And the people are not returned to him who hath struck them, and have not sought after the Lord of hosts.
וַיַּכְרֵ֨ת יְהוָ֜ה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֗ל רֹ֧אשׁ וְזָנָ֛ב כִּפָּ֥ה וְאַגְמ֖וֹן י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Do you notice that He expressed all this so that the people would not be hurt, yet they remained unrepentant? The message conveyed by the prophet is akin to stating, "Everything has been attempted, but no good came until He was wounded."
For he stated, people fail to turn from their transgressions, nor do they seek the Lord in order to desire what pleases Him, to gain wisdom, and to act according to His will; instead, they persist in their unchanged attitudes and thoughts until a powerful and sovereign hand is laid upon them. What was this final calamity? Shouldn’t we investigate? As previously mentioned, Nebuchadnezzar captured all of Judah and transported Israel into the mountainous regions of the Persians and Medes. Yet, after the appointed period of captivity concluded, they returned to Judah, settled in Jerusalem, and were no longer fragmented into two tribes but united under a single king.
It was prophesied, 'They shall come up from the land, and shall rally under one leader.' Following their return from exile, the Syrians and the peoples from the east attacked them, but by God’s protection, those who had been freed from captivity emerged victorious. However, up until the arrival of the Savior, they continued to live in immorality, clinging to their old vices and behaving in a manner that was contrary to the law, exhibiting carelessness in their conduct. When Christ appeared in all His glory (for God has revealed Himself to us, as the Psalmist declared), they did not abandon their obstinacy; they acted unlawfully, rejected His teachings, and refused to honor Him in faith. What can I say? They offered Him every form of disrespect; their impiety reached such heights that they surrendered Him to be crucified, dismissing the Holy One and the Righteous One, and resolved to execute the Author of Life, the One who justifies the wicked, who shone forth to all humanity to abolish death and strip sin of its power. Consequently, the heavy hand of discipline remained over them, leading to inevitable judgment. They were left in ruins when Vespasian, Titus, and the entire Roman army besieged them, reducing their land to ashes and obliterating the temple, such that not a single stone remained atop another, in accordance with the words of the Savior. Therefore, when the merciful God sends trials as a consequence of our sins, it is perilous to fall into despair; rather, we must strive to soothe the Heartbroken One. He favors those who refrain from sin, yet also extends His grace to the disobedient through His boundless mercy. Hence, let none of us be hard-hearted or slow to recognize His gifts; understanding that He can bestow goodness even upon the unkind, let us turn to Him in repentance for our past transgressions, reshape our will to serve Him, and commit to pursuing a life of righteousness.
Thus, since individuals are not restored through mere words but through discipline, it is stated, ‘And men were not converted until they were afflicted.’ Hence, correction is essential for such individuals. Consequently, one should not strive to uncover the reasons behind severe events: why droughts occur, why rains come, why thunder crashes, why hail falls? These inquiries are fitting for us, who have unrepentant hearts and only turn back when we experience suffering.
It is preferable to repent after committing sin than for a fallen individual to exist without consequence. For the Lord disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). Chastisement is an act of a loving father; conversely, every soul that remains uncorrected becomes unwell. Thus, enduring discipline is not as challenging as lacking wisdom while experiencing it.
The transformation of the people did not occur until they experienced affliction, meaning it was only after Salmanassar defeated Samaria and led its residents into exile that they changed.
Yet those who are afflicted by the Lord will not seek the One who has chastised them, nor will they invoke the Sovereign of Hosts, choosing instead to revere golden idols rather than the true God. Even in their suffering, and while consumed by their adversaries, they will not turn back to the Lord; His hand remains poised to chastise them, as stated in Jeremiah, ‘In vain have I smitten your sons: you have not received understanding’ (Jer. 2:30).
The prophet brings a complaint before the Lord, stating, 'You bring destruction upon them, yet they refuse to accept guidance.' Furthermore, he remarks that the people do not return to the One who chastens them. In this context, the Lord addresses the people of Israel, who remain in captivity yet have not repented due to their wickedness, proclaiming, 'The house of Israel has become like ashes to Me; they are all metals such as tin, copper, iron, and lead in the refining process.' The Lord expresses a desire to refine them through the fire of suffering, aiming to transform them into silver or gold, but instead, they emerge as brass, tin, iron, and lead, for even through their trials, they have continued to pursue sinful behaviors.
Indeed, copper yields a louder sound when struck than other metals. Thus, those who produce only a weak sound when chastised may be transformed in the refining fire into copper. Tin, when carefully processed, can be shaped into silver. Consequently, those who do not shy away from the sin of hypocrisy in their suffering are refined into tin in the furnace. Conversely, anyone who conspires against their neighbor's life becomes like iron. Therefore, the one who remains steadfast in their malicious intent during trials is likened to iron in the furnace. Lead, being heavier than other metals, represents a person weighed down by sin, who, despite facing torment, does not relinquish their earthly desires.
The kingdom of Israel, or Ephraim, is discussed in isolation, as suggested by the following verse that addresses Israel specifically, without reference to the other adversaries of Judah. The grave afflictions impending upon the kingdom of Israel are indicative of divine judgment. However, the afflicted people will fail to recognize this significance; they will regard their suffering as mere chance. Even while enduring the chastisement of God's wrath—despite becoming as devastating as plagues—they will not seek the Lord with hearts of contrition and requests for assistance.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS