The lion is come up out of his den, and the robber of nations hath roused himself: he is come forth out of his place, to make thy land desolate: thy cities shall be laid waste, remaining without an inhabitant.
עָלָ֤ה אַרְיֵה֙ מִֽסֻּבְּכ֔וֹ וּמַשְׁחִ֣ית גּוֹיִ֔ם נָסַ֖ע יָצָ֣א מִמְּקֹמ֑וֹ לָשׂ֤וּם אַרְצֵךְ֙ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה עָרַ֥יִךְ תִּצֶּ֖ינָה מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The lion will rise from his resting place. More precisely, he refers to Nebuchadnezzar as the lion and Babylon as his dwelling, from which he emerged to scorch cities and lay waste to nations; hence, he instructs them to prepare themselves accordingly.
The lion has emerged from his lair, and the plunderer of nations has awakened: he has left his concealed place to turn your land into a desolate wasteland. Your cities shall lie in ruins, devoid of inhabitants. This refers to what we identify as the genuine Nebuchadnezzar, concerning whom the blessed Apostle Peter writes: ‘Our adversary the devil is like a roaring lion going about, seeking whom he may devour’ (1 Pet. 5:8). He emerges either from the depths where he is held captive and pleads not to be cast away; a robber has indeed arisen, a destroyer of nations, of whom it is said: all his enemies are known (Ps. 9:26), and who boasts before the Lord: ‘I have roamed through the heavens and traversed the entire earth’ (Job 2:2).
For who remains untouched by the venom of the devil except for Him who alone can declare, ‘The prince of this world is coming, and in me he has no claim’ (John 14:30)? He frequently transforms the earth into a barren wasteland, causing those who depart from the Church to foster hostility against it. The Evangelist John notes: ‘They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us’ (1 John 2:19). The cities of Judea are left desolate while the gatherings of heretics thrive. Thus, if an individual proves to be the champion and instigator of false teachings, it can rightfully be proclaimed: the lion has emerged from his den, and the plunderer of nations has arisen, and so on.
He mentions this in passing, referring to Nebuchadnezzar as ‘a lion’ (Jeremiah 4:7) and Babylon as ‘a lodge,’ indicating that Nebuchadnezzar will emerge from Babylon to incinerate the cities and lay waste to the lands.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS