In famine he shall redeem you from death: and in war from the power of the sword.
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Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
44. As the ‘famine’ of the flesh is the withdrawal of the support of the body, so the hunger of the soul is the silence of divine revelation. Hence it is rightly delivered by the Prophet, I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. [Amos 8, 11] And forasmuch as when the divine communication leaves the human soul, the temptation of the flesh gains force against it, it is fitly brought in, And in war from the power of the sword. For we suffer a war, when we are assailed by the temptations of our flesh. Concerning which same war the Psalmist saith, Cover my head in the day of battle. [Ps. 140, 7] Therefore, whereas the reprobate, whilst their strength fails from a ‘famine’ of the word of God, are furthermore pierced with ‘the sword of war,’ the Lord both ‘in famine redeems’ His Elect ‘from death,’ and ‘in war’ He hides them ‘from the sword.’ For while He refreshes their souls with the food of His word...
Without doubt Job possesses happiness. You see that, by necessity or willingly, while Job starves and keeps away from all the tables of this world, he cries, “Sighing is my nourishment.” Yet Job does not die and confirms with force this word of God, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out from the mouth of God.” - "Homilies on Job 8.5.20–26"
