The Holy Spirit Comforts in Both Testaments

To share some thoughts on this subject inspired by Leon J. Wood's fine book, The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament (Zondervan, 1976).

The Lord Jesus Christs magnifies the comforting work of the Holy Spirit in the gospel of John (cf. 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-11). Luke also mentions this aspect of the Spirit's work in Acts 9:31. Note that the verses in John deal with events before the cross, and Acts 9:31 with events after it. Furthermore, the Spirit's comfort of the body of Christ is understood from passages like the following:

• Rom. 15:4--the Spirit uses scripture, therapeutically, to comfort us, just as he uses it combatively to defend us from Satan; cf. Eph. 6:17
• 1 Cor. 14:30--the gifts of the Spirit comfort 
• 2 Cor. 1:3--the Spirit administers comfort from the Father of mercies (double sense: all mercies come from him and he bestows abundant mercies on us)
• 2 Thes. 2:16-17--same as 2 Cor. 1:3...the Spirit administers comfort from both the Father and the Son. 

But the Spirit's work of comfort in the Old Testament is also documented. Note the following examples:

• 1 Chron. 12:18--Amasai comforting David
• 2 Chron. 15:1-8--Azariah comforting Asa
• 2 Chron. 20:14-19--Jahaziel comforting Jehoshaphat
• Is. 40:1-2--the Spirit comforts Israel through Isaiah (since this passage foreshadows John the Baptist and perhaps Elijah hereafter, John may have spoken these verses during his ministry, like he did Is. 40:3-5; cf. Luke 3:4-6)

These examples should not be a surprise, since the Almighty describes himself as "the God of all comfort" (2 Cor. 1:3), and his nature does not change from age to age (Mal. 3:8; Heb. 6:17), only his dealings with men. So one can look for God to dispense comfort in any age, which the scriptures fully support. Praise the Lord, our God is one that comforts his creatures whenever it's right to do so!