I observed the earth, and it was void, devoid of life; I gazed at the heavens, and they lacked illumination. I examined the mountains, and they trembled, while all the hills were shaken. I looked around and found no one, and every creature that flew across the skies had vanished. I beheld that Carmel lay in ruins, with all its towns erased from the presence of the Lord and His fierce anger. The prophets perceive in the spirit the imminent events, so that when the people listen, they will be struck with horror and repent, thus avoiding the calamity that awaits them. The earth becomes desolate when its inhabitants are annihilated. The heavens are bereft of light when the people, overwhelmed by terror, fail to perceive it.
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The mountains and hills themselves become unstable, metaphorically appearing to tremble. I searched in every direction and could not even spot a single bird. Even the lifeless earth and irrational creatures quake in response to the wrath of God. The entire world bears witness to this truth; after the demise of a great multitude, the birds, who are typically companions of humanity, are lost and perish. Moreover, Carmel, situated close to the great sea and adorned with olive and fruit trees, will become so desolate that it will be stripped bare like a wilderness. All cities will stand in ruin. The root of these calamities lies in the provocation of God's wrath through the sins of the people. Everything described regarding Jerusalem and Judea in a historical context can likewise apply to the Church of God when it provokes His anger. It may be ravaged either through immorality or persecution, and where there was once a countenance of virtue and joy, there will now be an abundance of sins and griefs.
THEOSIS