Isaiah 24:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe how those who possess faith urgently caution those who break the law, amplifying their dread of impending judgment and instilling terror by warning them of what is to come: for it is said, fear, and destruction, and a snare—every kind of disaster is upon you, and from calamity, there will be no escape. Yet if anyone manages to evade one disaster, they will surely fall into another and will be subjected to the calamities that arise. This is precisely what the Jews endured following their crucifixion of Christ, when their land was ravaged and their cities lay in ruins. However, detailing this would require much time, especially for the learned among the church."

Thus, those referred to earlier, who shall raise their voices and offer praise, when they cry out from the sea and commend the Lord in teaching, shall witness that the name of the Lord God of Israel is glorified in the distant shores; they will then sing in response, stating, We have heard that His praises are lifted from the wings of the earth, referring to the prophets and the Saints of the Lord, who, having taken on the wings of a dove, aspire to the kingdom of heaven, assuring that the glory or hope of the Righteous is not in vain, but that all things come to fruition in reality. Therefore, while the saints express these sentiments and call out from the sea, raising their voices in praise, the prophet reflects, When I heard this and recognized that the prophets’ foretelling concerning the world's destruction would come to pass, I experienced an inner turmoil: I cannot articulate all that I observe; my tongue cleaves to my throat; my words are restrained by sorrow. Woe is me! A vision of disasters unfolds before my eyes! I see that which is to occur in the days to come. It is erroneous for those, who overlook the connections of thought, to interpret this in relation to God. Terror and pit and snare be upon you, O dwellers of the earth! I marvel that instead of psalms and praises, which in Hebrew reads zemroth, the Septuagint rendered as miracles, except that the true sign and wonder is this: after the expulsion of the people of Judah, the multitude of Gentiles who had once disbelieved would be redeemed. This is the reason behind my lamentation, which compelled me to repeat, My burden is upon me, my burden is upon me: it is this, that they have transgressed the law of God, and consequently, the Lord’s judgment is not postponed, nor is it prophesied for some distant future, but is imminent, already encompassing the inhabitants of the earth. When they believe they have evaded this punishment, they will plummet from one misfortune into another, and in every direction they turn, they will find no escape from the righteous wrath of the Lord.