Be converted to me, and you shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other.
פְּנוּ־אֵלַ֥י וְהִוָּשְׁע֖וּ כָּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ כִּ֥י אֲנִי־אֵ֖ל וְאֵ֥ין עֽוֹד׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Do not assume that My compassion is intended solely for Jerusalem. I summoned them for this reason, so that I might also reach out to you, provoking your envy towards them. My longing is for your transformation, desiring that the initiation of your change arises from within you rather than from Me, but I will provide abundant assistance as you turn towards Me. What I seek from you is simply repentance. I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Therefore, He declares, turn to me, and you will be saved, even to the farthest corners of the earth. From these words, the vastness of Christ’s grace, which reaches all people on the planet, is abundantly clear; for the grace and salvation offered through Moses were limited, confined to the nation of Israel alone. In contrast, the grace of Christ is expansive, reaching to the ends of the earth, as through faith in Him, all of humanity is invited to partake in salvation and eternal life. I am God, and there is no other. I will bow in reverence; my words shall not return empty unless they carry forth truth; for every knee shall bow to me and every tongue will confess to God, proclaiming that truth and glory shall be attributed to Him.
Once false worship was dismantled, it was appropriate for truth to be revealed, and when the darkness was dispelled, it was right for the light to emerge. Thus, it is fitting, after this beneficial and fruitful teaching, that He should reveal His glory; for I am God, He asserts, and there is none besides Me.
Through the practice of idolatry, where even the true Divine is represented in the form of man-made idols, the splendor of the genuine God is diminished. Bestowing divine reverence upon an idol as if it were the Almighty equates the lifeless creations of humanity with the Creator Himself. These idols conceal from worshippers the true Maker of heaven and earth, whose creations and the teachings of Revelation have been made known to humanity since the dawn of time. Have they failed to grasp this testimony? Have they not come to recognize and revere the One who established the foundations of the earth?
Have they disregarded the reality of an all-powerful Being who encompasses the earth, who cradles the world in His hands, and who is exalted above all, with people appearing from the heavens like swarms of locusts? The skies, stretched out like a canopy, serve as His throne, and He has set them up as a dwelling place, moving them about with the same ease as relocating a tent.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS