When someone passes away in this life, we look for ways and words to comfort them because we really do care about them. One of the scriptures that is used is “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted” is this what YESHUA was referring to? We know that our ELOHIM will comfort those who have lost a loved one because He is a loving ELOHIM. When we read the scripture notice YESHUA says that those who are mourning are blessed, so what was He referring to?
Isaiah 61:1-4
“The Spirit of YAHWEH is upon Me, because YAHWEH has anointed Me and set me to preach good tidings to the meek; to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to prisoners; to proclaim the acceptable year of YAHWEH, and the day of the salvation of our ELOHIM; to comfort all that MOURN; to give to the MOURNERS OF ZION beauty instead of ashes, perfume instead of MOURNING, a cloak of beauty instead of the spirit of heaviness; they shall be called men of righteousness, the planting of YAHWEH, which is glorious. And they shall build the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.”
YESHUA is referring to those who weep and mourn for Zion, the destruction of the Temple and those who were taken into captivity, and we will see later why those who mourn for the destruction of Jerusalem will be blessed and why they will be comforted.
Mourning over Zion
I will be quoting scriptures from 2 Esdras and 2 Baruch to show why they were lamenting. Here, Ezra had a vision of a woman who lost her son and tells her that mourning for Zion was greater cause of concern.
2 Esdras 9:38-10:24
“When I said these things in my heart, I lifted up my eyes and saw a woman on my right, and she was MOURNING and weeping with a loud voice, and was deeply grieved at heart, and her clothes were rent, and there were ashes on her head. Then I dismissed the thoughts with which I had been engaged, and turned to her and said to her, “Why are you weeping, and why are you grieved at heart? And she said to me, “Let me alone, my master, that I may weep for myself and continue to mourn, for I am greatly embittered in spirit and deeply afflicted.” And I said to her, “What has happened to you? Tell me.” And she said to me, “Your servant was barren and had no child, though I lived with my husband thirty years. And so every day and every hour during those thirty years I besought the Most High. And it came to pass after thirty years, ELOHIM heard your handmaid, and looked upon my affliction, an considered my distress, and gave me a son. And I rejoiced greatly over him, I and my husband and all my townsfolk; and we gave great glory to the Mighty One. And I brought him up with much care. So when he grew up and I came to take a wife for him, I set a day for the marriage feast. But it happened that when my son entered his wedding chamber, he fell down and died. Then we put out the lamps, and all my townsfolk attempted to console me; and I remained quiet until evening of the second day. But when they all had stopped consoling me, that I might be quiet, I got up in the night and fled, and came to this field, as you see. And now I intend not to return to the city, but to stay here, and I will neither eat nor drink, but without ceasing mourn and fast until I die.”
“Then I broke off the reflections with which I was engaged, and answered her in anger, and said, “You most foolish of women, do you not see our MOURNING, AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US? For ZION, THE MOTHER OF US ALL, IS IN DEEP GRIEF AND GREAT AFFLICITION. It is most appropriate to MOURN NOW, because WE ARE ALL MOURNING, and to be sorrowful, because we are all sorrowing; you, however, are sorrowing for one son. Now ask the earth, and she will tell you that it is she who ought to mourn over so many who have come into being upon her. And from the beginning all have been born of her, and others will come; and behold, all go to perdition, and a multitude of them are destined for destruction. Who then ought to MOURN MORE, she who lost so great a multitude, or you who are grieving for one? But if you say to me, “My lamentation is not like the earth’s sadness for I have lost the fruit of my womb, which I brought forth in pain and in sorrow; but it is with the earth according to the way of the earth the multitude that is now in it goes as it came; then I say to you, ‘As you brought forth in sorrow, so the earth also has from the beginning given her fruit, that is, man, to Him who made her. Now, therefore, keep your sorrow to yourself, and bear bravely the troubles that have come upon you. For if you acknowledge the decree of ELOHIM to be just, you will receive your son back in due time, and will be praised among women.” Therefore go into the city to your husband.” She said to me, “I will not do so, nor will I go into the city, but I will die here.”
(Ezra’s lament over Zion)
So I spoke again to her, and said, “Do not do that thing, but let yourself be persuaded because of the troubles of ZION, and be consoled because of the sorrow of Jerusalem. For you see that our sanctuary has been laid waste, our altar thrown down, our temple destroyed; our harp has been laid low, our song has been silenced, our rejoicing has been ended; the light of our lampstand has been put out, the ark of the covenant has been plundered, our holy things have been polluted, and the name by which we are called has been profaned; our free men have suffered abuse, our priests have been burned to death, our Levites have gone into captivity; our virgins have been defiled, our wives have been ravished, our righteous men have been carried off, our little ones have been cast out, our young men have been enslaved, our strong men made powerless. And, what is more than all, the seal of ZION-for she has now lost the sea of her glory, and has been given over into the hands of those that hate us. Therefore shake off your great sadness and lay aside your many sorrows, so that the Mighty One may be merciful to you, and the Most High may give you rest from your troubles.”
The woman that Ezra saw was Zion who was weeping over her son which was symbolic of no offering had been in her for 3,000 years (see verse 45). But verse 39 gives the entire context which says, “For He (YAHWEH) has seen your righteous conduct, that you have sorrowed greatly for your people, AND MOURNED GREATLY OVER ZION.”
2 Baruch 1:1-3:6
“The twenty-fifth year of Jeconiah, Kind of Judah, the word of YAHWEH was upon Baruch, son of Neriah, and he said to him: “You have seen everything that this people has done to Me The evils which these two tribes (Judah and Benjamin, House of Judah) that remained have done are more than those of the ten tribes that were led captive (House of Israel). For the former tribes were forced by their kings to sin, but these two have been forcing and compelling their kings to sin. Therefore, see, I am bringing evil upon this city and upon its inhabitants. It will be REMOVED from Me for a time (70 years of Babylonian Captivity). I am scattering this people among the nations, so that it will do good to the nations. My people will be chastised, and the time will come when they will seek the prosperity of their times. For I have told you these things so that you may tell Jeremiah and all those who are like you to go away from this city, because your works are for this, city like a firm pillar and your prayers like a strong wall.” And I said: “O YAHWEH, my Master, have I come into the world for this, that I SHOULD SEE THE EVIL OF MY MOTHER? No, my Master.”
What mother is Baruch referring to? Ezra gave us that answer is 2 Esdras 10:7
“For ZION, THE MOTHER OF US ALL, IS IN DEEP GRIEF AND GREAT AFFLICITION.”
2 Baruch continued:
Verse 2 “If I have found mercy in your eyes, TAKE FIRST MY SOUL, so that I will go to my fathers and will not see the DESTRUCTION OF MY MOTHER (ZION). Because two things greatly press on me: that to resist you I cannot; what is more my SOUL CANNOT LOOK AT THE EVIL OF MY MOTHER. For one thing I will say before You, YAHWEH: What, therefore, will be after these things? For if you destroy Your city, and you hand your land over to those who hate us, how will the name of Yisra’el again be remembered? Or how will we speak about your glories? Or to whom will be explained what is in Your Torah?”
2 Baruch 5:1-6:2
“And I answered and said: “Will I therefore be guilty on account of Zion, that those who hate you will come to this place and defile Your sanctuary, and take your inheritance into captivity and rule over those whom You love, and will again go to the place of their idols and boast before them? And what have You done for Your great Name? And YAHWEH said to me: “My Name and My praise-they are unto eternity. For My judgement reserves its right in its time. And you will see with your eyes that the enemies are not demolishing Zion and that they are not burning down Jerusalem but that they are serving the Judge for a time. You, then, go and do everything I have told you.” And I went and took Jeremiah, Adu, Seriah, Jabesh, Gedaliah, and the nobles of the people, and brought them to the Kidron Valley, and I told them everything that had been said to me. And they raised their voices AND ALL OF THEM WEPT. And we sat there and fasted until evening. And on the next day, see, the Chaldean army surrounded the city. And at evening time I Baruch, left the people, went out, and stood by the oak. I was GRIEVING OVER ZION and GROANING over the captivity that has come upon the people.”
2 Baruch 8:4-10:7
“And after these things, the Chaldean army entered and seized the house and everything around it. They led the people away captive and killed some of them. They bound King Zedekiah and sent him to the king of Babylon. And I, Baruch, came, and Jeremiah, whose heart was found pure of sins, who had not been captured during the seizing of the city. We TORE OUR GARMENTS, AND WEPT, AND MOURNED, AND FASTED SEVEN DAYS. And after seven days, the word of YAHWEH was upon me and said to me: “Say to Jeremiah to go and support the captivity of the people unto Babylon. You, however, remain here amid the DEVESTATION OF ZION, and I am showing you after these days what will befall at the end of days. And I spoke to Jeremiah as YAHWEH commanded me. Then he went with the people, whereas I, Baruch, turned back, came, and sat in front of the gates of the temple. And I LAMENTED THIS LAMENTATION OVER ZION, saying: Blessed is he who is not born, or he who was born and has died. But as for us, we are who alive-WOE unto us, for we have seen the SORROWS OF ZION AND WHAT HAS BEFALLEN JERUSALEM.”
Lamentations of Jeremiah
1:1-8
“How does the city sit solitary that was full of people! How is she become like a widow! She that was so great among the nations, and she that was a princess of the cities has become a tributary! She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears run on her cheek (later Zion rejoices see Isaiah 66:10); among all her lovers she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have become her enemies. Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction and because of great servitude she dwells among the gentiles, she finds no rest; all her pursuers overtook her in the midst of her affliction. The ways of Zion MOURN because none come to the solemn feasts; all her gates are desolate;; her priests sigh, her virgins are humbled, and she is in bitterness. Her oppressors have become her rulers, and her adversaries have made an end of her; for YAHWEH has afflicted her from the multitude of her sins; her children are gone into captivity before the oppressor. And from the daughter of Zion all her splendor is departed; her princes have become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. Jerusalem remembers in the days of her affliction and of her chastisement all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the oppressor and she had none to help her, her oppressors saw her, and mocked at her destruction. Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore she has become an abomination; all who honored her, despise her, because they see her nakedness; yea, she sighs and turns backward.”
