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Hab.2:1. I will stand on my watch, and I will mount the stone, and I will look to see what is spoken in me and what I answer in my reproof. In these words a prophetic secret is revealed to us. Usually saints, if they want to learn something from God and receive revelation about the future, try to remove their mind as much as possible from entertainment and worries, and all worldly cares and, thus, having and keeping it free and calm, then they ascend, as it were, to some hill, to a guard and a rock, to contemplate what the Lord of knowledge wants to reveal to them; for everything low and despicable in thoughts is disgusting to Him; is looking for hearts capable of flying to heights and rising above earthly affairs and temporary affairs; for it is written: “For the powers of God are greatly exalted” (Ps. 46:10). And again: “the chicks... of the soup (kite) soar high” (Job.5:7); for the mind of the saints greatly rises above corruption and earthly affairs. Therefore, “I will stand,” he says, “on my guard,” that is, through exercise and feat I will acquire sobriety for myself, I will again cleanse my mind, free it from worldly worries, I will climb, as it were, onto a stone, that is, to a certain steadfastness and sublime constancy of thoughts. While there, as if from the top of a mountain, I will contemplate with my mind what words from God might be to me, and what I myself will say if God wants to reprove me for the fact that I carelessly said: “Why do you despise the despicable? Are you silent when the wicked devours the righteous? (Hab.1:13). Hab.2:2–3. And the Lord answered and said to me: write the vision, and it will appear on the tablet, so that whoever reads it will comprehend it. Zana still has a vision for a while, and it will shine in the end, and not in vain. He commands that writing be given a vision or revelation of future events, for this is one of the most worthy of attention and, for the most part, amazing things. What is marked in writing usually enjoys almost always a long and eternal memory. So, write down, prophet, he says, the vision, so that future generations will know what was foretold and, meeting your words, try to comprehend them, that is, they will want to understand the meaning contained in them and thus believe that the prediction will certainly come true; for “the vision is for a time,” that is, delayed and delayed, and not much time will pass between it and its fulfillment. It will be fulfilled in reality, and will not remain in vain; for Truth can never speak a lie, and nothing they say can be vain or vain. Hab.2:3–4. If he delays, be patient with him, for the one who is coming will come and will not delay. If he doubts, my soul will not be pleased with him: but the righteous... will live by faith. Without clearly calling anyone by name, “I will be patient,” he says, “to him,” that is, wait for the one who hesitates and have hope for him that is not shaky, but firm and unshakable, even if some delay may occur. So, the God of all, it seems, inspired the prophet and mysteriously revealed that the Foretold One would certainly come, and commanded him to wait patiently for him during the time of delay, as I just said about it. If fear and cowardice were revealed on the part of the believer, then I, he says, would not favor him, seeing in him devotion to spiritual vices; I will not give forgiveness to such a one; on the contrary, I recognize him as an unbeliever; and whoever testifies to the truth of My words will receive a share in life, and this will serve as a reward and a wonderful expression of favor. As for the historical narrative, it was Cyrus, the son of Cambyses, about whom he says: “if he delays, be patient with him”; for he undoubtedly took Babylon, and with it he devastated other cities. As for the mysterious meaning of meaning and spiritual explanation, I would say that the meaning of these words can rightly be attributed to the Savior of us all, Christ; for He is “He who is, and who is, and who is to come” (Rev. 1:8) and what the prophets foretold about Him will one day be fulfilled. And that when He comes He will destroy the power of the devil, and the wicked and unclean multitude of demons will deprive us of dominion over us - the Holy Scripture clearly foretold this, and the very onset of events will be a witness to this. However - “prediction for time”; for in the last times of the present age the Only Begotten shone, and whoever withdrew from Him and madly rejected faith in Him, he offended God and lost his participation in the blessings of heaven, and was subject to exclusion from the society of saints, according to the word of the prophet, “for the wonder of the world in the desert, and shall not see it when the good things come” (Jer. 17:6). He who has conquered laziness and despondency in himself and settled love and faith in his mind and heart, receives a wonderful reward for such a mood of the soul - endless life and remission of sins, and sanctification by the Spirit; for we are justified “not by the works of the law,” according to what is written (Gal. 2:16), on the contrary, by faith in Christ, “the law does wrath” (Rom. 4:15), and grace, which absolves from sins, turns away wrath. Hab.2:5. A disdainful and offended husband and a majestic one will die in vain. Having announced that the one foretold will come one day to destroy sorrows and deliver the afflicted from all misfortune, he finally recalls the devastator and the perpetrator of every kind of inhumanity and brutal cruelty. These words indicate historically the unclean and ungodly Nebuchadnezzar, and spiritually again Satan. He calls him disdainful, offensive and arrogant, and quite rightly so. The essence of the matter does not change - whether the meaning of these words is attributed to Satan himself or to the man of Babylon. He calls him “disdainful” either for his arrogance or for his arrogance, and “offensive” and “grand” because, due to his great arrogance and empty arrogance, he, so to speak, does not want to admit the thought of the incomparable superiority of the almighty God. Such a “nothing will die,” he says; for the end of his affairs will never correspond to his plans; He will not always live in luxury, expand his power and enjoy brilliant glory. The Psalmist blessed David truly said: “I saw the wicked exalting himself, standing tall like the cedars of Lebanon: and he passed by, and behold, he was not found, and he sought him out, and his place was not found” (Ps. 36:35-36); for pride certainly leads to humiliation, on the contrary, modesty is crowned with the highest honors. This is confirmed by the Savior’s disciple, who wrote and said: “Let the humble brother glory in his height; but the rich man in his humility passes by like a flower of grass” (James 1:9-10). Hab.2:5. Who, like hell, has expanded his soul, and this one, like death, is unsatisfied: and he will gather all the tongues to himself and will receive all the people to himself. God agrees with the prophet and shows his truth, confirming in his words the truth of the accusations both against the devil and against Nebuchadnezzar. The Prophet said: “Delight the end with the milk and attract it with the deep water” and further; The God of all, elevating them even more and more precisely denoting their guilt, finally likens them to hell and death; for death and hell are insatiable. It is fair that by the will of the Babylonian all nations were subject to his rule. One may think, not without reason, that Persian ambition was the cause of such disasters; for the kingdom of heaven seemed small to them, and they were not content with the slavery of all the tribes of men. Perhaps we also mean the inventor of sin himself, that is, Satan, who is trying to subjugate, so to speak, the whole earth, and, like hell, swallowing those who perish from his malice. So he himself said nowhere: “I will embrace the whole world in my hand like a nest, and like an abandoned egg I will take it: and there is no one who will run away from me or speak against me” (Is. 10:14); for it is a beast insatiable and indomitable, and full of arrogance, truly disgusting and misanthropic. Hab.2:6. Isn’t this the whole parable they will use against him and the fortune-telling in his story? and they say: Woe to him who multiplies himself, for how long shall he not exist? and aggravating the burden of his burden. That his dominion is not unshakable, and that he will not always be rejoiced by the multitude gathered (under his authority), but that he will certainly lose power and glory, and his fall will become the subject of a song - he clearly indicated this, saying: “they will make a parable about him,” as if they will make him the subject of assumptions and popular sayings, and he will be on the tongue of many. So who is it? “Woe to the one who multiplies himself without it, and to the one who aggravates his burden”, that is, to the one who makes the punishment for his wickedness more and more difficult for himself, who destroys nations, who has seized entire countries into his power, who constantly invades what does not belong to him at all, and by force subjugates himself to his power, and who has countless nations under his command. In the middle of these words he cried out: “How long?” - thus showing the insatiability of the lust for power, unbridledness, cruelty and hatred of limiting oppression. So, the Babylonian tyrants are insatiable, terrible in their cruelty and arrogant in committing everything most shameful. Satan does the same, always collecting “not his own,” and preparing for himself the gravest punishment. Nowhere is it said to him: “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 killed my people; you will not endure forever” (Is. 14:20). Which nations did he not destroy or which tribes did he spare? What is the most hateful thing he has not done brazenly? So, in justice, grief will befall him and he will become a parable, after his power is destroyed and his tyranny over everyone is stopped. And the wise Jeremiah again points out this to us, speaking about him: “cry out the ripples (partridge), gather together those who have not begotten, create your wealth without judgment, in the middle of your days you will leave it and in your last you will be foolish” (Jer. 17:11). This: “will be” and was fulfilled in reality. The Babylonian took Judea and Samaria and, having devastated other countries along with it, took the inhabitants to his own land. When the Persians and Medes, under the leadership of Cyrus, defeated the Babylonians, the gathered peoples returned back, as if they had flown home, freed from the bonds of captivity. The unbelievers among the pagans withdrew from idolatry, under the influence of their teacher - and who of old cried out and called to them, leaving alone, they rushed to Christ; for he gathered “that which is not”, but Christ received “that which is”; for He, as God, is Lord of all. Hab.2:7. For suddenly those who gnaw at him will rise up, and your accusers will take courage, and you will be theirs to plunder. He says that those who bite him will suddenly rise up and ruin his country with military attacks. These were Cyrus and his warriors, Persians and Medes, and Elamites, who, as if shaking off sleep from their eyes and sobering up, as if from intoxication, would with difficulty free themselves from their former fear, and, having undertaken war against him, would courageously rush towards him. Then, after various military conferences, they will easily win, taking with them the wealth of the Chaldeans and plundering the Babylonian country. As we will see, the criminal Satan suffered the same thing. He gathered all nations to himself, expanding the network of polytheistic error and binding them with the shackles of sin. But those who bit him rose up, that is, the preachers of the Gospel teachings, as if they were tearing his body with their teeth, that is, having the same way of thinking and feeling with him; for just as “being joined ... the Lord is one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17), so he who unites with the devil is one body with him. So, those who plot against him will be encouraged, since realizing that he has finally been subdued under the feet of the saints, because Christ clearly says: “Behold, I give you power to tread on the serpent and the scorpion, and over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19), they will plunder those who are like-minded with him and easily lead them to the knowledge of the truth, teaching them who the real and true God is, and explaining to them the mystery of Christ, who turns out to be the first to begin to plunder him. Therefore, we must listen to what He says: “Or how can someone sneak into a strong man’s house and plunder his vessels, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his vessels” (Matthew 12:29). As soon as He was born of the holy Virgin, He began to plunder his vessels; for the wise men came from the east, saying: “Where is the King of the Jews who has been born? for his star is in the east, and when he comes to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). And they worshiped Him and honored Him with gifts, and became the firstfruits of the inheritance of the nations. And that He would plunder the mighty vessels, the prophet Isaiah secretly foretold about this; about him again he said this: “before you know how to call a child father or mother, he will receive the power of Damascus, and the gain of Samaria before the king of Assyria” (Is. 8:4). It seems to me that the meaning of these words hints at one of the historical events. Samaria was devastated by the king and ruler of the Assyrians; but in them a spiritual secret is also somewhat revealed, for the prophetic word told us that the power of the Savior will defeat those who devastated His people. Hab.2:8. Even though you have captivated many countries, all the people who remain in captivity will captivate you for the sake of mankind and the wickedness of the earth and the city and all those living on it. These words will be true if they are understood in relation to both this and that, for the Babylonian destroyed many nations, and Satan did the same. Therefore, they were subjected to the same punishment: the power of the Chaldeans was crushed by Cyrus, the power of Satan by the saints. Both have the same guilt, similar crimes, similar unbridledness and cruelty in everything; for they destroyed countries and cities, one in a sensual sense, the other in a spiritual sense, one with sharp weapons, the other with sin. Therefore he says beautifully: “those who remain will take him captive.” When the Babylonian destroyed everyone, then, he says, those who were able to escape from him will become the most hostile to him and, being in small numbers, will easily defeat him, because God grants them victory and sends them the strength to accomplish everything. But there will be no contradiction to the truth if we attribute this to the very enemy of all, I say, Satan; for he has captivated and desolated all the inhabitants of the earth, and bound them in bonds of sin. But he himself was plundered by the “remaining people,” that is, those justified through Christ by faith and the sanctified Spirit; for the remnant of Israel was saved (Rom. 11:5). Of these, the divine disciples became the firstfruits, who plundered the wicked; and after them, even now, the leaders of nations and