Do not fear, says He, regarding the fierce oppressors: firmly believe that the promises of the Lord delivered through me are true. Be strengthened and complete the work that has begun. The assurance for their empowerment is the divine promise: These words are from the Lord Almighty, for whom nothing is impossible, capable of fulfilling what He has promised.
Just as I chose to distress you and to hand you over to exile because your forefathers incited My wrath, and I did not show mercy—translated in the LXX as “οὐ μετενόησα,” meaning I did not relent in My plan to discipline you through captivity and instruct you by every trial; in like manner, at this time, I have resolved to bless Jerusalem and the house of Judah. It should be noted that when the Lord is angered, the house of Judah and the house of Israel—representing all the twelve tribes estranged in captivity—are regarded as a curse among the Gentile nations; however, when He chooses to bless, it is directed specifically toward Jerusalem and the house of Judah, and He reassures: Do not fear, or have steadfast faith, as previously stated.
This can also be interpreted in relation to the Church and every believer, reading this passage as signifying that Christians, during persecution, faced curses and mockery from surrounding nations because they saddened their Lord; yet, eventually, they will become a blessing once peace prevails. The Lord, who once had His back turned to Jerusalem in anger, ultimately shows compassion toward it, signaling a vision of tranquility and towards Judas, representing those who profess faith in the Lord. Individual believers who are ostracized from the Church and handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:5) may learn not to blaspheme (1 Tim. 1:20), and upon repentance, shall return to their former state, experiencing the peace of God and receiving glory for their confession.
With regard to the phrase “I have not had mercy” or “I have not repented,” heretics often misrepresent it, suggesting that God is either cruel or fickle, as if He were to change His mind. For if He changes His mind, He is seen as vacillating; conversely, if His resolve remains unchanged, He may appear merciless. God repented for anointing Saul as king (1 Sam. 15:1-2), and for the Ninevites, He proclaimed through the prophet that Nineveh would be destroyed in three days (Jon. 3:4), yet upon their repentance, He, in accordance with the prophet, amended His decree—not out of ignorance but due to the inconsistent nature of those who shift between good and evil.
Should they engage in wickedness, He sends warnings, but if they mourn their sins, He extends mercy. The unchanging nature of God is evident; however, when humanity exchanges good actions for malevolent ones, His intentions may adjust. He states in Genesis, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, and their sin is very grave. I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to Me,” (Genesis 18:20-21). This suggests that if they persist in their transgressions, judgment will ensue for the unrepentant; yet, if they abandon their folly, they will prove worthy of His knowledge, for God knows His own (2 Tim. 2:19), while the Apostle warns the Galatians of those who do not know God (Gal. 4:8). Although God possesses complete knowledge, with nothing concealed from Him, He states in the Gospel that He does not recognize the wicked: “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness, I never knew you” (Luke 13:27). Thus, it is essential to discuss God's knowledge, repentance, wrath, indignation, and all His internal movements not merely through the lens of human expression but in a manner that befits His divine majesty.
THEOSIS