Isaiah 48:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As it is stated, “For this very thing have I stirred thee up, that I may show my strength upon thee, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth” (Ex. 9:16). This was true in ancient times, and it resonates with our teachings, signifying that the culmination of the ages was reached (1 Cor. 10:11). Thus, the liberation of Israel from Babylon ought not to be overlooked but should be proclaimed widely.

Therefore, He declares, “Proclaim the voice of joy.” Here, we interpret the voice of joy as the praise that arises when one sings to Him for such magnificent and glorious deeds. This represents true joy—an expression fitting for the righteous, who are called to offer praise. In this spirit, the divine David sings, “The voice of joy and salvation in the villages of the righteous” (Psalm 117:15). He yearns for a narrative of Israel's liberation that echoes through the Psalms. This narrative includes the words: “Thou hast favored, O Lord, Thy land, Thou hast restored the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forsaken the iniquities of Thy people, Thou hast covered all their sins” (Psalms 84:2, 3). While these words refer to spiritual matters, they are also significant in a historical context. He promises that if they, while traversing the wilderness, grow thirsty, He will bring forth water from the rock: the rock shall be broken open, and water will flow, allowing my people to drink. We affirm that through these statements, He reveals it was not another deity who liberated Israel from the Egyptians' harshness, brought them through the sea, provided sustenance in the wilderness, and produced water from the rock; it was He Himself, unchanging in His essence, who can perform miracles just as before.

If Israel had journeyed through the wilderness and felt the thirst, they would have encountered the same ancient sign, with water drawn from the rock. However, it does not seem that this occurred while they returned from Babylon to Judah. Rather, this is articulated to affirm that the God of the past continues to exist, retaining the same power, capable of executing wondrous acts, possessing unwavering strength, as He proclaims a universal truth: “Let not the wicked rejoice, saith the Lord.” This statement holds true, for the wicked wear a perpetual frown, as their hearts are weighed down by sorrow, and their souls burdened by the guilt of their conscience. They harbor neither hope for crowns nor glorious accolades, but face fire and punishment reserved for transgressors.

Alternatively, this message may also apply to the Babylonians, who rejoiced upon capturing God's people, believing they had seized Judah by overcoming His might. Yet, they were blind to the truth; some suffered consequences for their wrongdoing and were forsaken by divine care, while others, devoid of empathy, brought upon themselves deserved retribution, leaving them joyless with sad faces and troubled souls. They should not have reveled in their temporary triumph over the Israelites but rather in the downfall of the wicked; for when their land was devastated, they tasted the bitterness of sorrow.

Although they may not provide historical evidence for the fulfillment of these words—They were not thirsty in the wilderness when He freed them, for He drew water from the rock; as recounted during the exodus from Egypt—some suggest it was a hyperbolic fulfillment akin to past blessings, as they journeyed through the wilderness of nations into Judah, liberated from captivity. To clarify that this prophecy pertains not to Christ but to Cyrus, it is stated that there is no peace for the wicked, according to the Lord; in their view, this implies that true happiness is reserved for the time of Christ.

Furthermore, those who are more just and closer to the truth associate this with the arrival of the Savior, of whom it is proclaimed, ‘To proclaim good news to the poor He has sent Me, to proclaim release to the captives’ (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). This signals an encouragement for those who will share the Gospel of the Lord Savior Himself, calling us to depart from Babylon, representative of the world's confusion, and to flee from the Chaldeans, as frequently noted. The Lord redeemed His servant Jacob with His most precious blood, guiding him through the ages' wilderness and drawing forth water from the rock, of which the Apostle also states, ‘But the rock was Christ’ (1 Corinthians 10:4). The Divine discourse is fragmented into multiple parts, allowing us to receive it piece by piece, as we may struggle to grasp the entirety.

However, to avoid the misconception that this sermon addresses the entire lineage of James, it clarifies, ‘There is no peace for the wicked, saith the Lord,’ referring specifically to those who persist in their prior errors, unworthy of drawing from the rock, from which, when pierced by a spear, water and blood flowed (John 19), symbolizing baptism and martyrdom.