THEOSISGregory the Great
When the decree for rain was established and the path for thunderstorms was set, God observed it and proclaimed it; He fashioned it, indeed, and discovered it. Job 28:26-27. This signifies the messages delivered by those who preach. Accordingly, Moses stated, let my teaching be like the rain. Deuteronomy 32:2. The words expressed with gentle conviction resemble ‘rain,’ while statements that thunder ominously foretell impending Judgment can be likened to ‘thunderstorms.’ It is important to recognize separately that the decree is appointed for the rain, so that a pathway is opened for thunderstorms. Preachers themselves are to embody the decree in their lives, ensuring their actions align with the teachings they share with others.
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The credibility of their message diminishes if their actions do not corroborate their words. As the psalmist points out, God asks the wicked what they have done to proclaim His statutes and to take His precepts into their lips, acknowledging that they have hated His statutes and discarded His words. Psalm 49:16-17. A preacher who despises in thought the very words he speaks creates a contradiction, making it difficult for others to heed his teachings. The law regarding preaching states, whoever breaks even the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; however, whoever fulfills and teaches them will be deemed great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19. Here, ‘the kingdom of heaven’ refers to the contemporary Church, reminding us that all deceivers will be removed from His kingdom. Matthew 13:41. To be removed from the kingdom, one must abstain from causing offenses. Therefore, those who stumble in action while teaching verbally will find themselves diminished in this kingdom and even less so in the next.
The phrase ‘He sets the path for thunderstorms’ suggests that God opens the way for His preachers to reach the hearts of people who fear forthcoming judgment. Thus, first, ‘the decree is made,’ followed by the opening of the path since the voice that resonates penetrates the hearts of those who listen, particularly if it is supported by actions. When God established the decree for the rain and a way for the thunderstorms, He observed, declared, prepared, and discovered this Wisdom. In scripture, the expression ‘God sees’ indicates He enables us to see, as illustrated when the Lord tells the righteous man, Now I see that you fear God. Genesis 22:12. The Israelites are cautioned that the Lord your God is testing you to see whether you love the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 13:3, denoting that He does this for their understanding. After appointing the decree for rain, He commanded preachers to seek Wisdom incarnate, making it ‘visible and declared’ so they could ‘prepare and seek’ listeners. In preparing for Her, one who lives righteously gathers favor for the Day of Judgment.
It is noteworthy that there are four aspects that illustrate Her nature: ‘Then He saw it, and declared it; He prepared it, yea, and found it.’ In these, ‘He saw’ correlates with Her being the Likeness; ‘He declared’ corresponds to Her being the Word; ‘prepared’ relates to Her function as our remedy; and ‘found’ signifies Her hidden nature. Yet when contemplating the Eternal Wisdom of God in the ‘Likeness’ and ‘Word’ of the Father, human understanding struggles to grasp Her essence. For who can truly comprehend the Word outside of time or the Likeness beyond constraints? Thus, it is essential to articulate something more relatable regarding Her essence, which invites understanding.