Isaiah 6:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

God highlights this condition by stating, “lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn that I may heal them.” This indicates that they, out of fear of recognition and accountability, worked diligently to blind themselves. Faced with severe accusations and impending judgment, the prophet seeks to comprehend the remaining consequences, albeit disguised as a quest for knowledge. Yet he refrains from articulating his request directly and instead poses the question, “How long, O Lord?” In response, the Lord declares that the cities will be laid waste, homes will be left empty, and the land will be entirely desolate. The Lord will remove the people, leading to a profound desolation across the land. Even if a remnant remains and returns, it will again face destruction; however, like the terebinth and oak whose roots endure despite being felled, so shall the holy seed be its foundation.

After delivering this prophecy, he shifts focus back to historical events, foretelling the exile of the ten tribes and illustrating God's patience toward the two tribes. He also predicts that the latter will face exile as well, due to their failure to respond to God's forbearance adequately, followed by the eventual blessing for the remnant. When he mentions that the cities will be made desolate and devoid of inhabitants, he references the captivity of the ten tribes, who were violently uprooted and carried off to a foreign land, leaving their cities abandoned and the land unworked by its tillers. Thus, when he reiterates the utter emptiness of towns and houses, he emphasizes the reality of captivity.

However, God assures that the punishment of the disobedient will not lead to their total annihilation; rather, it is foretold that "God shall continue the men, and the remnant of the earth shall multiply." Despite their transgressions, including the killing of the saints and the Son of God Himself, there remain those who will be saved. These faithful individuals, the remnant of Israel, as indicated in Romans 9:27, will be numerous, for a significant portion of Israel came to believe. The esteemed prophet Isaiah also acknowledges this at the outset of his book, asserting, “And if the Lord of hosts had not left us a seed, we would be like Sodom, and we would be like Gomorrah” (Isaiah 1:9). Some interpret the intent of these words differently; when the prophet inquired about the extent and duration of the Israelites’ condition, God responded, “Till the hailstones shall be desolate, because they are not inhabited, and the houses because they are not inhabited by men." Thus, God reaffirmed that He would preserve humanity to convey the timeframe of the end of the age. Prior to this, we must endure conflict and hear of wars, as stated in Matthew 24:6, 7, where nation rises against nation and city against city, resulting in desolation of cities and homes. Ultimately, the end shall come, followed by the continuation of humanity after the resurrection, leading lives that are holy and eternal, for corruption will be entirely destroyed, death vanquished, and all sin eradicated. It is evident that Israel is in a state of desolation but will be called in the final times of the age, and given the clarity of this truth in divine Scripture, it seems unnecessary to seek further proof to affirm this conviction.

The prophet, concerned for his people, asked, "How long, O Lord, will this decree persist, that the people will neither hear nor see?" The Lord answered him: It will continue until their hearts are hardened, and until the cities of Judea are utterly destroyed in the conflict involving Vespasian and Titus, to the extent that even their former name will be lost. The remaining houses, if any exist, will not be without their residents, nor will the land turn barren, nor will the people of Judea be scattered by fleeing or captivity as they had been before. They shall not multiply in Judea as they once did, but rather among all nations. Concerning their multiplication, the misfortune of those who survive will be such that, compared to their previous number, scarcely a tenth will remain. Though there may be a small community in Judea itself—this can be understood in two ways: that across the entire world only a tenth of this people may survive, and in Judea itself there will be a very small remnant—this remnant too will face devastation, for after approximately fifty years, Hadrian will arrive and completely lay waste to the land of Judea, leaving it like an oak and a terebinth without acorns.

However, the most significant judgments were inflicted upon Judah following the invasions by the Babylonians and Romans. Both of these forces not only laid waste to the land but also subjected its inhabitants to defeat or forced them into slavery, taking them to distant lands.