Additionally, angels would say, according to Josephus, "Let us depart from our dwellings," indicating that the Lord’s mountain would rise in place of Zion, as prophesied to Tyre, "And thou art cast down from the mountain of God" (Ezek. 28:16). This mountain of the Lord becomes visible in these last days as the Kingdom of Heaven draws near; for at the culmination of the ages, our Savior manifested Himself to humble sin through His sacrifice and entered the vineyard at the last hour to engage the workers.
Upon the completion of His sufferings, John proclaims that "the last hour is" (1 John 2:18). If we allocate the six thousand years across the hours of day, the final hour corresponds to the era of Gentile faith. "And the mountain of the Lord shall be revealed" signifies that what was previously concealed will now become known—not only between mountains but above them, surpassing Moses and the Prophets who spoke of it. While they conveyed sacred truths, their proclamations regarding the coming Lord are outshone by this prophecy. "And He shall be exalted" (Phil. 2:8, 9); He appeared in human form, taking the posture of a servant, and humbled Himself unto death, even death on a cross. The Father exalted Him and bestowed upon Him a name that surpasses all others; every aspect of human existence is but a plane compared to His stature. Thus, to this exalted mountain, "all nations shall flow" (Isaiah 2:3), akin to countless rivers gathering together.
The nations will indeed haste—specifically when the Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the coastal regions of Libya, along with Romans, Jews, proselytes, Cretans, and Arabs, collectively embrace Him (Acts 2:8-11). Do those who were invited, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19, 20), not appear to be making their way to the mountain? Those who followed the Savior immediately, like James and John who left their father and boat, are testament to this. Matthew, the tax collector, upon hearing the call "Follow Me" (Matthew 9:9), promptly obeyed. Thus, the Gospel recognizes the throngs gathered from Galilee, the Ten Cities, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan, who followed Him as He healed them (Matt. 4:25).
As the nations hasten, a multitude of Gentiles will also approach the mountain—the entire world united in faith in Him—calling to one another, "Come, let us ascend to the mountain of the Lord." To ascend is requisite for anyone wishing to reach Christ and the house of the God of Jacob, namely the Church, the pillar and bulwark of truth (1 Tim. 3:15). We assert, as previously noted, that Jacob is significant to the Lord: "Jacob is my portion, I will receive him" (Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 41:8; Isaiah 42:1). They will also plead for guidance, understanding this to involve the angels overseeing the churches or sacred Scripture which will elucidate to them the path of the Lord, as He declares, "I am the way" (John 14:6). We shall walk in His ways, following the Apostles through whom we have come to believe in Christ. From Zion emanates the spiritual law, and the Word of God flows from Jerusalem to the Gentiles, for the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). He will illuminate many nations from afar (Psalm 93:10), for the Lord will dismantle the cunning of the wise and expose their empty thoughts. He will discern which nations are deserving of salvation and those who are not; at His coming, conflicts will yield to peace (Isaiah 2:4): swords will be turned into plows, and spears into sickles; nation will not lift sword against nation, nor will anyone learn to wage war any longer. The peace will be so profound that all will find safety not only in cities but also in villages and fields, for the mouth of the Lord has declared it.
Yet in the beginning, according to the letter, before the Ogrok, whose dominion is upon his frame, the entire world was drenched in blood, with nations contending ruthlessly against one another—kings against kings, tribes against tribes. Even the Roman state itself was mired in internal strife: the conflicts of Cinna, Octavius, and Carbonus, Marius and Sulla, Antony and Catiline, Caesar and Gnaeus Pompey, Augustus against Brutus, and Augustus contending with Antony, during which all kingdoms shed innocent blood. By the time of Christ's coming, there existed one realm—the Roman Empire; the apostles found the world welcoming, as city gates opened to their preaching of the one God. The proclamation, "They shall turn their swords into plows and their spears into sickles" (Joel 3:10), may also bear a profound significance—denoting that with the advent of faith in Christ, violence and relentless swearing ceased, compelling all to labor fervently without fear, as they aspired to reap the spiritual harvest. Thus, as one group toils, let us join their labor (John 4:38), so that it can be said of us, "They went forth with joy, bearing their sheaves" (Psalm 125:6). Presently, no one battles another, as the Scripture states, "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matt. 5:9).
