59:17Isaiah 59:17

When right judgment and truth have collapsed and no human being can step in to intercede, God Himself steps in to rescue and to make things right.Lt 47, 1901, par. 7–8+3 He covers Himself for battle with right doing over His heart and rescuing power over His head, and wraps Himself in determined payback toward evil and burning commitment to redeem.Lt 47, 1901, par. 7–8+2 In this He is Christ the Restorer against Satan the destroyer, invading the enemy's territory to free helpless captives, pardon every rebel who returns, and restore God's moral image in them.Ms 78, 1893, par. 15–21+2 Putting on payback means laying aside His priestly, mediating clothes, ending intercession in the heavenly sanctuary, shutting the door of probation, and repaying unrepentant adversaries in the time of trouble and the seven last plagues.WLF 2.2–5+4 Until then His people are to be covered with that same right doing, guarding the soul, acting boldly for God, and working with earnest zeal so sinners seek the Lord without delay.HMW 27.3+3

The verse stands where judgment is turned backward, justice stands afar off, truth is fallen in the street, and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey, with no man to intercede.Lt 150, 1899, par. 13–14 God sees this condition and is displeased that there is no judgment.Lt 150, 1899, par. 13–14 He walks through business rooms and is present in council meetings, and nothing is hidden from Him.Lt 150, 1899, par. 13–14 He declares that man's only hope, stay, and staff is in Himself, and calls for conversion and overturning in every institution until every unrighteous principle is expelled and victory is obtained and held.Lt 150, 1899, par. 13–14

That corruption existed when the world was steeped in sin at Christ's first coming, when there was no human intercessor and God Himself brought salvation and upheld it by His righteousness.Lt 43, 1895, par. 59–60 The same wickedness and conflict against God's law will prevail just before His second coming.Lt 43, 1895, par. 59–60 The chapter describes the state of the world just prior to the second coming, when the end of all things is at hand and iniquity abounds.Ms 110, 1893, par. 13 This abounding iniquity comes because men have transgressed the law and broken the everlasting covenant given on condition of obedience by continual transgression, turning away from God and His righteous government and coming more and more under the sway of seducing spirits.Ms 110, 1893, par. 13 While professing godliness, men indulge their own traits of character and become self-indulgent and self-centered unless conscientiously under the control of God.Ms 110, 1893, par. 13

The chapter also describes the character of the priests and rabbis who opposed Jesus.DA 458.2–4 Compared with the facts characterizing the life of Jesus, it exposes their unbelief and perversion of prophecy.DA 458.2–4 Sincerely studied for itself, it would have kept the people from being misled by their false reasoning.DA 458.2–4 The verse defines the work of Christ in coming to the world to save people ruled by Satan's power, to carry out the purposes planned in the counsels of heaven.Ms 129, 1899, par. 9 He came to set things in their right light after God's vineyard was worked wrongly by unrighteous scribes and Pharisees.Ms 129, 1899, par. 9

When justice and truth have collapsed and no human intercessor can be found, God Himself steps in to bring salvation and righteousness.Lt 47, 1901, par. 7–8+4 His own arm brings salvation and His own righteousness sustains Him, and He is pictured as a warrior putting on righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet.Ms 7, 1895, par. 27–30+4 This is God's costly means of relief for a world perishing in sin, His mighty work of deliverance for His people when humanity cannot save itself.Lt 47, 1901, par. 7–8+2

The garments of vengeance for clothing and zeal as a cloak show His resolve against evil and His determined work of redemption.Ms 7, 1895, par. 27–30+4 With zeal He acts to save while repaying His adversaries and enemies according to their deeds, bringing both judgment upon evil and salvation and protection to His people.Lt 47, 1901, par. 7–8+4 His righteousness does not cover up the transgressor's sins or conceal them.RH Feb 11, 1909+1 His hatred of sin and His integrity move Him to make a determined effort to bring sinners to recognize the sinfulness and evil of sin, and this brings salvation to the sinner.RH Feb 11, 1909+1

By this armored intervention He provides a ransom by which sinners, instead of being reserved in darkness unto judgment, become prisoners of hope and members of the family of God in heaven.Lt 33, 1898, par. 21–23 The armored Redeemer is the Messiah, Jesus, whose authority and divinity John the Baptist witnessed.Ms 88, 1899, par. 8–14 He repays adversaries according to their deeds, protects against the enemy, and comes to Zion as Redeemer to those who turn from transgression, leading to reverence for the Lord across the earth.Ms 88, 1899, par. 8–14+1 This saving work is accomplished through Christ, whose grace redeems people and raises them to moral integrity, and it will be fulfilled as God's people take the place Christ appointed them and reveal God's love by reaching others.Lt 52, 1901, par. 13–15+1

Isaiah 59:17 portrays Jesus Christ as the Restorer standing against Satan the destroyer, clothing Himself in righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet in order to rescue helpless captives bound by satanic influence.Ms 78, 1893, par. 15–21 When truth has fallen and no human intercessor is found, the Lord Himself intervenes in this armored character to undertake their deliverance.Ms 78, 1893, par. 15–21

