Isaiah 34:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He attempts once more to elucidate what transpires in the wilderness. As long as the towns are bustling, none of the wild trees can thrive within them, and the creatures that favor the barren lands are also absent. Once these areas become empty and stripped of their inhabitants, they resemble a landscape overgrown with thorns, uncultivated, a sanctuary for ostriches and particularly for syrins. Sirins, or owls, are referred to as birds that emit sorrowful cries at night, akin to weeping, while during daylight they remain still and find refuge in desolate regions; they are more active under the cover of darkness, similar to the owl and related species.

The unicorns, which symbolize the Idumeans, will perish alongside them. The land will soak up their blood. The streams will transform into tar, and the earth itself will become like pitch. The birds will claim this land as their own, and owls and ravens will make their homes there. Malevolent spirits will descend, and the night terrors will find their places of rest. The prophecies spoken by the seer indicate that all the plagues will indeed manifest in Idumea following the foretold devastation; in the absence of human inhabitants, only birds, hedgehogs, and vultures will dwell within the ruins of Idumea.

Through sin, the soul is displaced from its rightful position and becomes entangled in the thorns of sinful pleasures, transforming into a habitat for fearsome creatures. This aligns with the prophecy: ‘There the onocentaurs will rest, there the hedgehog will nest, and the demons will meet the onocentaurs’ (Is. 34:14, 15), symbolizing the various passions of iniquity. When the soul seeks to return to its rightful state—which is possible while still in the flesh—it can regain control through diligent effort and adherence to God's commandments. In this process, the fierce beasts that once dwelled within it will flee, and the angels who guard our lives will come, marking the day of its transformation as one of joy and gladness. Subsequently, the grace of the Holy Spirit will embrace her, imparting wisdom not just for maintaining goodness but also for flourishing in righteousness.