THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Come, you nations, and listen, you leaders: let the earth and all its inhabitants, the cosmos and the people dwelling within it, take heed. For the anger of the Lord is directed toward every tongue, and His wrath is upon their multitude, destined for destruction and surrender to slaughter. Their plagues shall be overturned, and the dead shall decay, their foulness rising, with the mountains soaking in their blood; all celestial powers will cease, the heavens will roll up like a scroll, and the stars will fall like the leaves of a vine and like the foliage of a fig tree. My sword shall bring death in the heavens.
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Having clearly articulated that the Jewish synagogue would face ruin and be handed over to those who prey upon it for captivity and plundering, he also links this to the calling of the Gentiles; for many who are crippled, he asserts, will be taken captive. He now declares the essential message to those who once held a temple-centered mindset but have learned to walk in righteousness through faith in Christ. Thus, he speaks of the impending judgment that will befall all, both small and great. He addresses the Gentiles, as if they were distant: ‘Come, you nations, and listen, you leaders.’ However, he means to say: come closer. As long as they remain in error and worship created things instead of the Creator, they are separate from God. Yet, once the reason for their distance is removed, they come to belong to God and are counted as near, having been made partakers of Him through the communion of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, he calls again: draw near, you nations and leaders; let the earth and those who dwell upon it, the cosmos and its people, also listen. What is being revealed here? The wrath he speaks of threatens all who dwell on earth, but not indiscriminately; rather, it will befall those who have not shunned sin and carry the stain of wickedness upon their souls. The overarching message conveys that they shall perish and face destruction, defiling every place as if they were decaying bodies. For the mountains, it is stated, shall be soaked with their blood.
Subsequently, he clarifies the timing by placing within his message the prophecy concerning the end of the world, declaring: the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll, and the stars will fall like leaves, echoing what the disciple of the Savior foretold about the final day, when the heavens will vanish with a sound, the elements will be consumed by fire, and the earth along with its works will be destroyed; yet, we shall receive new heavens and a new earth as promised (2 Pet. 3:10, 13). Thus, the alignment of the heavens and the falling of the stars may indicate the renewal of creation. The holy Paul also proclaimed that creation will be liberated from decay into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Rom. 8:21).