BLESSINGS OF THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST This chapter is considered a consummation of the last one. If God condemns the opposing nations, He is doing that for the sake of the edification, growth, and glorification of His people. It was realized through the coming of the Messiah, Savior of the world, who, by His cross, destroyed the forces of darkness, and opened the gates of His divine blessings, before those who return to Him, whatever their weakness is. 1. Turning wilderness into paradise 1-4. 2. Fulfilling the needs of believers 5-9. 3. A kingdom of joy and rejoicing 10. 1. TURNING WILDERNESS INTO PARADISE Some scholars see what came here as concerning the situation of the children of Israel after their return from the Babylonian captivity. Yet, many others, including the majority of Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant scholars, see in it, a description of the situation of the Church of the New Testament, enjoying the Lord Christ as its Head, pouring on it His glory and splendor. Followers of the Millennium kingdom, on the other hand, consider this chapter as a prophecy of it that remains to be realized1. A true believer who experiences the new life in Christ Jesus can experience the glory of the Church, proclaimed in his inner life, as: a. The wilderness and wasteland turn into fruitful paradise, through God’s entrance, and the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, in the heart, the inner barrenness is uprooted, and God’s fruitful paradise, that pleases the Lord, will be planted (Is. 35: 1, 2). It is obvious that he is not talking here of places outside the soul or senses, but is proclaiming good news concerning the thirsty soul. And as the Psalmist David says, “My soul longs for you like a thirsty land.” (Psalm 143: 6) “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Psalm 42: 2)2 St. Gregory of Nyssa b. The most important feature of the Church of the New Testament is probably the ‘Joy of the Lord,’ leading an inner joyful life, because of the work of God in it. This trend is obvious in all the book of Isaiah, namely, that the messianic age is a joyful one; while there is neither peace nor joy for the wicked that reject the salvation work of God. “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice.” (Is. 35: 1, 2) Whoever looks within himself to God, and his soul mingled with His light, will have his heart filled with joy3. St. John Saba As it is with the trees, that would not grow, if they are not watered, the soul if it does not receive the heavenly joy it cannot grow nor ascend to the high; while that soul that received the heavenly Spirit and joy, is able to do that; having the 1 Bultema, p. 318. 2 On the Baptism of Christ. للمؤلف: الروح القدس بین المیلاد الجدید والتجدید المستمر، 1981 م، ص 3 .131 mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, revealed to it while still in the flesh, found favor before God in every respect, and have been granted all its requests. A soul always grows by that joy; and through it, ascends to heaven, as it has, like the body, its own spiritual food. St. Anthony the Great4 c. God’s glory and splendor in the heart are realized, as a sort of a pledge of the eternal heavenly glory. “The glory of Lebanon will be given to it... They will see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God.” (Is. 35: 2) St. Macarius the Great speaks of this hidden glory, that fills the life of the believer, to be proclaimed in the great day of the Lord, saying, [Through a renewal of the mind (Romans 12: 2), having sound thoughts and heavenly love of the Lord (Ephesians 3: 19) the new creation of Christians is designated (2 Corinthians 5: 17)... Each one, as much as he is counted worthy of the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, through faith and strife, will have his body glorified on that day; as all what the soul has stored inside it, in this present life, will then be proclaimed, and revealed in the body on that day5.] The apostle says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3: 17 - 18) d. Man becomes a support for his weak brothers: “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear!; Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come to save you.’”(Is. 35: 3, 4) If life with God represents a hidden personal relationship, between God and a believer, yet it is not an isolated individual relationship, but is rather through a life of fellowship between God and His one Church. Every member supports his brother in the Lord, for all to be strengthened as one bride. Every support you give to your brother is actually a support for yourself personally, as he represents your hands and knees. There is nothing that makes men quickly defeated and collapsed in temptations, like isolation. If you scatter forces in a war, the enemy will have no problem to captivate them individually6. St. John Chrysostom 2. FULFILLING THE NEEDS OF BELIEVERS a. Saying, “He will come to save you, then...” (Is. 35: 4, 5) that is when the Lord and Savior Christ comes amazing signs and miracles will be realized: “The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the shall lame leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing; For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.” (Is. 35: 5, 6) Those who believe in the millennium kingdom try to refer that to it, although the Lord Christ Himself, used that same text, when He responded to the two disciples of John the Baptist who came to Him, confirming that He is the coming Messiah (Matthew 11: 4 . 6). St. Augustine comments on this, saying, [As though He is telling them: You have seen me, and seen my works, therefore acknowledge me! “Blessed is المرجع السابق، ص 4 .131 5 Sermon 5. 6 In Heb. Hom. 30:2. he who is not offended because of me.”]7 God, who created every thing well, came Himself to the world, in order to renew His creation; to repair what became corrupted; to give back to man his peace, health and joy; to open up his inner insight, to be able to behold the divine mysteries, and his ears to enjoy the divine voice, and to respond to His commandments; to grant the lame the ability to walk along the heavenly way; and the mute to utter inner praises. We enjoy all these deeds through the work of the Holy Spirit (the water and rivers), Who was sent by the Lord Christ, from the Father. The prophecy of Isaiah is realized, not only in the physical sense, but also in the spirituals... Those who were lame before, started to leap like a deer, through the power of Christ. They were compared to the deer not by chance, but because he is a pure animal and the snakes can’t hurt him with their poison. Likewise the mute will be able to speak8. Origen b. ”The parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water. In the habitation of jackals where each lay, there shall be grass with reeds and rushes” (Is. 35: 7) Meaning by this, that instead of draught, there will be plenty of water, the parched ground will turn into pools, and the thirsty land will become bubbling springs. Where the jackals once dwelt, namely in the wilderness, grass and reeds will grow, as well as papyrus which abounds only where water is plenty. Prophets often refer to the messianic age as one of water (Is. 41: 17 - 20; 43: 18 - 20; 44: 3, 4; Ezekiel 47: 1 - 12). The Psalmist says, “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the highest dwells. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved.” (Psalm 46: 4, 5) What could be that river, but the flood of the Holy Spirit, of which the Lord said: “If one thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7: 37, 38) These streams flowed from within the bosoms of Paul, Peter, John, and the rest of the apostles, as well as of the believing evangelists. And as all these streams flowed from one river, that is why “they make glad the city of God.” It is obvious that these streams refer to the Holy Spirit, by which every pious soul that believes in Christ is sanctified, to become a citizen in the city of God9. St. Augustine “A highway shall be there, and a road and it shall be called the highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there.” (Is. 35: 8, 9) What is this “Way,” other than the Lord Christ Himself, who presents Himself to His believers as the secure Way, over which the unclean will never pass, but all who walk on it will be saints; even the “fool,” will acquire prudence and wisdom, and shall not go astray. The devil (the voracious lion) will not be able to approach those walking on it. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, talks to us about our faith in the Lord Christ, as a 7 Serm. on N.T. Lessons 16:3,4. 8 On Matt. Book 11:18. 9 On Ps. 46. shield against the devil, saying, [Is there anything more terrifying than the devil? Yet, the only effective shield against him is faith, being an unseen shield against an unseen enemy, who aims an assortment of arrows in the middle of the night, toward those who are not careful. But, as he is an unseen enemy, we have in faith an effective weapon, as said by the apostle: “Take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” (Ephesians 6: 16) As the devil aims a flaming dart of lowly lust, faith will bring to mind an image of the judgment, so that the mind will extinguish the flaming dart.10] 3. A KINGDOM OF JOY AND REJOICING All nations coming to Him would be anointed with the anointment of joy, to become a holy nation; Everlasting joy that come with would crown their heads. No sorrow or sighing would ever find a place in their hearts. This is the anointment of the Church of the New Testament, being the heavenly icon, rejoicing in the Lord; that is why it is said: “The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; with everlasting joy on their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Is. 35: 10) There is comfort, where there is no pain, sorrow or sighing, where there is no confusions, troubles, struggles, or fear; there would only be the fear of God filled with joy11. We would rather be sad here, contemplating on our situation, than to get sad there, with condemnation... Let us enjoy the exalted, unimaginable blessings. In Christ Jesus our Lord (not to become troubled by sorrow)12. St. John Chrysostom 10 Cat. Lect. 5:4. 11 In Hebr. Hom.6:10. 12 Ibid 23:9.
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