Isaiah 44:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Although the release of captives might seem like an act of compassion, from God's perspective, where honor through great sacrifices to Him was not possible for Cyrus, it represented the demonstration of His supreme authority that inspired the king's spirit. Just as He had orchestrated the defeat of the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to fall into their hands, so He was now acting again. Did He take away Cyrus's freedom or corrupt the heart of the farmer? Absolutely not; rather, He encouraged his free will to fulfill this purpose. God occasionally directs individuals towards righteousness, but never towards wickedness; in fact, He can bring forth good from the wrongdoing of others, as illustrated through the narratives of the Babylonians, the Jews, and many others.

This indicated that, although Babylon was densely populated, it would become completely desolate, as He declared, "I am He who speaks in the depths; you shall be desolate." Here, the 'depths' symbolizes the vast multitude of Babylonians, while the rivers signify the various tribes surrounding Babylon that were called upon for support. In Scripture, it is common to compare the multitude of nations to rivers, seas, and waters. Concerning Christ, our Savior, and the many nations who are drawn into His teachings, the Divine Psalmist wrote, "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory shall rise" (Ps. 28:3). This reflects how the word of the Lord, which encompasses the gospel and salvation, echoed across the nations like a mighty thunderclap throughout the heavens. Similarly, it is also stated, "The rivers have raised up their voices" (Psalms 92:3). Here, 'rivers' likely refer to the holy Apostles whose teachings spread widely. Moreover, it is mentioned that Babylon and Nineveh were like a spring of water: "like its waters" (Nahum 2:8). Thus, God was proclaiming to the abyss, "You shall be desolate; I will dry up your rivers." In the same vein, He conveyed to Cyrus the need for wisdom and understanding, to act appropriately and fulfill what was pleasing to God. This was a response to the Babylonians for their atrocities against Judah and the burning of the sacred temple, as well as a mission to liberate Israel and restore the temple. Cyrus indeed commanded the temple's reconstruction, providing funds and laying its foundations. After his death, however, the project faced delays due to the opposition of his successor, until it was ultimately completed under God's guidance. This historical account is well-documented in the holy Scriptures (see 1 Ezra 4 dal.), and it seems superfluous to elaborate further. Nevertheless, some may question the truth of the Divine word, reasoning that Cyrus—being an idolater—failed to do everything pleasing to God. Yet, "All my will shall be done" refers specifically to what God intended to accomplish through Cyrus: the conquest of Babylon, the liberation of Israel from bondage, the rebuilding of the temple, and the restoration of the cities of Judah.

I will dry up your rivers; saying to Cyrus, “You are My shepherd, and you shall fulfill all My purpose”; saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be rebuilt,” and to the temple, “You shall be established.” After the idols and iniquities of Israel have been destroyed, and sins forgiven, when all creation rejoices together, and as the Gospel testifies (Luke 15), the angels in heaven will rejoice at the repentance of sinners: the greatness of God is evident; for it is not a great matter for Him to redeem Jacob and to restore a right spirit in Israel, whom He formed in the womb. If it seems significant to some, it is not beyond the power of Him who alone spread out the heavens, as it is written, “He stretched out the heavens like a garment” (Psalm 108:2). This is not to suggest the Son is excluded from stretching out the heavens, for by Him all things were created, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:8), but to emphasize that idols must be cast away. Even Solomon’s Proverbs speak on behalf of Christ, declaring both the power and wisdom of God: “When He established the heavens, I was there with Him” (Proverbs 8:27). As He spoke, they came into being; He commanded, and they were formed (Psalms 32:9), and by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their host (Psalms 32:6). We often cite this to prevent any opportunity for heretics to distort the nature of Christ. At the foundation of the earth, when He set its pillars, there was none with God but Him who was within Him. Consequently, He possesses such qualities and attributes that when the time for the predestined sacrament arrives, all idols will be vanquished, and the knowledge of one God will be proclaimed throughout the earth, while He will overturn and abolish all divinations of magicians and the signs and deceptive wonders of fortune-tellers, and the wisdom of philosophers, which constituted a large part of the delusion, will be deemed foolishness, as they are praised for having understood wisdom through divine rather than human insight. He will also perform the word spoken through His youth or servant, as previously mentioned, and the decree of His messengers, that is, the apostles and all the teachers who declared His will to the nations. Therefore, He—whose power I have briefly described—declares to Jerusalem, which is destined for destruction by the Babylonians, that it shall once again be inhabited by nations; and to the cities of Judah, that they shall be rebuilt by Him who will restore its desolate areas, so that all may be filled with worshippers. Thus, He who promises to Jerusalem, Judah, and its desolation that they shall be inhabited and restored, also speaks to the depths and the abysses, meaning Babylon, “You will be dry, and I will dry up your rivers,” symbolizing the power of kings. By referring to the depths and abysses in a figurative manner, the mention of rivers is appropriate, echoing the Psalmist's lament, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept” (Psalm 136:1). He who reconstructs Jerusalem also dismantles Babylon. He likewise addresses Cyrus, king of Persia, who first laid waste to Babylon and the Chaldeans, saying, “You are My shepherd,” or, as the LXX translates, “that he may understand.” The reason for this variation is clear; the Hebrew term "goi," based on its pronunciation with either a resh or dalet, can mean “My shepherd” or “My shepherd who knows,” differing only by a small stroke, which often leads to confusion. The beginning of the book of Ezra states that by the command of Cyrus, king of Persia and India, the people of Judah were freed from captivity, allowing them to return to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel, and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. The Lord stirred his spirit to accomplish His will and fulfill His commands. He clearly proclaimed to Jerusalem, “You shall be rebuilt,” and to the temple, “You shall be established.” During Cyrus’s time, a decree was issued that Jerusalem and the temple should be constructed, for only the foundation had been laid in his days. But in the second year of Darius, as prophesied by Haggai and Zechariah, the building of the temple commenced.