All my innards will become akin to the wall of burned clay, akin to Theodotion’s translation of “the wall destroyed.” For the defenses in which the adversaries once placed their trust will be shattered and will collapse. Yet within the prophet, as David declared in the Psalm, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 102:1), there lies a deeper truth. Just as a lute produces neither a rich nor harmonious sound if even one string is broken, so too the spiritual womb of the prophet cannot yield a delightful melody and lament to the brick wall if any single virtue is absent. Philosophers contend that virtues are interconnected, and according to the Apostle James, he who falls short in one virtue lacks them all. When Moab comprehends the futility of former beliefs he once esteemed highly, he will approach his sanctuaries—not those genuinely holy, but those he mistakenly thought were sacred—and he will find no sanctuary. Or perhaps, having abandoned his false beliefs, he will attempt to enter the sacred spaces of the Church to claim them, seeking prayer but finding no access. For perfect virtue cannot be obtained all at once as we wish. Regarding the phrase, “This is the word which the Lord has spoken since that time to Moab,” we should recognize this as an epilogue that reiterates the introduction where it was stated, “A word against Moab or a burden,” thus concluding with what began there. Understanding “from that time” indicates the outset of God’s discourse, hence all that was uttered is one divine declaration, that is, a unified proclamation. Additionally, according to the LXX, which translated the innermost parts of the prophet as a wall, these are continually renewed by God, and that Moab will face humiliation and come to the altars, to that which is crafted by man’s hand; this implies that the prophet's innermost being is eternally rejuvenated and fortified by God, leading adversaries to realize that human endeavors are futile and do not contribute to salvation.
From this, my womb will lament for Moab like a harp, and my innards will echo like a wall of burnt clay. To prevent anyone from erroneously believing the prophet's sorrow symbolizes the delight in witnessing the captivity of Israel's foes, it must be stated that he mourns sincerely and profoundly over the ruin of the once-powerful city.
And it will transpire that although Moab may strive exhaustively upon his heights and enter his places of worship to pray, he will find no deliverance. It is a grave misfortune to discover no assistance from those he has long revered. Having lost your strength due to the slaying of your warriors, you will turn to idols and seek solace in shrines, yet you will receive no aid from those destined to face similar ruin.
From what point do you suppose this judgment originated? Certainly from the moment Moab was brought into being and the Lord declared: “The Moabites and Ammonites shall not enter the assembly of God” (Deuteronomy 23:3). We must understand "from that time" in the context of ancient decrees, indicating that this divine judgment was established long ago—not suggesting that God's foreknowledge caused the devastation, but that such destruction was foreseen by the glory of God.
THEOSIS