Isaiah 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

Isaiah 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?

3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

MEMORY VERSE: Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. —Psalm 45:3-5

CENTRAL THOUGHT: The scriptures present a majestic picture of Christ as a mighty warrior clothed in blood-stained vesture, sustained by a breastplate of righteousness and a helmet of salvation; with eyes of fire and a powerful sword; a triumphant commander of a white-horse army, going forth in vengeance and righteousness to conquer the nations and wage war against his adversaries.

WORD DEFINITIONS

Isaiah 59:16 “And he saw that there was no man” (also Isaiah 63:5, “I looked”): the often repeated (Isaiah 41:28; 50:2; Ezekiel 22:30) dilemma that there was no man worthy to redeem God’s creation. “The absolute isolation of the avenger and redeemer is emphasized again and again. Nothing but his own indomitable and righteous zeal against evil had sustained him” (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers).

Isaiah 59:17 “Righteousness”: justice; uprightness; the whole sum of Christian character and conduct in one word, transcending all earthy morality; moral rectitude. “Rectitude: In morality, rightness of principle or practice; uprightness of mind; exact conformity to truth, or to the rules prescribed for moral conduct, either by divine or human laws. Rectitude of mind is the disposition to act in conformity to any known standard of right, truth or justice; rectitude of conduct is the actual conformity to such standard. Perfect rectitude belongs only to the Supreme Being. The more nearly the rectitude of men approaches to the standard of the divine law, the more exalted and dignified is their character. Want of rectitude is not only sinful, but debasing” (Webster’s Dictionary 1828). “Vengeance”: just retribution, recompense, or punishment by God against the adversary. “Zeal”: the ardor of God for His people; especially in battle against His rivals and adversaries.

Isaiah 63:3, 5, 6; “Fury”: displeasure; wrath; heat; zeal against the adversaries of the church. Matthew Henry offers this viewpoint: “The prophet, in vision, beholds the Messiah returning in triumph from the conquest of his enemies, of whom Edom was a type. Travelling, not as wearied by the combat, but, in the greatness of his strength, prepared to overcome every opposing power. Messiah declares that he had been treading the wine-press of the wrath of God (Revelation 14:19; 19:13), and by his own power, without any human help, he had crushed his obstinate opposers, for the day of vengeance was determined on, being the appointed season for rescuing his church. Once, he appeared on earth in apparent weakness, to pour out his precious blood as an atonement for our sins; but he will in due time appear in the greatness of his strength. The vintage ripens apace; the day of vengeance, fixed and determined on, approaches apace; let sinners seek to be reconciled to their righteous Judge, ere he brings down their strength to the earth. Does Christ say, I come quickly? let our hearts reply, Even so, come; let the year of the redeemed come.”

LESSON BACKGROUND

We are certain that the scriptures in Psalms, Isaiah, and Revelation are describing the Messiah: His fury against sin, His vengeance for the adversary who sold them under sin, and His purpose and mission to redeem and save. Both passages from Isaiah mention looking for one to help and intercede; both mention the “arm” that brought salvation and the righteousness and fury that sustained and upheld him. That arm was Christ; He was the only one who could do what it took to bring salvation to fallen man.

What did it mean for Christ—coming as God in the flesh to accomplish the warfare against the adversary and bring deliverance to us—to put on righteousness as a breastplate and salvation as a helmet? Did He need—as we need—to have filthy garments stripped from Him and new, clean garments put on Him? Of course not. He was tempted in all points “as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15); he was made “to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21). “I do always those things that please him,” He testified in John 8:29. When He spoke to His disciples of the nearness of His death on the cross, He said, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30).

In this particular sense, the prophet is speaking of the Divine vengeance toward sin, and the mission upon which He obligated Himself, to save, redeem, and make us righteous and just with God. Christ was sent, commissioned and equipped with a righteous indignation against sin, a vengeance toward His adversaries equal to His deep, arduous love for mankind, and an efficacious saving grace that would not only make unjust and unworthy sinners justified before Him, but also save them from their sins and make their ways and doings righteous and godly. The metaphor is one of a mighty warrior, a hero, a champion, going to accomplish what needed to be done, who put on righteousness—His just quarrel with the foe; His retribution “double” for all of man’s sin—as armor, declaring Himself willing to be the substitute, mighty to save, and ready to deliver. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

There is also in these scriptures, no doubt, a looking ahead to the last day of judgment, when Christ “shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet” (I Corinthians 15:24-25).

—Angela Gellenbeck

DISCUSSION:

1. What was the “wonderment” in Isaiah 59:16 and 63:5, and who answered the need?
2. From the collection of verses, give a description of the Messiah; His person, His apparel, and the meaning of it.
3. What names were given to Him in the Revelation scene?
4. In the memory verse, what three things cause the triumph and majestic ride of the Messiah?
5. Against what is the fury and wrath of the Messiah directed?

LIFE APPLICATION

As I studied the scriptures for the lesson on the breastplate of righteousness, I began to get glimpses of this portrait of the Lord Jesus as the mighty warrior going forth to accomplish our salvation, and I knew we must devote a lesson to this wondrous truth. There are more details than we can describe or explain in the short time and space we are given here. This challenges us to much personal study—with joy and adoration.

There is a big picture before us here: the grand scheme laid out in all of Scripture of the fall of man and the plan of God to redeem. But there is also a precious comfort in applying the glorious truth in a very personal way.

“Lord, I bow my life to Your great will and way! The arrows and sword of Your Word have pierced my heart, and I surrender. You are my substitute! You are the Lamb of God, slain for my sin. You were the only one who could appease the wrath of God against my sin. There is no other way of salvation. And I, in my rebellion and transgression of Your laws, joined my voice with the crucifixion mob and the weak followers who forsook You. Alone, You took my place! Yet, You girded yourself in righteousness and burning zeal to bring me cleansing, pardon, and deliverance from my sin. I cast myself at Your feet, broken and wounded. I plead for Your righteousness to cover me. Go forth into all of the kingdoms of my heart and slay every enemy. Bring to justice every high thing that exalts itself against You. Ride prosperously and establish truth in my inner being. Amen.”

—Angela Gellenbeck

REFLECTIONS

by George Surita Jr., AL

I wanted to send this testimony of my Daddy’s, with a heartfelt “Praise God!” You see, this is why I’m saved today. Yes, I’m young, and as my grandmother says, sometimes full of foolishness, but I do love the Lord with all my heart. Grandma also says I’m in God’s boot camp, but she’s not giving up on me, and I’m glad of that! Please pray for me.

My Testimony

By George Anthony

“It all started with a dream, a bad dream.

I had some bad dreams, but this particular dream was about a ‘being’ trying to take me. Pulling me.

Someone came along and pulled me out of the being’s control.

When I woke up, I began to pray to God and beg Him to forgive me for all my sins and wrongdoings.

I began to tell Him all the things I had done wrong. I continued to pray to God until at last I felt a weight was lifted.

I lift my hands in expression of the freedom I feel. I am happy. I believe God forgave me.

I know now that Jesus is the one in my dream that came and pulled me from the being’s control. That being was the devil.

I have a new life. I used to want darkness, but now I have light.

Friends and family, don’t cry for me, for I am at rest in Jesus Christ. Come to me one day in my mansion!

Amigos y la familia, usted no tanga mucho lagrimas para me. Yo estoy con Jesus Cristo. Viene a mi un dia en mi mansion de Dios.”

Click here to listen to a beautiful song, “Crucified For Me.”