2 Baruch 35:1-35:5
“And I, Baruch, went to the holy place, and I sat on its ruins, and I WEPT and said: O that my eyes were springs and my eyelids a fountain of tears. FOR HOW SHALL I GROAN OVER ZION, and how shall I MOURN OVER JERUSALEM? Because at this place where I am prostrate now, formerly the high priests were offering holy sacrifices and were placing thereon incense of fragrant odors. Now, however, our pride has been made into dust and the desire of our soul into sand.”
Those who mourn will be comforted in New Jerusalem
We are blessed because we await the promise of YAHWEH which is the New Jerusalem and will be gathered with our brethren who are scattered to the four corners. We will be restored back to our home that our ancestors mourned over during their days of exile.
Isaiah 66:10-13
“REJOICE with JERUSALEM and be GLAD WITH HER, all you who LOVE HER; rejoice in joy with her, all you who MOURN OVER HER, that you may suck and be satisfied with the COMFORT of her breasts; that you may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus says YAHWEH: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, like an overflowing torrent; and you shall suck the glory of the gentiles; and you shall be carried on the litters and be dandled upon the knees; as one whom his mother COMFORTS, so I WILL COMFORT you, and you shall be COMFORTED IN JERUSALEM.”
Now going back and looking at YESHUA’s words we can see the context of what He was saying:
Mathew 5:4
“Blessed are they who are MOURNING, because they will be COMFORTED.”
2 Baruch 4:1-4:6
“And YAHWEH said to me: “This city is delivered up for a time, and the people are chastised during a time, and the world is not forgotten. Or do you perhaps think that this is the city about which I said: On the palms of My hands I have inscribed you.”
Isaiah 49:16
“Behold, I have inscribed you upon the palms of My hands; your fortified walls are continually BEFORE ME (New Jerusalem).”
2 Baruch (continued) “This building that is now built in your midst is NOT THE ONE REVEALED WITH ME (The New Jerusalem), the one ALREADY PREPARED HERE WHEN I INTENDED TO MAKE PARADISE. And I showed it to Adam before he sinned, but when he transgressed the commandment, it was taken away from him, as was also Paradise. And after these things, I showed it to my servant Abraham, by night, between the halves of the sacrifices. And furthermore, I also showed it to Moses on Mount Sinai when I showed him the likeness of the tabernacle and of all its implements. And now, see, it is PRESERVED WITH ME, AS IS ALSO PARADISE. Go, therefore, and do as I am commanding you.”
YAHWEH revealed the New Jerusalem to our ancestors and it is preserved with Him, and those who endure until the end will see and dwell in it, for this is the reward that is promised and what our ancestors saw and knew what was to come and what we hope for.
Revelation 21:1-2
“And I saw NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH: for the former heaven and the former earth has passed away: and the sea was no more. And I saw the HOLY CITY, THE NEW JERUSALEM, DESCENDING FROM ELOHIM OUT OF HEAVEN, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.”
2 Baruch 31:32:5
“And after these things, I went to the people and said to them: “Assemble for me all your elders and I will say a few words to you.” And all of them assembled by the Kidron Valley. And I answered and said to them: “Hear (Shema), O Yisra’el, and I will speak to you, and you, seed of Jacob, listen, and I will instruct you. Do not forget Zion, but remember the sorrows of Jerusalem. For, see, days are coming and everything that is will be taken to destruction, and it will be as if it had not been. You, however, if you prepare your hearts and sow in them the fruits of the Torah, the Mighty One will protect you in that time to come, Who will shake up all of creation. Because after a short time, the building of Zion will be shaken, in order to be built again. But that building will not remain, but will again be uprooted after a time and will remain desolate until the time. And after that, it must be RENEWED IN GLORY AND COMLPLETED FOREVER (New Jerusalem). Therefore, we do not have to be saddened so much over the evil that has come now as over that which is yet to be (Baruch is comforting them with the truth of the New Jerusalem).”
2 Baruch 44:2-44:8
“See, I will go to my fathers as is the way of all the age. But you, do not withdraw from the way of the Torah but keep it and warn the people who are left, lest they withdraw from the commandments of the Mighty One. For you see that He is just whom we serve, and our Creator shows no partiality. See what has befallen Zion and what happened to Jerusalem, because the judgment of the Mighty One will be known through this and His ways are inscrutable (unsearchable) and right. For if you endure and remain in His fear and do not forget His Torah, times will change for you for the better, and you will see the consolation (COMFORT received by a person after a loss or disappointment) of Zion. Because what is now is nothing (physical Jerusalem), but what will be (New Jerusalem) is VERY GREAT.”
Be comforted all my brothers and sisters who mourn for Zion knowing that the New Jerusalem will comfort all of us as we return home to be with YAHWEH and YESHUA! As always, may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!