CHRIST, GRANTOR OF PEACE This chapter is considered a beautiful end to the talk about the conflict between Jerusalem and Assyria. After repeating the warning against resorting to Pharaoh, and relying on human arm, he presents to us the Lord Christ, as a spiritual King, who grants peace and justice. 1. Blessings of the Kingdom of Christ 1-8. 2. Confusion outside of Christ 9-14. 3. The Holy Spirit and peace 15-20. 1. BLESSINGS OF THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST The talk here concerns a flourishing kingdom, believed by certain scholars to be that of king Hezekiah, who initiated spiritual and social reforms, although many of them were only superficial. Others believe that talk here concerns the Lord Christ, as these blessings were not realized in the days of Hezekiah. A third group of scholars consider it a talk about Hezekiah, or other kings, as shadows of the Lord Christ. What does Christ, the King, offer us? a. Law of justice and righteousness: “A King will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice.” (Is. 32: 1) If the Lord has reigned on and through the cross, and paid the price of our sins, in order to realize justice, He is setting His disciples and believers as rulers, to practice our spiritual authority, not on others, but on our own souls, feelings, emotions, and energies; not through destroying them, but through the ‘Truth,’ namely through sanctifying them by Christ, the ‘Truth.’ b. In place of troubles and afflictions, this King will become “A shelter from the wind,” of temptations and bitter afflictions; “a refuge from the storm,” as a cover to protect believers from torrents of rain; “like streams of water in the desert,” to quench the thirst of souls in the dry wilderness; and as “the shadow of a great rock in a weary land,” to take refuge in Christ, the Rock, so no harm will come to them. Thus, he presents four analogies to the work of the Lord Christ in the life of His believers: “a shelter,” “a refuge,” “streams of water,” and “a great rock.” Through these analogies, the prophet sees us like a traveler, who finds in the Lord Christ all his needs: In case of wild wind, he finds a shelter; In case of storm, he finds a refuge. In case of thirst, the Lord will become to him streams of living water; and in case the entire world comes against him, he takes refuge in Him, as a solid rock, capable of hiding and protecting him from to death. In other words, God the Savior presents Himself, as everything for His believers, to keep them from needing anything. He presented Himself through several names, to let us apprehend that He is the Source of our true satisfaction; and as said by St. John Chrysostom: [Why is He called “the Way”? So that we may understand that through Him, we encounter the Father. Why is He called “the Rock”? So that we may understand that He is the keeper and abider of faith. Why is He called “the Fountain”? So that we may understand that He is the source of everything. Why is He called ”the origin”? So that we may understand that in Him is the power of growth. Why is He called “the Shepherd”? Because He shepherds us. Why is He called “the Lamb”? Because He was offered as a ransom for our sake Why is He called “the Life”? Because He raised us with Him from death. Why is He called “the Light”? Because He rescued us from darkness. Why is He called “the arm”? Because He is one Essence with the Father. Why is He called “the Word”? Because He is begotten of the Father – just as my word is born of me, He too is the Son born of the Father. Why is He called “our Garment”? Because in Him we were clothed in Baptism.Why is He called “the table”? Because on Him I feed, as I partake of the Sacraments. Why is He called “the dwelling Place”? Because in Him I dwell. Why is He called “the Groom”? Because He received me as His bride. Why is He called “the Immaculate”? Because He had me a virgin. Why is He called “the Master”? Because I am His slave. When you hear these things, do not take them according to material sense; but lift up your thoughts; as they are not to be understood according to the flesh1.] Blessed is him, who forgot the talk of the world, listening to Your talk; as in You, all his needs are fulfilled. You are his food and drink! You are His home and place of comfort! To You, he enters any time to find refuge! You are His sun and daylight; with Your light, he can see the hidden things! You are the Father, His Father! You have provided him with the Spirit of Your Son in his heart!2 St. John Saba c. The Lord Christ grants His believers the spiritual insight, to behold the unseen things, in order, that their inner eyes would not be dim; he also grants us the ability to listen to His commandments and words with Joy; grants them prudence and knowledge; grants the tongue the fitting and active talk; and finally grants us the grace of discernment, so as not to see the fool as noble, nor the scoundrel as highly respected: “The eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen. Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak clearly. The foolish person will no longer be called generous.” (Is. 32: 3 - 5) In short, He grants inner insight, listening with obedience, prudence with understanding and knowledge, ability for constructive talk, and grace of discernment. All this are realized through the Savior, who uproots the sin that causes blindness, rebellion, folly, impaired utterance of Truth, and lack of discernment. My God... You are my Light! Open my eyes to behold your divine splendor, to be able to walk my way without stumbling in the snares of the enemy. You are the Light to the children of the light! Your day Knows no sunset! Your light keeps your children from stumbling! Those outside you walk and live in darkness! Yes, away from your light, truth escapes from me, and falsehood approaches me! I would become in confusion, instead of discernment would have ignorance in place of knowledge; blindness in place of awareness; I would no longer have a 1 To Eutropius, hom.2. الحب الإلهي، ص 2 .50 way leading to life3. St. Augustine d. God discerns between the nobleman and the scoundrel, as He is aware of the hearts and hidden things (Is. 32: 6 - 8). 2. CONFUSION OUTSIDE OF CHRIST After taking about the blessings of the Kingdom of Christ, among which is the discernment between the noble and the scoundrel, the first to be rewarded by God, while the second is to be condemned, he started to tell us how that condemnation will be, in the form of an address to spoiled complacent women; who after the harvest go out to enjoy themselves in corrupt and unfitting carnal ways. There would be no more harvest feasts, because the enemy will confiscate all crops. Those women represent all who deny faith in Christ, who walk outside His spiritual Kingdom. They would suffer the following: a. Instead of feeling secure, they will tremble (Is. 32: 11). Be my happiness, O All-goodness... By You I stand aright, and without You I perish! You fill me with joy, and without You I die in sorrow! Hasten to make out of my soul and of my heart, a dwelling place for You! Your fragrance restores my strength, and your presence is my satisfaction! (Ps. 17: 10) O, life of my soul... my heart runs after You, and melts down as it counts Your gifts! When would be my time to reach Your Kingdom? When shall I enjoy your splendor, O joy of my heart? Why are you hiding your face from me, O the only happiness of my soul? Where are you hiding, O Lord of splendor, O ultimate goal of my dreams? Draw my heart, O You, my only joy4. St. Augustine b. Instead of valuable garments, they will strip off their clothes, and put sackcloth on their waists (Is. 32: 11), a reference to loss of grace and spiritual security.What are these valuable garments that clothes human soul, but the Person of the Lord Christ, who hides us in Him, covers us with the security of His blood, and grants us His beauty? And as said by the apostle Paul: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3: 27) In the water of Baptism we put on the Lord Christ, to carry in us His righteousness, His glory, and His splendor; and as St. Jacob El-Serougi says, [Baptism is the robe of glory granted to Adam, that has been robbed by the serpent among the trees... Come, O soul, and put on the majesty, and acquire the light through the pure water! Come, descend and put on the garments woven by the Deity, then ascend to show us your new eternal beauty, to let us rejoice with you... Fire and Spirit weave for you a robe of light, O you daughter of the nations, betrothed to the Light within the holy water5.] 3 .75- الحب الإلهي، ص 70 4 .40- الحب الإلهي، ص 38 میمر عن المعمودیة المقدسة. 5 c. Instead of joy, they will beat their breasts like those who have someone dead (Is. 32: 12). Their souls have lost life by separating from God, the Source of life. O my God, How miserable I am!... When shall I forsake that corrupt nature, and acquire in myself your perfect strength? I am your creation, and here I am dying! I am your handwork, and here I am going down into nothingness! Order the dead to come out of the grave!... O, my God! I shall cry out to you before I perish, or, at least, I shall cry out to You, so as not to perish! To be worthy of dwelling in you, support me, O You, the eternal Glory! O my Joy, reveal yourself to me, my God, to live!6 St. Augustine d. Instead of celebrating the harvest “on the land of My people will come up thorns and briers;” (Is. 32: 13) a reference to being cursed with spiritual dryness. e. “Because the places will be forsaken, the bustling city will be deserted.” (Is. 32: 13) f. “The forts and towers will become lairs forever, a joy of wild donkeys (a reference to fierce demons), a pasture of flocks (a reference to beastly thoughts)” (Is. 32: 14). These are the features of a soul outside of Christ: trembling, mourning, suffering draught, devastation, and destruction; to be turned into a dwelling place for unclean spirits, and carnal thoughts. 3. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND PEACE God, with - His love - seeks those who are His, to cast away from them all trembling, bitterness, draught and devastation; to pour on us His Holy Spirit, so that the devil and the carnal thoughts and lusts would not find a place in us, as it is said: “Till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field.” (Is. 32: 15) Numerous scholars believe that all this refer to the pouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of the Pentecost, when the barren wilderness of the soul became a fertile field, that bears the fruits of the Holy Spirit, as a pleasure to God and people; while those who deny Him would lose even the natural fruits; their weak field would turn into a desert. The prophet portrays that Pentecostal work in the life of the Church, saying, “Justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.” (Is. 32: 16) Meaning that the Holy Spirit would turn our desert into a paradise for the Lord Christ (who is the Truth and Justice) to dwell in. If our Christ has promised the gift of the Spirit, the work of the Spirit in the believer is to turn him into a place fit for Christ to dwell in, and to set His kingdom. “My people will dwell in peaceful habitation.” (Is. 32: 18) Through the dwelling of the Lord of glory in the midst of His people peace would come. Our Christ would be transfigured in us, and we would dwell in Him. Being our eternal peace, “Peace of God rules in our hearts” (Colossians 3: 15), to let us get reconciled with God and also with men, and be counted as those who are in heaven itself. Finally, the prophet beatifies those who enjoy the gift of the Holy Spirit through Baptism: “Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send out freely 6 .83- الحب الإلهي، ص 80 the feet of the ox and the donkey.” (Is. 32: 20) As though he who sows his seeds beside streams of the Holy Spirit will get a plentiful crop, so that cattle and donkeys would never stop ranging free on his land. Blessed is he who sows his seeds beside streams; his soul would get plowed, and watered for the ox and donkey to range free in it, after it was dry with no rain (Is. 32: 20). Blessed is he who is the “valley of Acacias” (Joel 3: 18), to be watered out of the Lord’s house, to turn fruitful and productive, after having been barren and fruitless... It is fitting for us to be careful not to lose that grace7. St. Gregory of Nazianzus 7 On the Holy Baptism, 27.
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