The phrase, ‘From himself his judgement and heavy burden shall come forth,’ which Simmachus translated as, ‘he shall judge himself and shall act according to his own judgement,’ can be interpreted in two ways: either he will install rulers from his own ranks, ensuring that his dominion is supported solely by his own people, or he will experience the same fate he inflicts on others, suffering a defeat just as he has defeated others. His cavalry and horsemen, coming from afar, will wreak havoc with their speed and devastating power, swifter in their pursuit than leopards and wolves that hunt in the twilight. Indeed, it is said that wolves are particularly fierce as night approaches, for throughout the day, their hunger drives them to snatch their prey. Likewise, the horsemen do not advance to combat in the face of resistance; they merely accelerate their charge like an eagle swooping down on its prey, undeterred by any other birds in their way. Just as a scorching wind causes all green things to wither, so too in their wake, everything will be reduced to nothing, and the vast number of captives and plunder will seem almost infinite, comparable to the grains of sand. Yet, Nebuchadnezzar himself shall reign over the world, triumphing over kings, driving them before his chariot as he mocks them, treating their defeat as a form of entertainment. He will be so powerful and arrogant that he will presume to conquer even nature itself, capturing the most fortified cities through the might of his forces. When he approaches Tyre, he will construct a causeway across the sea, transforming the island into a peninsula, and will create an entrance to the city from the land amidst the waves. Consequently, he will deride every defensive structure, surrounding it with a rampart until he takes it, whether it be Tyre or another stronghold; this is also made clear by the prophet Ezekiel, who proclaims: ‘Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, made his army weary with great labour against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder bare. But no reward was given to him, nor to his army under Tyre, for the labours in which they served against him’ (Ezekiel 29:18). However, once he has established the mound and nothing hinders his might, his spirit will swell with pride, and believing himself to be God, he will construct a golden idol in Babylon, demanding that all nations bow to him. Yet, upon doing this, he will be transformed into the likeness of a beast and ultimately fall,’ a sentiment echoed by Aquila and Symmachus, who translated χαὶ πλημμελήσει as ‘and he will be lacking,’ a term signifying a certain defect, suggesting that he will no longer exist as he once did — a substitution akin to narratives in the letters of St. Paul. It is a common expression in our language to say, ‘the army was beaten’ rather than ‘defeated’ or ‘destroyed,’ just as we say, ‘the vineyard and field have sinned’ in place of ‘the grapes and fruit have perished.’ The concluding words of this passage, ‘This strength of his is the strength of his God,’ should indeed be understood in a tone of mockery, meaning: ‘This is the strength of his might bestowed upon him by Bel, his god.’ To honor this deity, he summoned all nations under the strictest commands, threatening death to any who would not comply. Now, let us transition to the LXX in order to present the nuanced thoughts and delve into their mystical implications: ‘Behold, I will raise up the Chaldeans, a merciless and unyielding nation, who traverse the expanse of the earth to seize lands that are not theirs.’ God issues a warning to those who scorn and blaspheme His Providence through the stirring of the Chaldeans, with the term signifying ‘demons,’ referring to either malevolent spirits sent to enact His wrath upon sinners or the souls of depraved individuals through whom God metes out His retribution. The Chaldeans, a brutal and inexorable people, show no mercy as they swiftly execute their commands. They sweep across the earth; ‘For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction’ (Matt. 7:13); upon this path walked the wealthy man clad in purple (Luke 16:19), alongside those described as: ‘They lounge on beds of ivory, indulging in their pleasures; they eat lambs from the flock and drink wine by the bowlful, anointing themselves with fine oils’ (Am. 6:4). Their path across the land renders them akin to the breadth of the earth, trodden down underfoot by the Chaldeans. They avoid the narrow path leading to life, the one traveled by the Apostle Paul, who glorified God amid his trials and tribulations (1 Cor. 6:20). The Chaldeans, however, stride across the earth in pursuit of territories not their own. Though every rational soul becomes a dwelling for the Chaldeans through sin, it is inherently the temple of God. Even if, as the Gospel testifies, a wicked spirit declares: ‘I will return to my house from which I came’ (Matt. 12:44), this should not be believed, for no reasonable soul was ever intended to be the residence of a demon. The following words declare, ‘He is fearful and glorious; from Him alone shall His judgement proceed, and His seizures shall cease.’ The Chaldean is fearful for the multitude of afflictions he inflicts upon those who disregard Providence, yet glorious for appropriating the honor due to the divine nature. Among unlearned individuals who scorn God, he is notorious for astrological divination and deceptive predictions, as well as for healing the ailments he himself has caused. The judgement inflicted upon those who scorn God will originate from him, that is, either from himself or from Chaldea. For as stated by the Apostle, they will be chastised to learn the consequences of their blasphemy (1 Tim. 1:3). Yet, he who repents and turns to God shall escape Chaldea, even if he was once captive to its power. When we observe an individual who has labored for the devil and subsequently repents, we say of that person, ‘His capture has been released.’ Those who repent and turn away from demonic influences—much like horses releasing their riders—will swiftly evade the grip of the Chaldeans and present themselves to the One who, in meekness, rode on a donkey (John 12:15; Zech. 9:9). These individuals, as if hastening from afar and dissatisfied with relentless strife, will soar like an eagle to partake of the flesh of the Word of God, fulfilling their long-standing hunger. In the expression χαι ἐξιππάζονται οι ιπππεῖς αὐτοῦ, rendered by the LXX as ‘and his horsemen will charge on their mounts,’ Simmachus interpreted it as ‘his horsemen shall scatter,’ implying a downfall and collapse. The wolves of Arabia, representing the evening or western wolves, aptly signify those burdened by a corrupt life, who, emerging from darkness, hastily flee toward the light. As they depart darkness and eagerly approach the Word of God, the wicked—the Chaldeans, who obstruct the flight of the repentant—will meet their end. When the wicked are vanquished and the captives liberated from their grasp, the Word of God will gather the remnants of Chaldean bondage as if collecting grains of sand, rejoicing over kings, while cruel rulers find themselves brought low, for, with the arrival of the Savior, the once-mighty adversary has been defeated and his dominion dismantled—a truth He revealed to the Savior, saying, ‘All these things I will give you if you fall down and worship me’ (Matt. 4:9). Truly, it is a source of joy for wisdom when foolishness is confounded, and the former power of malevolent rulers is brought to ruin and rendered absurd. The great dragon was not alone chosen to be a symbol of triumph for the Lord; as the first of God's creations, he became a source of mirth for the angels. Even he was set forth by God as a triviality to be mocked, while any who embody cruelty or tyranny will be ridiculed by the Word of God. He Himself declares, ‘Shall laugh at every fortification.’ And what stronger fortress could he refer to than that which the Apostle describes: ‘For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God’ (2 Cor. 10:4-5). Therefore, if there are any strongholds—whether in words that falsely claim honor or dignity against the truth, or in any worldly accolades, wealth, or defenses exalted in this age—all shall be toppled, and the Word of God will deride every stronghold. It will raise mounds and seize possession of them, as it does with all earthly matters, revealing to all their fragility to those who initially thought them strong. Once this transpires, the spirit will shift, ceasing to chastise as before, choosing instead to advocate for sinners and reconcile them with their Creator; in all this, the might of our Lord is manifest, for who else could achieve such great things. You see how challenging these passages are, often seeming at odds with historical accuracy; how what was previously understood in a literal sense regarding the Chaldeans now reveals a deeper, figurative sense that conveys divine mercy and freedom to those who have escaped their clutches. History is marked by precision and faithfully adheres to its confines, whereas figurative interpretations allow for greater freedom, constrained only by the principles that guide pious understanding, the coherence of discourse, and the avoidance of overly strained comparisons between disparate subjects.
THEOSIS