Isaiah 62:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consequently, at times, God allowed them to suffer from crop failures, illnesses, and invasions by enemies who ravaged their land and took all that was in their fields; for it was declared to them, 'You shall sow, but you shall not reap; you shall pour out the oil, but shall not anoint yourself; you shall not drink wine' (Micah 6:15). Therefore, if you amend your ways, says the Jerusalemite, meaning if you engage in spiritual service, if you renounce idols and comprehend what Moses wrote about Me, if you embrace grace through faith and become a source of joy on earth—a great praise concerning Christ—the Lord will swear by His glory (for there is nothing greater) and by His might that the former calamities brought on by your immense disobedience will not befall you again. And you shall not labor without reward for your weary toil (understanding this in a spiritual sense), but as divine David proclaimed: you will reap the fruit of your labors (Psalm 127:2), and as Paul affirms: whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap, and he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life (Galatians 6:7-8). In these words, he indicates that spiritual Jerusalem will yield a bountiful harvest of spiritual fruits. Those who attain this will, he states, give thanks to the Lord, and those who partake will do so in the courts of the saints; for those who have embraced a life of virtue and have gathered the fruits of righteous and genuine faith will find joy in the heavenly dwelling places.

We often refer to Him, our Lord and Redeemer, who, as the apostle states, embodies the power and wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1). He declares that Jerusalem shall never again provide grain and wine as sustenance for its foes, nor shall outsiders take advantage of its toil. Instead, those who sow with tears shall reap with joy. Those who harvest, separating the chaff and storing the pure grain, shall enjoy the fruits of their labor, praising the Lord eternally and drinking wine in His holy courts.

This can signify many dwelling places in the Father’s house, referencing the future joy of the heavenly kingdom, or perhaps it indicates the multitude of churches established throughout the earth, where we will prosper in the presence of the Lord. When He states that He will no longer provide grain for enemies and that foreigners will not consume the wine produced through your labor, it reveals the past suffering of the Jewish people, whose works were seized by malevolent forces when they wavered between worshiping God and idols. They once questioned Elijah, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?” The Lord of Hosts demands fidelity (3 Kings 18:21).

As illustrated in the Book of Judges, during the oppression of the Midianites, the fruits of the land were ravaged, transforming the sustenance of the people into provisions for mere beasts (Judges 6). This refers to the wheat and wine that only those who praise the Lord shall consume in His holy courts. The Lord spoke at the moment of His passion, ‘Truly, I say to you, I will not partake of the fruit of the vine until I drink it anew in the kingdom of My Father’ (Mark 14:25). This promise finds partial fulfillment within the Church, as the Lord invites His disciples, ‘Drink, my friends, and be filled with joy, for wine delights the heart’ (Psalm 103). At high noon, Joseph also shared drink with his brothers (Gen. 43). However, the full realization will come when the earth overflows with the blessings of the Lord. The grain from which the heavenly bread is derived and the wine, which represents the blood of Christ, reflect His words: 'My flesh is indeed food,' and 'My blood is indeed drink' (John 6:55).

He vows to return to them the land that was lost and grant them fulfillment in the harvests from their fields and vineyards: “I will no more give thy wheat for food to thine enemies, neither shall the sons of strangers drink thy wine, wherewith thou hast laboured; but they that gather it shall eat it, and praise the Lord, and they that gather it shall drink it in my courts.” This indicates that the produce of their farms will be brought to the temple, and from the remnants of the sacrifices, they will hold a sacred feast in the narthex (Deuteronomy 12:17-18). The Lord underlines His promise with an oath: He will swear by His right hand and by the might of His power. The essence of this oath conveys that just as I am undeniably omnipotent (denoted by the right hand and the might of my power), so too shall my people assuredly enjoy the fruits of their labor as my promise guarantees. Although this promise was fulfilled upon the Jews’ return from exile, it was only in part, as they faced further devastation from surrounding tribes, including the Syrians, Greeks, and Romans, eventually losing their independence under Roman rule. It is reasonable to assume that the prophet, while presenting this promise from the Lord, has in mind not merely the Jews but also the New Testament Church, envisioning a future time when Christian believers, following their trials, will no longer suffer the loss of their property rights for their faith, nor endure pillaging, but will live serene, pious lives, freely utilizing the fruits of their labor for the benefit of the Church and for the support of God's temples and their ministers. This parable is recited on the feast day of Saint Nikita, the pillar-bearer, reflecting his dedication, in light of the prophecy concerning the watchmen who would guard the walls of Jerusalem day and night.