those who rightly rule the Word of truth and lead their subordinates in the path of piety are still plundering. Hab.2:9–10. Woe to those who are covetous of evil covetousness to their house, who have built their nest on high, who have been plucked out of the hands of the evil ones. You intended to bring shame to your house, you killed many people, and your soul sinned. The speech is again directed against the Babylonian, who wants to strengthen his state through the oppression of everyone, who builds his house high and is accustomed to decorating it with excessive excess and strengthening it strongly, so that he can successfully save it from troubles, that is, always ward off possible misfortunes. The Babylonians always took care to protect themselves with many allies, to have many people experienced in tactics and studied the laws of war, so that they could easily prevent disasters from attacking them. But that this would turn into disgrace and shame for him and that his hope would be completely destroyed, he showed this by saying: “Thou hast intended shame upon thy house,” for “thou hast ended,” that is, destroyed “many people,” subjecting them to all-destruction. Since “your soul has sinned,” you will be subjected to severe punishment; once glorious, building your nest on high, you will suddenly find yourself pitiful, overthrown and under the feet of enemies. These words are highly applicable both to Satan himself and to the inventors of heresies, who, carried away by lust for power and the desire to rule many “many people have died,” brought truly evil power into their own homes, made their nests on high, speaking pompous empty words and spewing out something against the divine glory that can only pour out from their tongues and from their minds. So, “their souls have sinned.” They raged against the very Savior of all, Christ, sinning against their brothers and “beating their weak conscience,” according to what is written (1 Cor. 8:12). Hab.2:11. Before the stone shall cry out from the wall, and the wood shall cry out against the tree. Divine Scripture often imparts articulate speech to soulless and insensitive objects, not in the sense that they can sometimes speak, but they seem to cry out by their very deeds. Therefore, blessed Isaiah says: “O Sidon, the sea speaks” (Is. 23:4), and David says: “The heavens tell the glory of God, but the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 18:2); for by what the creation itself, as beautifully created, arouses wonder, thereby proclaims the glory of the One who created it. Therefore, voices can be in objects, even if there are no words. Understand something similar here; for he says that a stone from the wall and a stone from a tree will speak against the Babylonian. Let's talk about this in what way. The Babylonian, having attacked the cities of Judah and others, set all the dwellings in them on fire. Then, of necessity, what happened was that the stones broke and the walls collapsed, and with them fell the trees and the roof, which, due to its great disrepair, had small bugs or moths. Therefore, he says, everything he has overthrown will cry out against his cruelty; and these were stones scattered and lying in the middle of the streets and completely burnt trees, their rotting testifying to the antiquity of the cities. So, the crime of the Babylonian was that he burned such old and very ancient cities, destroyed houses, obviously exterminating their inhabitants. It should be noted that instead of the expression: “Khrushchev from the tree,” other interpreters read: “connection of the tree.” Hab.2:12–13. O, the fierce one who creates a city with blood and prepares a city with untruths. Isn’t this the essence from the Lord Almighty? and the people became impoverished with fire, and the nations became faint. Again he reproaches the Babylonian for the fact that he elevated his glory and the splendor of his state not with what he should, but tried to do what was least appropriate. It was fitting for him to be famous not for the fact that he destroyed many nations, but, on the contrary, to be proud of a different decoration and to be resplendent with the glory of justice. But he, recognizing this as a useless task, built the city with “blood” and “crooks”. And that the state of the Chaldeans was the most cruel and, brutally attacking all cities and countries, caused them untold disasters, this is known to everyone who has read the divine Scripture. But this is not from the Lord Almighty; for it is impossible, in no way possible, to say that this is a gift from God and that one should be proud of it. So, it will not be approved, that is, it will not go unpunished; for what the divine and pure mind cannot approve, it certainly punishes as wrong. In fact, isn’t it disgusting and completely wicked to destroy many people with fire and bring nations into despondency, that is, to set fire to glorious cities along with their inhabitants, and to bring entire nations and their leaders into despair through suffering? The same, not without reason, can be blamed on the Jewish leaders who beat up all the prophets. And they thought that they would bring great