THEOSISJerome of Stridon
But you, O mortal, the Lord God declares, instruct every winged creature, every bird of the sky, and all the beasts of the fields to gather swiftly for the great offering I have prepared for you on the mountains of Israel. Come together to partake of the flesh and drink the blood of this sacrifice. You will feast on the flesh of mighty ones and drink the blood of the rulers of the land, including rams, lambs, goats, and prime cattle. You shall enjoy this feast to your fill and drink deeply from the offering I have made for you. You will dine at My table alongside the strong and valiant, says the Lord God. I will reveal My glory among the nations, and they shall witness My judgments and the might of My hand against them.
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The people of Israel will recognize that I am their God from this day onward. All nations will understand that Israel was taken captive due to their sins, for they turned away from Me, and I concealed My face from them, allowing them to fall into the hands of their foes, where they perished by the sword. I judged them according to their detestable acts and transgressions, turning away My face from them. Therefore, the Lord God proclaims, I will restore Jacob from exile, showing mercy to the entire house of Israel. They will experience remorse for their shame and treachery against Me while enjoying peace in their land, fearing no one. I will bring them back from the nations and gather them from the lands of their enemies, manifesting My holiness before many nations. They shall acknowledge that I am the Lord their God when I reveal Myself among the nations and gather them into their own land, leaving none behind. I will no longer hide My face from them, for I have poured out My spirit upon the entire house of Israel, says the Lord God.
Thus, we may interpret that the Lord calls all the birds and beasts to consume the prominent adversaries, akin to the richest of sacrifices. These birds and beasts symbolize the swift and fierce agents of conversion, representing those adversaries who are handed over for the sake of the flesh, that the spirit may be redeemed (1 Cor. 5:5) and not suffer the fate of blasphemy (1 Tim. 1:20). They will partake of a grand and splendid offering, not in any other location, but upon the mountains of Israel, which we understand to refer to the prophets, apostles, and holy figures. Upon them, false teachers collapse and perish, stricken by the foundation of the Church—upon that mountain of mountains, of which Isaiah and Micah proclaim: Come, let us ascend to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will instruct us in His ways (Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2).