Divided tongues of fire appeared and settled upon each of them, enabling them to speak in various languages as the Spirit enabled them to do so (Acts 2:1-4). Thus, when the Spirit of God manifests among you believers from on high, it is proclaimed that the barren land will become like Hermel. Hermel or Carmel, a prominent mountain in Judea, is lush with forests. This mountain symbolizes Jerusalem and its surrounding areas, filled with countless inhabitants. However, it is foretold that a desolate land will be termed oak wood—a wild forest suited only for burning, where wild trees are cut down to feed the flames. Once Hermel is cleared and the wild forest is established, judgment will rest upon the wilderness. The prophet Isaiah mentions the land of the Gentiles elsewhere, stating, "Rejoice, thirsty wilderness; let the wilderness be glad and let it blossom like a rose" (Isaiah 35:1). He compares it to a desert, highlighting its barrenness and utter lack of vegetation. Nevertheless, it becomes spiritually enriched and flourishing with beautiful trees due to Christ’s presence within it. Similarly, Isaiah proclaims, "I will create rivers in the wilderness and fountains in the waterless land; I will plant cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive trees" (Isaiah 41:18-19). This imagery signifies the souls that have honored their faith in Him and have ascended to the heights of various virtues. Judgment shall rest in the wasteland, and righteousness will dwell in Carmel, indicating that goodness shall inhabit both the wilderness and Carmel. Hermel and Carmel refer to the same mountain under different names. How can it then be both desolate and filled with oak trees, while truth also inhabits it? We maintain that Israel has not completely severed its relationship with God; rather, a remnant remains—those who have faith among them are united with those who believe from the Gentiles, and it is among these believers that Christ, the embodiment of truth and judgment, resides. We are justified in Him, as sin has been eradicated through righteous judgment, leaving Satan powerless. What Christ, the embodiment of truth, achieved in the wilderness is made clear: there will be works of righteousness and peace. When our Lord Jesus Christ came, Paul notes, He preached peace to those who were far off and peace to those nearby (Eph. 2:17), referring to both the Gentiles and the Jews. The truth has bestowed rest upon us, as we have been reconciled to God and have dismantled enmity, finding ourselves in a city of eternal rest and joy. We have placed our trust in Him for eternity and dwell within the city of peace, which is the church of the living God, where Christ, the source of peace, resides. We now enjoy abundance, having previously lacked goodness and virtue, surrounded by ungodliness and despair (Eph. 2:12). Through Christ, we have become enriched and shall continue to thrive, having received an overwhelming supply of gifts from above.
THEOSIS