Cry, cease not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their wicked doings, and the house of Jacob their sins.
קְרָ֤א בְגָרוֹן֙ אַל־תַּחְשֹׂ֔ךְ כַּשּׁוֹפָ֖ר הָרֵ֣ם קוֹלֶ֑ךָ וְהַגֵּ֤ד לְעַמִּי֙ פִּשְׁעָ֔ם וּלְבֵ֥ית יַעֲקֹ֖ב חַטֹּאתָֽם׃
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Shout with a strong voice, do not restrain yourself; raise your voice like a trumpet, for He was about to deliver a challenging message. Declare to My people their transgressions and to the house of Jacob their offenses, for this reason He empowered him so that he would not be intimidated.
After concluding His discussion about the calling of the Israelites, He transitions to another form of counsel that is both admirable and beneficial, steeped in grace and deserving of glorious rewards. However, it is essential to clarify the intent of the prophecy for the readers, so they may understand the ultimate direction of these words. In the earlier proclamations concerning the Israelites, there were unmistakable predictions of conflict and an impending disaster. He declared, "Thou hast not mentioned me, thou hast taken me lower in thy mind, lower in thy heart, and I seeing thee, despise thee, and thou hast not feared me.
And I will declare thy righteousness, and thy wickednesses, which shall not succeed thee: when thou shalt cry, let them deliver thee in thy sorrows" (Isaiah 57:11-13). It has been noted that these statements allude to the creativity of the Israelites in crafting idols. Hence, the remark about crying out for deliverance in times of distress. This became a sign of impending conflict for some, particularly within the people of Judah, who interpreted it in various ways. Among them were those who appeared to possess true piety but engaged in morally questionable actions, adorning themselves outwardly while appropriating the dignity of the righteous. They feigned fasting and frequent prayer, believing these acts could placate divine wrath. In their deception, they came to overlook their own transgressions, thinking that mere abstention from food and prayer sufficed for justification and holiness, even as they engaged in the most disgraceful behaviors. God commands the prophet, saying, "Cry with fortitude, and spare not; as a trumpet lift up thy voice, and declare unto my people their sins: speak not secretly, nor in a secret place, nor to a few, but declare it with the loudest and most exalted voice, and with all boldness rebuke them that sin, and let them know their sins, and what they must abstain from, if they are to be honored of God, and worthy of His mercy."
Raise your voice without hesitation; like a trumpet, proclaim their transgressions to my people and their unrighteousness to the house of Jacob. LXX: Shout out with conviction and hold back not: like a trumpet, lift up your voice and announce their sins to the people, and their iniquities to the house of Jacob. At the conclusion of the previous passage, where peace is promised to the just and unrest to the wicked, God instructs the prophet Isaiah to proclaim boldly, lifting his voice like a trumpet, without fear of death, intimidation, or reprimand, but rather focusing on the divine directive bestowed upon him.
Given that the people have ears that do not hear well, as indicated by Symmachus and Aquila, let him transform his voice into a trumpet, referred to in Hebrew as sopliar, which they interpret as κερατίων, meaning horn-like. Yet in the earlier instruction to the apostles, ‘Go up to the high mountain, delivering good news to Zion; lift up your voice with strength, proclaiming good tidings to Jerusalem; shout it out, fear not (Isaiah 40:9),’ there is no mention of a horn or trumpet but rather a command to ascend the mountain. In this instance, the task is to declare to the sinners below, hence the prophet is instructed only to raise his voice like a trumpet and foretell the impending conflicts. Additionally, concerning the Day of Judgment, when together with the resurrection of the dead the final trumpet is also referenced, it is written, ‘He shall sound the trumpet, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible (2 Corinthians 15:52).’ Just as they will be judged by the call of the trumpet, so too will Israel, having fallen due to sin, hear of their wrongs, whilst simultaneously being recognized as the people of God, allowing them to understand the kind of Father they have forsaken, who even calls sinners His people.
The Lord declares through His prophet, ‘Cry out boldly, do not hold back; raise your voice like a trumpet, and reveal to my people their transgressions, and to the house of Jacob their sins’ (Isaiah 58:1). Thus, we are called to proclaim with urgency and not to mute our voices, lest we jeopardize our salvation. Do not refrain, says He; do not overlook the wrongdoing of the sinner out of concern for their shame, but rather prioritize their redemption. For the wounds that you could have healed with your words have only worsened because of your silence.
It is understood that a trumpet is not merely meant to be pleasing to the ear; rather, it instills fear. The sound of the trumpet is crucial for those who have sinned, as it not only reaches the ears but also pierces the heart. Its purpose is not to entertain, but to admonish through its call, to inspire the courageous toward righteousness, and to dissuade the fainthearted from committing sin.
This passage addresses the Jews for their wrongdoing in observing their fasts, urging them towards genuine reverence for God and assuring them of a reward for doing so. The prophet, acting on God's command, was instructed to confront the Jews about their transgressions with a powerful voice, not holding back in his proclamation, and sounding like a trumpet. This signifies that those being called to account were as though they were deaf to the truth. Their sins were numerous, yet the most concerning aspect was their lack of awareness regarding their seriousness; they did not recognize the need for repentance and lived carelessly, without concern for the consequences of their actions. They had nearly ceased to heed their inner moral compass, muffling it with the clamor of their desires. It became essential to stir their consciences with bold and compelling calls to awaken them to genuine repentance.
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THEOSIS