THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
In the preceding discourse, having offered exalted commendation to those who have been called from the nations to encounter Him, and having demonstrated that He alone possesses understanding of all that exists, from the beginning to the end, alongside the truth that no one else can deliver, He instilled within them a steadfast confidence. He then turned His attention to the offspring of Israel, seeking to reassure them of His omnipotence and His ability to perform wonders, emphasizing that all of creation is under His command, that the elements align with His desires, and that nothing can prevent the fulfillment of His will.
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It was important for the Israelites to receive as much illumination as possible and reminders to encourage their steadfastness, especially since they strayed into behaviors that were not their own and worshipped false gods, making offerings to idols and celestial beings, as written in Scripture. Thus, He foretold future events and skillfully unveiled the misfortunes of the Babylonians, predicting their captivity and the disgrace they would endure through them. However, since He was speaking of grand works, it was essential for Him to display the unparalleled splendor of His might and the greatness of His power, declaring, "Thus saith the Lord God that delivereth you, O holy one of Israel," to remind them of the ancient acts He performed during their previous liberation from Egypt, when great wonders bore witness to His gloriously divine nature. Therefore, when He referred to Himself as the Lord God, He affirmed His role as the deliverer. This essence is encapsulated in His message: "For your sake I will send you," He states, directing them toward Babylon. The Babylonians captured Israel, forcibly expelling them from their homeland, even setting the entire region of the Jews ablaze; they transported the revered temple into the mountains of Persia and Media. After seventy years of suffering, God had mercy upon them and raised up Cyrus, son of Cambyses, to confront the Chaldeans with the aid of the Persians and Medians. These forces overcame the Chaldeans, despite their former terror of them and their dominant power. According to tradition, Cyrus captured notable individuals and shackled them with iron, transporting them to inhospitable territories beyond the Caspian Sea. Cyrus opposed the Babylonians as God stirred him and empowered him to rule. Indeed, through Isaiah, God proclaimed to him, "This saith the Lord God unto my anointed Cyrus, whom I have held by the right hand, to subdue nations before him; and I will go before thee, and will make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron; and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places" (Isaiah 45:1-3). Because the Babylonians inflicted great and unchecked cruelty upon the Israelites, they provoked God's wrath and themselves fell into the hands of the Persians and Medians, who also meted out severe inhumanity against them. Therefore, it was declared to Babylon by one of the holy prophets, "As thou hast done, so shall it be done unto thee; thy recompense shall be recompensed upon thy head" (Obadiah 1:15). Consequently, He proclaims, "For your sake, O Israelites, I will send to Babylon." Who shall I appoint? Is it Cyrus, who lacks great renown, along with his underlings? Yes, I shall send them. However, I will rally against them all those who had previously fled - those who were once subdued and intimidated by them, fierce and formidable fighters. The Chaldeans will be bound within ships; for, as stated earlier, they too were led into distant and unreachable lands after crossing the Caspian Sea. It is noteworthy that an alternative interpretation suggests that the Chaldeans may not be bound in ships, but rather in chains. Christ, the Savior and Lord of all, delivered all living beings by rendering the forces of evil powerless, opposing them with His irresistible and divine strength. Hence, He redeemed us, those held captive as if for hire to serve their whims, setting us free and elevating us from the land of the barbaric, restoring us to spiritual Judea, symbolizing the Church, which He claimed for Himself, cleansing it from all impurities and making it holy and blameless (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:26-27).