57:17Isaiah 57:17

Covetousness is iniquity and transgression of the holy law, and for it God was provoked to wrath, smote the sinner, hid himself and withdrew his presence, and remained wroth.SPBC 173.6+4 Going on frowardly in the way of his heart is stubbornly persisting in a self-chosen and self-willed course even under chastening and while God is hidden.SPBC 173.6+2 God does not contend forever nor always remain angry, lest the spirit and the souls he made should fail before him.ED 147.1–2+2 He sees the wanderer's ways and promises to heal him, lead him, and restore comfort and peace to him and to his mourners, but that healing belongs to those who recognize their evil condition, humble themselves, repent, mourn, confess, forsake sin, and do what is right.Lt 106, 1896, par. 15–16+3 Christ gave his life to make it possible for such transgressors to return to allegiance and keep the holy law, yet continued rebellion and stubborn pursuit of selfish desire keeps the sinner from receiving that restoration.Ms 35, 1900, par. 13–15+2

Covetousness in the verse is iniquity, transgression of God's holy law, and it is that iniquity that provokes His wrath.Ms 35, 1900, par. 13–15+2 For that iniquity He was wroth and smote the sinner, hid Himself and withdrew His presence, and remained wroth.SPBC 173.6+4 The smiting struck the guilty even as He hid Himself in anger.Ms 35, 1900, par. 13–15+2

Going on frowardly in the way of his heart means continuing stubbornly in a self-chosen, self-willed course of one's own heart.SPBC 173.6+4 It means persisting in that stubborn course even under chastening and punishment, even after God has withdrawn and hidden Himself and while He remains angry.Ms 35, 1900, par. 13–15+4 The frowardness is rebellion that refuses to turn though smitten and left without His manifested presence.SPBC 173.6+2

In history this dealing was fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed for its iniquity and crime and its people were carried captive to Babylon.Ms 78, 1897, par. 23–26+1 In so dealing God is true and righteous, not tantalizing His people nor acting like an erring man.Ms 128, 1901, par. 20–26

Divine displeasure answers persistent sin, for anger was kindled by covetousness and perversity, striking the sinner and withdrawing presence while he still went stubbornly in his own way, yet judgment is tempered with mercy and in judgment mercy is remembered.Ms 94, 1903, par. 9–14+2 The smiting and hiding do not stand alone, but belong to a dealing in which the repentant can be healed and restored.Ms 94a, 1903, par. 25–28+1

Anger is not endless, for God does not contend forever nor always remain angry, and the surrounding promise declares that He sees the wanderer's ways and will heal and comfort and restore peace to those who turn back.ED 147.1–2+3 That turning is humbling of self with confession and forsaking of sin and doing what is right, by which the sinner is brought from error back to favor.Ms 164, 1905, par. 2–8+3 Covetousness with a stubborn, self-directed course brings discipline, yet even under discipline the persistence of the sinner does not make wrath final toward the penitent.ED 147.1–2+2

For His own name's sake the froward and independent are not permitted to carry out unsanctified plans, but are visited for perversity of action, since every perverse way is seen.RH Dec 10, 1903 Even so, sinners are not dealt with fully according to perversity, for spirit and soul made by God would fail before Him and none could endure His full displeasure and wrath.RH Dec 10, 1903 Him who repents and does works of righteousness He converts and heals and leads, restoring comfort and favor to him and to his mourners.RH Dec 10, 1903

The iniquity is transgression of the holy law, and Christ gave His life to make return to allegiance possible, that by obedience what was lost might be won back, the holy law kept, and transgressors stand on vantage ground before the heavenly universe, with healing and leading and comfort and peace given to those who in contrition repent.Ms 35, 1900, par. 13–15 Continued rebellion and stubborn pursuit of selfish desire keeps the sinner from receiving that restoration, for the promise of healing and peace belongs to those who recognize their condition, humble themselves, and accept correction, not to those who refuse to heed it.Lt 106, 1896, par. 15–16+1

Though smitten for covetous wrongdoing and persisting stubbornly in a self-chosen course even while God withdrew, the wanderer is still seen by God, who promises to heal him, to lead him, and to restore comfort to him and to his mourners, with peace to him that is far off and to him that is near.ED 147.1–2+4 That anger is not endless, for God does not remain angry forever but turns the repentant sinner from error and restores him to favor.ED 147.1–2+3 Covetousness is iniquity and persistence in it is frowardness, yet the surrounding promise declares healing and restoration for the one who has gone astray.Lt 16, 1895, par. 10–11+1

That healing and peace belong not to those who refuse to heed correction but to those who recognize their condition, humble themselves, and accept correction.Lt 106, 1896, par. 15–16+2 They are for those who humble themselves, confess, forsake their sins, repent and do what is right, whom God turns from error and restores to favor.Ms 164, 1905, par. 2–8+2 Selfishness and self-indulgence that waste resources must be met by repentance, confession, and forsaking of sin before God heals and leads His people.Lt 106, 1896, par. 15–16+1 The promise is to those who recognize the evil in their unconverted characters and repent, mourning how poorly their lives have represented Christ.Lt 181, 1897, par. 11–13+1

