WOE TO ARIEL This chapter includes the second and third of the six woes, uttered by God on the tongue of the prophet Isaiah: A woe to Ariel (1 to 14), and a woe to those who think of themselves as wiser than God (15 to 24). The woe to Ariel concerns Jerusalem, that fell under chastisement, when Sennacherib the Assyrian put it under siege, then his army was destroyed by the angel of the Lord; as it also applies to the destruction of Jerusalem on the hands of the Chaldeans, and lastly by the Romans. Likewise, this woe applies to every soul that God wants as His holy city His Jerusalem, supposed to embrace His sanctuaries, yet it instead, indulged in abominations, and faltered between the holy and unclean lives. The Jews preoccupied themselves with formalities of worship, like caring for the alter of the burnt offering (Ariel), rather than for the inner life of holy faith; that is why they fell under severe chastisement. Yet, although God does not forget the honest remnant, loyal to Him, He looks forward for the return of those who deny faith to the Truth. 1. The second woe to Ariel 1-8. 2. Prevalence of ignorance among His people 9-12. 3. Formality of worship 13-14. 4. The third woe to him who leans upon his own wisdom 15-16. 5. Valuable promises to believers 17-24. 1. THE SECOND WOE TO ARIEL “Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt!” (Is. 29: 1) The word “Ariel” means “the fiery furnace of God,” or “the lion of God,” or “the mighty lion” and is a symbolic name of Jerusalem, being the city that embraces the temple, the altar of burnt offerings (Ezekiel 43: 15, 16), and being the capital of God’s people, like the lion, the King of beasts. Ironside, sees Jerusalem, that has been previously like the lion of God, has turned into a huge furnace for rising sacrifices, on which its people are sacrificed by their bitter enemies1. David, the prophet and king, made Ariel his capital for a long time, and built his palace on the Mount of Zion, on which God’s glory was proclaimed in an amazing way. His son, King Solomon built the temple on Mount of Moriah within Jerusalem; the city therefore became the center of collective worship, where sacrifices were offered to the Lord. Yet, after being considered as a lion as far as its spiritual power is concerned, it deserted the true spirit of worship, and got preoccupied with spiritless formalities. Persisting on not repenting, it indulged in abominations, to be worthy of woe. The people used to come to Jerusalem to celebrate three annual feasts (Is. 29: 1). But God, in His chastisement, turned these feasts into mourning and lamentation (Is. 29: 2). What does He mean by saying, “It shall be to Me as Ariel” (Is. 29: 2)? He probably wanted to proclaim that, in its mourning, it becomes like a furnace, that God allowed to burn, to chastise His deviated people; or probably meant, that although He allowed for its defeat and affliction, yet He would turn it into a fiery altar, on which, 1 Ironside: The Prophet Isaiah, ch, 29. its invading enemy, will be offered, as burnt offering to God2. He expresses the extent of sorrow that befalls the sieged Jerusalem, saying, “You shall be brought down, you shall speak out of the ground. Your speech shall be low, out of the dust. Your voice shall be like a medium’s, out of the ground; and your speech shall whisper out of the dust.” (Is. 29: 4) Because of its great sorrow, the inhabitants of Jerusalem sit on the dust, as though in a funeral, according to old eastern tradition; its voice comes out as though from the ground. As they found nobody living to consult, they consulted the dead (Is. 8: 19); voices whisper, as though in spirituality, which is a sort of deceit by the demons. And yet, God in His love intervenes with His mighty arm, to save His city and people against Sennacherib and his army (Is. 37: 33-36), God’s wrath falls on the enemy to scatter them like fine dust in the face of the wind. He portrays this as a symbol of our salvation through the cross, and the salvation of the Church at the end of days from the false Christ: a. The collapse of the enemy despite its might and great numbers: “The multitude of your foes shall be like fine dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passes away.” (Is. 29: 5) These refer to the devil and his angels of great number, fiercely fighting humanity, yet, before the cross, they turn to nothingness. We should not fear the devil. Although it is a spirit with no body, there is nothing weaker than him. There is nothing stronger than the brave, even if he carries a mortal body!3 St. John Chrysostom b. Realizing a fast conquest: “It shall be in an instant” (Is. 20: 5), a reference to the exalted capability of the cross to overcome the enemies. In prayer, when you make the sign of the cross on your forehead, demons will not approach you, being armed against them4. St. John Chrysostom c. God’s salvation of that damned city is accompanied by signs of nature: “You will be punished by the Lord of hosts, with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with storm and tempest and the flame of devouring fire.” (Is. 29: 6) These signs refer to what happened during the crucifixion of the Lord Christ, the revolt of nature as sun darkness (eclipse) and the earth shook, and also refers to what will occur just before the ultimate coming of the Lord Christ for judgment (Is. 28: 21, 30; 30: 30; Zechariah 14: 1. 6; 2 Thessalonians 6 - 8). The significance of these signs may be meant as a rebuke to man, whom God set as a master of nature, being in the image and likeness of God. The dumb nature testifies to the salvation works of God, and rebukes man for his disregard of his Creator and Savior. d. A complete scattering of the enemy, vanishing as though in a dream. When one wakes up, all what he saw disappears, even to become difficult to recall (Is. 29: 7). “It shall even be as when a hungry man dreams; and look- he eats; But he 2 Jamieson, p. 544. للمؤلف: هل للشیطان سلطان علیك؟ لیوحنا ذهبي الفم ص 3 .62 4 In Matt. Hom 55. awakes, and his soul is still empty; Or as when a thirsty man dreams, and look- he drinks; But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, and his soul still craves; So the multitude of all nations shall be, who fight against Mount Zion’” (Is. 29: 8) 2. PREVALENCE OF IGNORANCE AMONG HIS PEOPLE Besides covering their evil life by formalities of worship these people were characterized by ignorance of the word of God, and lack of experience of the power of the commandment in their life. If the Holy Spirit makes the soul, as though drunk, granting it a heavenly joy, that lets it forget affliction and pain, spiritual ignorance. On the other hand, makes it drunk, through drinking the cup of God’s wrath. The fruits of that ignorance are: a. Stunned and staggering (Is. 29: 9): As people were negligent, as far as salvation of their souls is concerned; they adopted a spirit of deep sleep (Is. 29: 10), losing spiritual feelings, alertness, activity, continuous prayers, and encounter with God. St. John Chrysostom says5 that when the apostle Paul accused the people of falling into a spirit of stupor and non-alertness (Romans 11: 7, 8), he depended on quotations of the prophets David and Isaiah, so as not to be accused of doing that on his own. b. Getting affected with a sort of light blindness, without enjoyment of the work of God. Truth, before them, shone as the sun, yet their weak eyes deprived them of enjoying its light; they were stunned and amazed by it, but without seeing it. c. Getting preoccupied with luxurious life (Is. 29: 9). d. Rejecting good counsel: They had prophets among them (Is. 29: 10), as spiritual eyes, by which the people, as well as the leaders could discern the truth, God’s will and plan. Because prophets were privileged with visions, they were called ‘Seers’ (Is. 29: 10); Yet these visions remained a sealed book; either because what it contained was for them something obscure, or because the people were unable to read it. 3. FORMALITY OF WORSHIP Hypocrisy, or care for formalities and not for the essence of holy life, may be the most dangerous enemy that could face religious people. King Hezekiah did good amendments, yet some people forsook the worship of idols superficially, and not from their hearts. They cared to be praised by people not God and had the image of piety, yet denying its strength. “These people drew near to Me with their mouths, and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me.” (Is. 29: 13) Origen correlated between people approaching God with their lips and not with their hearts, and the prevalence of ignorance, that is to say, pretending to have spiritual knowledge, while not believing in the Lord Christ, saying, [As prophetical words become like a sealed book, not only for illiterate people, but also for the knowledgeable, God would then say, that the Jewish people draw near to Him with their mouths, honored Him with their lips, but removed their hearts far from Him, because of their disbelief in Jesus Christ6.] St. Clement of Alexandria believes that God revealed that defect, not to spite 5 In Rom. Hom. 19. 6 In Matt. Book 11:11. or expose them, but in order to let them be aware of their weaknesses, and return to Him seeking salvation. [His love made Him reveal, both their sins, and their salvation hand-in-hand7.] Of the comments of Fathers on honoring God with the mouth and not with the heart: Many have the understanding on their lips and not in their hearts8. They approached with the body, but stood afar with their hearts. Who were, in their body, nearer to Him, than those who lifted Him up on the cross? Who were more distant from Him, than those who blasphemed Him?... The same people, who were nearer to Him, were far from Him. They were near to Him with their lips, yet far with their hearts9. St. Augustine Let us attach ourselves to those who practice peace with their piety; and not to those who pretend to do so, through hypocrisy. It was said: “ They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly” (Psalm 62: 4); and also: “They flattered Him with their mouth; and they lied to Him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant.” (Psalm 78: 36, 37)10 St. Clement of Rome What does that mean? The real tendency of the truth is more valuable than smooth words, in the eyes of God who hearkens to the unutterable sighs. Man can use expressions in a sense contrary to what they apparently sound. The tongue can realize that, according to what the speaker inwardly intends, but, as far as the intention of the soul is concerned, that is up to God - who is aware of mysteries - to see11. St. Gregory of Nyssa 4. THE THIRD WOE TO HIM WHO LEANS UPON HIS OWN WISDOM One of the signs of hypocrisy is that some of the elite, have put in their hearts, to realize their own counsel, namely resorting to Egypt against Assyria; hiding their intentions, not only from the people, but from God Himself, saying, “Who sees us; and who knows us?” (Is. 29: 15) They, the mere clay, assumed that they are wiser than their Potter! God, the Potter - in His modesty - wishes to debate with man, the clay; while the clay, in its pride, assumes that it can prudently act, behind the back of its Potter, far from debating with Him. St. Martyrus the Syrian, says, [How great and limitless, is God’s grace and compassion! God descends to the level of sinners, men and women. God in His goodness, debates with His rebellious slaves. The Holy One invites the unclean to gain forgiveness. Humanity, created out of clay debates with her Creator. Clay challenges its Potter. Let us then, show awe, when we, the sinners, stand in the presence of that great One, to speak with Him12.] 5. VALUABLE PROMISES TO BELIEVERS If the hidden deceiving plans, full of hypocrisy, bring about sorrow and sadness, God’s proclaimed salvation, on the contrary, brings about a series of joys, 7 Instr. 1:9. 8 On Ps, 49. 9 Ibid 38. 10 Ep. 1:15. 11 Adv Eumon 1:37. 12 Martyrius: Book of Perfection 5. and limitless blessings, such as: a. Fruitfulness: “Is it not yet a very little while till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest?” (Is. 29: 17) God’s proclaimed work turns Lebanon into a fertile field or a paradise; turns the dry and rough heart of man into the kingdom of Christ, full of the fruits of the Spirit. While, deprivation of God’s grace would destroy even man’s natural fruits (the forest) and turns them into a wilderness. b. The gift of hearkening the voice of God, and beholding the divine mysteries: “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.” (Is 29: 18) The spiritual hearing and the inner insight are gifts from God. c. Enjoyment of the heavenly inner and increasing joy: “The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” (Is. 29: 19) d. Destroying the devil and all his works, that mocker of the believer (Is. 29: 20). e. Abolishing offenses, snares, and evil counsels, against the righteous children of God: “Who make a man an offender by a word, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught.” (Is. 29: 21) f. Casting away shame and disgrace: “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now grow pale” (Is. 20: 22) g. Hallowing God’s name: “But when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they will hallow My name, and hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the God of Israel.” (Is. 29: 23) As though in them, the words “Hallowed be thy Name” will be realized, God’s name is hallowed in His people and believers. h. Altering human nature, to harbor prudence and knowledge, not with a pure intellectual way, but as a new life, obedient to God, after walking for so long in the folly of ignorance, and life of rebellion (Is. 29: 24). These are all God’s promises to be enjoyed by the Church of the New Testament: rejoicing with God’s joy, bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as being the paradise of Christ; enjoying listening to the divine voice, and seeing His divine mysteries, in place of blindness; destroying the devil and all powers of darkness; overcoming offenses, with no feelings of shame or disgrace; and lastly, hallowing God’s name, through spiritual understanding, and obedience, set upon spiritual knowledge.
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