Isaiah 18:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This metaphorical speech conveys what the Sovereign Lord has done, possibly referring to either the Assyrians or the Egyptians, as the text does not decisively indicate which group is more applicable. If one associates this with the Assyrian forces that laid siege to the holy city, then the large vine symbolizes the ruler who survived amidst those who were vanquished, while the remainder of the army perished, likened to small grapes, with the might of the Lord's sword as the instrument of their demise. Indeed, they were struck down by an angel, and their remains became nourishment for the wild animals and the birds.

Conversely, if one considers this regarding the Egyptians, it could imply that the Assyrians did not utterly destroy the land of Egypt but instead focused their might on smaller targets, sparing the greater portion of the land. Their fury was met by the restrained justice of the compassionate God, who punishes wrongdoers but often tempers His wrath, ensuring that those under discipline do not face total annihilation.

At that time, a tribute will be offered to the Lord of Hosts by a people who have been crushed and decimated, a formidable nation like no other before it, a people who are weary, yearning, and defeated, whose rivers have torn through their land, bringing them to the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, to Mount Zion.

God rests and observes from His heavenly abode, or according to Aquila, from the firmament, which is interpreted as the Church; as the Apostle Paul affirms, it is the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Tim. 3:15). He gazes upon what unfolds within His Church; and just as the brilliance of the noon sun is unmistakable, He sheds His light upon all things, as symbolized in Psalm 18 regarding the Sun of righteousness: and none can hide from its warmth (Ps. 18:7). The graciousness of the dew, soothing during the harrowing summer and harvest, represents how the Lord, under whose care everything flourishes, provides comfort to those who dwell in His sacred fellowship. As we await the fulfillment of the ages, since we currently see only in part and prophesy in part (1 Cor. 13:8), there will be many who attain perfection, as the Apostle remarks, "If any be perfect, let them be thus minded" (Phil. 3:15). However, the unfruitful branches will be pruned away, echoing the Savior’s words in the Gospel: I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit will be removed; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, so it may bear even more fruit (John 15:1-2). What is severed will be left for the birds of the mountains and the beasts of the earth—those birds that consume the seed cast by the wayside, and the beasts which ensnare the soul that forsakes God—thus, whoever is cut off and cast away by the Lord, separated from His body, namely the Church, will fulfill the fate of becoming a refuge for birds and beasts in the seasons of both joy and sorrow.

Just as the unfruitful within the Church are trimmed away, to prevent even a small leaven from leavening the whole batch, conversely, those who are led astray by heretical deception, having been dismantled by the Lord and shaken by blasphemy, in vain hope of trickery, trampled by demons, and scattered by rivers, will, upon remembering their God and forsaking their misleading teachers, bring a tribute to the Lord of Hosts—not just anywhere, but at Mount Zion, symbolic of the Church. We mention this briefly, for much has already been elaborated in earlier writings.

As previously mentioned, before the harvest season, everything is in bloom and yet unripe, its branches will face the blades of the knife, and the remnants shall be pruned. The mountains’ birds and the earth’s beasts will gather together, with the birds alighting on it throughout summer and the beasts finding refuge during the winter. By referencing the noon brightness, and noting the dew softness during summer and harvest seasons, the imagery drawn from agriculture illustrates the pride of Egypt, the desolation of its people, and the cadavers strewn across the region—a feast for the birds. For just as crops that emerge prematurely quickly perish, and as those plants sprouting out of season are rendered futile, so too, the Lord proclaims, shall the nations of Egypt be akin to useless branches, cleaved with blades, stripped bare. He clarifies that he refers not merely to vineyards but to people, declaring that they will be left for the fowls and the beasts. Indeed, birds and beasts consume not the pruned tree branches, but the lifeless bodies. We can delve into this further in the prophecies of Ezekiel, where the Lord speaks against Pharaoh and Egypt, painting a vivid picture (Ezek. 29). The phrases about the birds residing throughout summer and the beasts dwelling in winter convey either the sheer multitude of the slain or metaphorically depict the widespread devastation by all nations.

At that moment, a gift shall be presented to the Lord of Hosts from a ravaged and broken people, a dreadful nation unlike any other, from those who are yearning and defeated, with rivers delineating their land, headed to the place of the Lord of Hosts’ name, Mount Zion. Following the desolation of Egypt and the demise of its might, Israel will not turn to the illusions of their own vanity but shall instead seek the Lord, offering their gifts at Mount Zion, the temple of God, appealing solely to Him whose assistance is true and everlasting. We see this fulfillment reflected in the era of Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The Septuagint renders what we interpret as waiting, waiting, waiting, while the Hebrew text expresses hoping, hoping; Eusebius interprets it to indicate the Gentiles who possess neither hope, nor the covenant of God, nor the prophets will offer their gifts to the Church, which stands tall, and present spiritual sacrifices.