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The Wisest King Needed A Comforter

In the King James text the word “comforter” is found in seven verses. In the Old Testament it is found first in the writings of King Solomon. Solomon was – according to the Bible – the wisest man who ever lived in his day (see 1 Kings 4:30). When Solomon was an old man he wrote:

Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

Solomon saw the oppression that the mighty brought on the weaker and was discouraged because, he said, they had no comforter. The King said “BETTER is the day of death than the day of one’s birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1). Without Comfort and a Comforter …

nâcham, {pronounced naw-kham}
NO Avenger, NO ONE to sorrow with us!

Solomon was unable – as wise as he was – to understand why many suffer – but even worse,
suffer without Comfort.

Because of this he said “I admire the dead more than the living” and then said “it is better that a person had never been than to have seen such evil” (my paraphrase of his statements). The Bible is without error, and records without error wrongful statements made by others. Was Solomon right in being so depressed that he admired the dead above the living – that he was almost suicidal in his thoughts? No, he was not wrong. But we all have often wondered about apparent injustices and evils unpunished in the world. We all have at times wondered and groaned at the inequities of life. We often have cried out – like David, Solomon’s father:

Psalm 73:3-7, 12-14 … I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. … 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

David says “I don’t understand. Why have I striven so hard to do the right, when the evil seem to prosper? Have I cleansed my heart in vain, washed my hands to no purpose?” Oh Beloved, I must tell you there are indeed times when we all are driven to despair. If Solomon – the wisest man who ever lived – could see no purpose or blessing in life. It often seems to us that life is filled with unfairness, where the rich get rich, the poor get poorer, and it seems as if there is no justice at all.

Where shall we find comfort?

The Strongest Prophet Needed A Comforter

The second and third times the word “comforter” is found in the King James is in the Book of Lamentations, a Book filled with sorrows. The Prophet Jeremiah cried out to the Lord as he saw the fallen state of his nation Israel. He cried out over Jerusalem as we who love America cry out over Washington DC.

Lamentations 1:8-9 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. 9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: SHE HAD NO COMFORTER. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

Jeremiah cried – “Lamented” (which is where the title “Lamentations” comes from) he uses the word “comforter”. Jerusalem has NO COMFORTER {נָחַם nâcham, (pronounced naw-kham’)}. Where is the “Comforter” that will bless him? Jeremiah rightly says. Without the Comforter this strong and blessed Prophet cries out:

Lamentations 1:16-17 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the Comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed. 17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is NONE TO COMFORT HER: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

The great Jeremiah cried out, {נָחַם nâcham, (pronounced naw-kham’)} .. NO COMFORTER! Neither Wise King nor Prophet Preacher have comfort. Sin has brought a wretchedness all around them. It is is significant in the Scripture that the first three instances where the word “Comforter” is written, the suffering and hopelessness that is brought is because of unaddressed sin and injustice in this life. Oh Beloved, where shall we find Comfort? Oh Beloved, where can we find a Comforter?SING!

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Solomon looked for comfort in himself, and all about himself. There was none there. Jeremiah looked for comfort in himself, and all around himself. There was none to be found.

Where do we find comfort?
Not in ourselves.
Not in our abilities.
Not in our power.
Not in our strength.
Only in Jesus.
Only in the power of His Spirit.
The Comforter, the Holy Spirit!

Yes, this was a lengthy introduction to today’s message, but it is so necessary. Unless you understand the mind of Israel and the mind of the prophets and kings of Israel’s day you will not understand what Jesus said. The first three times “Comforter is used in the Bible is in the Old Testament, the Old Covenant of works. It is always in the negative. It is always with a sense of hopelessness that NACHAM is spoken. But the next time you see the word “Comforter”it is in Christ’s Promise.

Listen.

Prayerfully listen.

