Isaiah 65:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus, He encourages the hearts of those called, both through the promise of rewards and the warning of chastisements. He states they shall eat, they that labor, you shall drink, you shall thirst; they shall rejoice, but you will encounter disgrace: those who truly recognize the genuine and living God, having renounced false idols, and who aspire to the beauty of authentic worship, will indeed partake in the blessings of the mountains, filling their hearts and sharing in the life-giving feast of Christ, our Savior, along with the bread of life and divine refreshment, which will grant them joy from the mountains, as this cleanses sin, dispels sorrow, and shields us from fear of punishment. We find even greater joy in the expectations that the Holy Scripture promises are in store for those who love God. Yet Scripture warns you, who are misled, to cry out in your troubled hearts and weep from the anguish of your spirits: when Christ, our Savior, descends from heaven to reward each person according to their deeds, all will weep, and all who do not know the true God will rise, as will those ensnared in their sins. You shall be forsaken because of your name for the sustenance of my chosen ones, yet the Lord will discipline you. I urge you again to delve deeply into these thoughts. At times, divine inspiration uses the term satiation to convey the idea of satiety or disgust, as when God speaks to the Israelites, saying, "Therefore I will not endure your transgressions; you are My satiation" (Isaiah 1:14). Thus, He indicates, you who have clung to false gods have, in your sins, become a source of disgust or satiation for My chosen ones. Naturally, no one can force those chosen once to adopt the name of idolaters; every individual shuns the title of god-hater, idolater, godless, and profane, instead desiring to be recognized as a holy nation, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, as indicated by the words of Peter (1 Pet. 2:9). However, if anyone wishes to apply this to the Israelites, saying, "Let your name be forsaken for the satisfaction of my chosen ones," we could say that Israel was once known as the children, the people, and the inheritance of God, but when they willingly fell into immorality, they forfeited this honor, and those called from the Gentiles became heirs in their place. In reference to this, I believe God speaks through Hosea, saying, "I will call not my people my people, and I will say not to my people, You are my people" (Hosea 2:23).

Some believe that these things will come to pass within a thousand years, misunderstanding that the "food and drink" refer to the Kingdom of God and failing to grasp the words: strive not for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life (John 6), yearning to partake in the flesh of Christ and the fruit of the tree of life. The Savior proclaimed: I am the bread that descended from heaven (John 6:33-35), and Proverbs states: open your eyes and be filled with bread (Proverbs 20:13). The Psalmist affirms: I was young and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor their descendants begging for bread. All day long they generously share and their offspring shall be blessed (Psalm 36:25-26). Regarding this bread and spiritual sustenance, the Savior instructed His disciples: you are those who have remained with Me in My trials, that you may dine at My Father’s table in the kingdom of Heaven (Luke 22:28-30). If we only relate this to ordinary bread, how do we reconcile it with this truth: the Lord will not let the righteous perish by fire (Proverbs 10:3), and the Lord guides the blameless on their paths, granting them lasting possessions. They shall not experience shame during times of trouble, and in days of famine, they shall be satisfied (Psalm 36:18-19). For many righteous souls suffer persecution, going hungry and destitute, while the wicked indulge in cruelty. The drink represents what is drawn from the springs of Israel, which, when tasted, will provide a wellspring of water leading to eternal life (John 4). The Savior promises to share this drink in the Father’s kingdom with His disciples (Luke 22); it brings joy to the human heart (Psalm 103), so that those who partake will proclaim: I have found joy in my heart (Psalm 4:8). This sustenance is echoed in the beatitudes: blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). The Mother of the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit, foretold: those who hunger and thirst for good things will be satisfied, while the rich will part with their abundance (Luke 1:53), having received for His burial and overlooked the promises of the prophets. In another psalm, it is sung: the wealthy fade away, but the poor, the Jewish people, will find fulfillment, while the seekers of the Lord, representing the multitude of the Gentiles, shall lack no good thing (Psalm 33:11). When those who serve Christ rejoice and glorify God with sincere joy, those who have turned away will feel ashamed to see their places taken, and they will weep in regret, fulfilling the words: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50)—when the lambs of the Gentiles and the righteous stand at the right hand, while the goats of the Jews and the wicked are on the left. Some will receive eternal life, while others face eternal punishment. This sense of brokenness from heartfelt sorrow should be understood in the context of recognizing one’s sins, as stated: those who stray in spirit will grasp understanding (Isaiah 29:24), and: a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise (Psalm 50). The spirit becomes broken when it is arrogant, as demonstrated by the king hostile to Israel: the Lord hardened his spirit (Deuteronomy 2:30), and the king of Babylon, whose heart was lifted up, proclaimed, “Is this not great Babylon, which I have built?” (Daniel 4:27).

He was never the source of unrighteousness; rather, it is those who turn away from God who are unrighteous. Moreover, God did not predestine anyone to fall away from faith, even if He, in His infinite wisdom, foresaw this outcome.

"He shall rain down upon the wicked a net: fire and brimstone, and a stormy spirit, their portion out of their cup" (Psalm 10:6). "But the fearful, and the unfaithful, and the profane, and murderers, and lovers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their fate is in the lake burning with fire and brimstone. This is the second death" (Rev. 21:8). At that time, they will fully comprehend the grave warnings they now receive from God’s holy word. If they choose to remain ignorant of God's grace, they will know His retributive truth. Currently, God calls and assures mercy; yet, there will come a day when He will distance Himself and unleash His just wrath upon them. In this moment, He invites, "Repent," but in that future time, He will command, "Repent." Today He beckons, "Come unto Me," but then He will declare, "Depart from Me." Where will they go? "Into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41). Presently, He is attentive to those who repent and call upon Him; however, sinners will later hear, "I do not know you; you did not recognize Me, and I do not recognize you; you did not listen to Me, and I will not listen to you." "I have called, and you have not listened; I have stretched out My words, and you have not heeded, but have disregarded My counsel, and My rebukes have gone unnoticed. Therefore I also will laugh at your destruction; I will rejoice when calamity befalls you" (Proverbs 1:24-26). Moreover, "I called, and you heeded not; I spoke, and you did not listen; but you acted in wickedness before Me and chose what was not pleasing to Me. Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed; my servants shall exult with gladness of heart, but you shall cry out in anguish of heart, and you shall weep from a broken spirit'" (Isaiah 65:12-14). Sinners, let us tremble at God’s prohibitions and repent while the message of repentance is proclaimed. Let us gratefully receive God's mercy while it is offered. Let us turn to Him while He calls and patiently waits. Let us pray while the ears of those seeking Him are still present. "We are ambassadors for Christ, and it is as if God is making His appeal through us; we implore you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. For He who knew no sin became a sin offering for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. But we, as fervent supporters, urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For it is said, 'In a favorable time I heard you, and in the day of salvation, I helped you. Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation'" (2 Cor. 5:20-21, 6:1-2). "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will comfort you; take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for My yoke is good, and My burden is light,” declares the Lord (Matt. 11:28-30). "Or do you take for granted the riches of God's goodness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that His goodness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are amassing wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of God's righteous judgment, who will pay each person according to their deeds: to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory, honor, and immortality, eternal life; and to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness, there will be wrath and anger. Tribulation and anguish will come upon every soul of man who does evil, first to the Jew, then to the Gentile" (Rom. 2:4-9).