benefit to Jerusalem, building it on blood and oppressing everyone. So, they insulted some, killed others, stoned others, and finally added the Son to others, and the law was a plausible pretext for their madness; for they showed that they were saddened by Christ's neglect of the commandment of Moses. But that their zeal is contrary to God and “not according to reason” (Rom. 10:2), as the divine Paul writes, the prophet can easily show us, saying: “This is not from the Lord Almighty.” Therefore, they became poor in silver and became despondent when the war destroyed them. For this happened to the Jewish people, who treated the Son impudently and, as I said, killed the prophets before Him. Hab.2:14. For the whole earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord, just as the waters of the sea cover the abundance of water. Divine Scripture often divides differences in time and depicts the future as already accomplished. This is what we will find here; it is necessary to say “will be filled,” but it is said: “be filled.” So, when divine wrath broke out over Babylon, and all this came true over it through Cyrus and his warriors, and before, terrible, indestructible and always revealing cruelty to others, he finally found himself pitiful and powerless, and in every way devastated, and under the feet of enemies; then, finally, all under heaven will understand how great and what the divine glory is and will be filled with knowledge of it. For the state of the Chaldeans was so powerful and so famous, and terrible, and invincible because God endured for a long time and allowed it to take possession of Judea itself and destroy so many cities. When God determined to subject it to the disasters it deserved, then it was crushed and fell, and was given over to desolation. Jeremiah says something similar: “How was the dust of the whole earth broken and shaken? How can you turn into a crowd in the desert of Babylon? They will come against you, and you will be captivated, and you will not know that Babylon is yours: you have been found, and you have angered the Lord. The Lord opened his treasures and brought out the vessels of his wrath, for the work of the Lord Almighty in the land of Chaldeans: for his times had come” (Jer. 50:23-26). It should be noted that after the destruction of Jerusalem, Christ moved to the pagans, and finally the whole universe came to know God and the Father, that is, the very source that waters the earth; for like a river Christ overflowed over it, which He promised of old, saying through the mouth of the prophet: “Behold, I bring upon me like the river of peace, and like the flood of the flood of glory of the tongues” (Is. 66:12). When Israel made a calf in the desert and thus offended God, then He promised the manifestation and abundance of grace through the Savior, saying: “But as I live, my name lives forever, and the glory of the Lord will fill the whole earth” (Num. 14:21). For all things are with Christ, who is the glory of the Father. That’s why he said: “I have glorified you on earth, having finished the work that you gave me, that I might do it” (John 17:4). Hab.2:15–16. Woe to the one who intoxicates his girlfriend with muddy corruption, and to the one who becomes intoxicated, as if he looks towards their caves. The satiety of dishonor from glory is drunk. Again he proclaims woe to Nebuchadnezzar for his wicked deeds, foreshadowing what he will suffer. And that the blow will be filled with bitter sorrow, this is apparently indicated by the fact that he calls “muddy corruption” the strong sadness or violence with which, as if infusing those taken captives, he made them seem little different from those drinking wine and drunk. What from here? Like one who opens a cave, he makes everyone's thoughts clear to everyone else; for, as I said, causing bitter shame to the noblest of the captives, or perhaps to the kings themselves, he forced them themselves to cry and, as if due to unbearable torment, to reveal previously hidden cowardice or timidity. He was so cruel and insensitive that while he should have grieved and pitied them, he, on the contrary, enjoyed their cries and turned them into an object of glory for his dominion. This, I think, is what the expression means: “to make your neighbor drunk with muddy corruption, so that he may look to their caves,” that is, to what is hidden and kept secret by someone. Since, with uncontrollable rage and without any mercy, he subjected both small and great, both noble and not noble, to unbearable suffering; then for this, says the Lord of all, “the satiety of dishonor has been drunk from glory,” that is, you were famous and glorious, and noticeable to everyone, and known for your cruelty, but you will finally be dishonored and, as punishment, you will be subjected to dishonor as great as your glory was. But if anyone wants, this same thing, without contradicting the truth, can be said about the most wicked Pharisees; for they have made their neighbor drunk with “dirty corruption”, with their, we say, teaching, human commandments. Moreover, we mean rage against Christ and the crimes of an unbridled tongue; for He called them to