The stern dealing stands between God's dwelling in the high and holy place with the contrite and humble to revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite, and His seeing the wanderer's ways to heal, lead, and comfort him.Lt 16, 1895, par. 10–11+2 The High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy and whose glory is above all human conception, desires His people to praise and magnify His holy name and to worship Him in spirit and truth and in the beauty of holiness.Ms 164, 1899, par. 16+1 He hears the prayers of all who come to Him in necessity with humble and contrite heart and manifests Himself to them to revive them.Ms 29, 1891, par. 6–7+1 Hearts must be softened and humbled by His Spirit so they can receive truth, be refined, and be purified.Ms 29, 1891, par. 6–7+1 Persistent self-willed sin continuing even under displeasure, chastisement, and withdrawn presence is set against the call to forsake wicked ways and thoughts, to return to the Lord for mercy and abundant pardon, and to come with a broken and contrite spirit whom God will receive and revive.Lt 16, 1895, par. 10–11+1

The iniquity that provoked wrath and smiting was covetous wrongdoing, met by discipline while the sinner still persisted stubbornly in his own self-chosen course.ED 147.1–2+1 This pattern is illustrated by Jacob, whose resort to fraud and deceit to gain the birthright that was already his by promise brought his brother's hatred, exile, and further sorrow through the evils of his own character appearing in his sons.ED 147.1–2+1 The following promise shows that anger does not continue forever, for God sees the wanderer's ways and heals and leads him and restores comfort and peace to the far off and to the near.ED 147.1–2+1

Jacob reaped twenty years of exile in which he was himself wronged and defrauded, then flight for safety, and a second harvest in seeing his own faults crop out in his sons.ST Nov 17, 1909 In distress he was not overwhelmed because he had repented and endeavored to atone for the wrong to his brother.ST Nov 17, 1909 When threatened with death through his brother's wrath he sought help from God with prevailing power over the Angel in weeping and supplication, and was blessed there.ST Nov 17, 1909 He rose forgiven no longer as supplanter but as prince with God, gaining not only deliverance from his outraged brother but deliverance from himself, with the power of evil in his nature broken and his character transformed.ST Nov 17, 1909 God does not annul His laws nor work contrary to them and does not undo the work of sin, but He transforms, so that through grace the curse is made to work out a blessing.ST Nov 17, 1909

The same dealing is seen when Jerusalem was destroyed for its iniquity and crime and its people were carried captive to Babylon as the smiting for covetousness, even while they went on frowardly after God hid Himself and remained wroth.Ms 78, 1897, par. 23–26+1 The punishment brought humiliation in which many sought the Lord with repentance and compassion.ST Dec 19, 1900 After the return from captivity there was for a time a reformation and mercy and healing were offered.Ms 78, 1897, par. 23–26+1 The people did not remain converted, and the leaders later again rejected His word and His Son.Ms 78, 1897, par. 23–26+1

The whole fifty-seventh chapter, in which this verse stands, must be studied carefully and prayerfully because it means much to God's people and contains lesson and precious instruction that makes wise unto salvation.RH Jul 30, 1914+1 That study is needed because the Lord's reproofs have been disregarded and those with responsibility have neglected to warn the people and teach the truth, so there is a call for repentance and reformation.Lt 32a, 1910, par. 12–14 Riches in worldly wealth do not increase a person's value in God's sight, while the Lord acknowledges and honors the meek and the contrite.RH Jul 30, 1914+1

The verse describes the condition at the Review and Herald Office, where covetousness had spread through business dealings and corrupted the institution.SPBC 173.6+1 It shows God angry because of the iniquity of covetousness, smiting, hiding Himself and remaining wroth, while the sinner goes on stubbornly in the way of his own selfish heart.SPBC 173.6+2 This same condition, seen in dearth of means from selfishness, pride, self-indulgence and covetousness eating out the vitals, rests upon the churches in Battle Creek and Oakland and upon all the churches.21MR 185.6–186.4 It describes people in responsible positions who did not change sentiments but kept former sentiments and wrong principles unchanged since Minneapolis, so that their association lost its sacred character.Lt 81, 1896, par. 30+1 They imparted that same spirit to those who came to be educated for the work, so that it clung to them and was carried to their homes in South Africa and other places, where their work bore wrong fruit and retarded the work.Lt 81, 1896, par. 30

The condition can only be removed when the people humble their hearts by repentance and confession to God and by forsaking the sins that stirred His wrath.Lt 181, 1897, par. 11–13+1 Thorough conversion is required, for the sinner may persist stubbornly even after God has withdrawn, and repentance, confession and forsaking sin must come before God fulfills His word to heal and lead and restore.Lt 181, 1897, par. 11–13+2 That forsaking includes selling what is held and giving alms, and converting men through the Word to use means and ability to extend the knowledge of truth.21MR 185.6–186.4+1 The work to be done now is giving the world the reason for belief through camp meetings, using means to present truth, and establishing sanitariums in different parts of the world as an educating power to reform the people and restore in them the moral image of God.Ms 52, 1900, par. 37–39 It is to arouse the slumbering senses of the people to see how far they have departed from the Lord's ordinances.Ms 52, 1900, par. 37–39

The verse also belongs among assurances of mercy and restoration to the humble and contrite.Lt 141, 1898, par. 6 It gives comfort and encouragement by holding open a door to enter and meet with God, where He can be sought earnestly and will be found.Ms 71, 1911, par. 1–4 It calls for the meekness Christ showed in His life and character, humbling the heart before God and standing in right relation to Him.Ms 71, 1911, par. 1–4