Friday, March 26, 2004
Lenten Fast
Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel
6th Hour: Isaiah 45:11-17 1st Vespers: Genesis 22:1-18 2nd Vespers: Proverbs 17:17-18:5
Isaiah 45: 11-17 LXX, especially vs. 17: "Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation:
you shall not be ashamed nor confounded for evermore." In the Twentieth century, the world lived through the rise and
fall of two aggressive ideologies: Fascism and Communism. Each promised, under its banner, a glorious history for
mankind . Each captured the hearts of millions who fanned out to spread the promise of glory. Through war and
revolutions, each made great territorial gains, and without remorse, each liquidated millions whom their ideologues
identified as 'undesirables.' Thank God, they have been largely defeated.
In today's passage from Isaiah, the Lord God declares the true conclusion of mankind's history: the reign of Jesus Christ in
the final age when God shall have "highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the
Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth"(Phil.
2:9,10).
Isaiah's prophecy differs from these recent, infamous ideologies. Christ's Kingdom is revealed as God's will. It is not a
man-made theory. Further, it will not be achieved by human energy and force. [Note, we will follow the Septuagint (LXX)
translation, because of several critical differences from the common translations that are derived from the Masoretic texts.]
First of all, God makes the raw ingredients of history, including the earth and the human race, and He is leading events
toward "the things that are to come" (vss. 11,12). Most important is an unnamed "King of righteousness" (vs. 13), One
raised up by God but known to us, since He was manifested in the flesh and "revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles"
(Eph. 3:5) - the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus dominates this prophecy, which profiles Him and His kingdom.
"All His ways are right" (Is. 45:13), just as St. John the Theologian teaches: "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ"
(Jn. 1:17).
"He shall build My city" (Is. 45:13), the City of God described by St. Augustine of Hippo, a heavenly City, which, "so long
as it is wayfaring on earth, not only makes use of earthly peace but fosters and actively pursues along with other human
beings a common platform in regard to all that concerns our purely human life and does not interfere with faith and
worship. Of course, though, the City of God subordinates this earthly peace to that of heaven. For this is not merely true
peace, but strictly speaking, for any rational creature, the only real peace."
He "shall turn the captivity of My people, not for ransoms, nor for rewards" (Is. 45:13), but, of course, with His own
Precious Blood, and out of great love for all men.
The Lord of hosts tells us that "Egypt has labored for [Him]" (vs. 14). Long the symbol of gross paganism, Egypt, in
submission to Christ, did produce great Saints, such as Athanasios and Cyril, Patriarchs, and Anthony, Pachomios, and
Macarios, great monastic founders.
"Men of stature" (vs. 14) came from Ethiopia as well, among whom must be counted a eunuch who was the Treasurer of
Candace, the queen of Ethiopia (Acts 8:26-39). There was Moses the Black, the leader of a robber band who repented and
was healed by St. Isidore. He founded a monastery with seventy-five disciples of his own and triumphed as a martyr for
Christ.
All these and many more bound themselves to the Lord Jesus with fetters of love, doing obeisance to Him, for, with the
Prophet Isaiah, they found, "God is in Him; and there is no God beside You, O Lord, For You are God, yet we knew it not"
(vss. 14,15). How many of His opponents have been "ashamed and confounded" (vs. 16), for the Church - the Israel of
God - is "saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation" (vs. 17).
Since Thou art the Savior, O Christ, make me manifest as a child of Thy glorious Day.