life, and they reached such madness that they said to the listeners: “They have demons and are violent: why will you listen to him?” (John 10:20) They did this, rejecting the saving word that enlightens the mind, so that they could look into their caves, that is, into their dark and gloomy and dead instructions. Therefore, those who were previously famous and enjoyed considerable fame fell into the “satiation of dishonor”; for they were leaders of the shepherds, they were priests and judges. The same word can be applied to the inventors of wicked teachings, who truly feed their neighbors with muddy corruption, pouring the poison of deception into the souls of the simple-minded, so that they look into their caves, for their mind is dark, full of deception and truly the darkness of the devil and, I think, is no different from caves that are filled with dead bodies, all kinds of stench and uncleanness. I think that for a more thorough explanation of the words in question, the following must be said. The Jews, based on tradition, say that Nebuchadnezzar, who defeated Judea and all other countries and took the leaders of the nations to his land, from time to time organized drinking parties. Then, bringing the prisoners here and forcibly giving them drinks, he forced them to dance. When they swayed and fell, and sometimes exposed the innermost parts of the body, he, mocking them, found pleasure in this and a reason for jokes. They are said to be nobly called caves. This explanation has some probability, because other interpreters read “outcropping” instead of “caves”, so that the explained place would have the following form: “woe to him who has drunk his friend with muddy corruption, and to him who is intoxicated, as if he beholds his exposure” 3 . Hab.2:16–17. And you heart was shaken and shaken: the cup of the right hand of the Lord passed over you, and dishonor was heaped upon your glory. Even before the wickedness of Lebanon will cover you, and the passion of the beasts will terrify you, for the sake of mankind and the wickedness of the land and the city and all those living on it. The souls of arrogant people always seem to be inherent and surprisingly characterized by a very significant insensibility. And, in addition, they imagine inviolably enjoying well-being and strenuously drive away from themselves the thought that someday the state of their affairs will change for the worse. This is what is said through the mouth of David, as if on behalf of people who spend their lives in pleasures and luxury: “I have died in my abundance: I will not move forever” (Ps. 29:7). Therefore, he condemns the Babylonian, who suffered from extremely great arrogance and, as it were, insensitive and unforgiving, saying: “and your heart was shaken,” that is, do not think that your well-being is unshakable; remember what causes grief, think about what can happen to you and listen to experience, even if before it, so to speak in an abstract thought, you did not even deign to admit that someday you yourself will be in misfortune, and your heart will be subjected to considerable insults. So, what is it that shakes him and plunges him into sorrow? “The cup of the right hand of the Lord hath spoken upon thee, and dishonor hath been heaped upon thy glory.” Just as you yourself feed your neighbor “muddy corruption,” in the same way you will fall under divine wrath, you will be disgusting, despicable, pitiful, rejected and completely deprived of that former glory to everyone. By calling the right hand of the Lord a cup, the blessed prophet seems to persuade him to think that he cannot help but drink when God offers it, but will certainly have to undergo His wrath. After all, if you close the door against a person, who will open it? according to what is written (Is. 22:22), and as the prophet says: “Who can turn away his high hand” (Is. 14:27)? And he explains why this will happen to him, saying: “before the wickedness of Lebanon will cover you, and the passion of the beasts will terrify you.” Lebanon is a mountain in Phenicia, very famous, rich in trees and fragrant, as producing incense. Sometimes the Holy Scripture compares Israel itself with it because it is distinguished by many sacred heads, rising high and philosophizing heavenly things, and adorned with the beauty of piety. Blessed David also mentions this, saying to God: “Thou hast planted cedars of Lebanon: there the birds will nest” (Ps. 104:16-17). Each saint, as I said, like a cedar, rises upward, moves away from the thought of the despicable, that is, of the earthly, and for others serves as a holy cover, accepting to himself, like birds, those who want to learn from him. So, since the Chaldeans devastated Jerusalem, acted wickedly and insulted God, setting the divine church in the city on fire, and taking the most famous sacred vessels as spoils; then for this, he says, “he will cover... his wickedness” committed against Lebanon. Lebanon, as I said, calls either Judea or Jerusalem; Moreover, one might think that the church itself is filled with fragrance and decorated with priestly heads, as if some cedars. How will Livanovo’s wickedness cover him, he explained, adding: “the passion of the beasts will terrify you.” It seems that here he refers to the Persians and Medes who fought together with Cyrus as beasts, as being distinguished by great uncontrollability and prone to cruelty. And that God does not punish in vain, but imposes punishments corresponding to what he has done, he showed this by saying: “blood for the sake of man and the wickedness of the earth and the city and all those living on it.” Let each of the Pharisees, who became the perpetrators and organizers of the murder of Christ, listen: “and your heart was shaken and shaken: the cup of the right hand of the Lord passed over you, and dishonor was gathered together” for their glory. They drank the wrath that befell them as “the cup of the right hand of the Lord,” and were completely deprived of honor and all glory. This is because they acted wickedly against Lebanon. By Lebanon you can understand the church, truly fragrant, a mountain visible to everyone and very well known everywhere. They persecuted the church after the crucifixion of Christ. Therefore, they suffered fear from their destroyers as from wild animals because they shed a lot of the blood of the holy prophets and added to this the blood of those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the first was blessed Stephen, who appeared as if some beautiful firstborn and firstfruits. Hab.2:18. What does a sculpture use, as it is sculptured? having created a fusion, a false dream, as if he had placed his trust in his creation, he would create dumb idols. The order of what will be said will be as follows. “What does it use,” he says, “that is sculptured, as it is sculptured?” What benefit does the sculptor get from his sculpture that he hoped for? What is the prophet’s goal here? Let’s talk about this to the best of our ability. When Cyrus and the Medes invaded Babylon and finally war was declared, then the wise men called upon false gods to help the city in danger, brought sacrifices and libations to those without feelings, placing all hope of salvation on them. But all this was nothing more than nonsense, deception and seduction, and empty advice. But that city was taken and devastated, which had never thought of being subjected to this. Therefore, the God of all laughs at the considerations of the criminals and at their reliance on the soulless: “what is the use,” he says, “of what is sculptured,” - which is nothing more than a false ghost that has nothing true in itself? For how and on what basis can one believe that completely divine power is inherent in those sculptured by human hands? So, relying on them is vain and truly ridiculous for people who have a strong and sober mind. But it seems that the meaning of the words in question can be explained in another way. Having taken cities and ruined, so to speak, all countries, the Babylonian uncontrollably and unbridledly rushed (with his thoughts) to heights, fell ill with pride and, pathetic, adorning his head with divine glory, makes his image out of gold, as the divine prophet Daniel wrote about this; then he ordered them to worship him, and those who refused to do this were punished with death. So, what is the use of this, say, he says. After all, the one who dreamed of being even a god was no longer far from the most pitiful fate and was subjected to unspeakable disasters. Hab.2:19–20. The one who spoke fiercely to the tree: be of good cheer, arise, and the stone, be exalted: and this is a dream, and this is the binding of gold and silver, and there is no spirit in it. The Lord is in his holy church: let all the earth fear at his presence. The meaning of the words being explained again coincides with what I just said. Rightly grieves for the lost. Having left the one and true God and departed from the path of reverence for Him, they rush to destruction, foolishly calling to the tree: “be of good cheer, arise, and the stone, be exalted.” When one of the lost is afraid (of any danger), they usually offer incense on the altars, open the churches and cry out to the soulless idols: have mercy, save, rise up and you, stone, like a god protecting those who honor your power and worship you. So, in justice, woe to those who worship those made of gold and silver, who do not have the spirit, and speak to them such words as are fitting to speak to God who dwells in heaven and has the highest city as His church, for the Holy One dwells in the saints and dwells in those who worship Him. But the holy prophet says something useful and necessary for us. All sane people must worship the one true God and every wise person must pay respect to Him, offer prayers to Him, seek salvation from Him, confess Him - the Creator and Lord of all, the Savior and Redeemer, the omnipotent and most holy, at His discretion changing the nature of things and ruling over everything according to His will. At St. Cyril “be filled”, as in Alexander. code and friend. Slav. follows the reading found in the Vatican text, in Aldin. edition, in Complutensian polyglot, etc. At St. Kirill "your eye" The indicated St. Kirill’s reading of “nudity or exposing it” is found in Aquila. You might be interested in: