the listeners), with the assistance of the Holy Spirit who accomplishes everything, faith can learn this from the Holy Scriptures. For God, through one of the holy prophets, said: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not according to the covenant which their father commanded, on the day that I eat them by the hand, that I will bring them out of the land of Egypt, because they have not continued in My covenant, and I have neglected them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I have made for the house of Israel, from these days says the Lord: I have given my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts (Jer. 31:31-33). And blessed Paul writes to some: You are our message, written in our hearts, known and read by all people. We show that the message of Christ, which we minister to you, is written not with ink, but with the living Spirit of God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart of flesh (2 Cor. 3:2,3). - But it seems to some that the above words of the Prophet do not speak about the ministers of divine preaching, but the holy Angels, who are especially characterized by the ability to speak to hearts, are called priests. So, comfort and say that the God of all has left his wrath on them. Be filled with his humility; for it is enough, he says, he is humiliated and his sin is forgiven. As if he had received his sins from the hand of the Lord. Didn’t God punish him beyond what was due and didn’t impose on him punishments that were not corresponding to his guilt, but incomparably higher and, as it were, double? But is this likely? How can one be called true who says: The Lord will not punish you twice for the same thing in sorrow? How should we understand what has been said? Truly, as a child-loving and very compassionate father, having caused no great sorrow to his son who sinned against him, he thinks that he was overly angry with him (the reason for this is the tender love and affection for children characteristic of a father); This is how God speaks about Jerusalem being consoled, that the hands of the Lord were taken away from its sins - about Jerusalem, which was subjected to a very serious accusation. but punished by God moderately and not according to his terrible and serious crimes. For the Lord is truly generous and merciful, long-suffering and abounding in mercy and truth; Isaiah 40:3–5. A voice crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make right the paths of our God. Every wilderness will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be humbled, and all that is stubborn will be right, and every sharp path will be smooth, and the glory of the Lord will appear, and all flesh will see the salvation of God, as the Lord is the Lord. Having said that Israel is redeemed and commanded that he be consoled after he is freed from his sins, he shows that the time of his consolation is approaching and, as it were, is in a hurry to follow what was said. This is the time of the coming of our Savior, whose forerunner the divine Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea, crying and saying: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths right (Matthew 3:3). Having foreknowledge of this, blessed Zechariah, the father of John himself, prophesied, saying: You too, as a child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways (Luke 1:76). The Savior also told them about him: he is a lamp of burning and shining: but you do not want to rejoice at the hour of his light (John 5:35). The sun of righteousness and the true light is Christ. Holy Scripture likens the blessed Baptist to a lamp; because the degree of the human mind, even if it were filled with light and wisdom, in comparison with the divine and ineffable light, with its unspeakable and immeasurable brilliance, can rightly be compared to a small lamp. So, what does it mean: prepare the way of the Lord and make His paths right? This explains, adding: every wilderness will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be humbled, and all the rough will be right, and the sharp will be smooth in its path. For the paths are wide, or paths that are barely passable, while others are rocky and barely accessible, so that sometimes it is necessary to climb mountains and hills, and sometimes to descend from them and go into deep chasms. Let us imagine that all the hills and mountains have settled, and all the potholes and depressions have been filled; Then all the crooked paths would turn into straight and smooth planes, all the unevenness and gorges would turn into a completely smooth path. When was this? This was accomplished in a spiritual sense by the power of our Savior himself. For in ancient times, an excellent life, so to speak, was inaccessible to all people and the path of life consistent with the Gospel was impassable; because the mind of everyone was in subjection to worldly and earthly lusts and was carried away by carnal shameful passions. When He, having become man, or flesh, according to Scripture, killed sin in the flesh and destroyed the principles and powers and rulers of this world; then He made the path to godliness very convenient for us, and not having the slightest hillock or elevation and no rut; on the contrary, he turned it into a smooth surface; everything that was crooked became straight. And not only this, but also, he says, the glory of the Lord will appear, and all flesh will see the salvation of the Lord, as the Lord of the word. Glory will appear, he says. How and in what way? For He was and is the Only Begotten Word of God, ineffably begotten in the glory of the Divine, above all principality and power, thrones and dominions, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the future. And He Himself is the Lord of glory, and we have come to know His glory, whereas in ancient times we did not know it. Having become, according to the dispensation of God, a man similar to us, He showed Himself in strength, power and glory equal to God and the Father, bearing all kinds of His power, and easily performing miracles, forbidding creatures, raising the dead and without difficulty performing other miracles. So, the glory of the Lord appeared and the salvation of God, that is, the Father, was seen by all flesh; for He sent the Son from heaven to be our Savior and Redeemer. When the law proved completely powerless and the representative sacrifices were unable to take away sins, then we were found perfect in Christ and freed from all filthiness and worthy of adoption as sons in the Spirit. In Him, the grace necessary to achieve the goal of salvation came to all flesh, that is, to all people. For in these words under the flesh we must understand man. But if some were found not to participate in salvation; then even in this case the word of the prophet would not be false; for he speaks of the purpose of Him who honored us and wished to save us, and not of the laziness of those who were called. He considers it necessary to add: as the Lord of the verb, so that someone does not think that he is telling a lie, either from his heart, or perhaps expressing his opinion; on the contrary, he expresses the thought of God and predicted what will certainly and completely come true. Isaiah 40:6–8. The voice of one crying: I cried: and the cry: Why shall I cry? all flesh is hay, and all the glory of man is like the flower of grass. The grass is gone and the flower is fallen away, but the word of our God endures forever. It clearly shows that God’s salvation can only be seen by those who truly love Him and strive only to think and do what is pleasing and pleasing to Him. For, I think, those who want to act holy and lead a pure and excellent life and be adorned with life in Christ, as it were, with some kind of crown, should count the entertainment of this life as nothing, despise the glory of people and everything that passes, and consider everything human truly like hay and grass, and have in their mind and heart the word of God, that is, the Word that came from God and the Father; for It dwells in our hearts through faith and, having been enriched by His divine Spirit, we have Him in us; It is worthy of acquisition, it brings eternal life, because It abides forever and, being the living Word of God, saves and gives life. If anyone wants to understand the word of God as His commandment; even this can bring considerable benefit; for this also preserves those who keep it for eternal life, according to the Word of the Savior Himself: Amen, Amen, I say to you: if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death (John 8:51) Isaiah 40:9–11. Go up to the high mountain, preach the good news to Zion, lift up your voice with strength, preach the good news to Jerusalem: lift up, do not be afraid: the kings of the city of Judah: Behold, your God, behold, the Lord comes with strength, and his arm with power: behold, his reward is with him, and his work is before him. Like a shepherd he will feed his flock, and with his arm he will gather the lambs, and he will comfort those who have in the womb. In these words he shows those who perform divine and saving preaching, I mean, the holy apostles and evangelists, or, in a word, those who later were leaders of the verbal flocks and were engaged in the work of mystery, so that they would be filled with love for God, glorious and filled with the highest glory. For it is indecent, he says, for one who preaches the glory and salvation of God to everyone to do this with fear and indecisiveness and as if trying to hide it; on the contrary - as if standing on a height and in full view of everyone, as if having climbed a mountain, with great courage to proclaim this in a loud, fear-free voice. And what properties the divine disciples desired for themselves, they themselves, praying, said about this: and now, Lord, look upon their reproaches, that is, the Jews, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness (Acts 4:29). Therefore, lift up, do not be afraid, he says, proclaim through the city of Judah: Behold, your God, behold, the Lord comes with strength and his arm with power. Adding: this does not allow the hope for the coming of the Lord to be carried to a distant distance, but shows that the Redeemer is nearby and nearby, and, as it were, already at the door. He commanded them to stretch out their hand and point with a finger to the One who was foretold. And that He will not be like one of the holy prophets and not in the form of a minister, but will have the power and strength and dominion characteristic of God, this was shown by saying: He comes with might, and his arm with authority. For the divine prophets asked something from God and belonged to the people subject to Him; but the Savior of all and the Lord, not because he pours out prayer and does not receive and give anything as a result of a request, but as a truly Son, with the dignity characteristic of a free person, he distributed benefits from the Father to those who believe in Him and did everything with his own strength and authority. And that the sacrament of economy will not be fruitless for Him who for our sake became like us and endured the cross and death on it - this is shown by saying: “Behold His reward is with Him, and His work is before Him.” He calls the fruit that came from His death according to the flesh a reward. For he said: Amen, amen, I say to you: although a grain of wheat falls on the earth and does not die, it remains alone; and if it dies, it produces much fruit (John 12:24). And again: even if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everything to myself (John 12:32). Likewise, Paul says: you endured the cross, being careless about your shame (Heb. 12:2); In the same way, God also highly exalted Him, and gave him a name above every name: that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Col. 2:9-11). Foreseeing this by the Spirit, the divine David sings and says to Him: all the nations that you have created will come and worship before You, O Lord (Ps. 85:9). So, the economy did not remain without reward and without fruit; but they followed Him and were, as it were, in the sight of a shepherd of his flock and with their own arm, that is, with their own strength, gathering the lambs. For those who believed in Him, like newly born and newborn sheep, were raised to new life and received regeneration, of course, from above and from the Spirit. For at first, like babies, they desire the verbal milk, but then they grow to the extent of the age of the fulfillment of Christ. So the lambs were feeding, and some who were pregnant or with child were comforted. For by lambs, as if they had just come into the world and were newborn, we can rightly understand those who from among the pagans believed in Christ. Those who, with illnesses, give birth to the word within themselves, as if from the instructions of the law and prophetic preaching, can also be called pregnant. For Christ saved not only the pagans, but also the descendants of Israel, to whom, as He says, He was primarily sent. Having established themselves in the faith, they received the consolation that came from an accurate knowledge of the sacrament. Isaiah 40:12–14. Who measured water in a handful, and the sky in a span, and the whole earth in a handful? who puts the mountains in measure and the hills in weight? Who understands the mind of the Lord and who is his adviser and who teaches him? or with whom advice, and instruct? or who shows him the court? or the way of understanding who shows him? By what is inaccessible and incomprehensible to all people, and perhaps even to higher and heavenly powers, he tries to show the superiority and incomprehensibility of divine wisdom. For the mystery of Christ excites wonder, and the doctrine of the economy is among the ineffable mysteries. And it seems to me that, using the words of Paul, it is appropriate to say: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the mind of God! for His judgment has not been tried, and His ways have not been explored. Who understands the mind of the Lord (Rom. 11:33,34). Who would not say, quite rightly, that these words are closely related to those being explained? Great and inaccessible depth appears in divine contemplations. How completely impossible and impracticable it is to measure all the water with a human hand, the sky with a span, the whole earth with a handful, and how impossible it is to find someone who could weigh the weight of mountains with scales and a rocker; there is certainly no one who could comprehend the mind of the Lord. The speaker himself will confirm this through one of the holy prophets: for my ways are not as your ways, but as the heavens are separated from the earth, so are my ways separated from your ways, and your thoughts from my thoughts (Is. 55:8,9). For when, he says, did I need any adviser, or mentor, or someone who would show me judgment, that is, the truth, or righteous judgment or the path of understanding? For if He truly is wisdom and Himself gives wisdom to every mind and imparts the light of understanding to rational creatures; then how can He have need of another, or how can anyone give Him advice or reproach Him? With these words the prophet brings great benefit to his listeners. For some of the infidels dare to say: what was the need for the word of God to become like us and take upon Himself the flesh and its uncleanness and save those living on earth, when He, as God, did not have the slightest difficulty with the wave of His will to accomplish what was pleasing to Him? Then, was it not in vain that He became a man? And with the help of these strange speculations, wickedly transforming the economy of salvation into something incongruous, they thus rebel against the greatness of the mystery (of Christ). Therefore, the prophet in these words suppresses their unreasonable and empty thoughts, and says that Divine wisdom is incomprehensible and that the mind of God, if He really is wisdom and mind, is the highest and purest mind, so that the words of the infidels would appear strange and even ridiculous, who dared, I don’t know how, to assert that the incarnation of the Only Begotten Son of God was indecent. And it seems to some that the words: who measure water with a handful, and the sky with a span, and the following express the omnipotence of God, who can measure water, heaven and earth, mountains and valleys, in short: having knowledge of everything, comprehending everything incomprehensible and having nothing equal to Himself among creatures, no matter how great and dignified they may be and no matter how immensely numerous they may be. If anyone thinks that this is how the words of the prophet should be understood, he will not sin at all. Isaiah 40:15–21. Shall all the nations be imputed like a drop from a cadi, and like the pull of a weight be imputed, and like spitting be imputed? The oak forest of Livanova is not content to be burned, and all four-legged animals are not content to be burned, and all the pagans, as if they are nothing, are imputed to nothing. To whom will you liken the Lord, and to what likeness will you liken him: will the woodmaker create an image of food, or will the goldsmith, having merged gold, gild him, or will he create his likeness? For the woodmaker chooses a tree that does not rot, and wisely seeks how he will set up his image, and let it not be shaken. Don't you understand? don't you hear? Shouldn't you be erected first? Do you not understand the foundations of the earth? After the prophetic word mentioned to us the economy of the Only Begotten in the flesh and, as far as possible, expressed wonder at the ineffable wisdom by which we were saved, and, having come to know Him who is by nature and truly Master, were worthy of His grace, being gathered like lambs by His arm and standing under His protection as the good shepherd: for He laid down His life for His sheep; after, further, it discovered the impossibility of comprehending or in any way measuring His mind and recognized Him as the highest wisdom and surpassing everything, - it naturally imagines Him leading a conversation with pagans by origin or with those who worship the creature more than the Creator (Rom. 1:25), - turning away from the ancient, primitive and fathers of the betrayed error, changing for the better and leading to knowledge befitting people. Then it shows the immeasurable superiority of the Almighty God and the predominant dignity of His inherent splendor - and that everything before Him is of little importance, and can be considered completely insignificant - in comparison, I say, with the highest degree of His inherent power and glory. That's why he says: even if all the nations are like a drop of water, and like a drop of weight are imputed, and like spitting they are imputed; for it is insignificant and completely insignificant. Indeed: what is one drop falling from a cadi? What is the significance of a small weight on the scale, bringing into balance what appears to be lighter? Or what is “spitting,” that is, human saliva? But, he says, the oak grove of Lebanon is not at all enough for Him to burn, or all the four-legged creatures for a burnt offering. And these latter are completely insignificant, even if they were all offered as burnt offerings to Him, and they (in this case) are far from corresponding to the glory of God. And if, he says, all the nations are like nothing, and imputed to nothing, then to what will you liken Him? For what is similar or equivalent to Him, whether in nature, or in meaning, or in glorious name? Would you liken Him to the works of art of an artist, or the craftsmanship of a woodworker, or the works of goldsmiths, or some kind of idol, which is built like one of the creatures, or made, as they say, in the form of a man? - Yes, it won’t; for nothing can be equal to Him. Since He is by nature God, and there is no other besides Him, He is, of course, superior to all in all respects. Having thus shown the insignificance of everything created and called into being, after this he ridicules the making of idols and says that the woodmaker chooses the unrotten tree, and wisely seeks how he will set up his image, so that it will not be shaken (Is. 40:20), - so, apparently, it depended on the art of the artist for those who were mistaken, to the extent of their inherent understanding, to make a god who would be according to their thoughts, and with the greatest stability it was protected from staggering and breaking when falling; Consequently, when the art of construction did not yet exist on earth, idolaters had rare gods, and the previously created man-made (creatures) would not have been preserved if the artist had not wisely invented means by which they could stand upright and have a strong support. At the same time, I think it is possible and very appropriate to quote the saying of David: The tongue of idols is silver and gold, the works of human hands (Ps. 113:12). - to which he adds: let all who do I and all who trust in her be like them (Ps. 113:16). Further, having ridiculed the preparation of idols, he inclines his speech to shame and correction of those who have gone astray and reveals their inexcusable error, saying: “or you will not understand and will not hear” instead of “you have not understood, you have not heard,” will it not be revealed to you from the first, have you not understood the foundations of the earth? He calls its ends and edges the foundations of the earth: understandably, he says, these are those who live on it from edge to edge. Hear and be told to you from the beginning: what will be announced? - That God, by nature and truly as such, is one and only, and the gods created by people for us are wood, stone and nothing else. Indeed, the divinely inspired scripture was not silent (about this); on the contrary, the knowledge of truth from ancient times was proclaimed by the patriarchs, the law, the prophets - for not when the only begotten Word of God, becoming like us as man, shone forth as beings on earth - not then for the first time, with the strongest evidence, the accusation of error arose, but on the contrary, as I said, from ancient times idolatry was denounced, for the face of the saints constantly denounced it, exposed it vile and clearly pointed to the Creator and Lord of all. Isa.40:22. Contain the circle of the earth: and living on it like springs: making the sky like a kamara and spreading it out like a tabernacle to dwell. From the beauty of creatures, through comparison, their Creator is known (Wis. 13:5), - of course, by those who have a sound mind. For it is possible for the wise to know, and very easily, who is and how great the Creator of everything and the Artist is in terms of the excellence and indescribably magnificent economy by which the creature appeared from non-existence and, having appeared, is indestructibly preserved in the good order of its existence by the power of the Creator. So, to whom can He be likened, says the Lord; Isn’t He above all understanding, Who alone holds the whole earth in His hand and preserves it so that it stands firmly, Who raised the sky above it like a kind of kamara (vault) and spread it out in the form of a tent for those for whose sake, of course, it appeared to dwell on it? For this, I think, is what the prophet himself says: “He did not create it in vain, but to inhabit it.” So, he says, is the multitude of those who live on earth great before God, even though it is uncountable? - No way: for in comparison with God’s greatness and superiority they are like springs (locusts). Or in other words: Contain the circle of the earth, that is, its entire circumference and nothing before Him - those who inhabit it, even if, like locusts, they earned their food on it and exceeded any number. And this is wonderful and important for the glorification of the omnipotent God. Isa.40:23,24. Let the princes, like nothingness, rule, and the earth, like nothingness, create. They will not plant, they will sow below 100, and their roots will not take root in the lands, the wind blows on them, and the storm withers them, and the storm takes them up like a stem. Those who are lost and do not know God, by nature and truly, not only tend to worship hordes of demons, and to say to a tree: “You are my God,” to a stone: “You gave birth to me” (Jer. 2:27), but also extremely thoughtlessly to idolize people who have become famous on earth; like, for example, Sennacherib, who, as it was said, having returned from Judea to his land, worshiped his fatherland (Is. 37:37); - they made sacrifices to the dead and, calling them heroes, counted them among the host of gods. Therefore, it was necessary, having clearly exposed the host of idols, and to reduce his speech to this in order to convince those who were lost to impute everything human to nothing at all, but if from time to time venerable and glorious people appeared among those living on earth, or adorned with the highest rank, such as, for example, royalty, or ever awarded other advantages, and under no circumstances should they consider them to be gods, but, on the contrary, think that power and authority were given to them by none other than God. And that for the omnipotent God this matter is not associated with any difficulty, the prophet clearly shows, saying: give to princes, as to rule nothing. He goes back to something even more significant and says: make the earth as nothing. And that the preservation of even any kind of memory, not only that the memory of people who have become glorious and famous on earth is in the power of God, is explained by the words: for they will not replant, they will plant lower. This means: if God does not want, then, he says, there will be no fruit left on earth from them, not even a root or memory, but as if the wind blows on them, they will dry up like stems. For everything human is completely unimportant, lightweight, conveniently perverted, and withers like grass. Consequently, God alone, by nature and truly as such, should be worshiped, and there should be no talk about artists invented by art, or about people to whom some ascribe the name of gods: for this is service to the dead, and nothing more. Isa.40:25,26. Now, to whom will you liken me, and I will be exalted, the Holy One said: Look to the heights of your eyes, and see who created all this? Carry your utensils according to the number, and everything will be called by name from much glory, and in the power of its strength: nothing is hidden from You. The all-wise Paul rightly raises his voice against the ignorance of the erring and carries out the most just judgment on the host of idolaters - for, although it was possible for them to know from the creation itself the Maker of all things and the artist, they have turned aside to idolatry and worship that which is not God. He (Paul) said this about the Almighty God: For his invisible being from the creation of the world was conceived by created beings, his essence and ever-present power and divinity are visible, even though he was unrequited. Having already understood God, they did not glorify God or give thanks: but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. It says to be wise, to become a fool, and to change the glory of the imperishable God into the likeness of the corruptible image of man, and birds, and four-footed creatures, and creeping things (Rom. 1:20-23). So, since I, he says, maintain the circle of the earth, stretch out the sky like a tent, give princes to rule over nothing, and equate those who live on earth, as it were, with trees, then to whom will you liken me instead: with whom will you put me on an equal footing, without going beyond the limits of justice and without sinning against the truth? Or do you think that you are exalting Me by calling Me Heaven or likening Me to one of the elements at will? But of all creations, not one is like Me or equal in anything: for no one in the consideration of a being can become equal to Him Who called non-existence into being. That I am not like your gods, who received their existence from human art, see from the very creatures; lift up your eyes on high, look at the firmament and the host of luminaries, think about who created all this, who counts his army, that is, the sky? It is clear that he calls the heavenly luminaries the heavenly host, which, he says, He himself knows in himself not only as they are visible in their multitude, but also individually, and as if by name. This is divine and pretty! And the prophet himself considers this to be a great miracle and says (addressing) Him: out of much glory and in the power of fortress (his) nothing is hidden from You, for, as the Holy Scripture says, the essence of raindrops is counted for him (Job 36:27); absolutely nothing can hide from ineffable wisdom, from the omniscient mind. Isa.40:27. What did you say to Jacob, and what did you say to Israel, “I have hidden my way from God, and God has taken away my judgment and retreated?” Having explained that over time those who err will be called and, enriched in mind and heart, will recognize the light of truth - the Creator of all kinds and the artist - that they will become wise and prudent and from the beauty of creatures through comparison they will recognize the One who brought all this into existence with ineffable power; Having then proposed, with the help of the above, the secrecy useful for them, he inclines the speech to those who came from the blood of Jacob, or Israel: when they stumbled over the stumbling stone (Is. 8:14) and, not accepting the Giver of Salvation, naturally became far from fellowship with Him, when the legal canopy no longer continued to exist, but on the contrary, worship and service were introduced in spirit and truth, that is, gospel, (then) they (began) to murmur, saying: my way is hidden from God, that is, He puts an end to the legal structure: for those. who lived as, without a doubt, the commandment given through the all-wise Moses commanded, will no longer deserve contempt on their part. And taking away my judgment and retreating means: He abolished the law; He calls the law judgment, and blessed David teaches this, saying to the God of all: You have created judgment and righteousness in Jacob (Ps. 98:4), that is, You, through the angels, or through the mediation of Moses, established the law; Moses also said about Israel, that there you would lay down for them justifications and fates (Exodus 15:25). Therefore, taking away my judgment means: not only has it abolished the subordinate service, but also taken it away from us - and retreat; for he no longer cares for the elect, and the firstborn Israel is reduced to nothingness Isa.40:28. And now have you not understood or heard? The eternal God, the God who built the ends of the earth, will not hunger, nor will he be weary, nor is the invention of his wisdom. Of old, O Israel, you were punished by the law; through the prophets you knew the image of the economy that would follow the law. For the law, which contained the shadows and images of future blessings, as if being in the pains of birth, also foreshadowed in letter the power of the sacrament of Christ; Christ was typified in a variety of ways and by the lawful commandment, and the mystery that depended on Him was described in a fortune-telling way, which He Himself attests to, saying to those of Israel who were stubborn in disobedience: If they believed quickly in Moses, they quickly believed in me: for that is written about me (John 5:46). But since, he says, he (Israel) accuses (God), saying: He does not look upon my ways, which are in accordance with the law (for this is what it means: hide my way from God) and took away from us judgment, that is, the law, and retreated, then, as if completely not noticing that he (Israel) is seeking protection in accusing God, he says the following: so be it, he says, let you not know until now, because you have not heard, that is, not could hear - just as if he had said: I accept your (imaginary) justification with respect. You didn’t know, because you couldn’t learn or couldn’t hear, so listen: the eternal God, the God who built the ends of the earth, will not hunger, nor will he be weary. And you, he says, offered bleeding sheep, you offered up oxen, fulfilling your vows, and you honored Him with incense and incense, turtle doves and doves. But know and be sure that the eternal God (arranged) the ends (of the earth 101); he calls the ends of the earth the limits of the earth, in order to designate all of it. He won’t be hungry, he’ll be toil below. This, I think, is similar to what He said through the mouth of the psalmist: “Eating yam meat of yunch? Or do I drink the blood of goats? (Ps.49:13). How, he says, do you offer sacrifices to Me? - Or like someone who is hungry and accustomed to languish from hunger? Be gone, foolishness! The Eternal God, who does not lead to corruption, will not hunger, nor will he become weary, for nothing human will touch Him. Below is the invention of his wisdom. And this is not said without reason. If You made the commandment given through Moses, or the shadow of the law, unnecessary, why did you give the law in the first place? If the new, that is, the verbs of the Gospel, is better than the old, then why are they attached to the same law? But do not say this, he says, for you cannot explore the incomprehensible understanding or wisdom of God. On what conditions and for what reason was the commandment of Moses given, Paul teaches, saying that the law comes, that sin may abound (Rom. 5:20), and in another place: “for the scripture shut up all under disobedience, that he may have mercy on all” 102 . So, it (the law) was established as an indicator of sin and, as it were, an exposure of the powerlessness of everyone; moreover, since he is not able to justify those who sin, but rather condemns them, henceforth, of necessity, the grace of Christ flowing from the exploit (zeal) is introduced, justifying the wicked and freeing from sins those who are mired in them. Consequently, “there is no invention of the wisdom” of God, who wisely orders all things, who gave the law to reprove sin, but sent (His) Son from heaven, so that He would justify through faith those who remained in sin. Isaiah 40:29–31. Give strength to the hungry and sorrow to the painless. For the young will hunger and the young will be weary, and the chosen ones will not be strong. Those who endure the Lord will change their strength, they will take wings like eagles, they will flow and not be weary, they will walk and not be hungry. Reflect with me on the fact that the eternal God, God, who formed the ends of the earth, gives strength to those who hunger - for, as God and (God) eternal, He never suffers a lack of food - on the contrary, He gives spiritual strength to those who hunger for righteousness. And in the same way it gives sadness to the non-painful. And understand this in two ways, namely: to those who, due to excessive insensitivity and ignorance of what is pleasing to God, do not know that by offending Him they will be subjected to terrible and inevitable punishments, sorrow for the reason in which they stumble is given to help: sorrow, which according to God, brings unrepentant repentance to salvation (2 Cor. 7:10); or: to those who crucified Christ and soon probably rejoiced at this (for in a similar mood were the teachers of the Jews and those who dared to say: his blood be on us and on our children (Matthew 27:25) - gives sadness, having arranged (so) that they were subjected to misfortunes and disasters of war, and since they forgot about being close to Him, they found themselves deprived of all strength and spiritual food. To this, almost interpreting what has been said, he adds the words: for the youth will hunger, and the youth will be weary, and the chosen ones will not be strong. While the pagans reached the point where they were exhausted and thus weakened and cast down under the feet of the devil, and constantly did what was pleasing to the unclean spirits, some, although they were courageous and full of youthful strength, but, of course, mentally and spiritually endured hunger and hardship. As for those who, according to the guidance given in the law, had an understanding of virtue and fulfilled the commandment once given, then they too, he says, will become hungry and toil, that is, they will be powerless for anything good. For the hunger of divine words, if it befalls anyone, makes him in all respects powerless, weakened and incapable of doing anything good. And that the people who came from Israel perished from this famine, while those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ were delivered from evil, God foretold this, speaking of old through one of the prophets: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord: And I will send a famine on the earth, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord... and from the east to the west 103 They will run around, seeking the word of the Lord, and will not find ( Am. 8:11,12 ). How can they not be powerless (how not to languish and perish from hunger, because, of course, they did not accept Christ, although he clearly said: I am the bread of life that came down from heaven (John 6:51), and give life to the world (John 6:33); whoever eats of this bread will live forever 104 (John 6:51). But since they are in great madness, although it was It is possible to receive, they did not eat the bread of the animal, then they fade from hunger, while the pagans enjoy. For truly, as Solomon says, the Lord will not kill a righteous soul with famine, but the life of the wicked will be destroyed (Prov. 10:3). those who strive to fulfill (this) will change their strength... For they do not remain in the powerlessness in which they once were, being mistaken and being under the yoke of Satan and worldly pleasures, but they receive a different (strength), since Christ gives them the ability to overcome every despicable pleasure and free themselves from the snares of sin; They will be renewed, he says, like eagles. Blessed David also teaches this, saying: Your youth will be renewed like an eagle (Ps. 102:5). They will flow and not toil: willingly and with youthful vigor they will walk the paths of Divine piety, since Christ will give them everything they need for life and will not allow them to labor; for He fills the hearts of those who love Him with strength from above, so that, even if those who do good have to fall into temptations and hardships, they overcome fatigue, being firmly convinced that patience is very desirable, and if anyone has it, it makes him the most skillful in all respects; For patience is a work of art, but art is hope; but hope does not disgrace (Rom. 5:4,5) those who are accustomed to live this way. Blessed David also encourages courage, of course, regarding all good things, saying: take courage and let your heart be strong, all who trust in the Lord (Ps. 30:25). Isa.41:1. Renew yourself to me, islands, for the princes will change the fortress: let them draw near, and let them speak together, then let them proclaim judgment. Islands can be understood in different ways: there are many of them on the seas, and sometimes they are the name given to cities and villages that are surrounded by vast, uncultivated and sandy soil; These, they say, are the (cities and villages) of Edomite and Moab, since they lie in the desert. And they were wicked and worshiped idols and were not far from the country of the Jews. So we believe that, wanting to indicate the acceptance (Rom. 11:15) of the pagans and, as if extending the power of action from the center to the whole, he turns to the erring cities, saying: be renewed to me, islands, that is, having removed the damage and depravity of your hearts from errors and sins, be renewed by repentance, think about the best, accept grace that renews into newness of life (Rom. 6:4), that is, (grace) through Christ. It is possible, however, that in another sense, islands here refer to churches, which, although exposed to worldly circumstances and overwhelmed by the waves rising on them, nevertheless have a solid foundation and remain unshakable, for they are established on a rock, and on it there is Christ. They, that is, churches, are called islands. This means the following: the people called through faith, once sin-loving, vile and unclean, vicious and defiled, through Christ passed on to a new life, became virgin, pure, not having filthiness or vice, but holy and blameless (Eph. 5:27). Therefore, be renewed towards me, he says. And that the princes will change the fortress - this is fully confirmed: here he calls princes the heralds of truth, who, after being called, became different people in comparison with the former, as shown by Peter, Paul and the rest of the council of the Apostles, to whom it is most fitting to apply and (the preceding) will be given wings like eagles, will flow and will not be weary, will walk and will not hunger (Is. 40:31). For such miracles are revealed in their deeds: the disciples of our Savior were not like their former, that is, Jewish mentors, but acted as if with a different, spiritual power, that is, they were much better and incomparably surpassed (those) in the brilliance of virtue. So, let these princes draw near, and let them speak together. Let them draw near - understand regarding the time; for if the hour had come for them, they would rejoice together, just as if they had said: they will all say the same thing to those who are secretly taught, since they will not dispute the words of one another, speaking from one Spirit, but on the contrary, they will preach in agreement about the divine dogmas and secretly proclaim the mystery of Christ. This, I think, means: then let judgment be proclaimed; namely: since the Israelites called the law (given) through Moses judgment, then here, quite naturally, contrasting it with the gospel and saving sermon, he calls it in these words judgment; for the truly righteous judgment of God and the power of the law pleasing to God is not so much revealed in the shadow of the law as in the preaching of the holy masters, the new princes, who, having learned from Christ the judgment or the will of God and the Father, proclaimed it to us with one accord. Isa.41:2. Whoever raises righteousness from the east, I will call him to his feet and go. One should be amazed not only at the greatness of God, who rules over everything in creation; but also that in His good deeds He gives proof of His inherent goodness: He saved the earth-born and delivered the completely lost human race from death, corruption and the insatiable dominion of the devil, and abolished him (the devil), together with the forces subordinate to him, and removed the sin that ruled over us, justifying us by faith. Yet all this was accomplished by Christ, for He became for us from God the Father righteousness, redemption and sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30). Through them we were enlightened and granted condescension and love, and in general everything necessary for salvation. He foretells this to us through one of the holy prophets, saying: And the sun of righteousness will shine upon you who fear my name, and healing will be upon its wings (Mal.4:2). So, who, he says, arranged that the truth, that is, Christ, should shine like the sun from the east? Who “called me,” that is, arranged for her to come and shine as if she were walking in the footsteps of the One who Called, that is, walking almost as if in the footsteps of God and the Father? This is exactly how the Lord lived on earth, performing the works of the Father and showing Him to us in His own person (φυσει), for He was and is equal in power (to the Father) and by His works completely assured (those living) on ​​earth that He is in all possible respects equal to the One who gave birth; Therefore, He clearly said: if I do not do the works of My Father, do not have faith in me: if I do, and if you do not believe me, believe in my work (John 10:37,38). Always following the will of the Father, or rather, being himself the will of the Father, He proclaimed to the people of Judea, saying: You judge according to the flesh, but I judge no one. And if I judge (John 8:15,16), my judgment is righteous: for I do not seek My will, but the will of Him who sent me. (John 5:30). So, you see that He seems to be walking in the footsteps of the Father. That is why he said: I am in the Father and the Father is in me (John 14:9) and he who has seen me in the form of My Father (John 14:9). Isaiah 41:2–4. He will bring tongues before him, and he will terrify kings, and he will cast down their swords to the ground, and their swords will be cut off like stalks. And I will marry, and the path of His feet will walk in peace: who did it, and did this? I will call you, call you from the beginning of labor. Before the coming of Our Savior, those on earth, being in great ignorance, seemed to be no different from senseless beasts, they were possessed by ignorance and darkness, they were enslaved to the ruler of this world and, bowing their necks to the desires and intentions of the devil, along the paths of vice they descended into destruction. But Christ shone upon them, for “He is the hope of the tongues” (Gen. 49:10), and, freeing them from what had anciently ruled over them, he revealed them as free and sons of God, having washed away all filth from them, for he justified them by faith and made them pure and enlightened by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It was this truth, like the sun and rising from the east, that He gave to the pagans - of course, after Israel was rejected for their wickedness towards Him. When this happened, and such a great multitude was saved, the kings were horrified: as if a frenzy had come over the rulers of this world, and they felt fear of the divine and immutable judgment - I mean the judgment that befell the pagans. And those who from ancient times were terrible and strong, armed themselves against the divine glory and learned to raise weapons and draw a sword against it and draw the bow of madness, fell to the ground and, throwing down their armor, became like a stalk. Again, the speech about them consists, as it were, of a comparison with what happened to us, namely: the evil forces are defeated, and every method for evil deeds has become impoverished, since Christ has plundered their weapons, for, he says, nothing will the enemy have time to attack him, and the son of iniquity will not try to embitter him (Ps. 89:23). It was necessary, yes, it was necessary that after the abolition of the evil and crafty forces and the overthrow of the enemy everyone to the earth, then, precisely then, and at the most favorable time, the redemption of the tongues would take place. Indeed, Christ drove them (the evil forces) away, that is, put them to flight. For they could not resist God, and as soon as He put an end to their primordial dominion, in no case could they help but endure what was intended from Him for those who destroyed the earth. So, after the enemies are driven away, he says, the path of his feet will pass in peace. For nothing hindered Christ, the Savior of us all, in the improvement of our affairs, but, as if walking on a smooth and even path, He accomplished the salvation of us all: not a single enemy weakened or opposed, for they (the enemies) fell. Who created all this and who called for the truth? “Is it not I,” he says, “I, who now, in recent times, showed her, called her from the ancient generations?” For the mystery of Christ is not of a new origin, but was predetermined by the foreknowledge of God from the foundation of the world: at the same time as Adam fell - it is better to say, before he made an attempt to do this, the Creator predetermined the healing that was to follow in his time, that is, through Christ - predetermined the method and (do not be surprised at this), as it turns out, he predetermined us ourselves to be justified through faith in Him: theirs He foreknew, he says, (those) and appointed them to be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom.8:29), and called them (Rom.8:30). Therefore, if we were ordained according to foreknowledge, how much more is He by whom we were saved and called? Isaiah 41:4–6. I am God first, and I am in the future. Seeing the Gentiles and being afraid, the ends of the earth drew near and came together. Judge every neighbor and help brother. He calls himself God first, not because there was a second after Him, for how and from where? There is one God of all, who does not have the beginning of His existence, but, on the contrary, has called everything into existence. So, He is the first, the only and beginningless God, the Creator of all things, and in the endless series of subsequent centuries He will not exist otherwise, for He alone exists. When the tongues saw Christ and the truth revealed to us from Him, everyone saw His glory with their mental eyes, fearing, he says, (those living) from one end of the earth to the other, that is, throughout the entire universe, gathered together and drew closer: they no longer remained at a distance, alienated by sin, but, as it were, became close in spiritual affinity and united in one faith and unanimity. This, I think, means: approaching and coming together. When they tasted the Lord and saw that He is good (Ps. 33:9), and marveled at the beauty of the truth, they did not cherish the gift only for themselves, but, acting justly and decently, decided, he says, to each help his brother and friend. Isa.41:6–7. And he says: the woodworker can overcome, and the forger beats with hammer and forges together: when he says, there is good soldering, having fixed it with nails, I will lay it down and not move. He clearly establishes the image of help: each of those who decided to help their neighbor and brother, having been instructed in the mysteries and having learned the truth, will admonish others, saying: the man who makes wood can prevail, and the forger beats with hammer and forges together. We can overcome it - how? - He who had the art of woodworking, having made idols and carved gods from them, - the forger of copper, having built a statue forged with a hammer, led those deceived into an unskillful mind (Rom. 1:28) and made those created in the image of God admirers of their works or inventions. Then he ridicules the preparation of idols and, as it were, imitates those who make them, who turn to each other with the words that soldering is good; for the makers of idols, having made an arm, or a leg, or any other member of the body, connect them with solders, fitting parts to parts and strengthening them with nails, and then placing and strengthening them so that they stand and do not wobble. This is funny and nothing more, and serves as proof of the vanity and extreme stupidity of their fans: for to know that the idol is made up of small parts and in places from soldered joints - that the duration and strength of its existence and installation depends on nails, and yet to worship them, to call them gods - truly, is not (this) full of all stupidity? Isaiah 41:8–10. But you, O Israel, my servant Jacob, whom you chose, the seed of Abraham, whom you loved, whom you loved, whom you fed from the end of the earth, and from its troubles you called you, and said to you: my servant, you have chosen you: and I will not leave you, do not fear, for I am with you, I will not deceive: for I am your God, who strengthens cha; and helped you, and strengthened you with my righteous right hand. Having thoroughly initiated the pagans into the mysteries (of faith) and brought them to the knowledge that God exists, (that) He is the Creator of all things, (that) everything is subject to Him and His divine gestures, that (everything) appeared in the beginning and, brought into existence, remains in a wonderful state and has unshakable firmness - then, naturally, it encourages the priests of the gospel verbs, through which it was necessary to make a word of catechumen to the pagans, makes them wise and courageous and wants to show the love discovered for them. Therefore, he says: But you, O Israel, my servant Jacob, chose him, the seed of Abraham, and you loved him. Jacob and Israel, and Abraham's beloved seed, are none other than those who believed in Christ from Israel, of whom the divine disciples were, as it were, some kind of firstfruits. Mentioning that the fathers were chosen and beloved, he says something like this: “coming from a noble root, so honored and beloved by Me, from the blood of Abraham! be jealous of the glory of your fatherly virtue and be imitators of their love for God. And that He captured Abraham and called him from the end of the earth, or from its guard, this is said because he (Abraham) was called to Judea from afar from the land of the Chaldeans; for he listened to God, who said: get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, and go to the land which I will show thee (Gen. 12:1). Then he speaks, as it were, about all Israel: rekokh ti: You are my servant, for he is called the firstborn - he was, as I said, both chosen and not forsaken by God. He heard: do not be afraid and then: I do not deceive: for I am your God, who has strengthened you; for through the law we were taught that God is one and the Lord is one, and He alone should be served, that he (Israel) received help from Him and through His right hand, which is His creative power, that is, the Son, that through Him he became safe and inviolable from all slander, for he defeated the pagans and inherited their land. Isaiah 41:11–14. Behold, all those who resist you will be ashamed and disgraced, for they will be as if they do not exist, and all your rivals will perish. Seek them, and you will not find men who will mock you: for I am your God, hold your right hand, say to you: do not be afraid (of the worm 105) Jacob, little of Israel, I have helped you, says God (Slavic: yours), the holy one of Israel has delivered you, and praiseworthy forever 106. And this (constitutes) an explanation of the previous one: you, he says, are for Israel my servant, Jacob, whom I chose, the seed of Abraham, whom I loved (Is. 41:8); All who resist you will be ashamed and put to shame. For at times there were quite a lot of those who wickedly plotted against the holy secret leaders and tried to oppose the saving broadcasts with the broadcasts of their own obstinacy; but the opponents of piety turned into nothing and perished, since opposition to the clergy of the divine preaching is, of course, nothing more than a struggle against the dogmas of piety. So, there will not be (them), he says, but having sought them out, and not finding those who mocked you, they will be, because they were not. This is the same thing that is sung by the 107 voice of blessed David: I saw the wicked exalting himself, and standing tall like the cedars of Lebanon, and he passed by, and behold, he was not, and he sought him, and his place was not found. (Ps. 36:35–36). Many of those who are accustomed to arrogant wisdom rebel against the dignity of the holy secret leaders, but they, as the Holy Scripture says, will be uprooted from the earth (Proverbs 15:5), and those who are highly wise will undergo terrible and unexpected destruction, for it is written: he who makes his house high seeks destruction (Proverbs 17:16). So, he says, those who fight for you will not, he says, - of course, because no one can stand against the apostles, and also because, in any case, the coming of the glorious world will come. Isn't it true? - There is no number of those who waged war against them (the apostles), but you will not find them existing: they are pacified and subject to the rebuke of divine wrath. Therefore, he arouses them to courage, saying: I am your God who holds your right hand, that is, who prefers you and places you above all temptation: I say to you: do not be afraid of Jacob, little one of Israel. As for the number of those at war or in command, Israel was completely small (I do not mean the whole people, but those taken from it for the apostleship); great, strong and strong in helping was their Savior, who had an irresistible hand. And if God liberates, then who can embitter? Isa.41:15–16. Behold, I created you like the wheels of a new chariot, wiping away like a saw, and you have destroyed the mountains, and thinned out the hills, and like dust you have laid down, and you have blown away, and I have taken up the wind, and I have scattered the storm. The slaves of the Egyptians, having gathered the sheaves from the fields to the threshing floor, set the oxen on them, drive them around and crush the ears of corn with their hooves; then they select and separate the bread from the chaff. And in other cities and countries they are trying to achieve the same thing, using chariots with sawtooth wheels. So, behold, he says, O Israel, I have created you like the wheels of a new chariot, an erasing saw like a saw. What is being erased? Is it the ear, or the grain, and what is gathered from the fields to the threshing floor? Not at all - mountains and hills. But what do they mean? Firstly, the evil and resistant forces, for the Father of all has given us (the power) to tread on the serpent, and on the scorpion, and on all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19); then, it seems, he likens to mountains and hills those who, having learned to be arrogant, have an arrogant mind, are elevated to heights, invested with worldly power and have become accustomed, elevating themselves like mountains and hills, to resist the holy secret leaders in order to make their path the most difficult, I mean the path of gradually passing through the apostolic field. But if you thin them out, he says, you will make them fly away like chaff, blown by the wind, you will create a storm, and it will scatter them: in this way they will turn into nothing. Isa.41:16–17. But you will rejoice in the saints, Israel (Slavic: Israel), and the poor and the poor will rejoice: for they will seek water, and there will be none, their tongue is dry with thirst: I am the Lord God, I will hear them, the God of Israel, and I will not leave them. So, he says, the enemies of the divine preaching and those who block your path, O Israel, will go to destruction. And you, Israel, rejoice in the saints, that is, you will rejoice when you see many who have become saints and are numbered among the children of Israel: not all who are of Israel, these Israel, are not all the children of Abraham, but the children of the promise are counted among the seed (Rom. 9:6-8). And that it was usual for the holy apostles to rejoice and exult with joy over those who had learned to boast in faith, that is, in Christ, (this) Paul also explains, (who), sending them (the message), says: “My joy and crown” (Phil. 4:1). For my part, I can say that each of the holy disciples was inclined in the same way - and very naturally: for them, the subject of their highest pleasure was the conversion of those who were mistaken and the ascent to the better of those who did not know the truth. Therefore, rejoice in the saints, O Israel; and who they are, he shows by saying: the poor and the poor will rejoice, that is, the pagans: for they had a lack of all good things and were completely unparticipated in the grace-filled gifts of God, because those who are completely ignorant of Him must be deprived of the adornments of virtue. Thus, the poor and the poor will rejoice. How or in what way? “They will look for water and there will be no water,” he says, and their tongues are dry from thirst. He says here: they will search instead of “they were looking for.” And since they did not find it, their tongue dried up from thirst. In fact: the Hellenes also had lovers of words, lovers of research and seekers of truth, but they did not have anyone who could teach this (that is, gospel preaching); there was no life-giving water, there was no one who could saturate its lovers with the dogmas of truth. Therefore, their tongue dried up from thirst. But I will hear them, says the God of Israel, and I will not forsake them: He had mercy on many who were in error and did not leave them deprived of the highest gifts, on the contrary, He fulfilled them (with them), and in what way, He explains very well in the following. Isa.41:18–20. But I will open rivers on the mountains and among the fields (Slavic: fields) springs: I will create the desert into watery meadows 108 and the thirsty land into streams of water: I will put cedar, and tornadoes, and myrrhsine, and cypress, and poplars in the arid land, so that they will see, and understand, and think, and be led away together, as the hand of the Lord has created this is all, and the Holy One of Israel is shown. Deserted and waterless, he says, is the land of the pagans: deserted because in some way it was naked and deprived of the most flowering plants, of course - spiritual ones - it was, apparently, the nourisher of only thorns, the mother of field trees and everything that is suitable for destruction by fire. The pagans once bore similar fruits. But I will open, he says, from ancient times to those who were thirsty on the mountains, rivers, that is, holy men, enriched with the divine and heavenly word, pouring out and, as it were, exuding for those who are thirsty something like river streams, so that the once deserted (land), having changed its appearance, turns into watery meadows and groves, the thirsty earth into streams. Watercourses can designate those who at various times, in each country and city, were secret guides and church teachers; they, as if from the sources and rivers of divinely inspired scripture, having received the word into (their) mind and heart, transfer it to others, like some water carriers watering blooming gardens. And how the desert will turn into watery meadows and become a rich nourisher of trees, (this) he teaches, saying: I will put cedar, and tornadoes, and myrrhs, and cypress, and poplars in the waterless land. All these are fragrant and non-rotting trees. And the saints also have an aroma, in the spiritual sense, because of their pure life, and the fact that they are not corrupted, overcome by weakness with worldly lusts, but stand and are established, since God strengthens and supports them with His help, for the Lord establishes the righteous, as it is written (Ps. 36:17). There will be, he says, rivers, springs and watercourses both on the mountains and in the fields, and, so to speak, everywhere; the desert will also turn into meadows of water, so that those called through faith with their own eyes will see, and with the help of sound reflections, understand, and also learn - from the greatness of what was created and the unexpected change - that such great and glorious things are usually accomplished not simply and by themselves, but on the contrary, the hand of the Lord did it, that is, power and authority divine, or the Son, through whom all things are in By whom all things were revealed and performed miraculously by the Father; for it was not false gods, nor the elements of the world, nor the pretended god of this age who created them, but the Holy One of Israel. Isa.41:21. Judgment is approaching you, says God (Slavic: Lord God): your counsels are approaching, says King Jacob. Having explained very well the calling of the pagans. which will come over time - promising that He will turn the desert into meadows of water and the thirsty earth into streams, cover (it) with cedars and tornadoes and other plants - saying that His hand will be wondrous, as the creator of such great deeds, again speaking to the creators of idols and masters of such deeds and saying that their judgment is approaching; and by judgment he calls either the punishment 109 that awaits them, or shame and disgrace, for they will be punished with a fair sentence and the righteous judgment of God for deceiving the heavenly places and instilling unjust counsels: they taught those who dwell on the earth to say to the trees, “Thou art my father,” and to the stones, “Thou hast begotten me” (Jer. 2:27). That is why, he says, their advice has come close, that is, it has come to an end, since God crushes error and dispels the darkness of ignorance; Of course, we do not mean one of their false names (gods), but the Lord God truly, the king of Jacob, that is, (born) from the blood of Israel. By this he brings to mind the signs that took place during the redemption of those who descended from Israel, from which the power of the divine power and incomparable superiority inherent in Him is very easily recognized. Isaiah 41:22–24. Let them draw near, and let them tell you what will come true, or what was before, shout: and let us apply our minds and understand that the last and the future: shout to us, tell us what is coming last, and we know, as we are gods: do good and do evil, and we will wonder and see together. For where do you come from, and where does your work come from? You have taken out the abomination from the earth. The property and advantage of the divine and ineffable glory is to know everything and not be ignorant of anything - past, present or future. Thus, through the all-wise Moses, he clearly reproduces what happened before the creation of this world and in the beginning, saying: in the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth is invisible, and unstructured, and darkness is on top of the abyss (Gen. 1:1-2), and sets out in great detail the creation of the whole world. And our Lord Jesus Christ, who spoke this of old through Moses, also told us what would happen in the end, for, as His disciple says, the heavens are new and the earth is new and His promises are 110 tea (2 Pet. 3:13). You can hear Him directly say (about this): food will be hidden from Me? (Jer.32:27). For verily the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, members and marrow, and all creation is not revealed before Him, but is all naked and declared before His eyes (Heb. 4:12-13). since He is God, He saves, does good and fills with all joy (of course, spiritual) those who honor Him, and embitters those who are accustomed to pride and are not committed to good deeds and subjects them to punishment. But nothing like this can be seen in (gods) made of stone, for what can a soulless substance be capable of, or how can those who are not able to help themselves, but only receive both stability and appearance from others, be good to someone, or embittered? So, he says, let those recognized by them as gods come, let them announce what is going to happen, let them tell the first, the last and the future: then, he says, we will know that you are gods. But if, he says, you cannot proclaim, then at least show good or evil. If you cannot do this, then you will see nothing more, that is, it is easy to find out where you come from and where your work comes from: you are an abomination made of earth; for whether we say that the idol is made of wood, or of a brilliant and chosen stone, or of any other substance, all this is from earth. One must, I think, be surprised at the idolaters if they could not even learn from them that their deeds would one day cease: they did not know and did not predict that they would be burned with the very churches and in time would become a laughing stock for those who had previously erred. Isa.41:25. And I have raised up those who are from the north, and those who are from the east of the sun, and they will be called by my name. The crowd of unclean idols, being nothing more than wood and stone, misled those who were deceived and did not tell me anything, neither the first nor the last, and could not do either good or evil; But I, he says, being a good God, wanted