Isaiah 28:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

After issuing warnings and foretelling an overwhelming storm or calamity that looms over them, He offers words of comfort to prevent them from succumbing to despair, similar to the most skilled physicians who treat ailments with potent remedies, halting the progression of the illness, or using gentler methods to alleviate pain.

Thus, after proclaiming warnings, He extends encouragement and calls attention to the preaching of the Gospel, stating, "Learn to hear the consolation of the afflicted." He reminds us that we are unable to reason, referencing a time of turmoil in Gibeon. The meaning of these expressions and the very connection of the speech can become perplexing. It is essential to discuss historical events, as only in this manner can the diligent begin to grasp what is being conveyed.

When Joshua was waging war and leading the Israelites and was mercilessly striking down the Gentile nations, many of these regions were destroyed. The inhabitants of Gibeon, fearing a similar fate, approached him (Jesus) under false pretenses and initially hid their identity, ultimately being received by him. However, once their true origins were revealed, they were relegated to being woodcutters and water carriers for the Israelites. Upon learning of this, five kings of the Gentiles united to wage war against Gibeon, blaming it for aligning with the Israelites. When the Gibeonites were in dire peril and found themselves unable to withstand the attack, they sought assistance from Jesus. In turn, He aided those who had once submitted to Him, confronting the foreign leaders.

Now, the account of what transpired at that time is recorded in Holy Scripture. Jesus descended upon them unexpectedly: all night he journeyed from Gilgal, and the Lord struck terror into the hearts of the children of Israel; He inflicted a great defeat upon them at Gibeon, pursuing them by the ascent of Beth-horon and striking them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. When they fled from the Israelites toward the ascent of Beth-horon, the Lord sent down great hailstones from heaven upon them as far as Azekah, and many more perished from the hail than were killed by the sword of the Israelites in battle (Num. 10:9-11).

From the experiences of the ancients, God provides a pattern of future help for the Israelites, who can be saved if they heed the words of our Savior. For you, burdened by many sorrows as if crushed by the threats and fears of impending calamities, learn to listen, and call upon Jesus for aid, saying as the inhabitants of Gibeon likely did: "We cannot fight, and we are fatigued, yet we must unite to withstand the approaching enemies." And what shall this entail, they wonder? Know that if the onslaught of wicked ones comes like a mountain, the same fate will befall them as in the valley of Gibeon. For against those who rise against you, the Lord will act with a fierce wrath, executing His judgments. Who will do this? Clearly, it will be the powerful God. Yet His fury will be manifest in extraordinary ways, and His destruction will be unlike anything witnessed. Heaven will wage war against your oppressors, showering them with the severity of His judgment, akin to hail. The Psalmist expresses something similar: "If only My people would listen to Me. If Israel would walk in My ways, I would quickly humble their enemies and lay My hand upon those who afflict them" (Psalms 80:14, 15).

Since the rulers of mockery refused to acknowledge this cornerstone, akin to what occurred in the past against the foreign nations during David’s reign, on the mountain of divisions—known in Hebrew as pharasim (פרצים)—the Lord divided His adversaries, which is how the location earned its name. Similarly, in the valley of Gibeon, under Jesus’ leadership, when He, assured of the presence of God among Him, commanded: "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon" (Joshua 10:12), the sun halted for a day, leading many adversaries to fall; thus, the Lord will show His fury against the wicked and the mockers to fulfill His purpose. However, to annihilate those created by the Lord is not His intention, as it is contrary to His nature, leaning more towards cruelty than compassion. Likewise, He reiterates His point: executing His purpose is not to punish sinners, but rather to punish the Savior, which is a task far removed from Him. Hence, as the Lord will rise from His patience and will not hold back, as He did not on Mount Perazim and in the valley of Gibeon, I urge you, scoffers, do not deride My prophets, and do not believe that their prophecies will not come to pass. Otherwise, if you persist in your mockery, the chains of your transgressions may tighten around you (for every individual is bound by their sins; Proverbs 5:22), or the time of your judgment may already be at hand. The matters that the Lord has postponed—the burdens, captivity, and punishments, or the final Day of Judgment—He will execute swiftly and decisively. Therefore, as a prophet, I announce these truths to you, having received them from the Lord God Almighty, fulfilled across the world, to encourage you to prepare for the impending wrath through repentance. According to the LXX, it is stated that the Lord shall rise as a formidable mountain against the wicked, and will be present in the valley of Gibeon, to perform His deeds, which are all one work of bitterness and should not appear blasphemous. He does not imply that the Lord will be a mountain of evil but resembles a mountain that seems most daunting to the wicked and those in torment, much like a wayward child or an ill patient perceives their father or healer as harsh when they administer treatments for their well-being. The Lord will manifest in the valley of Gibeon to assist those who are lowly due to their sins yet are lifted up in pride; Gibeon translates to hill, and He undertakes His works, which may feel bitter when He is compelled to withdraw His grace, turning sweetness into bitterness. Therefore, you who have previously confronted this, do not now rejoice with the same joy as the rich man at his banquet, adorned in luxury while disregarding the poor Lazarus—do not take delight lest your bonds become more severe. For what the Lord will enact and the purpose He intends to fulfill through His actions, I have heard and proclaimed to you all. The phrase "over all the earth" can be understood historically within the confines of Judea, and allegorically as pertaining to the entire world.

Thus, to accomplish His work—one that is not inherently His—God chose to become incarnate, raising us to His righteous state, taking upon Himself the fate of a sinful man, worthy of stripes. He undertook the burdens of others as though they were His own, and by His act of willingly diminishing our sufferings, we, His creation, are lifted to the grandeur of His power, where He dwells and reigns with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for all eternity. Amen.

- However, His anger will be manifested in an unexpected manner, and His destruction will be uniquely severe. Just as Joshua and David struck down foreign enemies in the valley of Gabaon, the Lord’s fury will be directed against the wicked among His own. In His wrath, He will engage with them in a manner that is harsh, as hostile forces treat the inhabitants of a territory they have conquered - and He will bring about their destruction in a manner that is cruel, akin to the merciless annihilation of the defeated. While some interpret the terms strange and strange as signifying extraordinary, the underlying message remains consistent: the Lord’s fury will be overwhelming.