Isaiah 34:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The believing individuals of Israel became the children of Judah, who found their confirmation in our Lord Jesus Christ, acting as an indestructible refuge for them. From this saved lineage emerged the divine disciples, metaphorically referred to as the Eleni. They are compared to deer for good reason; this creature vanquishes serpents and often chooses to linger near water sources. Similarly, those who inherit godliness are ready to vanquish the inner serpent by subverting its pride and nullifying the poisonous nature of its inherent evil. They also delight in the mental springs of water, representing the bestowal of spiritual gifts that nourish the mind and render it fruitful for God. Thus, among the saved, the Eleni gathered in fellowship. They marveled at each other, as indicated by the phrase, “They saw one another's faces.” No one among them faced peril, which is confirmed by the assertion, “They came in numbers, and none perished, nor sought one another.” Who is the One who redeemed them? The Lord commanded them, and His Spirit gathered me, instructing me to teach all nations and to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). He also apportions the lots and divides His hand to graze for eternity; among the holy Apostles, the nations were allocated as if they were distinct inheritances, each designated to proclaim the Gospel. Thus, the Divine Peter was appointed to the circumcision, while the Holy Spirit revealed to Paul and Barnabas, saying, “Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 18:2); they became Apostles to the Gentiles. Consequently, His hand divided their lot to shepherd them into eternity. The mention of the deer signifies the nurturing aspect; for the Apostles tended to those regions, delighting in those called by faith to the truth—a privilege bestowed upon them. Likewise, the Divine Paul rejoiced for those who were saved through his ministry (by faith in Christ), exclaiming, “My joys and crowns are mine” (Philippians 4:1). He emphasizes that their endless praise to God will endure, stating, “They rest in Him.” In what do they rest? Clearly, in the inheritance bestowed upon them by God. We must also acknowledge blessed David, who sings of them: “The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness and strips the forests bare” (Psalm 28:9). As if oak trees were opened up by God for the spiritual Eleni, the vast multitude of Gentiles, who enjoy the genuine conduct of believers in quietude.

Its feet are recognized, illustrating the paths that led to its corruption, but when defenses are abruptly retracted, the impure mind withdraws into itself to obscure all signs of wrongdoing. The head hides, asserting through its clever defenses that it has initiated no evil. It is as if the ball remains in the grip of the one holding it, for they who grasp hold of a sinner, concealing guilt in their consciousness, find they have lost all previous understanding. Thus, those who have witnessed evil in its entirety, impacted by deceitful justifications, fail to comprehend the full truth. Therefore, the dwelling place of the hedgehog becomes a refuge for wicked individuals, as the duplicity of the deceitful mind, focused inward, conceals itself in the shadows of its defenses.