And there shall be a tabernacle for a shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a security and covert from the whirlwind, and from rain.
וְסֻכָּ֛ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה לְצֵל־יוֹמָ֖ם מֵחֹ֑רֶב וּלְמַחְסֶה֙ וּלְמִסְתּ֔וֹר מִזֶּ֖רֶם וּמִמָּטָֽר׃
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
A shelter will appear to shield during the daylight hours. What is to come? It is the support and aid of the Lord. Just as shade provides relief from the blazing sun and a cave's cover protects those who seek refuge from pouring rain, so the divine assistance of God will ensure that no harm befalls those He chose to deliver from the outset, even amidst daunting battles.
Those who are deserving of His safeguarding will find themselves enveloped completely, as if encompassed by a shadow from the scorching heat, shielded from the harshness of the elements and the pouring rain. He draws a parallel between the harshness of the weather and rain with the formidable might and fierce onslaught of temptation. Indeed, Christ states: “Everyone who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house: and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).
Furthermore, when He declares that He will be cloaked in all glory, He emphasizes that for those who have placed their faith in Christ, His compassion will not be confined; rather, it embodies His complete willingness to safeguard them: they will dwell within His fortification and beneath the shadow of the One who is mighty to save and redeem them from all evil.
When the impurities of the 'children of Zion' have been cleansed, and the blood has been removed 'from their midst, they shall be called holy.' In that time, a cloud will ‘overshadow the vicinity of Jerusalem’ to provide shade from the scorching sun and protection from 'violence and rain.' The night will be illuminated with radiant light, and the glory will envelop everything like smoke. It seems to me that these promises are made to those who are deserving of rest.
Since ‘in my Father’s house are many mansions’ (John 14:2), and various inheritances are designated in the promised land, which ‘the meek shall inherit’ (Matthew 5:5), it is clear that some will find peace in the brilliance of God’s presence, while others will find refuge under the shelter of celestial beings, and still others will be enveloped as smoke in the radiance of glory. Alternatively, perhaps light will shine directly upon Zion and around it, with ‘a cloud in the days’ formed not from anything external, but from the very essence of light. Just as smoke arises from fire, this cloud derives from radiance. Those who dwell under it will experience great splendor, illuminated by the cloud that gracefully spreads overhead in the heat of day, providing a refreshing coolness, and shielding them from torrential rains, replacing impenetrable barriers and sufficiently covering those in need, obscuring their vision from danger. Such was the ‘cloud of light’ that encompassed the disciples during the transfiguration of the Lord (Matthew 17:5). The steadfastness and apparent solidity of the cloud signify the stillness in the atmosphere, and the reliability of its cover indicates the tranquility of the prevailing conditions. To illustrate the meaning of being 'in the concealment' of this cloud cover, we can consider the following example: when an individual is pursued by foes, their supporters may shelter them in a hidden place. In a similar way, this divine cloud protects a saint, preventing them from falling into the hands of adversaries. Thus, we can discern the profound assistance available in the region of Zion, as a cloud provides shelter from the heat during the day, and at night, a firelight burns to guide and safeguard them from malefactors both day and night.
In times of adversity, when foes symbolized by the scorching heat appear, they will find solace in it. This promise came to fruition with the arrival of our Savior.
We will connect all of this to the initial coming of Christ, as highlighted in the Psalms, “Thou hast covered me in the mystery of His tabernacle, upon a rock hast lifted me up” (Psalms 26:5). This rock, upon which the church is established, will remain unshaken by any tempest and will not be obliterated by any storm or fierce wind. A significant number of the Jewish people comprehend this, along with its associations regarding the Babylonian exile and the subsequent return to Jerusalem led by Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah.
The most essential cleansing is that which purifies the spirit, known as the spiritual cleansing. The prophet speaks clearly about this: when the Lord will remove the impurities of the daughters of Zion and will purify the blood of Jerusalem from within. This refers to the blood of sin and the slaying of the prophets. The Logos also explains the nature and method of this purification, stating: through the spirit of judgment and the spirit of fire. In contrast, the purification of the body can occur through the washing with plain water, as is often seen in regions lacking adequate bathing facilities.
The Lord bestowed goodness (Psalm 84:13), for His choice was to liberate humanity from the burden of betrayal through His only Son; He granted this goodness by sanctifying the virgin womb, making it a vessel of grace and a dwelling for the Holy Spirit. Our land yielded its harvest (Psalm 84:13), as the virgin, who received her substance from the earth, bore a Son, who shares divine nature with God the Father while being truly one with her in the reality of His humanity. Isaiah anticipated this moment of salvation, proclaiming that on that day the Branch of the Lord would emerge in beauty and glory, and the fruit of the earth would radiate splendor.
The Branch of the Lord shone in majesty when the eternal Son of God manifested Himself in the flesh, illuminating the world with the brilliance of His virtues. The fruit of the earth was exalted when God, in His divine power, elevated mortal flesh from our nature to immortality through the resurrection.
The census enacted by an earthly ruler is remembered for its significance, as it symbolizes the actions of the Heavenly King. In this event, He made it clear that He was uniting the faithful from all nations, inscribing their names in heaven for eternity, as He promised. The decree from Augustus that everyone returned to their own city (Luke 2:3) serves as a metaphor for our submission to our King. Our true city is the holy Church, which, while presently journeying apart from the Lord in heaven, will one day reign with Him in perfection after this age concludes. Therefore, we are all called to make our way to that city, and nothing should prevent us from this essential pilgrimage of salvation. It is crucial for each of us to fulfill our obligations to the newly born King, meaning we must unite within the Church, adhere to divine instructions, and pursue the path of righteousness to attain our heavenly homeland.
Under the divine protection of the Lord, the chosen ones will find refuge from trials and tribulations, similar to how a person under the canopy of a tree is shielded from intense heat, or how someone sheltered in a hut or a warm tent is safeguarded from cold and rain. It is plausible to consider that the prophet, while detailing in the table the future condition of the Jewish people, envisions not only the period following the Babylonian exile but also the state of the new Israel, represented by the New Testament Church, wherein the Lord has pledged to be present until the end of time (Matthew 28:20) and to ensure that the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). This prophecy is primarily associated with the times of the New Testament by the Church Fathers and theologians, such as Basil the Great and Blessed Jerome.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS