Hebrew Highlights 73 - COMFORT

Shalom. This is Yuval Shomron, coming to you from Jerusalem.

ISA 40:1-2, "Comfort, O comfort My people," says your God. "Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the Lord's hand Double for all her sins."

In Hebrew, these verses begin, “Nachamu, Nachamu Ami”, Comfort, comfort ye my people. God is certainly in the business of comforting. And so should we be. The word “Nachamu” is plural, and a command. In other words, “all of you go out and comfort”. As if we might not get it, the word is repeated.

There are those who seem to think their job in life is to pass out condemnation. We could certainly find reasons to condemn the people of Israel, as well as every one of us in the church. Yet, God has decreed not only has he forgiven His people, but given them double for all their sins; double comfort, double grace, double blessing. We see this promised in ISA 51:3, “Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.”

Shortly before Yeshua’s departure from this earthly realm, He made an important promise in JOH 14:26, "But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” Indeed, one of the major tasks of the Holy Spirit is to comfort us, and guard us against the condemnation of our enemy.

Another word from the same Hebrew root is “Nechama”, or “consolation”, as we see in 1CO 14:3, “But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.” Again, we see that our mission is one of helping and building up, not tearing down.

What a joy it is for us to reach out to those under criticism, and bring the good news of Jesus’ consolation.

I’ll leave you with 2TH 2:16-17, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.”

Shalom, Shalom , from Jerusalem.