Signs & Wonders of Christ's Arrival - - The Consolation of Israel

 

Luke 2:25, 26

25. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for The Consolation of Israel: and The Holy Ghost was upon him.

26. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen The Lord's Christ.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3874

Consolation: a calling to one's aid, encouragement, summons, exhortation, entreaty

From the Greek word 'paraklésis' (pronounced par-ak'-lay-sis). Further meaning "personal urging, holy urging, intimate call", depending on the context of the word being used in which verse. 

{Conceived. Circumcised. Consecrated. Consolation. I love following the lead of the Holy Spirit. He leads me through the Word of God to the destination chosen for me to arrive at.} 

PARAKLESIS

Son of Encouragement: Acts 4:36

Word of Exhortation: Acts 13:15

The God of All Comfort: 2 Corinthians 1:3

Everlasting Consolation: 2 Thessalonians 2:16

CONSOLATION PROMISED

Isaiah 25:9

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

Isaiah 66:13

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Psalm 94:19

When anxiety overwhelms me, Your Consolation delights my soul.

THE LORD'S CHRIST

The LORD God's Faithful Priest: 1 Samuel 2:35

The LORD God's Anointed One: Psalm 132:17

The LORD God's Messiah: Daniel 9:26; Matthew 1:16

The LORD's Christ: John 11:27

Have you seen The Consolation of Israel? Have you met The Lord's Christ? It's not too late. But the day is coming when, if you have not declared Him as Lord and Savior of your soul, your life, that you may not have an opportunity to change your mind and your heart. To day is the day of salvation, says The Lord, in Hebrews 3:15, "Do not harden your hearts." And again in Hebrews 4:7 "Again, he limited a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."

The Consolation of Israel longs to be your Consoler, too. God did indeed send His only begotten Son into the world to save the world. But only the heart who believes will receive this glorious Gift of Salvation through the blood which Jesus Christ shed on the cross. It's the reason Jesus came to this earth: to save us, not to condemn us; to redeem us, not to toss us away; to befriend us, not to ignore us. 

Now is the time to give your hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now is the hour in which to surrender what you want for what God wants. Is this your day? 

WE WAIT FOR YOU

COME JESUS COME by Steven McWhirter

GOD REALLY LOVES US by Maverick City Music, Crowder & Dante Bowe

BELONG TO YOU by Here Be Lions

Thanks Be To God -- Who Comforts Us

 

2 Corinthians 1:3, 4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3874

Comfort: from the Greek word paraklésis, which means: properly, a call (urging), done by someone "close beside," i.e. a personal exhortation that delivers the "evidence that stands up in God's court." ; personal advocate;is an "intimate call" that someone personally gives to deliver God's verdict, i.e. "the close-call" that reveals how the Lord weighs in the relevant facts (evidence).  Paraklesis (holy-urging) is used of the Lord directly motivating and inspiring believers to carry out His plan, delivering His particular message to someone else. The core-meaning of paráklēsis ("personal urging") is shaped by the individual context, so it can refer to: exhortation, warning, encouragement (comfort), gladness, joy, consolation.

Comfort means so much more than we thought it did, doesn't it? This word paraklésis is used three times in this passage: the first time in verse 3 and the first and last time in verse 4.

GOD COMFORTS HIS PEOPLE

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Romans 15:4

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 

1 Timothy 4:13

Until I come, give heed to the public reading of Scripture (in churches and synagogues), to exhortation, to teaching.

Knowing that all comfort originates with and comes from God, we accept that the Comforter He sends also originates with Him.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3875

Advocate: from the Greek word paraklétos (pronounced par-ak'-lay-tos), which means: called to one's aid; an advocate, an intercessor; a consoler, comforter, helper; from 'close-beside': , a legal advocate who makes the right judgment-call because close enough to the situation.

John 15:26

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.

Acts 1:4, 5

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, said He,  "You have heard of Me. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days after these."

 GOD'S PEOPLE COMFORT EACH OTHER

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3870

Comfort: from the Greek word parakaleó (pronounced par-ak-al-eh'-o), which means: to call to or for, to exhort, to encourage;  (a) I send for, summon, invite, (b) I beseech, entreat, beg, (c) I exhort, admonish, (d) I comfort, encourage, console. Appeal to, implore, plead. 

This word parakaleó is used just once in this passage. The third time comfort is mentioned is when we comfort one another. How do we do just that? 

We Comfort One Another With The Love of Christ

Philippians 2:1

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affections and compassions, fulfil my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

We Comfort One Another With The Fulfillment of Prophecy

(The Prophecy) Deuteronomy 18:15

The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him.

(Prophecy Fulfilled) Luke 2:25

Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for The Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 

In Luke 2:25, The Consolation is from the Greek word  paraklésis which we already see described in the first definition given of the word comfort, but now as a proper noun: THE COMFORTER, THE CONSOLER, THE CONSOLATION, THE ADVOCATE, THE HELPER. 

Thanks be to God who comforts us as we live our daily lives in His Word, according to His Will and Purpose for our lives. Thanks be to God for His Advocate, who defends us before the Father, who convicts us of sin and brings us into repentance, that we might be His holy people, of the generation of righteous living in and through Christ. 

Thanks be to God for His path, His Way, which is old and narrow and difficult to traverse, but totally worth the effort it takes to do so. 

Dear God,

Thank You, firstly, for sending Your Son to die on the cross in my stead and, secondly, for sending Your Comforter, Your Holy Spirit to encourage me in my walk with You. Who helps me to guard my heart and who guides me through Your Word every day, revealing to me what You would have me to know. 

In Jesus' Beautiful Name, I pray,

Amen

Father, Son, Spirit by Jason Upton

He Abides (classic hymn)

 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- The Spirit

 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Quench not the Spirit.

*Strong's Ex. Con. No. 4570

Quench: extinguish, suppress, thwart

To put out the fire.

It is impossible to accomplish the task(s) which God has given us without the guidance of His Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:12 "We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." In Revelation 22:17 the Spirit and the Bride are calling the lost souls to repentance together, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." 

No one can give us what only God can give us. And that includes His Holy Spirit. Matthew 25:8 "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." The oil is the Holy Spirit. We must have Him with us when Christ returns for His church. We cannot share Him, the anointing which God gives each of us individually, with each other. Acts 2:3 "And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them." He will leave this earth, when we leave this earth. 

Who is the Holy Spirit? 

He is the Spirit who helped create the world from the beginning. Genesis 1:2 "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

He is the Spirit which guided the hearts, the mouths and the hands of the men who wrote, put into print, the Holy Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Peter 1:20, 21 "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

He is the Interpreter. 1 Corinthians 2:13 "And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."

He is the Comforter. {*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3875 Consoler, Helper.}

John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you." John 16:7 "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."

He is the baptism of Godly power. Acts 1:5, 8 "For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” "But you will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and you will be witnesses for Me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth."

He is the convictor of sin. John 16:8-11 "And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned." 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3076

Grieve: distress, vex, cause to sorrow, to experience deep emotional pain, 

How do we quench the Holy Spirit? By not listening to Him. Ephesians 4:30 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Isaiah 63:10 "But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them." By insulting Him. Hebrews 10:29 "How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?"

Don't put out the Holy Spirit of God. Listen to Him and follow His lead. Let Him lead us to the cross, to the garden and into the eternal presence of God.