Isaiah 31:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Some interpret these references as pertaining to the heavenly Jerusalem, and I readily concur; in this earthly life, one may occasionally avoid punishment and plagues, but can one really believe that they will escape judgment in the afterlife? Even though they are children and offspring of God, each individual must reveal their own virtues. They may be called children, yet if they do not exhibit honorable conduct, that title will hold no meaning for them, just as fathers are recognized not merely because of their begetting but because they impart the principles of justice to their children. According to Paul, merely giving birth appears to offer no advantage, for he writes, "Yet she will be saved through childbearing, if she continues in faith and love, and holiness with self-control" (1 Tim. 2:15).

Truly blessed, as the Savior Himself affirms, stating to those who believe in Him, ‘Amen, amen I say unto you: many prophets and righteous individuals longed to see what you see and did not see it; to hear what you hear and did not hear it. But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear’ (Matthew 13:17, 16). Hence, those who share a spiritual kinship with our Lord Jesus Christ, who bear fruit in the spiritual Zion and have connections in Jerusalem (which is essentially Zion) are blessed and receive all blessings. We too possess spiritual kinship, which includes the holy guardians of mystery.

If you do this—casting down the idols of gold and silver that led you into sin, which resulted in the downfall of your city—then Assyria will fall, by the very fear of that which you now dread, not by human sword or military might, but by the might of God Himself. For He comprehends the Angel through whom one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrian warriors were slain in a single night. The King of Assyria will flee, not pursued by human weapons but from the divine wrath, causing his young men and valiant soldiers to become captives among the Medians, of whom it is said against Babylon, "Behold, I will raise the Medes against you." The strength of the Assyrians will vanish, stripped away by the fear of the Lord, and all their nobles will be terrified. The Lord has declared and promised this; His word acts, and He has a fire in Zion and a furnace in Jerusalem, ensuring that His adversaries will be consumed as stubble and timber by the flames emanating from Jerusalem.

Some interpret the phrase “On that day, a man shall cast away his silver idols” as a testimony that after returning from Babylonian captivity, the Israelites did not worship idols until the advent of Christ. This passage also suggests that the Assyrians will not be defeated by an angelic force but rather by the Medians, whose once mighty kingdom, after incurring God’s offense, will face annihilation and subjugation by victors. The Nazarenes view this passage as follows: O children of Israel, who have rejected the Son of God due to evil intent! Return to Him and to His apostles. If you do so, you will cast away all the idols that led you into transgression, and the devil will fall from you, not by your strength, but by the grace of God. His warriors, who once served him, will be surrendered to the Church, and all his power and firmament will cease; likewise, the philosophers and any corrupt doctrines will disperse. For the Lord has decreed it shall be so—a consuming fire or a radiant light in Zion and a furnace in Jerusalem. In Hebrew, both 'fire' and 'light' are spelled with the same letters—aleph, vav, and resh; when read as 'ur,' it means fire, while 'or' signifies light. This is noted because Simmachus translated it as fire, while Aquila and Theodotion rendered it as light. Regarding why the Seventy translate 'the rock shall be surrounded as a trench, and they shall be vanquished, and whoever escapes shall be captured,' this I cannot ascertain. It may only be suggested that the young men of the Assyrian king, destined for defeat and capture, will be surrounded by the rock, that is, by the power of the Lord, as a city encircled by a moat.

In explaining the subsequent promise, "Blessed is he who has seed in Zion and family members in Jerusalem," we may interpret that the divine message encourages those fleeing to Egypt to return to Jerusalem and raise children. Such individuals are promised the blessing of protection and help from the Lord. In another passage, it is stated, "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former" (Haggai 2). This can be referenced in relation to the Church—the vision of the world and its watchtower, of which it is said, "Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God" (Psalm 87:3). It is also said that "the river brings joy to the city of God" (Psalm 46:4). Thus, the Lord is a consuming fire, a furnace that devours sinners while purifying the righteous, signifying both the reward of the faithful and the judgment of the unrighteous.

But how can we forge a bond with heavenly citizens whom we may not know? We can indeed establish a relationship not only with the inhabitants of heaven but also with their King. In the Gospel, we discover His long-anticipated message regarding this divine kinship: ‘My mother and my brethren these are they which hear the word of God, and do it’ (Luke 8:21). Therefore, let us be diligent, dear brethren, to listen to the word of God, particularly that which is proclaimed within the Church, and be active and steadfast in following Christ's commandments. In doing so, we will enter into the kinship of heaven, we will ‘have a tribe in’ the elevated ‘Zion, and ye men in’ the eternal ‘Jerusalem.’ While we are still on earth, as the Apostle states, we will be ‘dwelling with the saints, and belonging to God’ (Eph. 2:19), and ultimately, we will be welcomed into the everlasting shelter of heaven, joining the fellowship of joy, and beholding the glory of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Prophet expresses, ‘Blessed is he who has kinsmen in Jerusalem’ (Isaiah 31:9), especially in the heavenly Jerusalem, for the earthly one is, regrettably, merely a shadow of true blessing.