CHAPTER
1
ADVOCATE-COMFORTER
(Both are the same word in the Greek) (Consoler,
Intercessor )
Advocate With the Father, God of All Comfort
CONSOLATION (comforts, exhortation,
solace) Consolation of
Israel, God of Patience and Consolation
FOR US (for the sake of, in
behalf of, instead of, on the part of, over, toward - of or from us, our, we)
HELPER (Succorer) Shield of Your Help, My
Help
HEALTH OF MY
COUNTENANCE
(aid, delivered, help, prosperity, saved, victory, welfare - face, mouth,
person, presence)
HIGH PRIEST (chief priest or chief
of the priests) Great High
Priest, High Priest Forever, High Priest of Our Profession
INTERCESSOR (come between, confer
with, deal with, entreat, impinge by importunity, intercede in behalf of, meets
together,)
MEDIATOR (go between,
intercessor, Reconciler) Mediator
of a Better or New Covenant or Testament
STAY (protector, support,
sustenance) My Stay
SUCCORS (aids, helps, protects,
relieves, surrounds)
SUSTAINS (bears up, establishes,
forbearing, holds, is present, leaned upon, maintains, makes preparation,
nourishes, stay, taken hold of, upholds)
THE LIFTER
UP OF MY HEAD
(exalts, extols, promote, raises)
Deuteronomy 33:29
Happy are you, O Israel: who is like unto you, O people saved by
the LORD, the Shield Of Your Help, and who is the sword of your
excellency and your enemies shall be found liars unto you; and you shall tread
upon their high places.
2 Samuel 22:19
They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was My Stay.
Nehemiah 4:20 In
what place therefore you hear the sound of the trumpet, resort you there
unto us: our God shall fight for us.
Nehemiah 9:21 Yea,
forty years did you sustain them in the wilderness, so that they
lacked nothing; their clothes did not grow old, and their feet did not swell.
Psalms 3:2 Many there
be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. 3 But you,
O LORD, are a shield for me; my glory, and the Lifter Up Of My Head.
4. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. 5
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
Psalms 23:4 Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. 5 You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head
with oil; my cup runs over.
Psalms 27:6 And
now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me:
therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I
will sing praises unto the LORD.
Psalms 28:7 The
LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped:
therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise him.
Psalms 40:2 He
brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set
my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 17 But I am
poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me: you are My Help
and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
Psalms 42:11 Why
are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in
God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance,
and my God.
Psalms 46:1 God is
our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not
we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into
the midst of the sea. 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be
troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 5
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help
her, just at the break of dawn. 9 He makes wars to cease unto the end of
the earth; he breaks the bow, and cuts the spear in sunder; he burns the
chariot in the fire.
Psalms 55:22 Cast
your burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain you: he shall never
suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalms 71:21 You
shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Psalms 86:17 Show
me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed:
because you, LORD, have helped me, and comforted me.
Psalms 115:9 O
Israel, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their
shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help
and their shield. 11 You that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is
their help and their shield.
Psalms 146:5 Happy
is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is
in the LORD his God:
Isaiah 12:1 And in
that day you shall say, O LORD, I will praise you: though you were angry with
me, your anger is turned away, and you comforted me.
Isaiah 41:10 Fear
not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I
will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you
with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 44:2 Thus
says the LORD that made you, and formed you from the womb, which will help
you; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and you, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
Isaiah 50:9
Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall
condemn me? lo, they all shall grow old as a garment; the moth shall eat them
up.
Isaiah 51:3 For
the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste
places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden
of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the
voice of melody. 12 I, even I, am he that comfort you: who
are you, that you should be afraid of a man that shall die, and
of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall
divide the spoil with the strong; because he has poured out his soul unto
death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 66:13 As
one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you
shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
Matthew 9:22 But
Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort;
your faith has made you whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Matthew 11:28 Come
unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.
Luke 2:25 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.
Luke 23:34 Then
said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted
his raiment, and cast lots. [Here, Jesus was interceding for those who
persecuted Him and put Him to death, thus fulfilling prophecy.]
John 14:1 Let not
your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. 16 And I will
pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may
abide with you forever. 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world
cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him;
for he dwells with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you
comfortless: I will come to you. 26 But the Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.
John 15:26 But
when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even
the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me:
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.
[John 17 shows
Jesus interceding for His disciples and all of us to follow. If He would use
the time just before the incredible suffering and death that He was about to
incur to intercede in our behalf, imagine how much He prays for us now!]
Acts 9:31 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 Spirit, were multiplied.
Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we
should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession
for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searches the
hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession
for the saints according to the will of God. 31 What shall we then say
to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 34 Who is he that
condemns? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who
is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Romans 15:5 Now
the God Of Patience And Consolation grant you to be like-minded one
toward another according to Christ Jesus:
2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God Of All Comfort. 4 Who comforts us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by
the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the
sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by
Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation
and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which
we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation
and salvation. 7 And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as you
are partakers of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation.
2 Corinthians 6:2
(For he says, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation
have I succored you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold,
now is the day of salvation.)
Galatians 3:19
Wherefore then serves the law? It was added because of transgressions,
till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was
ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator
is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
Philippians 2:1 If
there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of
love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Thessalonians
2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which have
loved us, and have given us everlasting consolation and good hope
through grace, 17 Comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good
word and work.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there
is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus;
Hebrews 2:17
Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his
brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18
For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor
them that are tempted.
Hebrews 3:1
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the
Apostle and High Priest Of Our Profession, Christ Jesus;
Hebrews 4:14
Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest, that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For
we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of
our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 6:18 That
by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we
might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold
upon the hope set before us. 20 Where the forerunner has for us entered, even
Jesus, made a High Priest Forever after the order of Melchisedek.
Hebrews 7:15 And
it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedek there
arises another priest, 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal
commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 24 But this man,
because he continues ever, has an unchangeable priesthood. 25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by
him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High
Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners, and made higher than the heavens. 27 Who needs not daily, as those
high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the
people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Hebrews 8:1 Now of
the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a High
Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the
heavens. 6 But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also
he is the Mediator Of A Better Covenant, which was established upon
better promises.
Hebrews 9:15 And
for this cause he is the Mediator Of The New Testament, that by means of
death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the
first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,
which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear
in the presence of God for us:
Hebrews 12:24 And
to Jesus the Mediator Of The New Covenant, and to the blood of
sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Hebrews 13:6 So
that we may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper, and I will not
fear what man shall do unto me.
1 John 2:1 My
little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an Advocate With The Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous:
Let's go to God
when we are in need of comfort and encouragement. He only is our constant and
consistent source. He never tires of us coming to Him and He is always there,
ready to hear us. Let's go to God first and not always run to others.
Is God calling
us to comfort or sustain anyone? He blesses us so that we can bless others.
Let’s ask him if He wants to use us like that today.
See also: Arms,
Assurance, Grace, Habitation, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Judge, Life, Lord, Mercy,
Power, Reconciler, Savior, Shepherd
Cross References:
Jos. 5:13, 1 Sam. 30:6, Ps. 18:18, 43:5, Heb. 5:5-6, 10, 7:20-22, 8:2-5
Hymns: O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES
PAST, OUR GREAT SAVIOR; O HOW I LOVE JESUS; SPIRIT OF GOD, DESCEND UPON MY
HEART; COME THOU ALMIGHTY KING; JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL; WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE
IN JESUS; JUST WHEN I NEED HIM MOST; I MUST TELL JESUS
Chorus: MY HELP COMES FROM THE
LORD; THE GLORY AND THE LIFTER OF MY HEAD
Study and Application Questions
1.
What
concepts or details about God being our Advocate-Comforter did you understand
for the first time by reading this chapter?
2.
In
what ways did the definitions of God’s attributes, etc. affect you?
3.
How
did the hymns and / or choruses listed reinforce the concepts in the verses?
Which one(s) did you pick to help you remember this attribute?
4.
Concerning
the author’s comments, did any of them challenge you in thought or action? Did
you agree or disagree with them?
5.
Which
verses caused ‘the light to come on’ and the Holy Spirit impressed something to
you? Is He challenging you to change anything?
6.
What
do you need or want God to minister to you or change in you after reading this
chapter?
7.
How
will the knowledge of God being our Advocate-Comforter affect your prayer,
worship, and/or other aspects of your relationship with Him?
8.
Consider
your ministry to Christians and non-Christians. How will the attributes of God
in this chapter affect how you minister to them?