THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
As previously mentioned, the priests have desecrated the sacred space, and some have gravely transgressed against the law itself. ‘The Lord will give His judgment in the midst of His morning.’ What does this judgment entail? ‘I cast down the great into corruption,’ meaning I have delivered the proud and arrogant to ruin; for do not the proud represent those who are often in opposition to God, who resist divine commands with their own will, who hold the sacred laws in low regard, who lean toward extreme lawlessness, and declare to the Lord, ‘Depart from me, I will not follow Your paths?' (Job 21:14).
Read more (368 words)
Moreover, who can deny that, according to Scripture, the ‘poor in spirit’ and those humble in heart (Matthew 5:3) possess a noble and modest disposition, marked by a readiness to obey God, whom the Lord regards with special favor? Thus, the Almighty affirmed through one of His holy prophets: ‘And on whom shall I look? Only on him who is meek and quiet, and who trembles at my words?’ (Is. 66:2). Therefore, the proud generation is indeed brought low. ‘The corners of them’ are lost. It seems that ‘corners’ here refers to the walls and strongholds of cities, known for their elevation and towering fortifications. Hence, it might be interpreted as meaning their cities will stand unprotected. Furthermore, He threatened to leave desolate ‘His ways,’ clearly Israel's, stating, ‘thou shalt not pass utterly through.’ This may convey that when the Feast of Tabernacles was to be celebrated as commanded, the law of Moses instructed all from the regions of Judah to ascend to Jerusalem to fulfill their obligations. But when the cities lay in ruins and their inhabitants had perished, the roads were desolate, no longer allowing anyone to hasten to celebrate their appointed feasts as they once did. Indeed, the state of the Jewish observances had deteriorated so severely that there were no participants left to observe the festivals, and those few who survived the conflict could not experience any prosperity. Consequently, the prophet Jeremiah mourned the plight of the Jews, stating, ‘The ways of Zion weep, because there are no feast-goers for them’ (Lamentations 1:4). The unchangeable nature of this word will be clarified by the subsequent verses, as he continues: ‘their hailstones are gone, for there is not one to be, nor one to live’ (Heb. 10:31). Truly, ‘it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God’ (Heb. 10:31). When we provoke Him through our sins and disregard, we are, as if guilty of prideful acts, justly led to destruction, stripped of our ultimate protection, finding our hearts seemingly helpless and vulnerable, without guidance on the path of truth. However, those who commit to following the Lord’s will and humbly submit their souls in obedience will easily evade such calamities.