For the nation and the kingdom that will not serve thee, shall perish: and the Gentiles shall be wasted with desolation.
כִּֽי־הַגּ֧וֹי וְהַמַּמְלָכָ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יַעַבְד֖וּךְ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וְהַגּוֹיִ֖ם חָרֹ֥ב יֶחֱרָֽבוּ׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Those who are unfaithful and lack understanding of the sacred truths of faith, as well as those who do not partake in the salvation offered through Christ, regardless of their earthly status, will be relegated to the depths of hell and ensnared by death; for they shall perish in their transgressions and endure severe retribution.
And the children of foreigners shall construct your fortifications, and their rulers shall render you service. For in My anger, I struck you, and through My mercy, I have forgiven you. Your gates shall remain perpetually open, undeterred day or night, so that the might of the nations may be brought to you, and their kings shall come to you. For the nation and kingdom that chooses not to serve you shall be devastated, and such nations shall face desolation. The text also states that the foreigners shall build your walls, and their kings shall stand before you. Due to My wrath, I have harmed you, yet through My grace, I have regarded you with love. Your gates will always be open, neither closed day nor night, to receive the strength of the nations and their kings.
Yet, the nations and their rulers that refuse to serve you shall perish; they shall experience ruin and desolation.
In addition, the Church is enriched and the city of the Savior rises, while also the foreigners and children of foreigners erect its walls, preventing the enemy from breaching and making it so that disbelief has no foothold. These foreigners represent the Gentile nations that have indeed contributed to the establishment of Christ's Church, with their leaders and nobles serving and standing in reverence before it. This can be interpreted both literally and spiritually. Literally, we witness how the Caesars of Rome submit the realms to the authority of Christ, constructing churches at public expense and enacting laws to shield against pagan persecution and the snares of heretics. Spiritually, those who excel in virtue, eloquence, and holiness, willingly submitting their physical service to the guidance of the spirit, aid that which is often abandoned due to neglect or beaten down by persecution, so that through His mercy, He may express His love for it once more.
Furthermore, it may be said that she, once afflicted and led into captivity among the Jewish people, will be reconciled to Him through the calling of the Gentiles, ensuring that her gates remain perpetually open, never closing day or night, continually welcoming those who seek salvation. This means that those who come with joy or sorrow wishing to believe in Him are never barred from entry. The power and wealth of the nations will be led to her, and their kings will serve her as captives. This realization dawns upon you when you see the most articulate individuals drawn to the faith in Christ, where the wisdom of the wise turns to folly, and the astuteness of the discerning is deemed inadequate, so that the foolishness of God may surpass human wisdom (1 Cor. 1). Yet, the people and their rulers who are unwilling to serve the Church with sincere and beneficial efforts, aiming to elevate or be elevated to apostolic dignity, will meet their demise along with the destruction intended for the wicked, and all that belonged to those who rejected God as a guest will be laid to waste.
Distress is destined for those nations and rulers who refuse to support Jerusalem; they will face destruction, leaving no remnants behind. While history does not document the fulfillment of this prophecy concerning the Jerusalem of the Old Testament, it applies to the New Testament Church in the understanding that outside of the Church, there is no avenue for salvation. Rulers and nations that resist or fail to yield to the Church will encounter dire consequences, even in earthly matters. Indeed, where the message of Christ finds its place, secular authority transitions to the hands of the faithful, and non-believers are stripped of their power.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS