What has been prophesied has indeed come to pass; the evidence is clear to our eyes, confirming the prophetic words. This is also corroborated in the book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:18), where Micah is mentioned, and the desolation of Jerusalem is acknowledged. The judges, leaders of both Israel and Judah, not only failed to administer justice but actively scorned it, corrupting all that was good, so that even a trace of justice would not remain in the city. They built Zion on bloodshed and Jerusalem on wickedness, exploiting the needy, endangering innocent lives, and persecuting the righteous. Even those judges who appeared to deliver fair judgments did so out of greed, taking bribes for their decisions. The priests, too, only offered guidance to the people in exchange for payment; although it is said to the righteous, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8), they sold God’s word and His grace, seeking profit like avaricious merchants. After all these abominations, they, blinded by their sins, vainly claim to be judges, priests, and prophets and arrogantly assert, "The Lord is among us and no calamity shall befall us." Because of their failure to repent and the people mimicking the vices of their leaders, Zion will be treated like a field, Jerusalem will lie in ruins, and the temple, once resplendent with gold and silver, will face utter desolation. This speaks of the Jewish nation, whose current captivity and destruction stem from their listed transgressions, particularly the shedding of the Lord's blood. Therefore, Zion has become like a field, Jerusalem has turned into wooded hills, and the temple, once revered, has been reduced to ashes.
If someone were to apply the references to Jerusalem and Zion to the Church, they would see that it is, in fact, the house of Jacob and the house of Israel, as stated in Isaiah: "Jacob is My child, I will receive him" (Isaiah 41:8) and further supported by the words of the Apostle to Timothy: “That you may know how to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the Church” (1 Tim. 3:15). It becomes evident that the heads of the house of Jacob and the remnant of the house of Israel, or as the Hebrew text clarifies, the judges of the house of Israel, are none other than the bishops, presbyters, and deacons who disregard justice and corrupt righteousness unless they diligently guard their hearts. It is evident that they look down upon justice and distort what is right when they judge frivolously, allowing their authority rather than the merits of the case to dictate their decisions. This passage could also be perceived as indicating how the judges of Israel spurn justice, rejecting divine judgment and distorting Scripture through misguided interpretations; hence, they build Zion on bloodshed and Jerusalem on injustice. When Scripture instructs, “Do not bring the wicked under the roof of the righteous” (Proverbs 24:15), and declares, “The Lord will abhor the man of blood and the flatterer” (Psalms 5:7), these church leaders, when they ordain those who are unfit, become accountable for leading others into temptation, as the lives of those they ordain pose a danger to the faithful (Matt. 18:6-9). It is further stated that it would be better for a millstone to be tied around a man’s neck and for him to be thrown into the sea than for one of the little ones of the Church to be led astray. Despite the fact that the prophet Malachi refers to the priests as angels (Malachi 2:7) and describes their mouths as the words of the Lord, they do not judge impartially, as it is said, “Gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous” (Deut. 16:19; Eccl. 20:31). Though instructed to take no gold or silver (Matt. 10:9), they still trade in the Word of God, profiting even from the sale of doves in the temple. Even the prophets of Jerusalem offer divinations for money, failing to understand the difference between divination and true prophecy, as divination is never given a positive connotation in Scripture: “There shall be no divination in Jacob, nor soothsaying in Israel” (Num. 23:23). They mistook their false prophecies for true proclamations, as they were turned into divination by those who sought gain. The apostle Peter declared, “Silver and gold have I none” (Acts 3:6); he could have claimed to sell what was demanded, or at least pretended to sell it—yet neither the Holy Spirit can be sold nor bought. He condemned the monetary offering brought by Simon, affirming the dangers it harbored (Acts 8:18-23). Thus, we see that the prophets of Jerusalem lacked authentic prophecy, even as they professed trust in the Lord, boldly stating, “Calamities shall not come upon us.” Because of their assurances, the very place of God's presence has been laid waste by enemies, once a tranquil site, now strewn with ruins, and the temple of the Lord transformed into a wild forest, a sanctuary for beasts.
No one is stirred by the account from the first book of Samuel, where Saul, wishing to consult Samuel, indicated he had nothing to offer, to which his companion responded, “Behold, a quarter shekel of silver is in my hand; I will give it to the man of God, and he shall tell us our way” (1 Sam. 9:7 ff.). However, it does not say that Samuel accepted the payment nor that it was offered to him; rather, they were treated to a meal by the prophet. Even if he did receive some form of remuneration, it would be best interpreted as compensation for hospitality rather than for divination. A shekel consists of twenty obols, and a quarter shekel amounts to only five obols. Likewise, if our priests wish to sell prophecies or offer doves from their pulpits—like those which the Lord once drove from the temple (John 2:15)—they should accept only five obols, not an amount equivalent to entire estates. This pattern is reflected in the third book of Kings, where Jeroboam’s wife, when seeking counsel from the prophet Ahijah for her ailing son, took with her bread, dried fruits, and honey (1 Kings 14:1-3). The text specifies what she carried but does not mention what he accepted, for he both reprimanded her and foretold her impending doom. It is conceivable that those who frequented soothsayers (of whom there were many in Israel) mistakenly viewed the prophets in the same light, desiring to offer gifts to these holy men as they did to the soothsayers; thus, the Scriptures note a willingness to give, yet do not record that they dared to offer or that the prophets accepted anything. The apostle Paul affirms, “Those who serve at the altar partake of the altar and live” (1 Cor. 9:13). Oh minister, it is acceptable for you to be sustained by the altar, but not to live in excess (1 Cor. 9:9). The apostle knew this and did not misuse this allowance; content with the means for living and clothing, he worked diligently, night and day, so as not to be a burden to anyone. In his letters, he attests that he conducted himself in the Gospel of Christ with piety and without greed, and he asserts the same about his disciples—sending no one to seek or demand anything (1 Thess. 2:5-11; 2 Thess. 3:8-12). While he expresses gratitude to the brethren in some of his letters, regarding their contributions as God’s goodwill, he did not request them primarily for his benefit but for the sake of the poor saints in Jerusalem. These saints were among the first to believe in Christ from among the Jews, suffering rejection from family members and losing everything due to the plunder by temple priests and the populace. Should there be poor today, let them be welcomed; however, if some households thrive under the guise of helping the poor, and if our provisions come in vessels of gold, crystal, or pottery, let wealth shift our Christian practices, or the poverty of our customs should not yearn for the riches enjoyed by the affluent. What value is there in lacking a handkerchief to wipe away sweat? What joy lies in possessing a single garment while the multitude of the destitute yearn for our bounty? Therefore, for the sake of those who have established Zion through bloodshed and unrighteousness—who render judgments for gain, offer oracles for money, and pretend to holiness while claiming, “Calamities will not befall us”—we will surely hear the stern admonitions of God. Consequently, Zion, Jerusalem, and the temple hill—the focal point of divine observation—will meet with destruction. In the age to come, as love wanes and faith grows scarce, they will be plowed like a field, transformed into wooded hills and meager shelters for produce, so that where once stood grand structures and plentiful harvests, there will only endure a humble dwelling with insufficient provisions to nourish the spirit.
THEOSIS