ASSYRIAN INVASION AND THE MESSIANIC AGE While the prophet is looking forward to the messianic age, as being a fruitful age, in which the Lord plants His Vineyard (the Church), by the streams of His Holy Spirit, turning the desert into paradise, we see him watching the current events as shadows of that age. Indeed he sees, in the Assyrian invasion of Judah and Jerusalem, a catastrophe for many, yet, there will be an honest and a loyal remnant to enjoy the work of God and His blessings. The devastation that occurred refers to the souls that denied the Lord Christ, rejected His kingdom, and so was denied the work of His Holy Spirit. While the remnant refers to His Church, namely to His joyful kingdom, filled with peace, and increasing spiritual fruits. 1. Woe to the plunderer 1. 2. Taking refuge in God 2-9. 3. Condemnation of Assyria 10-14. 4. The king and his kingdom 15-24. 1. WOE TO THE PLUNDERER “Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered; and you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you! When you cease plundering you will be plundered; and when you make an end of dealing treacherously, they will deal treacherously with you.” (Is. 33: 1) The woe here is directed against both Assyria and Babylon, as well as against every enemy who shows haughtiness toward God and His people1. If his plan to plunder and to deal treacherously is realized unopposed, and with no harm on his part, yet, his work falls under woe. God uses this plunderer as an instrument to chastise His people, up to a point, after which He would, himself, fall under judgment. God will let him realize his entire heart wish for plundering, then to let him drink from the same cup, to get plundered and treacherously dealt with, in due time. Here we should comprehend that every hand that stretch to plunder will have its work turned against it, and will drink from the same cup it fills for others. Its evil will turn to the good for the children of God, even the devil is incapable of destroying them, but his action against them, will rather become a cause for their victory and beatitude. And as St. John Chrysostom quotes the apostle Paul, saying, [“For there must also be fractions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you” (1 Corinthians 11: 19). That is why God left the wicked in the world, to let the splendor of the good be more prominent. Do you see how great is the gain that is referred to the courage of the good and not of the wicked? The same principle applies to the devil, who was left here by God for our sake, to make us more strong when the fighter is quiet obvious and the better is fierce so if you are asked: Why did God leave him here? Your answer should be: The devil is not only incapable of harming an alert and cautious person, but would also benefit him; not because of good intention on the part of the evil one, but because of the courage of him who turns his evil into good use... Be sure that nobody can harm you, but on the contrary you will be greatly rewarded, not only by the good people, but also by the wicked ones2.] 1 J.J. Collins, p. 73. للمؤلف: هل للشیطان سلطان علیك؟ لیوحنا ذهبي الفم، ص 73 الخ. 2 The Christians have realized that the devil had utterly collapsed after the cross; he was destroyed after having been a destroyer of the souls. 2. TAKING REFUGE IN GOD Seeing the extent of the well-deserved suffering of his people, the prophet raises a prayer for the sake of the holy remnant, proclaiming in their name their hope for God’s help. In that prayer, a. He asked for God’s compassion and His salvation: “O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for you. Be their arm every morning, our salvation also in time of trouble.”(Is. 33: 2) In the name of the pious people, the prophet prayed for the military leaderships, who became in distress because of Sennacherib and his army. “Be their arm every morning” is a marvelous expression that reveals the role of God’s salvation in people’s life. He does not disregard their “arms,” even though they are nothing and helpless, yet He works through them as though they are His own; takes them over, sanctifies them by His Holy Spirit, and supports them with a heavenly strength. He works in His believers’ lives, yet without disregarding them, nor canceling their energies; but through sanctifying them. God wants to show that His slave had participated in everything, in order to spare him getting embarrassed3. Grace is always ready! It seeks and welcomes those who receive it. Thus, when the Lord sees a watching and a loving soul, He floods it with His richness, far more than what it asked for4. God wishes from us, just a little excuse, to do all the work Himself5. St. John Chrysostom This divine support is a daily and continuous work in the life of the Church, as well as in everybody’s life; “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not, new every morning.” (Lamentations 3: 22) b. He requested God’s intervention. It is enough for God to utter just a word, to drive the Assyrians or any other parties to flee: “At the noise of the tumult the people will flee. When you lift yourself up, the nations shall be scattered.” (Is. 33: 3) How much we are in need to have the word of God proclaimed in our hearts, in order to chase away the evil, and to scatter the powers of darkness. When the Crucified is transfigured within us, sins and evil spirits will flee, and God will reign alone in our depths. By God, appearing on the stage of events, and uttering His word, the invaders became like caterpillars and locusts fleeing in shame and disgrace, to be gathered by the people of God (Is. 33: 4). By caterpillars, he probably meant the dead and wounded of the Assyrian army, gathered by the people to avoid plague; and by locusts, those who ran away, to be chased and caught without any need for weapons. What a shame and disgrace for the enemy who arrogantly and fiercely plundered! c. Praying for the sanctification of the city, to become the righteous city of the Lord, or the city of righteousness, where God Himself dwells, being “justice and righteousness” (Is. 33: 5); to be filled with peace, security, and salvation, together with wisdom and knowledge. “The fear of the Lord is his treasure” (Is. 33: 6); fear 3 In Matt. PG. 58:592. 4 In Gen. PG. 53:76, 77. 5 In Rom. PG. 60:499. out of love, fear of hurting the feelings of the Father (filial fear), and not fear of a slave of his master (servile fear), nor of a laborer of his employer6. Now, having prayed to God on behalf of his people, to intervene to destroy the enemy and save the people, parades before God all what happened to the city, probably to seek His divine compassion for His people (Is. 33: 7-9): “Their valiant ones shall cry outside.” (Is. 33: 7) “The ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly” (Is. 33: 7), as Sennacherib broke the treaty; and despite a great ransom paid to him by king Hezekiah to turn away from his land, he sent his forces to invade it (2 Kings 18: 4 - 17). “The highways lie waste” (Is. 33: 8); as everyone feared to encounter the enemy on the road the reports of the messengers came to declare that was all over the country. It was a very serious situation, and the enemy was all over the country. The cities were despised (Is. 33: 8). “The earth mourns and languishes.” (Is. 33: 9) The fertile land turned into fruitless wilderness. Fruitlessness and barrenness are considered a disgrace, a sign of God’s wrath. Of these regions were Sharon, Bashan and Carmel. As the prophet prayed, in the name of the pious for divine intervention, admitting the devastation that befell the land, God hastened to condemn Assyria. As if God is longing to support us against the enemy, and is capable of saving us, yet he expects us to ask for him and seek His work. He does not compel us to do anything, even for the sake of our salvation. He respects our free will to choose to seek His intervention. And as St. John Chrysostom says, [God calls us, then waits for us to approach Him with all our free will, to grant us every help7.] 3. CONDEMNATION OF ASSYRIA If God has been patient with the wicked, yet when they went too far in their evil, He condemned them: a. God Himself leads the battle: “‘Now will I rise,’ says the Lord, ‘now will I be exalted. Now I will lift myself up.’” (Is. 33: 10) What man is incapable of doing is taken over by the Lord, for the sake of the weak and the offended, considering their enemies His own enemies. It is said: “Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered. Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes let them rejoice exceedingly” (Psalm 68: 1 - 3) b. What they are condemned for is a natural fruit of their deeds, “You shall conceive chaff. You shall bring forth stubble. Your breath as fire shall devour you.” (Is. 33: 11) Their deeds are straw and thorns, and their threats are fire. they are carrying within them both the fuel and the fire, to turn into a furnace, to consume, not others, but themselves! If their wickedness, especially hypocrisy, is a consuming fire, they are thus practicing with their free will, a pledge of the eternal condemnation8. As is the case with the righteousness that carries its reward in itself, entering with the soul into a pledge of eternal glory; likewise the evil carries in itself its own reward, entering with it into a pledge of the eternal fire of Hades. 6 Cf. St. Cassian: Conf. 11:13. 7 De verb Habents. 8 Apolo,gy 2:11:2. Many Fathers of the Church believe that virtue is in no need for a reward, as it carries its reward within itself; and as said by St. Justin the Martyr: [Does not the virtue lead to the perfection of happiness?9]; and as said by St. Gregory of Nazianzus: [For virtue to be virtue it should have no reward10.] That is probably because the Fathers considered virtue as being an enjoyment of unity with Christ. And as said by the Origen: [Virtue is to become one with Christ. He is the virtue that fills Him11, He is Justice, Wisdom and Truth. Whoever practices virtue, partakes of the divine nature; this is his perfect reward.] Evil, on the other hand, is likening the devil, and partaking of his features, together with a deprivation of enjoyment of Christ and being after His image... In that, is the fruit of sin and its reward. 4. THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM If God, in His justice, is a fire that consumes evil that carries corruption within it, and glorifies the believers, who carry the righteousness of Christ within them; He condemns the wicked, who are persistent on their evil, and protects the righteous from their hands. The prophet presents to us the following features of a righteous person: a. “He walks righteously” (Is. 33: 15); namely walk in Christ Jesus - the Way and Truth, our righteousness. b. “He speaks uprightly” (Is. 33: 15); his words proclaim his gospel, hidden in his heart. c. “He who despises the gain of oppressions.” (Is. 33: 15) d. “Who gestures with his hands refusing bribes.” (Is. 33: 15) e. “He stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed.” (Is. 33: 15) f. “He shuts his eyes from seeing evil.” (Is. 33: 15) g. This is the man “who will dwell on high;” whose refuge will be, with his Savior in the heavenlies, on “the fortress of rocks.” (Is. 33: 16) h. Generous in giving, even from his needs. “Bread will be given him, his water will be sure.” (Is. 33: 16) Such a man, who is sanctified by the Lord Christ, to live pure with all his feelings, to rise with his depths to the heights; and to practice the life of fellowship with God, and continuous giving, is worthy of enjoying seeing the Lord Christ in His glories, as said: “Your eyes will see the King in His beauty.” (Is. 33: 17) This is the greatest gift for the righteous, to behold the Messiah in His splendor! Some people think that talk here is about king Hezekiah, who enjoyed the privilege of watching the devastation of the army of Sennacherib. Yet, it is obvious that it concerns rather, the Lord Christ who has been glorified on the cross, drawing the nations to Him, granting them a new nature; in place of animosity, to carry love and friendship; and in place of voracity, to become meek; and in place of the strange tongue of evil, to utter a heavenly language; as it is said: “Where is the scribe? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers?” (Is. 33: 18) Where is the scribe who used to count forces and register the names of soldiers? Where is the one who used to collect the taxes to pay the enemy? And where is he who used to count the towers, to assign people to watch on them the movements of the enemy denoting the start of the battle? All these capacities were transformed from military responsibilities, to peaceful ones for the sake of the kingdom of God, 9 Oratio 42:12. 10 Origen: Fragmenta in Joannem, IX. 11 Cf. Henri Crouzel: Theologie de l'image de Dieu chez Origène, Paris 1,956,239ff. through receiving faith in the Lord Christ. “You will not see these fierce people” (Is. 33: 19), as the fierce deeds of the old man are uprooted, to carry the features of our Creator, through enjoying the new man who is being renewed every day. “People of an obscure speech... of a stammering tongue that you cannot understand” (Is. 33: 19); have gained a new tongue, that of the Spirit, the tongue of love, of unity, together with prudence and understanding. And now, what is the work of the King Messiah, in the lives of nations coming to Him to believe in Him? a. “Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts.” (Is. 33: 20) In place of the old terror from the scribe, and the tax collector, Zion will turn into a city of joyful festivals, where people gather together in collective worship, to encounter God Himself, our continuous festival. b. “A peaceful habitation, a tabernacle that will not be taken down, not one of its stakes will ever be removed, nor any of its cords be broken.” (Is. 33: 20). Namely it will be steadfast, not to be destroyed even by death, remaining eternally. c. “A place of broad rivers and streams” (Is. 33: 21); which makes it fruitful by Spirit. d. It will be unapproachable or attackable, as through its rivers and streams “no galley with oars will sail, nor majestic ships will pass by.” (Is. 33: 21) e. The Lord Christ Himself will be “our Judge, our Lawgiver, our King and our Savior.” (Is. 33: 22) He presented the law of the gospel, reigned on the cross, and saved us; and He still intercedes for us, through His precious blood. f. Its enemy will be like a broken ship that cannot strengthen its mast, nor spread its sail (Is. 33: 23). g. They will so strongly defeat the enemy, that even “the lame will take prey.” (Is. 33: 23) h. No one living in Zion will say, “I am sick. “ (Is. 33: 24) i. “The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.” (Is. 33: 24) This is a portrayal of the soul that unites with the Lord Christ. It turns into Zion, the joyful city of God, filled with happiness and peace, steadfast in the Lord, surrounded by the Holy Spirit of God, to turn it into a fruitful paradise, that the devil would not be capable of defeating nor destroy. The Lord Christ proclaims in it His kingdom, being its King, Judge, Law-giver, and Savior. It will conquer the devil and destroy him. No spiritual ailment can affect; and lastly, it would enjoy the forgiveness of iniquities through a permanent repentance,
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