Jeremiah clearly identifies Babylon as such a wilderness, stating by God’s word, “And I will make its sea a wilderness, and will dry up its land, and Babylon shall be a heap of sands.” It is described as a sea due to the vastness of its population, akin to when the multitude of Egypt was compared to a sea: “God will make the sea of Egypt a wilderness.” The account of the Medes and Persians confronting Babylon and laying it waste is captured in the same Jeremiah, where it is written: “Sharpen your arrows, fill your quivers. The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of Midian, and against Babylon his purpose is to destroy it; for this is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for his temple.” Moreover, it continues: “Raise a banner over the walls of Babylon, strengthen the guards, set the watchmen on high, prepare, for the Lord has thought and acted upon all that he has spoken against the inhabitants of Babylon.” Furthermore, it says: “Raise a banner on the earth, blow a trumpet among the nations, consecrate the nations for this, proclaim against it to the kings of Ararat, Minya, and Askenes, number Tapsar against it, set the horses as a needle-caterpillar. Sanctify against him the nations, the kings of Midia, her princes, and all her authorities, and the whole land under her dominion. And the earth shall be shaken and confounded, for the design of the Lord was watching against Babylon, to make the land desolate and uninhabited.” As whirlwinds come from the southwest, so comes this devastation from the desolate land of dread. A vision of terrifying events has been revealed to me. The sounds of fear from the people of Babylon are echoed as they hear of the approaching armies from Midian and Elam advancing from the wilderness. Just as a powerful storm is heralded by a southwestern wind, so has this calamity emerged from the desert, from a place whose name elicits fear. What could be more horrifying than impending captivity? The treacherous are unfaithful, and the desolator brings ruin. In the Hebrew, it may be understood as: you who slay, slay; and you who devastate, devastate; signifying that these words of the prophecy are directed toward the Elamite and Midianite, urging them to complete their task, to boldly advance and besiege the mightiest city. However, if read as we have translated it, as speaking in the third person, it suggests that whoever is unfaithful acts treacherously, and whoever devastates brings desolation, must connect with the preceding words, where Babylon expresses its terror at a fearful vision. “Go up, Elam, besiege, O Midian; I have put an end to its lamentations.” Fear not, says the Persian and Midian, the multitude of Babylon, nor dread its previous might: I have silenced all its groaning and its yoke of oppression over you—whether meaning that none will lament under Babylon's reign or that Babylon itself will suffer so much misfortune that it will be rendered incapable of groaning.
From this, my insides were filled with sorrow, anguish gripped me like that of childbirth; I fell upon hearing, troubled by sight. My heart was overwhelmed, a dreadful darkness surrounded me. Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me. The prophets appear opaque due to their shifting expressions. Thus, the words of Isaiah are introduced, mourning for Babylon through the spirit of prophecy, for such tremendous calamities are set to befall it that the narrator, struck with dread, finds himself unable to articulate; witnessing the bloodshed of innumerable souls, and driven by compassion (for being human, he empathizes with humans), he grieves no less than a woman in labor, trembling and confused, collapsing in despair, rendered speechless by horrid visions. While translated as "Babylon, my beloved," the Hebrew uses neseph esci—words associated with darkness, echoing the initial burden "On the mountain of darkness," as neseph signifies dark or gloomy. This city is aptly dubbed so due to its hubris and extreme pride, which reached to the heavens.
“Prepare the feast, spread out the table—eat, drink. Arise, you nobles, coat your shields!” Isaiah clearly conveys that Babylon was overtaken during a banquet, urging them to be prepared for battle: “Babylon, my beloved, has indeed become a marvel to me. Set the table, peer from the watchtower at those feasting; arise, princes, take the shields.” This may be interpreted in two ways: you, Midianites and Elamites, as previously instructed to go up and besiege, prepare your meals, so you may not grow weary when the moment for battle arrives; having dined and drunk, arise, take arms, conquer Babylon. The statement to “look from the spy tower” signifies to be vigilant regarding forthcoming events. Alternatively, it may also suggest: Babylon, ready the meal and feast for Belshazzar, son of Elmerodach, grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, and anticipate the events coming after this banquet, where he will pour wine from the sacred vessels to prostitutes and concubines. The nobles reclining with the king (here referring to the Midians and Persians) are commanded to arise and prepare for battle against the king. This is further detailed in the book of Daniel.
The oracle regarding the wilderness by the sea. As whirlwinds come from the southwest, devastation emerges from the desert, from the land of fear. A formidable vision has been revealed to me: the unfaithful act treacherously, and the destroyer brings desolation. Rise, Elam, and lay siege, O Midian; I have silenced all its cryings. Consequently, my insides were filled with sorrow; anguish gripped me, much like the anguish of childbirth. The vision speaks of the wilderness by the sea. As a tempest sweeps through the wilderness, emerging from the desert and the land of dread, an alarming vision was disclosed to me: the apostate is forsaking faith, and the wicked one becomes more lawless. The Elamites and the ambassadors of the Persians are advancing against me: now I will be humbled and yet comforted; hence, my insides were filled with weariness, anguish consumed me like one in labor. In interpreting historical facets, we briefly presented them; let us now delve into the higher allegorical interpretation. The vision or burden sees against the sea of this age, and the prophet observes the myriad temptations that flood this world. The designation of the sea as the world is exemplified by one testimony from the Psalms: “They that go down into the sea in ships, those who carry out trade in the mighty waters, these have seen the work of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.” For they who serve God in this world and proclaim with the prophet, “I have come into the depths of the sea,” witness His wonders firsthand, and freed from temptations and sufferings, they declare to have encountered a fearsome, foreboding vision. Yet, this storm arises from the very wilderness where the Lord endured temptation and where Israel felt the bites of serpents and the stings of scorpions. When it comes, it eventually passes; thus, those who endure will come to understand that only the apostate forsakes faith and the wicked act without law. Therefore, if we are troubled by the ocean's waves and struck by fierce storms, it is due to our shortcomings, for prior to such storms, we were unfaithful and lawless. The phrase “the Elamites and the ambassadors of the Persians come against me” conveys that Elamites signifies contempt, and Persians signifies temptation. Let them come with their disdain and provocation; however, I shall groan, and my groaning will be my solace. But my insides will also be filled with sorrow, and pains shall encompass me like the pangs of childbirth, that I may conceive and give birth through the fear of God, bringing forth His salvation to the earth. According to the Hebrew text, indeed, whirlwinds and storms arise from the wilderness and from that dread land where God does not dwell, where all is earthly, where every unbeliever acts according to their disbelief, and every destroyer brings desolation. Therefore, boldly, he speaks against his adversaries: “Come up, Elam; besiege, Midian: I have silenced all the groaning of the coastal wilderness, of that fearful land, and of that grievous vision that has been proclaimed.” For my insides, in repentance, were not full of pleasure as before, but with sorrow, lest I again declare, “My loins are filled with reproach.” I was seized by anguish and pain, a common affliction during labor. The Vulgate and the Hebrew texts significantly diverge at this point; therefore, we have briefly presented both to avoid giving cause, even slightly, for accusation. I fell upon hearing, troubled by what I saw; my heart was weary, a terrible darkness enveloped me; my beloved Babylon became a wonder to me. “Set the table, look from the watchtower at those who feast; arise, ye princes, take the shield.” The LXX states: “I have acted wickedly, lest I hear rushed; lest I see, my heart wanders; iniquity has covered me; my soul is in fear.” Prepare the table, watch from the tower; eat, drink; arise, princes, prepare your shields. The prophet notes that upon hearing the vision, which he observed as emanating from the wilderness by the sea, he fell down, overwhelmed, and with a clouded mind, did not know what he beheld. For that Babylon (which Aquila and Theodotion translated as darkness, symbolizing this world steeped in evil, whose rulers serve, as the Apostle Paul describes, as rulers of this darkness) which was once favored in the eyes of the prophet, has now become astonishing in its ruin. Hence, the prophet is commanded that after partaking in the Lord's meal and being filled with His sustenance, he should be vigilant regarding what is soon to befall the world; and through him, the same is counseled to all believers, that when they partake in the Body and Blood of the Lord, they may be transformed into princes of the church and heed the call of the apostles: “Arise,” and they should retrieve the shield of faith from the Apostle Paul's armory, so they may quench the fiery darts of the enemy. This aligns with the Hebrew text and the interpretation that concerns the world. We will now address the LXX version, which varies in many ways from those previously presented. The prophet reproaches himself, or rather reveals the faults of others, who, clinging to the written letter, disregard the life-giving spirit. He confesses his wrongdoing in failing to discern the law spiritually, striving rather to overlook the divine mysteries, neglecting to declare with David, “Open my eyes, and I will behold wondrous things in Your law.” Thus, his heart strays, and being ensnared by Jewish superstition, he lacks the love of God, remaining in fear, under the spirit of bondage, rather than the spirit of adoption, by which we call out, “Abba, Father.” Therefore, he is commanded to begin eating and drinking of that spiritual sustenance, encouraging all who follow his example to forsake past errors and, moving beyond the confines of the letter, rise up, become princes, and declare with the prophet: “Lord, as with a weapon of grace you have crowned us.”
THEOSIS