Isaiah 65:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consequently, they faced punishment through diverse means: their harvests would fail, leaving them to toil fruitlessly in the fields, fatigued by hunger, as it is written, "And the rye shall yield their fruit, and their labor their toil" (Psalm 77:46). They were warned by the holy prophet that they would sow but not reap, pour out oil but not anoint themselves, and drink no wine (Micah 6:15); similarly, it was said, "You shall build houses and not dwell in them; you shall plant desirable vineyards but shall not drink wine from them" (Am. 5:11). At times, the devastation of war fell upon them, with some falling by the sword while others, fearing for their lives, abandoned their homes and native lands to seek refuge in foreign lands. The ancients endured such trials more than once for their grave sins. However, those who have embraced grace through faith in Christ and have been cleansed of their sins through holy baptism will not succumb to their transgressions nor suffer unexpected losses in their spiritual endeavors; rather, they will celebrate their achievements, as proclaimed in the Psalms, "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows" (Psalm 127:2), where ‘labors’ denotes the works of their hands. No one will cast them out again; no one will take away the home God provides them, for in the Father’s house are many dwelling places (John 14:2). They will not be deprived of their inheritance and the promised blessings of spiritual productivity; such will be their lives, similar to the days of the tree of life—holy days—reflecting the life of humanity before the fall when they could partake of the tree of life, unmarred by the most repugnant and godless sin. The prophetic words convey this further: the fruits of their labors, as stated, shall have a lasting order; the law was given to the Israelites by Moses, containing only shadows and images, a façade of truth rather than the truth itself. Yet, when Christ revealed Himself, the images were transformed into truth, and the shadows faded away, as the power of the legal system was not intended to last eternally. Therefore, the descendants of Israel could not extend their labors since the shadowy ministry, as represented by types and images, proved ineffective. In contrast, Christians will flourish because no new law will alter the quality of the Gospel’s truths for them. Indeed, it is written of Christ, the Savior of all, via the Psalmist, "Thy truth is truth forever, and thy law is truth" (Ps. 118:142). God declares that His chosen ones shall not toil at all but will bear children for righteousness. He contrasts this with the past attainments of Jewish leaders—those scribes and Pharisees, who abandoned the law to propagate teachings based on human commandments (Matt. 15:9; cf. Is. 29:18), fathering children, not of truth, but bringing forth offspring destined for condemnation. The Savior rebuked the scribes and Pharisees, saying: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves" (Matt. 23:15). Hence, they produced children for condemnation and destruction. However, God states that His elect, composed of divine disciples or ministers of the Gospel, will not bear children for damnation or curses as those did, for their offspring shall be blessed by God. He will be attentive to them, graciously sending gifts of mercy and compassion, and willingly listening to their prayers—as reflected in His promise, "Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hear" (Isa. 65:24).

For just as the days of the tree of life are the days of My people, the work of their hands will endure through the elect. They will not labor in futility, nor will they bear children for despair, for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, with their grandchildren included. It shall occur that before they cry out, I will pay attention, and while they are still speaking, I will inquire, "What?" Then the wolves and the lambs will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like an ox, and the serpent will have the earth as food. They will not harm or spoil My holy mountain, declares the Lord. The place and cultivation of the righteous will be everlasting, denoting that the lives of My people will parallel those of the tree of life, which is referenced in the Psalms: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree" (Psalm 92:12), continually overcoming adversaries and displaying the symbol of victory before them.

Should we refer to the Seventy, we can understand that the days of the tree of life, derived from the Hebrew, reference the tree of life situated in paradise. Adam was expelled from paradise lest he stretch out his hand to it and live (Genesis 3). To protect it, the way to the tree of life was guarded by a cherub, representing a multitude of knowledge, and a flaming sword. This was to prevent Adam, who was unaware of his transgressions while in sin, from eating and perishing through unrepentance, despair, and pride.

What this tree of life signifies is made more explicit by Solomon, who articulates concerning the wisdom of God, "The tree of life is for those who lay hold of it" (Proverbs 3:18). This certainly points to the Word of God, which embodies the path and wisdom, declaring, "I am the life" (John 11:25). The prophet exclaims, "All wisdom was created before all things" (Wisdom 1:9), and the Apostle Paul states, "Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24).

Moreover, the works of God's people will not grow old but will be renewed daily, so they may walk not according to the old letter but in a new spirit (Romans 7). Just as the disobedience of one man led many to sin, the obedience of one man allows many to be made righteous. Conversely, the works of those whose foundation is built on rock will endure eternally, while those built on sand will crumble through trials, as seen in the parable of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7).

Let us ask whether it seems right for one, forgetting the past and striving toward the future, to act this way. It is stated that there exists the old and new covenant—not as the old is abolished, but the new is not overshadowed by the former. Applied to the Hebrew text, the works of the people and believers in Christ are the fruits of the apostles, the elect of God, preserved within their treasury. For many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16).

They will not labor in vain as the Jews once did but will enjoy the fruits of their labor. They will not toil in confusion or damnation, as the Hebrew implies an existence without being. Instead, as Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion translate, it suggests haste— a caution not to rush into belief without sound foundation. They should follow the example of Nathanael, whom the Lord commended, declaring, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile" (John 1:47). Nathanael sought Christ based on the testimony of Scripture, questioning how the Messiah could come from Nazareth, despite knowing that He was prophesied to be from Bethlehem.

Therefore, the apostles and their successors will parent children who are instructed in the holy scriptures, not replicating the Jews who dwelled under a curse. They will proclaim, "For your sake, O Lord, we shall conceive, labor, and give birth" (Isaiah 26:18), for it was said, "Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb" (Deuteronomy 28:4). These are the children of Abraham who do his works. In the accounts of the Old Testament, they are called prophetic sons, born anew by the apostles in the New Testament: Timothy by Paul, Mark by Peter, and many others. Their blessed lineage endures.

The prophet also proclaims, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; in His commandments he shall greatly delight" (Psalm 112:1). In another verse: "Your children shall be like olive shoots around your table. Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord" (Psalm 128:3). In contrast, regarding Judas the betrayer and others like him, it is stated that his offspring shall be desolate, and his wife a widow (Psalm 109:9), for the conclusion of the wicked generation is dire. They conceive turmoil and bring forth sin. It is written of them, "Behold, the pain of unrighteousness, conceal sickness, and bring forth iniquity" (Psalm 7:15).

However, this raises the question: how can Samuel—a righteous man—father wicked sons who did not follow his path (1 Samuel 8), or David, from whom Christ descended, have sons like Amnon and Absalom, both of whom were strife-filled (2 Samuel 13:28; 2 Samuel 15:14)? Thus, we learn that sons and grandsons are understood in the context given. Consequently, Paul was in the pangs of labor for his children until Christ was formed within them (Galatians 4).

When they cry out, they shall be heard immediately, and when they speak, the Lord will respond, "Here I am." We see this fulfilled literally in the Acts of the Apostles. It would have been inconceivable for all nations to believe in such a short spell had not signs and miracles bolstered their faith. For when the apostles proclaimed, the Lord responded with great signs, healing many across regions, as in the case of the father of Publius on the island of Melita, who was restored at Paul’s prayer (Acts 28), while Serna arose at Peter’s request (Acts 9). In this manner, the wolf and the lamb grazed together— signifying the teacher and the disciple reconciled.

The wolf symbolizes those who, driven by passion, pursue knowledge, giving his teaching as sustenance to believers while triumphing over worldly adversaries. The lamb signifies all who, in purity, follow the Lamb wherever He leads, whom the Lord instructed Peter to shepherd (John 21:16). Likewise, the lion will eat straw like the ox when once-great orators humble themselves to the simplicity of Scripture, seeking not the allure of worldly rhetoric that seduces the wayward but pursuing the profound truth gleaned through diligent study.

Of this, Jeremiah remarked, "What is straw in comparison to wheat? The Lord speaks" (Jeremiah 23:28). It is important to note that it is not the ox who transforms into a strongman; rather, it is the lion that becomes gentle. The serpent, once watchful over man’s heel while man observed his head, shall now find sustenance only in the earth as food (Genesis 3). Or, perhaps it suggests that the devil, who previously fed on mankind's demise, will only consume those who are but dust, signifying the transformation of the wicked for the better, who will no longer harm, remaining transformed within the holy mountain of the Lord—His Church—through whom the true confessions emerge, as prophesied, rising without the assistance of human hands, evolving into a mighty presence that fills the earth.

As we consider the Jewish perspective and others who still cling to a hollow faith under the guise of Christianity, separated from the wheat, destined for destruction, we ask: what does it mean to possess blessedness when in the millennial kingdom on Mount Zion—within the eternal city of Christ, Jerusalem, and the holy temple—wolves, lambs, lions, oxen, serpents, and men coexist peacefully, sharing life without harm toward those within the holy domain of the Lord? It is conclusive that those beyond the mountain shall face ruin. For without the threat of wolves, lions, bears, leopards, or serpents, the divine order will govern the vast expanses—a landscape thriving with life, where even children’s innocence challenges the fiercest beasts.

Thus, the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and what we see foretold in prophecy will come to fruition, as in the days when "the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them" (Isaiah 11:6).