NOTES for Вар 4:20
What wants to say the prophet, by saying that he "has put off the clothing of peace"? According to the sense corresponding to the Greek word, it is about this cloth, which he usually wore, in the days of prosperity. Such a use of the word reflects the peculiarities not of the Greek, but of the Hebrew or the Aramaic, where the notions of "peace" and "prosperity" are given by the same word. Of course, the anticipation of God is always an event in the life of man. But there are, as seen, special occasions, when it becomes a question of life or death. Such a thing arrives during natural disasters or during social upheavals. And the problem here is not only in the fact that it is more difficult in such times to keep confidence in God, than in the days of prosperity.
The problem still consists of the fact that it is impossible for the one who believes in God, generally, not to understand that what happens is not accidental, that God allowing disaster, allows it not just like that. The attempt to address God in order to change the situation, in that case reminds the attempt to obtain from an angry king the abolition of the punishment, which he finds completely deserved. Of course, God is all the same different in this respect from the king, and above all by the fact that He does not long to complicate life for who ever it may be.
All the punishment in such case boils down essentially to the non-intervention of God in the unfolding situation: people themselves overcome the punishment (moreover, far from being always just), demonstrating creativity, which hardly delights their Creator. But indeed, even for such non-intervention, God has obviously all the reasons, if really He takes such position. And the one who addresses Him with the request of an intervention, thereby take the responsibility of those, for whom he asks. He somehow vouches for those, for whom he asks for the intercession, promises to God for them that they will change, will change such that He will not turn away any more in anger in regard to their lives and their acts. Such step requires confidence and for commitment. And faith in those, for whom you ask.