THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The Lord spoke to me, saying, Son of man, proclaim to him, You are an unclean land, barren and dry in the day of judgment. The prophets conspire within her like a roaring lion seizing its prey: they have consumed souls, amassed riches and wages, and increased the number of widows among her. Her priests have violated My commandments and desecrated My sacred places. They fail to distinguish between the holy and the common and have disregarded My Sabbaths, defiling Me among themselves. The leaders within her resemble wolves seizing their prey, shedding blood and destroying lives, motivated by greed. Her prophets have misled them with hollow visions and deceptive proclamations, asserting, Thus says the Lord God, while the Lord has not spoken.
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They have wrongfully accused the inhabitants of the land, committed acts of violence, oppressed the poor and needy, and unlawfully treated the foreigner. I sought a man among them who would build a barrier and stand before Me for the land, to prevent My destruction, but I found none. Therefore, I unleashed My wrath upon them, consuming them with the fire of My anger. Their own actions I turned back upon them, declares the Lord God. An observant listener might question, What is this injustice that has tarnished the purity of silver, contaminating it with copper, lead, tin, and iron? Thus, what is depicted through the imagery of the city and the crucible is also reflected in the image of the earth, which was unwatered and lacking rain. The rains represent those referred to in the scripture, We will command the cloud that it shall not rain upon it (Isaiah 3:6); we anticipate the rain of good timing and late rains, which is stated, The rain of your will you will give, O God, to your inheritance (Psalm 67:10). However, the rain of wrath is that which individuals bring upon themselves through their multitude of sins. We are left to ponder the significance of the pestilence of the city and the uncleanness of the earth, hardened and overrun with thorns and thistles.