The prophetic declarations point not only to events awaiting in the distant future but also to what is imminent following the prophecy. Generally, humans tend to be more concerned about their own lives than about those that follow, as Hezekiah expressed, “Let there be peace in my days.” This serves to turn those who witness the fulfillment of these prophecies towards the worship of God, whose prophets reveal the truth. The Lord foretold that Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, with an enormous army that behaves like locusts, would arrive at the beginning of the late rains when Israel needed the last of God's grace. Indeed, the Lord is the sovereign creator of these locusts.
These locusts appear as the late rains begin, at a time when the earth is lush, the fields are fruitful, and the trees are adorned with blossoms ready to bear their respective fruits. Essentially, the trees and crops signify an abundance of blessings. Initially, a swarm of locusts appeared in the spring, which was then followed by countless caterpillars after the late rains that were destructive, leaving the ground bare. Isaiah referred to this destruction in chapter 7, likening it to a sharp razor that would remove every hair from the Israelites’ heads and bodies. When he questioned the nature of this razor, the Lord revealed it to be the king of Assyria. Thus, the razor and scythe striking the land represents the Chaldean forces that, like a ravenous caterpillar, would obliterate everything, ruining not just the crops but also the very materials sustaining life.
When the caterpillar had finished consuming the grass and the prophet comprehended the devastation he witnessed, he turned to God in supplication, exclaiming, O Lord God, please show mercy. I do not desire my words to come to pass at the expense of my people; I do not wish to be among the shepherds who must announce destruction over the ten tribes. Who, if not You, can restore Jacob? Should You bring ruin upon him, no one would be able to revive him. Jacob is vulnerable, under continual threat from his foes. In his distress, he cried out with heartfelt tears, and the Lord showed compassion, proclaiming that the entire tribe of Jacob would not be lost; a remnant would survive.
Perhaps it is also essential to recognize that the prophet saw two impending calamities: first, the locusts, followed by the caterpillar. He sought the Lord’s intervention against both but was heeded only concerning the latter, that the caterpillar may not leave total devastation in its wake, while the locusts would consume one area yet spare another. It seems the term ‘gozi,’ referring to scythe or mowing, was interpreted by the LXX as ‘Gog,’ where the letter ‘zain’ was mistaken for ‘vav,’ equating the vastness of the caterpillar swarm to the immensely brutal people of Gog, foretold in Scripture as destructors of the land of Israel.
Aquila’s translation, “here is the late rain after the king of Gaza,” is perplexing since Gaza is known in Hebrew as “Aza.” Perhaps he misrepresented ‘gozi,’ leading to a gradual distortion of the word into Gaza. On a spiritual level, regarding righteousness, of which the prophet says, ‘sow to yourselves in righteousness, replant your fields, and do not sow among thorns,’ if grievous sins abound, a brood of locusts is sent forth, appearing in the dawn, when the darkness of night has passed, making the unrepentant aware of their sinfulness, prompting the arrival of a caterpillar, referred to as King Gog, a term meaning ‘blood,’ signifying a proud and arrogant force.
Once it has devastated our fields, the saints among the people will seek forgiveness and plead, Lord God, have mercy! For who else can restore Jacob? Who is the healer capable of addressing such bleeding wounds except for You alone, by whose touch wholeness returns instantly? Jacob remains little, as no traces of virtue persist within him. Lord, turn away from the destruction which You have proclaimed upon Your people. In the Holy Scriptures, the repentance of God should be understood similarly to sleep and anger—not implying that God changes His mind, who has declared through the prophet, ‘I am God; I do not change,’ and to whom we proclaim, ‘Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail.’ Yet, when we turn towards righteousness, He may regret His declared intentions, for He does not grant the promised rewards to the righteous if they fall into wrongdoing, nor does He carry out the punishments He threatened against the sinner if they turn to salvation.
As it is said, ‘Do not let your eyes close, but let them observe, that you might be saved like a gazelle from the snare and like a bird from the net.’ He who initially disregards the Lord’s commandments and only later, in adversity, begins to pay attention, does he awaken the Lord who seems to slumber and plead, ‘Awake, why do You sleep, O Lord?’ In contrast, he who gathers wrath for the day of wrath will face the anger of God. But should he repent, the wrath transforms into mercy; thus, according to the balance of passions or virtues within us, God adjusts His response in matters of punishment and forgiveness.
THEOSIS