To effect that rescue He makes reconciliation for sins as a merciful and faithful High Priest made like His brethren, and as Captain of salvation made perfect through sufferings.Ms 78, 1893, par. 15–21 In that priestly and captainly office He succors those who are tempted and restores the moral image of God in all who connect with Him.Ms 78, 1893, par. 15–21 Through His imputed righteousness deficiencies of character and hereditary peculiarities may be overcome, so that the rescued become successful agents cooperating with divine agencies.Ms 78, 1893, par. 15–21

Wrapping Himself in zeal like a cloak, He fights for the kingdom against His antagonist, the prince of darkness.Ms 25, 1891, par. 3+1 His death was an invasion of Satan's territory to dispute usurped authority and to reclaim the kingdom that Satan claims as his own rightful dominion.Ms 25, 1891, par. 3+1 With the shout of a monarch as a living ruler He fights that antagonist and wins the kingdom back to Himself.Ms 25, 1891, par. 3+1

Every rebel who returns to His allegiance He receives and pardons as a trophy of the might and glory of redemption.Ms 25, 1891, par. 3+1 What He died to begin in redeeming man He will carry out to completion.18MR 54.1–3

Putting on the garments of vengeance is laying aside priestly, mediatorial garments and leaving the place of intercession before the mercy seat in the heavenly sanctuary when the work for sinners is finished.CET 229.2+4 It is putting aside the priestly work of intercession after every person's case has been decided, and the departure from the sanctuary marks the time when wrath is poured out.LSEGW 116.1+2 The change comes when intercession for Israel is finished in the most holy place, laying off priestly attire and clothing with vengeance.Ms 15, 1850, par. 8–11+2

In the Holy of Holies the priestly attire is laid off and garments of vengeance and most kingly robes are put on to execute judgment on the living wicked, repaying fury to adversaries and recompense to enemies.WLF 2.2–5+1 This putting on of vengeance points to the day of wrath of God and of the Lamb fully come, in which all the wrath of God on the living wicked is filled up and the vials of wrath are poured out in the seven last plagues.WLF 2.2–5+1 That change of clothing does not belong to the crucifixion when He was the meek slain Lamb, nor to the time from the ascension to October 1844 when He stood with outspread arms of love and mercy to receive sinners, nor to the time since the tenth day of the seventh month in 1844 while He ministers as High Priest over the house of God, but to a future day after that priesthood ends.WLF 1.8–2.1

After ceasing to plead for Israel He takes His place on the great white cloud before the plagues fall, connecting the putting on of vengeance with placing Israel's sins on the scapegoat and the end of intercession.Ms 15, 1850, par. 8–11 He does not leave until every case is decided either for salvation or destruction, and wrath cannot come until that work is done.LSEGW 116.1+2 Only then is wrath poured out on those who rejected the truth in the seven last plagues, in which all the wrath of God on the living wicked is filled up.WLF 2.2–5+3 Putting on vengeance is stepping out from between the Father and man, standing up, ending restraint, and God no longer keeping silent but pouring out wrath in the time of trouble such as never was.SLGB 1.1

This marks the close of probation: pleading ends, the door is shut, the time for sacrifice and pardon has ended, no further opportunity to repent is given before He comes, and each character is fixed with the holy remaining holy, the righteous remaining righteous, and the unjust and filthy remaining so.2T 690.3–691.3+2 Rising from His throne near the end and rising from mediatorial work in the heavenly sanctuary, clothed with vengeance, He will render to every unrepentant sinner according to his deeds.Lt 136, 1906, par. 14–16+2 His coming brings judgment on those who persist in doubt and criticism, and finds them unprepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb.5T 689.2

The delay before this is God's patience and long forbearance, which instead of softening those who do not fear God and do not love truth only strengthens them in evil.CET 185.3 Forbearance has limits; when people persist in evil, overrun the bounds and boundaries of grace, and reject the light given them, He must interfere to vindicate His honor and brings wrath upon them.5T 207.4+1 Until that change the opposition of Satan's agencies and confederacies against God and His law continues, so the church must remain on guard.CET 229.2+1 His righteousness is also pictured as a robe clothing God's people in the final, sinless world.RH Dec 17, 1908

Christ's righteousness is armor to be girded on by those carrying present truth in Washington in the last days.HMW 27.3 Putting it on holds firmly to the principles of truth, guards the soul vigilantly so as not to war against the Spirit of God, and makes strong.HMW 27.3 Christ stands behind the cause as a present help in every emergency.HMW 27.3

Putting on that armor is a call to put on Christ's righteousness, to guard the soul against resisting the Spirit of God, and to stand strong in the work of present truth.Ms 55, 1907, par. 15+1 Putting on Christ's righteousness means entering God's work with courage and willingness to act, trusting that God will supply what is needed.Ms 38, 1903, par. 35+1 It equips God's people to enter spiritual warfare and act boldly for God, trusting His power to supply what they need.Ms 38, 1903, par. 35+1

Putting on Christ's righteousness equips Christians to resist temptation and remain faithful in spiritual conflict.Lt 16, 1888, par. 62–63 Zeal as a cloak means earnest, Spirit-quickened work in presenting the gospel, so that sinners recognize their need to seek the Lord without delay.Lt 121, 1901, par. 31–33 Readiness for Christ's rising from His throne near the end to put on the garments of vengeance means giving up wrong ideas and faults of character and errors and objectionable traits, and being clothed with Christ's righteousness.STOM 7.3+3 Those whose names are in the Lamb's book of life are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.STOM 7.3+3