Rather, individuals abstain from striving to upend those who listen; each maintains silence, respecting the present evil times, while resting in the vineyard, partaking of the wine that gladdens the heart (Psalm 103:15), under that vine which the Father cultivates (John 15:1) and beneath his fig tree, where they gather the sweet fruits of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, and more. All these promises shall indeed come to fruition—corresponding to both interpretations—because the words of the Lord are true, and His word embodies action. Nations shall follow their path, each in their error; yet we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever. While the nations wander in error, we have shown the way, proclaiming, "Come, let us ascend to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob" (Isaiah 2:3), in the name of Christ our Lord, for He is the mountain that is God.
On that day, when the sun of righteousness shines forth, what was once afflicted shall be gathered, what was lost shall be restored, and the forsaken shall unite to form a strong nation, for "If the Lord of hosts had not left us a remnant, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah" (Romans 9:29). The Hebrew text aptly articulates, "I will gather the lame, along with those who have walked in wickedness," to whom the prophet Elijah spoke, "How long will you hesitate?" (1 Kings 18:21), who had a foot afflicted (Mark 9:45). I will gather the outcast, to whom I provided the decree of divorce, and who has experienced diverse afflictions. However, should the diligent reader ponder, "How can you assert that the lame shall be gathered and the outcast reunited when Judah remains in disbelief?", let them note that this speaks of the original Church of Christ, which emerged from the Jews—these being the Apostles, and Luke records in Acts that, on one day, three thousand believed, and on another, five thousand (Acts 2:11; Acts 4:4). James even remarked to Paul, "Brother Paul, you see how many thousands of Jews have believed, and they are zealous for the law" (Acts 21:20).
Moreover, it is essential to note that the prophet does not say, "I will save the lame entirely," but signifies, "I will gather the lame into the remnant," that the chosen ones may find salvation—a strong nation called Christians, which cannot be conquered by sword, fire, or torments. Witness the faith and sufferings of the martyrs, and you will not doubt the strength of this community. The Lord will reign over them—over many nations and the modest remnant of Israel on Mount Zion—within the Church, elevated in the contemplation of virtues from now until the age to come.
If one interprets the phrase, "I will gather the broken and reclaim the rejected," regarding the human soul—considering that before Christ's coming it served various vices, and as a weak and lost sheep was torn apart, one does not err in recognizing the broken and downtrodden soul as prepared to be under the Lord’s dominion, to reside in Zion and be restored by the Good Shepherd (Luke 15:5). Although Jews and those adhering to their errors claim both this passage and similar ones in Isaiah refer to a millennial reign of Christ and the saints, the text stating, "All nations shall walk in the name of the Lord their God," is misconstrued to imply each nation shall endure torment for its idols, cast into eternal fire. This misinterpretation is clarified through the context, revealing that the reference pertains not to the end of time, but to Christ's first coming, during which the remnant of the lame shall be gathered, and even prior, the Gentiles will be redeemed. The prophet Isaiah elucidated this, declaring, "The word of the Lord came to Isaiah, son of Amos concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days, the mountain of the Lord's house will be established on the highest of the mountains and lifted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of our God, so that He may teach us His ways and we may walk in His paths; for out of Zion will go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore" (Isaiah 2:1-5). It is noteworthy that the Word of God arising from Jerusalem will pass judgment on numerous nations but will only rebuke the people of Judah. Indeed, He will judge us as sinners based on our deeds, but He will not condemn them outright as the reprobate, only admonish them as the afflicted.
THEOSIS