Isaiah 11:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When the Chaldeans, who ruled Babylon and Persia, devastated Judah, they took the inhabitants of Israel and Judah captive, bringing those from Samaria and Jerusalem to their own land. Eventually, those who returned from captivity ceased to live apart; they united in Jerusalem, stopped anointing kings and rulers from their respective halves, and set aside their past grudges and jealousies, all because they were under a single leader—Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel, of the tribe of Judah, and Jehosheba, the chief priest. This historical narrative holds significance. The prophet intended to reveal through these clear actions and ancient events the workings of our Savior's coming. When the emblem of the honorable cross was lifted high for all nations and peoples to see, it signified liberation for those held captive in spirit, encouraging unity, and a pursuit of agreement and faith among formerly divided individuals, who had previously endured the weighty oppression of unrighteous rulers and unclean spirits. They shed this burden, willingly assembling in the spiritual Zion or Jerusalem, which symbolizes the Church, uniting under one King, Christ, whose precursor was Zerubbabel, who led Israel out of captivity, in concert with Jesus, the great High Priest. In Him, we understand Christ as both King and Priest, sacred, blameless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens, as Paul elucidates. The emblem of Christ, the esteemed cross, serves as the reason those across the globe are brought together in a singular faith, thus becoming one with the Most Holy Father, as illustrated by the Divine John the Evangelist. He witnessed Caiaphas, the condemned high priest, proclaiming within the Sanhedrin, “You know nothing, nor do you think that we have nothing, that one man may die for the people, and not all the nation perish.” He continued: “But he did not say this of himself; rather, the high priest, who presided that year, prophesied that Jesus would die for the people, and not only for the nation, but also that He would gather together the children of God who are scattered abroad.” This is because Christ embodies our reconciliation, as the Scriptures declare, having broken down barriers, abolished the law of commandments, and united two peoples into one new creation, thereby reconciling all to God the Father and dispelling hostility. Through Christ, we all, in one spirit and body, are made one in relation to one another, bearing the fruits of righteousness and a pure Gospel life that transcends the law. Thus, by rising from historical events to spiritual reflection, one can attain a clear understanding of the mystery of Christ.

What is the role of the cross in accomplishing the work of humanity? It serves to ensure that “from the four corners of the earth” the redeemed may be gathered together. The cross is symbolically divided into four parts, with each part oriented toward one of the four corners of the world. The death that came by way of the cross is highlighted, either to ensure that all regions experience salvation through its parts or because a spiritual cross was set before the wooden cross for all to see, through which the four corners of the universe are reached, and that power within it extends across those realms. Therefore, once this sign is established, “the lost of Israel and the remnant of Judah” will be gathered “from the four corners of the earth.” Having raised this sign, which possesses the strength to dismantle the principalities and powers—those He triumphed over on the tree—as if shedding the garment they had woven for us, He “disarmed the principalities and powers, triumphing over them in boldness,” after overcoming on the tree (Colossians 2:15). Consequently, when Paul, one of “the lost of Israel and the remnant of Judah,” recognized the sign raised by Jesus “among the nations,” he approached the cross and declared, “But let me not boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).

The Lord will gather them from all corners of the earth, from every direction—north, east, south, and west. ‘From the east I will bring forth thy seed, and from the west I will gather thee. The river to the north: bring it, and the liva (south): do not forbid it. Bring my sons far off, and my daughters from the ends of the earth’ (Isaiah 43:6).