THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
He who commands the sea and causes it to become dry, and renders all rivers barren, initiates a recounting of events as they are experienced by those who have witnessed and lived through them, moving beyond the most ancient occurrences. When the sovereign God freed Israel from the hands of the wicked Egyptians and liberated them from their oppressive rule, He led them through the depths of the sea, commanding them to walk as if they were on dry ground; for “the waters were thickened like a wall of water” (Ex. 15:8), as it is inscribed. Thus, He commanded the sea, and it became traversable as if it were dry land. If anyone were to connect this thought with the earlier phrase, “The Lord, in the end, and in the toil of his way,” they could reason in this manner.
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The Lord of Hosts, having nearly vanquished and crushed the land of Egypt through His signs and the demise of the firstborn (for they fell in one night, and the land was filled with lamentation), guided Israel through the sea, while the heavenly cloud illuminated their pathway (Psalm 67:8-9). The earth was shaken, for the heavens were disrupted (Ps. 67:8-9). I think that the shaking of the earth refers to Egypt. Paul attests that the cloud enveloped the children of Israel, leading them and remaining unseen by others, stating that “our fathers... were baptized in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Cor. 10:1-3). Moreover, the prophet reminds us that the sea becomes dry and the rivers are devoid of water, recalling another miracle; for when they entered the Promised Land under Jesus, who succeeded Moses, the Jordan stopped its flow as well because the Almighty halts the waters with incomprehensible bonds. Blessed David recognized this as the greatest miracle, proclaiming, “He that turneth the sea into dry land, in the river shall they pass with their feet” (Psalm 65:6); thus, they crossed the Jordan as well. If the prophet asserts that all rivers are dried up, it signifies that what occurred to one can occur to all through God's will. However, some suggest an alternative interpretation of the text. If the Lord of Hosts were to launch an assault on Nineveh, it would surely be done “in the end and in cowardice”; for He will lay it waste, and despite its vastness, akin to a sea flooding other nations with warriors, He will easily make it tremble and will quickly dry it up. Even if those within act like mountain streams, they will undoubtedly be emptied. The sea and the rivers that bring forth floods and deluge can be seen as evils and adversarial forces, especially Satan. Yet Christ has subdued all their power and placed the once insurmountable beneath the feet of His followers. The lush Bashan and Carmel have been diminished, and the flourishing Lebanon has become impoverished. The mountains tremble at His presence, and the hills quake; the earth is filled with dread at His face, along with the whole universe and all who dwell within it. The prophetic word presents further evidence of the divine nature's undeniable power. Bashan is a thriving and bountiful land; Carmel and Lebanon are mountains known for their rich vegetation and famous shady groves. All these regions, I assert, Bashan and the lands near these mountains, were home to strong and formidable tribes, as noted in the writings (Deuteronomy 1:28). But they were laid waste, and through God's assistance, the children of Israel inherited their territory. This echoes the notion that lands once abundant with fearsome and powerful men, as if the forests themselves claimed numerous warriors, have been desolated and have suffered the extermination of their inhabitants. This, I believe, captures the essence of the statement regarding their diminishment. Thus, how could the illustrious Nineveh not be overcome at God’s command? Besides Bashan and Carmel, we see that “the flourishing of Lebanon shriveled up.” Lebanon, as mentioned, is associated with Phoenicia, and by its name, it represents the entire region surrounding it. Here, he refers to the ancient rulers of Damascus and Phoenicia, who once fell under the dominion of the children of Israel and were deemed prosperous, even though they had a significant army and were backed by mighty allies. The accounts in the books of Kings show that the kingdom of Damascus was once ravaged by kings from the tribe of Judah. Thus, “the prosperous of Lebanon was withered”; that is to say, what was best in Phoenicia, particularly in Lebanon, meaning the key political leaders, were also diminished and largely perished. What more can be said about this, when by God's will, without any exertion, the very mountains and hills will be shaken and lifted up, and the whole earth along with its inhabitants will be displaced, as if returning to nothingness, appearing as though it never existed? For the One who created it in the beginning can easily bring about its complete destruction, rendering everything significant to humankind as mere nothingness. It seems that blessed David shared similar thoughts when he asked, “What is the sea, that thou hast run away; and thee, Jordan, that thou hast turned back? What are the mountains that they cry like sheep, and the hills like lambs?” (Psalm 113:5-7). As previously stated, “in cowardice” represents His approach. Everything in the universe will seem insignificant, and all that resides within it will bear no value compared to the divine and indescribable glory, as the prophet Isaiah testifies, stating, “But as for all the Gentiles, as a drop from a bucket, and as a weight of nothing, and as a spit shall they be counted. And the cedar of Lebanon is not enough for burning, and all the beasts shall not suffice for a burnt offering, and all the Gentiles are as nothing, and shall be counted as less than nothing” (Isaiah 40:15-18). Some find it plausible to assert that Nineveh is indirectly in view here, drawing comparisons to Bashan as the most beautiful and glorious land, and then to the majestic and renowned mountains of Carmel and Lebanon. Nineveh was indeed worthy of admiration and fame. When it is described as “diminished,” it indicates that it would soon face destruction, along with its flourishing leaders and prominent figures. And since mountains and regions rich in lumber are mentioned, especially Bashan, the metaphor is consistently maintained throughout this discourse, referring to those who prospered, whether due to wealth, physical might, or other advantages. However, one may rightfully relate the insolent acts of the Jews against Christ and the devastation that befell them following His resurrection and ascension to the heavens, interpreting the reference to the Jews as a fitting analogy. Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon may aptly signify Judea. Bashan is pointed out because it is called “the land flowing with milk and honey,” abundant with wheat, olives, and vineyards. It is known as Carmel and Lebanon due to its esteemed reputation and the fame of its inhabitants, likened to an endless forest; yet “it was diminished,” referring to how it fell into the hands of ruthless and powerful destroyers, collapsing like trees. Zechariah also makes a similar reference, addressing Jerusalem: “Open thy doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume thy cedars; the cedar has fallen, for the noble ones are greatly impoverished. Let the oaks of Bashan weep, for the oak that was planted is cut down” (Zech. 11:1-2). Additionally, he states even more explicitly, “And the mourning of Jerusalem shall be like the mourning of a pomegranate orchard” (Zechariah 12:11). Just as he compares Jerusalem to Lebanon, he refers to the falling cedars and the plentiful oaks of Bashan as the people in positions of high authority, indicating, as I mentioned, the metaphorical nature of the discourse.