to save all men and come into the understanding of truth (1 Tim. 2:4), I saved the heavenly places and awakened many who lay like the dead. And who they are, (this) teaches, saying: those from the north, and those from the east of the sun, that is, the pagan people, since, in relation to the region of Judea, the southernmost, the region of the pagans was located more to the north, or occupied a place to the east. So, those from the north and those from the east of the sun can mean people from the pagans who are called by the name of Christ: for we are called and we are Christians; He purchased us with His blood, we were bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20) and are not our own (1 Cor. 6:13), for He alone died for all, and those who live do not live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again (2 Cor. 5:15). That is why we say to Him, as our Savior and Redeemer: do you know otherwise: we call your name (Is. 26:13). So, we are called by His name. Isn’t this what it was said through the mouth of the prophet: “But those who work for me will be called a new name, which will be blessed on the earth” (Is. 65:15–16)? Apparently, by those who are from the east of the sun, he means Christ, for it is written about Him: Behold the man of the east is his name (Zech. 6:12), and then God and the Father spoke of Him: Who brought up righteousness from the east (Is. 41:2)? and indeed Christ was for us righteousness, sanctification, and at the same time deliverance (1 Cor. 1:30). Isaiah 41:25–26. Let the princes come, and like the clay of a poor man, and like a poor man trampling on the clay, you will be trampled under foot. Who will proclaim what was before, and what will be known before? and we say that it is true 111: there is neither one who speaks nor one who hears your words. It was necessary that, at the behest of God, many idols should be burned and cast like dirt under the feet of the believers; for they are trodden down like dust, like a potter's clay and nothing else, because their origin was from the earth. And that all this had to be put to an end over time with the help of the saints, militants and youthfully serving the commands of God, (this) is shown by saying: let the princes come, that is, let the leaders of the nations appear, who would rouse those who believe in Me against error and arm them against soulless gods. Who, he says, of them (false gods) will proclaim, even from the beginning, and from the beginning, so that if what was said comes true, we will finally agree that they spoke the truth. But there was not, he says, among false gods, or among unclean spirits, who spoke, and also among people who heard your words. In ancient times, in (various) countries and cities, in the churches of idols there were false fortune-telling and false prophecies of demons, tripods and cups (for sorcery - λεβητες) and countless numbers of those who knew how to deceive (skilled deceivers) and many went to them to receive a prediction. When the word of God shone to us, the idols fell in the churches, the misleading demons fell silent, or, better said, they were cast down into hell and imprisoned in Tartarus; and the former readers of their prophecies are called to the knowledge of the truth. He teaches this, saying: there is nothing lower than the one who hears your words. Isa.41:27. I will give Zion a beginning, and I will comfort Jerusalem on its way. From the tongue, behold, not one: and from their idols, proclaim: and if I ask them, where is it from? They don’t answer us. The essence is those who create you, and deceive you in vain. Again he promises the appearance of the Savior, by whom the heavenly realms have been saved, and many who are in error are called to the knowledge of the truth; for then, so that we might have a skilled leader and capable of guiding us on the path of truth, the Only Begotten Word of God became man and, being a king by nature (since he is both God and begotten of God the Father, who contains everything and has creation as His footstool), he is called appointed king over us. For it is written about Him: Behold, a righteous king will reign, and princes will rule with judgment (Is. 32:1); for Christ reigned over the heavenly places, and he declared this to us, saying: “to me is given all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18); although He ruled over everything, as God, yet according to the flesh, for the sake of the economy, it was given, he says, to Him what He had, as God. Then, having reigned, He placed rulers over us - the holy apostles, who began to rule over us with judgment, that is, with justice. So, I will give, he says, to Zion, that is, the church, or the assembly of believers, the saving principle, that is, Christ, and I will console Jerusalem, which is also the entrance to the church. And we are comforted, strengthened by Christ, and we learn the steady path leading to life. From the tongue, he says, behold, not one: and from their idols do not proclaim. The Hellenes had many wise men and scholars, but not one of them was able to teach the path of piety; Their churches (which existed) were full of idols, but not a single one of the idols or falsely named gods was able to show the proper door or direct them to the path of truth. But what am I saying?! If you ask them, they say, where are you from? even then they could not answer. And if they do not know themselves, for they are a dumb and insensitive substance, then how can they be teachers of others? Or how can they even show anyone the means of good? The essence is that they (truly) create you, false gods, and deceive you, their worshipers. Isa.42:1–4. Jacob is my child, I will accept and: Israel is my chosen one, my soul has received him, my spirit has come, he will proclaim judgment with his tongue, he will not cry, he will not weaken, his voice will be heard outside. He will not erase the broken reeds, and he will not quench the smoking flax, but in truth he will bring forth judgment, he will shine forth and will not be quenched, he will bring judgment upon the earth, and in his name the nations and nations will trust. Previously, he made a promise, saying: “I will give a beginning to Zion” (Is. 41:7), but now he clearly shows what it is (the beginning): over spiritual Zion, that is, the church, a ruler and leader has been placed, who enters into the exercise of power not when, as it is said, he is brought to this; for the Word of the Virgin (born) always was and is the King and Lord of all; but since It became man, it creates for itself its own composition (nature) of humanity. Therefore, we should truly and undoubtedly believe that He became like us; therefore, if it is said that He will receive power over everything, then its receipt refers to the dispensation according to the flesh, and not to that superiority for the sake of which He is recognized as the Lord of all. He calls Him Jacob and Israel, as being born in the flesh from the blood of Jacob, who is renamed Israel. I will receive, he says, and calls him chosen, for the Father assisted the Son and performed wondrous deeds as if by His own power; truly He is the chosen one, for He is more beautiful in kindness than the sons of men (Ps. 44:3) and pleasant as a beloved (Is. 5:1); God the Father was well pleased with Him and therefore said: This is my beloved Son, and in Him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). And that He is anointed according to humanity and received, as it is said, the Holy Spirit, although He Himself gives the Spirit and sanctifies the creation, (this) he explains, saying: “Give my spirit nan.” Namely: when He was baptized, the Spirit, they say, descended on Him from heaven in the form of a dove and rested on Him. If, at the moment of baptism, He receives the Spirit by human nature (τῷ τῆς ἀνθρωποτητος μετρω), then, along with other things, this was also possible: for not as God He was sanctified, having received the Spirit, He Himself, as I said, is the sanctifying one, but since He appeared as a man in the economy. So, He is anointed in order to proclaim judgment with His tongue. The court here is called justice. He justified them (the tongues), condemning the greedy Satan. And he himself taught us this, saying: now is judgment for this world, now the prince of this world will be cast out: and even if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself (John 12:31-32); for He determined the destruction of the one who, as I said, selfishly ruled over the heavenly places, and saved the deceived by righteous judgment. But “he will not cry,” he says, “he will weaken; below his voice will be heard outside.” For the Savior and Lord of all came with great meekness and humility, as if silently and without causing offense to anyone, but in silence and silence, so that he did not break the broken reeds and did not quench the smoking flax, that is, he did not trample under his foot even the most humiliated and accustomed to endure harm with the greatest readiness. So, what will He do, what will He accomplish for the tongues? - The court will pronounce the truth. Apparently, he means the law here: for regarding Israel and the Almighty God it is written that there he gave him justification and fate (Ex. 15:25), and in another place: you created judgment and righteousness in Jacob (Ps. 99:4). So, the court, or the law of the canopy and images, will bring into the truth the Gospel broadcasts, which showed the way of life pleasing to Him and replaced the subordinate ministry with the truth. And although the despised Jews acted foolishly towards Him, daring to destroy Him by bodily death, He shone like light and did not go out, that is, He was not overcome by corruption, the madness of the attackers did not prevail (over Him), but death was abolished, He came to life magnificently, trampled on His enemies, and His suffering became the wine of salvation for those living on earth. So, it will not go out, until judgment will be laid on the earth. Do not think that he defines any period after which it will go out, that is, after he brings judgment to those living on earth; on the contrary, it says that He will prevail over his opponents and will strengthen himself to such an extent that he will bring judgment to the whole earth. For the Gospel has been preached throughout the whole earth and its messages have, so to speak, been established. Therefore it is written that righteousness endures forever, and your law is truth (Ps. 119:142). And also, he says, in his name the pagans have confidence (mean. ἢ λπισε): having recognized that He is truly God, although He appeared in the flesh, they will make Him their hope and, as the Psalmist says: in His name they will rejoice all day long (Ps. 89:17). For we are called Christians and place all our hope in Him. Isa.42:5–7. Thus says the Lord God, who created the heavens and set them up, establish the earth and what is on it, and give breath to the people who are on it, and spirit to those who walk on it. The Lord God has called you in righteousness, and I will hold your hand and strengthen you, and give you as a covenant of generation 113, in the light of tongues, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring you out from the chains that are bound, and from the prison house, and those who sit in darkness (deep). 