John 14:15-18 IF YE LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

The Prophet and the King looked for a Comforter, but could find none at all. Israel looked for a Comforter. Sin had brought that nation low. Sin had destroyed the independence and the grandeur of Israel just as it destroys in America today. We believe – or have been led to believe – by television sitcoms that sin is acceptable, a humorous thing. Shows like “Will and Grace” and “M*A*S*H” introduced the wink of sin years ago. Today that which used to be done in the dark is now done in the light. That which we once were ashamed of we now laugh at and mock those who will not accept it. Recently our national leadership decided to raise our debt ceiling to 22 TRILLION dollars. We are spending money like water from a fire hose to support lifestyles that our Lord Jesus frowned on. Laziness is rewarded, welfare abounds, and medicine seeks to extend life so that we look to the doctors for eternal life rather than to God our Creator.

Where is the Comforter?
Where is MY Comforter?

Jesus said If ye love me, keep my commandments. What are Jesus’ commandments? What has our Lord Jesus ordered us ALL to do? Well let’s seek out His Words. What were the FIRST WORDS Jesus said in the Gospels? What are the first “Red Letter” words. One comedian said “them RED LETTERS are the most important words – that’s why they are RED”. Well, all the words of Scripture are important. All are “God breathed” and are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). But what are the first words of Christ recorded? The first Gospel written was the Gospel of Mark, and the first publicly spoken words of Christ that He spoke as He began His ministry was:

Mark 1:15 … The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Here is the Doorway to the Comforter – it is Jesus! We must REPENT, turn from the ways of darkness, and turn TOWARD the Son. We must love Jesus, and He will provide comfort and the Comforter.

In the context where Jesus promises a Comforter He says If ye love me, keep my commandments. This is His first commandment given. REPENT. Turn from where you are going. Turn from what you are following. Stop walking toward the cliff of destruction. Stop marching in step with the lost world toward the lake of fire that burneth forever and ever. Oh Beloved do you not know that:

Revelation 21:8 … the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Stop following DEATH.
Stop following DARKNESS.
Stop following DESPAIR.
Stop pursuing the DEVIL.
REPENT. Turn. Follow Jesus.
Follow Jesus.
Keep HIS Commandments.

1 John 5:3 … this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Oh, His commandments “are not grievous”. They are not HARD. Stop walking in sexual sin. Stop chasing after that which God has not endorsed. God made you in His image and in His likeness (Genesis 1:27). God wants you to be like Him!

You were created for eternity.
You were created to follow Jesus.
You were created to live victoriously.
Not notoriously, but victoriously.
You were made to walk and talk with God.

Repent. Turn. Follow Jesus.
He came for sinners like you and I.
He came to bless us, to lift us up.
He came to free us from the DEVIL’S TRAP.

 I was watching something on television – I forget what it was, but that is of little matter – when a man stepped into a bear trap. The trap was set for bear – for an animal. Now I hate the thought of anyone setting such a thing. To me, such a trap is cruel and inhumane, and should be outlawed. Yes, OUTLAWED. But nevertheless this man was going through the woods and stepped in the bear trap, chained to a tree. As he bled – oh, how he bled – he struggled to free that trap. Someone came along – another person – who tried to free him to no avail. Without the key the trap could not be sprung. As this man bled the man who found him suggested a solution. “Cut off the limb. Cut it off, and I will help you limp back to civilization”. What a horrible choice to make. But isn’t this the way of our world today. We look to others for salvation. We are caught in the devil’s trap of sin. We are bound by it’s teeth, grinding into our flesh.

Alcohol. We drink to find solace – and none is found.
We destroy our livers and our bodies.
Sex. We chase the opposite or the same sex.
We contract disease. We destroy ourselves.
Technology. We focus on I-Phones, and ignore others around us.
Our I-Phones have become I-dols – sucking our money and lives away.
Prosperity. We will be happy if we have more STUFF.
We are bound by satanic creditors.
Life. We think doctors alone will give us life.
They give, as they take all of our wealth!

We rightly read in Job 14:1 (KJV) Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

Who will help me out of satan’s bear trap?
Who will have the key to release it’s jaws from my life?
Who? Jesus. JESUS, that’s Who!

