If you do this, casting down those idols of gold and silver that have led you to sin, by which your city was overtaken, then Assyria will fall—a cause of fear for you—not by human sword or military strength, but by the might of God. He understands the angel through whom one hundred eighty-five thousand Assyrians were annihilated in a single night. The king of Assyria himself will flee not from the sword of man but from the wrath of God, causing his young men and warriors to become captives among the Medes, of whom it was said against Babylon, Behold, I will stir up the Medes against you. The might of the Assyrians will fade and vanish due to the fear of the Lord, and all their leaders will be terrified. For the Lord has declared it and promised it, whose word is as effective as action, who has a fire in Zion and a furnace in Jerusalem, that His foes will be consumed like straw and wood by the flames that come forth from Jerusalem. Some interpret the words, “On that day a man shall cast away his silver idols,” to mean that after the return from Babylonian exile, until the coming of Christ, the children of Israel did not worship idols. This passage also indicates that the Assyrians will not be defeated by an angel, but by the Medes, whose ancient and formidable kingdom will be eradicated and subjugated by the victors after incurring God’s wrath.
The followers of Christ interpret this as an address: O children of Israel, who have forsaken the Son of God due to malevolent intent! Turn to Him and His apostles. Doing so will lead you to cast away all the idols that once served you for sin, and the adversary will be vanquished not by your power, but by the grace of God. His warriors, who once served him, will be delivered over to the Church, and all his power will vanish; similarly, philosophers and every false teaching shall disperse. For the Lord has decreed that it shall be—a light or fire in Zion, and a furnace in Jerusalem. In Hebrew, both fire and light are represented by the same letters—aleph, vav, and resh; read ur, it signifies fire, and if or, it means light. This distinction arises because, whereas Simmachus alone rendered it as fire, Aquila and Theodotion translated it as light. The reason the Seventy read: the rock shall be encompassed like a trench, and they shall be defeated, and whoever escapes shall be captured, is beyond my comprehension. We can only surmise that the young men of the Assyrian king, destined to be defeated and captured, will be surrounded by the rock—namely, by the power of the Lord, similar to how a city is encircled by a trench.
In regard to the subsequent saying: blessed is he who has offspring in Zion and kin in Jerusalem, it can be understood that this divine message encourages those fleeing to Egypt to return to Jerusalem and bear children. Such individuals are promised great joy, ensuring they are protected and safeguarded by the Lord’s aid. Additionally, it is written: "The glory of this last house shall be greater than that of the first" (Haggai 2). This can refer to the Church— the vision of the world and the watchtower, about which it is stated: "Glorious things have been spoken of you, O city of God" (Psalm 87:3). Furthermore, it is remarked that the river seeks to delight the city of God (Psalm 46:4). For the furnace is a fire and a crucible, consuming the unrighteous and destroying wood, hay, and stubble, or it can represent light and a furnace, symbolizing the glory of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked.
THEOSIS