114 At times there were very many false prophets and false soothsayers in Israel. For this reason, it happened that they did not believe even the true prophets sent from God, who were able to speak from the Holy Spirit, and, surprisingly, they slandered Christ himself, saying that He was not sent from God and was not truly holy, although He, endowed with divine superiority, performed miracles. Thus, the teachers of the Jews, although they saw that He was working miracles, sometimes claimed that He, the prince of Beelzebub, would cast out demons (Luke 11:15), and sometimes they said to each other: if this man were from God, he would not have violated the Sabbath. And to this Christ repeatedly gave an answer and proved that He was not like those who, by appearance alone, were sent from God. Therefore, He said: the thief does not come except to steal and kill and destroy: I came and had life (John 10:10), and in another place: I came in the name of my Father (John 5:43). And in order to have the Heavenly Father Himself as a witness, He, for the sake of benefit and out of necessity, said: I am the Lord God, who established heaven, who made the earth itself solid and unshakable, living and life-giving, giving breath to everyone; I am God and Lord of all, I have called you in righteousness; for He did not come on His own, he says, like those false prophets who spoke from their hearts and not from the mouth of God, but I called You, that is, according to My good pleasure I brought You in righteousness and I will hold your hand and strengthen you instead: I will cooperate with You and make you omnipotent. We will not say that the Father considered the Son weak and powerless, or in need of help: He Himself is the Lord of hosts and the invincible right hand of the Father, by which everything is brought into being; but again he speaks as if to one of us, since He appeared as a man, and, in a certain way, received power from the Father according to humanity. Therefore it is said that He (the Father) raised Him up, gave Him glory and placed Him above the plans of the murderers. For if He humbled himself and voluntarily underwent exhaustion, then in any case it is necessary that the measure of exhaustion be visible and humility be discerned from the deeds themselves. And notice how, having said about a person: I will hold your hand and strengthen you, immediately shows that He is God by nature, and truly the Son, and the Light of the light: He gave you, he says, for a covenant of generation into the light of tongues, to open the eyes of the blind. The only begotten Word of God appeared in this world in flesh to those who came from the race, that is, from the blood of Israel [for from them He appeared, born in the flesh of a woman], gave a new covenant, foretold of old by the mouth of the prophets, and became the light of the tongues. And this befits God: if It (the Word), as the Legislator, invalidated the canopy of the all-wise Moses and added the new to the ancient by superior power - if It could enlighten those in darkness, open the eyes of the blind (for the divine and heavenly light shone to the tongues), then does this not serve as clear proof that It is God and comes from God by nature? And that Christ came down to preach to those in spiritual hell (1 Pet. 3:19), and appeared to those confined in the prison house and freed everyone from bonds, want, punishment and judgment, he foretold this, saying: bring them from the bonds bound and from the prison house (and) those who sit in darkness. Isa.42:8–9. I am the Lord God, this is my name, I will not give my glory to others who are idolized below my virtues. The same thing that came from the beginning, and the new one that I will proclaim, and the one that appeared to you before I could tell it. In fact, we must truly and uniquely be and be called God, the Creator of all, as the all-wise Paul says: although there are many gods and lords in heaven and on earth, for us there is one God the Father, of whom all things are worthless, and we are with him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we are all things (1 Cor. 8:5-6). And since He showed himself to be the performer of great and wondrous deeds for us, then, he says, he will not yield His glory, or divine virtues, either to soulless idols, or to any other creature, but will keep it for himself alone. And it was quite natural that the glory of the Divinity should not belong to anyone else and significantly different from Them, but only to the most ineffable and all-transcending nature. Although he says that he will not yield His glory to anyone, he nevertheless gave it to the Son, for (the latter) is glorified, without a doubt, in the same way as the Father, worshiped in heaven and on earth. But how could he give to the Son, identical with Him in terms of consubstantiality, if each of Them did not constitute a special Hypostasis? For there is one nature of the Most High Divinity, in three special hypostases the right to philosophize is understood and worshiped by those who have learned. When he says, “This thing came from the beginning, and this new thing, which I will proclaim, and appeared to you before it was not possible to tell it,” does not allow us to disbelieve the word of the Savior in any way: just as, he says, what was said from the beginning about His coming has been brought to an end, so what He will announce new will truly come to pass before it is visibly revealed. What is this? – Our Lord Jesus Christ promised us the life of the future century, that is, life in incorruption, sanctification and truth, the heavenly kingdom, the glorious communion of spiritual blessings, the fruits of mercy, the rewards of piety, the crown of love for Him, which may we be worthy of through His grace and love for mankind. Through Him and with Him, glory to God and the Father with the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. συνηγμενοι is not in any code. ἑπι τὸ ἁ υτο - so in some codes, in others - ὁμοθυμαδον - unanimously, like the Slavic text. According to another reading, ἀφνω - suddenly, like the Slavic one. The quote is from 1 Corinthians 14:21. In Is.28:11-12 according to LXX and in Hebrew it reads like this: “with thin lips, with a different tongue they will speak to this people... and they will not hear.” In all codes it reads: ἀπεριτμητοι - uncircumcision. So it is with Theodoret. But with other fathers and in all lists, as in the Slavic μη διδαδκειν - do not teach. Μονονουχὶ καταγοτευοντες literally: almost enchanting: the verb καταγοητευω means enchantments and spells of spellcasters. According to another reading: βηθωρῶν, from where the Slavic Viforonsk. In Greek and Slavic Makida. The Holy Father counts two and a half years of the Lord's public service, taking η ἑορτη τῶν Ἰ ουδαιων John 3: 1, not for Easter, like other fathers, but for some other Jewish holiday. So in some codes; in others, like the Slavic, it is added: many who oppress you. St. Cyril and LXX have the nominative case here. The reading in Min's edition: γὶπτα instead of κρθπτα must be considered erroneous. ἐξεστησαν indicates εκστητε Art. 9, is a verb meaning losing oneself, frenzy, generally moving away from the h.l. Any intoxicating drink not made from grapes, unlike ο ἶ νος, is grape wine. From Saint Cyril: commandment. Omitted: for your tradition. From Saint Cyril: God speaks more. Ming mistakenly reads τεχνουργουμενοι instead of τεχνουργουμενον. This is how the Greek κρὶματα, actually courts, is translated into Slavic. Instead of ἀποκλητον it is better to read: ἀποκληρον. The name of the hoopoe or empty bird. At the heart of all Hebrew words with the same root as ֱרו (such as: - ָרַם to be reddish, ָדם and ֵרם - reddish, ָדָם - man and the proper name of the forefather, ֲרָמָה - fertile earth or soil, but not clay - רֶם - precious a reddish-colored stone - σαρδιον LХХ) is a general representation of the earth or fertile soil, which in Palestine is not black, like ours, but reddish in color. Hence Edom and Adam mean: earthy or earthy and earthy or earth-colored (reddish). So Philo translates both of these names into Greek γηι and γῆ, Quod Deus s. imm. Paris. 314, b, and 318, e; Leg. alleg. ibid. 57, b); Josephus: πυρρος – ἀπο γῆς – ἡ παρθενος γ ἠ (Antiq. ed. Haverc. Amst. 1726 r. 6); Jerome: Edom - terrnus sive rufus (De nomin. hebr. Migne, Ser. Lat. t. 23, col. 778 and Quaest. in Genes. ib. 978) and Adam - homo sive terrenus aut indigenous vel terra rubra (De nom. col. 774); Origen: Edom – γηι ἤ κοκκινος ἤ ἐκλειπων (Migne, ibid. col. 1222 and 1259) and Adam – γηι ἤ πυρρα γῆ (col. 1203 and 1254): Augustine: – terrenus et saguis (considering the Hebrew דָּם – blood) to be rooted. Wed. Gen. 25:30 and 1 Cor. 15:45–48: Ἀδαμ – ἐκ γῆς χοϊκος . The interpretation of St. Cyril, as well as other ancient exegetes, is explained by a possible difference in the then spelling of the Hebrew name Bozor: or from בָּעְרָה - fence and בָּעַר - to break, to fence, from where the Kirillovs: συνοχη, ὀχυρωσις, συνησχημενη, πολιορκηθὲισα (Ιδουμαια); or from – בָּשָר – flesh, Cyrus. σαρξ; or from בָּשרָה – gospel, Cyrus. εὐαγγελισμος. Jerome interprets this name in the first meaning: in tribulation vel angustia (Quaest. in Genes col. 776; cf. de nom. hebr. 829 and 833) and in the second (?): caro (col. 1185); Origen – in the second: σαρξ (ib. col. – 1214 and 1258). Instead of ευκλεεῖς one should read ε ὔ κνημοι. Instead of συμβουλεῦσαι it should read: συμβασιλεῦσαι. Saint Cyril agrees with the Alexandrian Code: they will not sow more, they will plant lower; οὐ γὰρ μὴ σπεἰρωσιν, οὐδ ’ οὐ μὴ φυτευσωσιν. In the original there is only ὁτι τὰ ἀκρα ὁ Θεὸς ὀ αἰωνιος. Based on the immediately following interpretation of St. Cyril, it can be assumed that κατεσκευασε is omitted, without which the meaning does not seem clear. Translator's note. The quotation is made up of two passages: Rom.11:32 and Gal.3:22. Καὶ ἀπ ’ ἀνατολῶν ἓ ως δυσμῶν . In all LXX codices it is usual: καὶ ἀπὸ βο ῤῥ ὰ ἕ ως ἀνατολῶν; hence in the Slavic Bible: from north to east. Translator's note. Slavic forever; Greek εἰς τὸν αὶῶνα. Translator's note. In St. Cyril, as in some LXX codices, σκωλης Ἰ ακωβ, corresponding to the Hebrew תּולַעַת יַעְַקב ֗. Translator's note. The last words and praise forever, “καὶ αὶνετὸς εἰς τους αἰῶνας” are worthy of note as an option missing in all known editions of the LXX text. Translator’s note. Instead of τοῦτ ’ ἐστὶ τὸ ... ὑμνουμενοι one should read τοῦτ ἐστὶ τὸ ... ὑμνουμενον. Translator's note. Ἕ λη floodplain meadows, Russian lakes Κολασιν αὐτῆς instead of αὐτοὶς. Translator's note. “And His promises” instead of “according to His promise”, as in Slavic, because together with κατὰ τὸ ἐπαγγελμα in the list that St. Cyril used there was καὶ τὰ ἐπαγγελματα. Translator's note. Slavic is the true essence; at St. Cyril ὀτι ἀληθης ἐστιν. Based on the subsequent interpretation, it is difficult to determine whether this is a variant corresponding to the Hebrew עַרִּיּקּ, or a typo instead of the usual LXX-ti “ὅ τι ἀληθῆ ἐστιν.” Translator’s note. For Saint Cyril, instead of ἐθνη there is ἐθνη καὶ λαοι. Translator's note. Slavic "family of Israel". St. Cyril also puts here the word βαθεῖ, which is absent in all known editions of the LXX. Translator's note. You might be interested in: