We Lament No More, for We Have a Comforter

"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." (Lamentations 1: 9)

Reading the Old Testament can be depressing, discouraging, and even fearful.

If we "rightly divide the Word of Truth", we can see not just the grace of God superabounding in the midst of man's sin, but what God's grace has done and is doing for us today compared to what the Israelites had to endure under law.

In the above passage, Jeremiah views the desolation of Israel, following God's repeated attempts to warn them and invite His people to repentance.

Jeremiah speaks about "filthiness". Today, we are cleansed from all sin, and the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us (1 John 1: 7)

While the Israelites had nothing but bad memories, because of the loss, death, and destruction visited upon them from the invading Babylonians, today, we are called to remember all the good which God our Father has done for us through His Son Jesus:

"And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." (Luke 22: 19)

Paul explained to the First Church and thus to all of us the importance of the Holy Communion, remembering all that Jesus has done for us:

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." (1 Corinthians 11: 23-26)

Peter would write to fellow believers to stir them to remembrance, too:

"Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;" (2 Peter 1:13)

Above all, while the Israelites had no comforter in the midst of great desolation, today we have The Comforter!

"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 14: 26)

and

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" (John 15: 26)

and also

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16: 13)

Under the New Covenant, we do not lament, but we rejoice, freed from all sin, remembering all the Good which Jesus has done for us, comforted by His Holy Spirit.