If I were to speak from my own thoughts without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I would prefer to perish alone as a false prophet, unless my words ring true! O that many might believe in the Son of God and avoid eternal exile! However, being a prophet who speaks through God's Spirit, sent by divine truth, I must declare the truth: I will pour forth my words upon you like fine wine that will overwhelm and cause you to stumble. As I declare the disasters foretold of your upcoming captivity, this people will be swept along by my prophetic messages, whether they desire to or not.
And do not think I am merely a purveyor of calamity; now is the time of the foretold fulfillment. Let it be acknowledged that what was spoken through all the prophets remains unvoiced without divine inspiration, saying, “I will come and take on humanity, born of a virgin.” Because I have arrived in the humility of the flesh, and you did not put your faith in me, at the end of times, I will return in majesty, accompanied by angels and other powers. Then, O Jacob, I will gather you together; I will unite the remnant of Israel as one and will integrate them into my flock alongside Gentiles. The multitude of believers will encompass you, and the sound of the flock within the sheepfold will be so abundant that it will surpass all numbers. Furthermore, do not mistakenly interpret my words regarding "setting them as a flock in a sheepfold" to mean mere sheep; truly, these sheep represent humanity. The term "tumult" reflects the clamor of many voices, a great multitude lifting a chorus together, proclaiming the praises of the Good Shepherd, who has smoothed the rugged paths and tread down the obstacles; He shall guide them through the gateway to heaven, declaring, "I am the door." Under His leadership, the faithful will traverse that pathway with purity of heart. Yet, this shepherd is also King and Lord. Accordingly, it follows, “And the king shall go before them, and the Lord at their head.”
Should we choose to interpret this in relation to Christ’s first coming, associating all of Jacob and the remnant of Israel with the Apostles and those Jews who were saved according to the accounts in the Acts of the Apostles, this understanding remains true. For indeed, the Lord genuinely gathered them into His fold, stationed them within the enclosure, led them into the Church, and eternally crowned Himself as King before them and Lord at their forefront. The Septuagint states: “The Spirit has silenced the falsehood. He chastened you for your wine and intoxication.” It shall occur that from the remnant of this people, Jacob will gather a community. Many misunderstand the text to imply “The lying Spirit has ceased,” but the Greek says, “The Spirit has put an end to the falsehood,” indicating that the Spirit of the Lord has brought an end to deceit, allowing God’s people not to heed the false prophets’ words. It has been repeatedly mentioned that wherever the term "spirit" appears in Scripture without qualification, it is understood positively. For instance, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Galatians 5:22), and “If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit we shall also walk” (Galatians 5:25). Furthermore, “But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you shall live” (Romans 8:13), and in the Old Testament, “He who gives breath to those upon the earth” (Isaiah 42:5), demonstrating that those who engage with earthly matters deserve good spirits rather than evil ones. Conversely, references to the evil spirit are always specified; for example, “When the unclean spirit departs from a man” (Matthew 12:43), or “He rebuked the unclean spirit” (Luke 9:42), and “An evil spirit tormented Saul” (1 Samuel 14:14), among others.
Thus, the Spirit of God, having silenced the deceptions of the false prophets, will bestow upon you true wine and revelry. This wine is that which brings joy to the human heart (Psalms 104:15), and this exhilaration recalls Noah’s joy, wherein it is said, “Eat, my friends, and drink your fill” (Song of Solomon 5:1). All this joy is but a fragment compared to the profound wisdom of God, which, like a flowing river, nourishes the heavenly Jerusalem. Those who acknowledge that a mere drop of Divine Wisdom speaks through humanity will not refute that a stone was quarried from a mountain without any human assistance (Daniel 2:34), that God’s foolishness surpasses human wisdom, and that even the Apostles saw only in part and prophesied in part (1 Corinthians 13:9). Hence, from this wisdom, through the remnant of the Jewish people—because Christ came only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel—Jacob was gathered, representing the one who prevailed over Esau and cherished his birthright and blessing.
The Septuagint continues: "I will gather the remnant of Israel, receiving all.” When the Gentiles believe and all nations come to My faith, then the remnant of Israel shall be saved. This remnant differs from the seven thousand men referenced in Kings, who did not bow to Baal (1 Kings 19:18), of whom Paul spoke of the remnant being saved due to grace (Romans 11:15). This prophet confirms that from this remnant, Jacob will be gathered into the assembly. These individuals are the remnant to be accepted after all others are received; they are those who will be shown mercy at the end—also noted as “God having shut all people up under sin, might have mercy upon all” (Romans 11:32).
The Septuagint states: “Their falling away I will place among the sheep in disarray.” I intend to gather the remnant of Israel once I have received the whole; at present, however, as they have turned away from Me, I will put them through trials, afflicting them without priest, altar, or prophet, so that they may learn through suffering what they could not grasp through blessings. “As a flock in the middle of their den” suggests I will lay them down. He indicates that their estrangement from Me will be treated as a disordered flock, but once they have endured tribulations and the time of comfort arrives, they shall be laid to rest, finding their rightful place. Then they will be separated from humanity, rising beyond the mortal state and fulfilling the prophecy that “they shall spring forth from humanity.” They shall not merely stand apart but will elevate themselves, embodying the words spoken to them, “I said, 'You are gods, and sons of the Most High’” (Psalm 82:6)—they will be distinguished from other men and as if ascended into the heavens.
“Rise by separation,” thus concludes the beginning of this prophetic message directed to those who seek salvation and are instructed to traverse this separation. This can be illustrated through the account in Genesis regarding the birth of twins through Tamar after Judah's union: there it states, “When she gave birth to two in her womb, during labor one stretched out his hand, prompting the grandmother to tie a red thread around it, saying, ‘This one will emerge first.’ But when he withdrew his hand, his brother came out right after, leading her to exclaim, ‘Why has the barrier divided for your sake?’ and she named him Perez, signifying division.” The brother who followed, marked with the red thread, was named Zerah, implying seed or dawn. Hence, the earliest nation demonstrated a sign of life before the Church arose from the Gentiles, showing its deeds and subsequently withdrawing its hand, realizing Isaiah’s rebuke, “For your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15). By withdrawing or removing the hand from righteousness, the Gentile nation would then advance. Through this, the barrier was broken, and the Lord and Savior dismantled the division standing between the two nations, uniting them into one flock, establishing peace and creating one new humanity.
Thus, the grandmother, speaking prophetically to Perez, denounces the division made for his benefit. If you grasp this example from Genesis, it emphasizes that any who earnestly seek salvation must rise, not through the elder who withdrew but through the younger, in whom the pathway is Christ, and who is the gateway to the Father. He Himself has removed every barrier and opened the path before all, ensuring that those who wish to proceed encounter no hindrance nor are daunted by darkness. The Septuagint reflects, “They opened before their faces and passed through the gate; their king led the way.” The Lord is their Shepherd, and as you who have risen with Christ set your sights on the heavenly, I reiterate: Ascend through the separation while the angels—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—have dispelled what once appeared as barriers, preparing a way for those eager to enter. Thus, they move freely, not only through the gate but beyond it, entering as their King, who has also advanced through the gate, has paved the way for them with ease. Christ stands as both King and Shepherd, the very path and the door, declaring, "I am the door; whoever enters by Me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture" (John 10:9). A prophetic utterance about this door appears elsewhere: “Behold, the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter by it” (Psalm 118:20). Those who enter do not remain in their initial state but step forth into grazing grounds, where their entrance is the beginning of virtues, and their exit and reception of nourishment leads to their fulfillment. The one who enters lives in this world, perceiving the Creator through His creation. Yet, upon going forth, they transcend all creation and, deeming visible things as insignificant, will discover pasture that lies beyond their sight. They will be nourished by the Word of God, declaring, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). From this, we derive understanding from the Gospel's testimony that they will go in and out and find pasture (John 10:9) and also what the prophet states: “They shall enter through the gate and exit by it” (Micah 2:13). However, this entering and exiting can only occur through our King Christ, who is both King and Lord, as it is followed by the affirmation: “And at their head is the Lord.”
THEOSIS