Isaiah 42:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The names of certain towns in that desert, such as Prigradia, Kidar, and Petra, still exist today in the Arabian territories. The people of these regions, as noted, have strayed deeply from God, serving unclean spirits. However, they were destined to partake in the calling and salvation through the proclamation of the Gospel and faith in Christ. Thus, the prophet joyfully announces to them, exalted in his words, “Be glad, O wilderness, and its villages, and those who dwell in Kidar; they who dwell on the rock shall rejoice.” This serves as a profound testament to the power and greatness of our Savior, who effortlessly softened such hardened hearts, leading them away from their former errors toward the truth. As foretold by Ezekiel, He declares, “I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,” which signifies a heart inclined to recognize that He is the Lord. Hence, he clearly indicates that they too shall be called, saying, “The wilderness shall rejoice,” among other things.

Those who shout from the mountaintops, giving glory to God and proclaiming His deeds in distant lands, are deserving of acknowledgment. It is vital to recognize that those living in Petra, a high and mountainous place, no longer lift praises to false deities; instead, they honor God who has illuminated their path to the truth. They might rightly be called divine messengers from the summits of the mountains, to whom the prophet exclaims, “Go up to the high mountain, messenger of good tidings to Zion; lift up your voice with strength, messenger of good tidings to Jerusalem: lift up, fear not.” Indeed, they proclaim with courage, unashamed before anyone, visible to all like a city on a hill. Their message isn’t concealed but shared boldly, as Christ Himself instructed them, saying, “What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” They glorified God, declaring His qualities across the distant islands, as the teachings of the holy apostles and evangelists became heralds of the Savior’s glory. They proclaimed His ineffable Deity, extolling His matchless virtues not just among humans but beyond all creation, equal in essence to God the Father. They recounted His divine wonders that transcended both marvel and speech; for raising the dead from their graves, parting the sea to walk upon it, commanding the winds, and overcoming Satan with mere utterances all testified to His divine majesty.

The entire earth is filled with the glory of the Lord (Isaiah 6:3); at Christ's arrival, new churches will be established upon the elevated mountains and rocky foundations, creating spaces for those who lift their praises rather than for those who once worshipped false idols.

Additionally, since Kedar translates to darkness, and the rock, as noted by the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 10:4, refers to Christ, it is incumbent upon all believers—those who once dwelled in darkness but now trust in the Savior—to cry out from the mountaintops and boldly declare the name of Christ. This echoes the words spoken in Isaiah 40:9: "Go up to the high mountain, O messenger of Zion; lift up thy voice with power, O messenger of Jerusalem."