Tuesday, November 9, 2004
Nektarios of Pentapolis, The Wonderworker
3rd Vesp, Synaxis of Bodiless Powers: Isaiah 14:7-20 Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Gospel: St. Luke 11:34-41
Isaiah 14:7-20 LXX, especially vss. 13, 14: "But
you said in your heart, I will go up to heaven, I will set my throne above the stars of heaven, I
will sit on a lofty mount, on the lofty mountains toward the north: I will go up above the clouds;
I will be like the Most High." As the Church celebrates the Feast of the Archangels and all the
Heavenly Powers, she directs our praises principally to the leader of all the angels "and our great
champion, the... prince of hosts....Michael the great archangel." We learn that Michael stands
resplendent before the Godhead as foremost of the incorporeals, fiery in appearance, wondrous in
beauty, raising his voice to God with all the hosts of heaven in thrice-holy praise, submitting to
every command of God, protecting us under the shadow of his wings, and fulfilling God's will to
deliver us from oppression, sorrow, sickness, and sin. Especially is this prince of the ranks of the
divine powers honored because his grace, when it casts its shadow, drives the power of Satan
away, "for falling Lucifer [can] not bear to stand before [his] light."
The fall of Satan and his minions from the Heavens occurred before the creation of the material
world, long before the history of mankind. The event is referred to in this third reading for the
Vespers of the Feast of the Archangels, the present lesson from Isaiah. The passage is one part of
a satirical poem or song that describes prophetically the fall and destruction of the Babylonian
dynasty conceived of as an ideal monarch to whom the song is addressed (Is. 14:4-21). Yet, note
that Isaiah connects the historical fall of the Babylonian monarchy with the extra-temporal fall of
Lucifer "down to hell, even to the foundations of the earth" (vs. 15).
Many of the Holy Fathers noted Isaiah's use of history as a window into trans-history. For
example, Theodoret of Cyrus observes that if one recalls that conceit was characteristic of the
Babylonian monarchs, "it really applies to him who truly fell from the heavens, who had usurped
the Name of God and deceived the greater part of mankind." By extension, this entire passage
may be lifted up from history to become a meditation on the fall of Lucifer at the hand of the
Archangel Michael. Thereby, it becomes another means for recognizing that "greater is He," and
His heavenly powers, "that is in you, than he that is in the world" with his demons (1 Jn. 4:4).
In Christ and by the protection of His holy Archangels, none of Satan's dark powers may "come
up" from Hell "to cut us down" (vs. 8) like so many trees of Lebanon. The holy martyrs provide
us with vivid, clear, historic examples of this truth, for they triumphed even in the face of shame,
torture and death. Cut down in the eyes of the world, they shine like the stars in heaven.
Our victorious risen Lord, standing astride the gates of Hades, manifestly exhibits that He and
His hosts have reduced Lucifer and his rule, arrogance, and mirth to Sheol where death "shall
spread corruption, and the worm shall be [their] covering" (vs. 11). Along with all the other
tyrants of history, the dark powers have no greater might than death remaining to them, and our
Savior has trampled down death by death. "O death where is thy sting?" (1 Cor. 15:55).
At present, we see Satan making every frantic effort "to trouble the earth" and having much
success at making "kings to shake" and rendering "the whole world desolate," destroying "its
cities" (Is. 14:16,17). But he "shall be cast forth on the mountains, as a loathed carcase, with
many dead who have been pierced with swords, going down to the grave" (vs. 19), and the Lord
has promised that the devil shall be "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and
the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Rev. 20:10).
Michael, the prince of the hosts on high, O Christ, doth untiringly offer songs to Thy glory that
we might form a brilliant assembly with him and all the angels to hymn Thy praises.
