THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
When the Israelites heard these messages, the entire assembly, distracted from God and forgetting the miraculous signs performed in Egypt, were overwhelmed with fear, hesitant to engage in battle, unwilling to confront their adversaries, and their affection for the promised land waned. They failed to remember the might and invincible power of their Deliverer, but instead, they wept in despair and quaked with anxiety, fearing that their wives and treasured belongings would fall victim to the enemy's swords. They even expressed that enduring slavery in Egypt seemed preferable, claiming that the burdens of that oppression felt lighter. With tearful hearts, they lamented their desire to return to the Egyptians.
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However, those yearning for the profound and glorious rewards awaiting in paradise do not contend merely against earthly constraints but engage in a spiritual struggle against powers and authorities, as written: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Eph. 6:12). In contrast, those who fixate on worldly matters, choosing fleeting possessions over eternal joy, find themselves reluctant to enter into this fight. Observe how the Israelites, swayed by concern for their families, utterly contradict the counsel of the faithful, surrendering to fear and cowardice. Contemplate also those who, at the arrival of our Savior, Christ, faltered in their faith due to the outcries of others. Yet, some chose to remain steadfast, prioritizing their devotion to God over earthly concerns. The parable shows that those invited to the feast began to decline, each making excuses as if in collusion: one proclaimed, "I have bought a field"; another stated, "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot attend" (Luke 14:18, 20). Can you discern the connection of their struggles? Can you recognize the similarity in their trials?