If you repent and follow Jesus you will find rest.
What does Jesus promise to those who follow Him?

John 14:15-18 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he SHALL give you another Comforter, that he may ABIDE WITH YOU FOR EVER; 17 Even the Spirit of TRUTH; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

The Comforter that Solomon in all his wisdom could not find is the Comforter that Jesus will send to you.

The Comforter that Jeremiah – as great a prophet as he was – that Comforter Jesus shall send to you.

The Bible tells us that the NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE is to be COMFORTED. When the Apostle Paul …

Acts 9:29, 31 … spake BOLDLY in the NAME OF THE LORD JESUS … THEN had the churches REST throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and WERE EDIFIED; and WALKING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD, and IN THE COMFORT of the Holy Ghost, WERE MULTIPLIED.

Many Churches today have no more comfort than the lost outside the Church. Why? BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN NO REPENTANCE. Jesus promised the Comforter, but ONLY on the condition of our obedience.

Jesus said “When you REPENT and heed the Gospel (that is, follow Jesus) then Jesus promised I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter. God the Holy Spirit will come to you. You cannot receive God the Spirit if you are still walking according to your own ways. But when you come to Jesus – and surrender to Him as King of Kings and only Savior – then He prays for you. Jesus will plead (ἐρωτάω erōtáō, pronounced er-o-tah’-o) with the Father on your behalf. Oh what a joy it is to come to Jesus, to bring your brokenness to Him.Sing!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Plead the Son, and He will plead the Father. When Jesus pleads the Father he shall give you another Comforter. Not maybe. Will. Absolutely will. The Holy Spirit will come into your life. Christ will free you from the bear trap of sin, and the Spirit will free you from the hopelessness that the world wallows in. But Jesus tells us:

 John 14:15-18 the Father … shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The world – that which is trapped in satan’s bear trap – the world cannot receive the Spirit of God, the Third Person of the Trinity. The world cannot receive the abiding comfort that the indwelling Comforter gives to Christ’s Children. There is no Comforter given to the worldly. Not too long ago a certain politician said:

“… if you have a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel … is with my creator.” The politician went on to explain the difficulty he had in his earlier life, saying: “It’s hard to face the truth that there were times in my life when, if you had shown me exactly what it was inside me that made me gay, I would have cut it out with a knife.”

I will not argue with the man trapped in the bear trap, but I will say this. Jesus told us that The Holy Spirit – the Comforter:

John 14:26 … the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost …. 16:7-11 … Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

This politician is like many in the world today. They will not heed Christ’s commandments. They are caught in a bear trap. They call on human means for freedom, but none come forth. The trap holds them tight. Then along comes the Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes to CONVICT or REPROVE sin. That was why this politician felt so ill at ease with his lifestyle. The Spirit will REPROVE the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. That word REPROVE is the Greek ἐλέγχω elénchō, {pronounced el-eng’-kho} which means “to chasten, to admonish, to tell a fault, to rebuke”. The Spirit of God comes with the key to release the jaws of the bear trap. He affirms the words of Christ.

Recognize that sin is a bear trap.
Cry out to Christ to release it.
The Spirit comes with the key.
That key is the Cross of Christ.
Repent, turn to Jesus.
He IS the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)!

Sadly, some choose to normalize the bear trap. “I cannot get it off of me. My friends cannot get it off of me. So I will stay entrapped. I will get used to it’s pressure. I will normalize the limp. I will find others who normalize the limp. And we will – together – mark in step to the jangle of chains, limping through life, ignoring God our Creator.

Oh Beloved, let it not be so!
Take the Gift of God.
What is that “Gift”?
It is Jesus.
It is the Spirit filled life.
That is the heritage of the Christ follower.
That is where God wants you to be.

John 4:14 … whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit …

To come to Jesus is to find your sins forgiven.
To come to Jesus is to find the bear trap broken.
To come to Jesus is to find new life.
Will you not come to Jesus?Sing!

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

May God touch your hearts with his Word.