In this chapter we will look at the sixth way in which God comforts his people, which is by inspiring hope, and the above text is a good foundation upon which to begin. It speaks of "eternal comfort" ("everlasting consolation" kjv) and "wonderful hope" ("good hope" kjv). Further, the results of giving, by his grace and love, hope and comfort is in order that believers might be strengthened. Paul seems a little redundant in saying God has given comfort in order that believers may be comforted. However, when you consider the tenses of the text, this is seen not to be the case. So, using the nkjv we may read as follows:
"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved (aorist past action) us and (has) given us (aorist past action) everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort (aorist future optative) your hearts and establish you (aorist future optative) in every good word and work." (II Thess. 2: 16-17 nkjv)
So, Paul says, "God has given you everlasting comfort, and I pray he will continue to do so in the future." The "optative" use of a verb in the above text denotes the expression of a wish or desire for something in the future. I spoke about this idea in the previous chapters, about how we can be assured of future divine comfort because we have experienced such divine comfort in the past. The apostle could have also viewed the past comfort and hope as objective, and the future comfort and hope as subjective. How has God in this manner given believers everlasting comfort and good hope through grace? Answer; By demonstrating his love and care for believers by giving Christ to them, and by bestowing on them the things Christ has earned for them by his sacrificial death.
This hope (expectation) and comfort will result in the believer receiving more strength to persevere in the future in everything they say and do. Many translations rather use the word "encourage" rather than "comfort," which would of course be included, as would be the idea of "consolation."
Comfort by Giving & Inspiring Hope
"If there be therefore any consolation (paraklesis) in Christ, if any comfort (paramythion) of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies..." (Phil. 2: 1 kjv)
The Greek word for "comfort" is παραμύθιον and denotes a persuasive address that gives consolation, seen often in Greek writings (from Sophocles, Thucydides, Plato, etc.), though only here in the new testament. It is similar to "paregoria," also of singular use in the NT, both meaning to soothe, alleviate, calm, or give relief and solace.
The basis of a believer's "consolation" is Christ, as he is in his character and work of redemption, being the reason for being consoled. So writes the apostle:
"Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb. 6: 17-19 nkjv)
God's showing to "the heirs of promise" (believers in Christ) the reasons why their salvation is secure and certain (via the fact that his promises and guarantees are as unchangeable as is he himself, and because he is faithful and incapable of lying), was in order that his children "might have strong consolation" and might be able to "flee for refuge" and "to lay hold of the hope set before us"; And, by "hope" he does not mean wishful thinking, but firm expectation, and great assurance. Hope may mean to expect, to anticipate, to believe or trust that something will happen, or to wait for something with confidence, to look forward to, etc. It may also carry the idea of aspiration, aim or goal, and optimism and achievement. So the words "I hope" may be equated with "I have good reason to believe that such and such will happen."
This "refuge" includes refuge for the soul, mind, spirit, and emotions of the believer, which is described by the Psalmist David:
"Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress." (Psa. 71: 3 nkjv)
God is our mental refuge when our minds are filled with troubled thoughts. To him we should quickly "resort" and that "continually." We must, when depressed by our circumstances, often turn our thoughts towards God and heavenly things, to his sure promises. We should ever keep in mind that with Christ as our Helper we are never "hopeless" or in hopeless situations. This hope of the Christian is an "anchor" to the soul (psyche; which includes our mental troubles or psychological depression), and is well anchored, and therefore "both sure and steadfast." This anchor will comfort you when you are experiencing the storms of life and keep you from wrecking upon the rocks of the straits of the sea.
God's giving of comfort, consolation, and hope, is a way wherein he shows his love, mercy, goodness, pity, compassion, care and concern, and his good will towards his people. Often God's people, like the wicked or the hypocrite, sometimes become disillusioned, maybe even disappointed, with God, when he does not come to their aid as they think he should or does not answer prayer requests as they think he should. But, they should remember what the hymn writer, William Cowper, said in the famous song "God Moves In A Mysterious Way." (1774) Here are some of the lines (pay attention to the lines in bold):
"1. God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm.
2. Oh, fearful saints, new courage take: The clouds that you now dread Are big with mercy and will break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace. Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.
3. God's purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan his work in vain. God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain.
Refrain: So God we trust in you. O God, we trust in you. When tears are great and comforts few, We hope in mercies ever new, We trust in you."
God "rides upon the storm" of your mental and emotional turbulence, on the whirlwind of your adversities and "When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you." (Prov. 1: 27 nkjv) Oftentimes it is in the storms of life that we really come to know God on a more intimate level, when we draw closer to him, when we pray more often, when we steal away in secret prayer and pour out our hearts before him. We see him in the midst of the storm and whirlwind, riding upon it and showing his sovereignty over it. Recall how Jesus walked upon the water and calmed the troubled sea and fierce winds.
Brothers, God is greater than your needs and your trials. God appeared to Job after a time of long and severe suffering, loss, and grief, and more than made up for what Job had lost in his battle with Satan, himself, and with his worldly counselors. So the record says: "Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning." (Job 42: 12) Wrote James the Lord's brother:
"My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord--that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful." (James 5: 10 nkjv)
Another line in the above song are the words "Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan his work in vain."
Satan will whisper suggestions into the ears of your heart, and give a false narrative and interpretation of why you are suffering, grieving, in difficulty, being persecuted or oppressed, etc., telling you, perhaps, that 1) these show that God does not care for you and that you are really not his child or servant, for if you were, he would have either kept those things from occurring or quickly make all things right, Or, 2) God is not all powerful and cannot be counted on to deliver you, but he, Satan, can, Or, 3) you are going through this misfortune because you are unworthy of God or worthless in God's sight, Etc. So, "judge not the Lord by feeble sense" and don't "lean upon your own understanding," but rather "trust the Lord with all your heart." (Prov. 3: 5)
Let me close with this famous Christian hymn:
1 Come, you disconsolate, where'er you languish;
come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal.
2 Joy of the desolate, light of the straying,
hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, in mercy saying,
"Earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot cure."
3 Here see the bread of life; see waters flowing
forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast prepared; come, ever knowing
earth has no sorrows but heaven can remove.
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