The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the coasts of the nations.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
For a long time … the demons kept silent in their own temples concerning the things that would come to pass, although because of the utterances of the prophets they could not have been unaware of them. When, later, the events began to draw near, they wished, as it were, to foretell them, so that they might not be deemed ignorant and vanquished. Nevertheless, not to mention other instances for the present, long ago there had been foretold and recorded that which the prophet Zephaniah says: “The Lord shall prevail against them and shall cast out all the gods of the Gentiles of the earth. And they shall adore him every man from his own place, all the islands of the Gentiles.” Possibly those gods who were worshiped in the temples of the Gentiles did not believe that those events would occur to them and consequently did not wish them to be noised abroad through their own seers and diviners.
And neither will you believe that it was foretold that these nations would come to some place of God, as it has been said, “To you the Gentiles shall come from the ends of the earth.” Understand, if you can, that it is to the God of the Christians, who is supreme and the true God, that the people of these nations come, not by walking but by believing. For this same announcement has been made in these words by another prophet: “The Lord shall be terrible upon them and shall consume all the gods of the earth, and they shall adore him every man from his place, all the islands of the Gentiles.” One says, “To you the Gentiles shall come from the ends of the earth”; the other, “They shall adore him every man from his own place.” Therefore they will not be required to withdraw from their own place in coming to him, because they will find him in whom they believe in their own hearts.
Own place. The Jewish religion could be practised only at Jerusalem, so that this is one of the most striking predictions of the conversion of the world. The Jews in vain attempt to restrain it to the captives returning. See St. Jerome. (Calmet)
They shall inform many of the truth, and be the means of their conversion. (Haydock)
But God shall be adored in every place. (Menochius)
Let us, however, speak also of the churches as islands. Moreover, Scripture says in another place, “Many islands are converted to me.” Would you know that churches are called islands? The prophet Isaiah says in the name of the Lord, “Speak to the inhabitants of this isle.” “Let the many isles be glad.” Even as islands have been set in the midst of the sea, churches have been established in the midst of this world, and they are beaten and buffeted by different waves of persecution. Truly these islands are lashed by waves every day, but they are not submerged. They are in the midst of the sea, to be sure, but they have Christ as their foundation, Christ who cannot be moved.
Despite all this, they still could not raise up a temple and restore the place in which they would be allowed to observe all these rituals according to the law. For the power of Christ, the power which founded the church, has also destroyed that place. The prophet foretold that Christ would come and that he would do these things, even though he would not come until after the captivity.
