Bereavement, God's comfort in

God cares for the bereaved, and can turn their mourning into joy and hope.

God comforts the bereaved and the sorrowful

Lamentations 3:32–33; 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 See also Psalm 116:8; Matthew 5:4; Revelation 7:17

Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion. For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Mourning turned into joy

Psalm 30:11 See also Isaiah 61:1–3; Jeremiah 31:13; John 16:20

You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

Despair turned into hope

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 “Falling asleep” was a euphemistic way of talking about dying.

Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

Fear turned into assurance

Psalm 23:4; Isaiah 25:8–9 In the OT, death was generally feared because it meant the loss of meaningful existence. However, like several references, this one looks beyond the grave and anticipates NT hope for all who trust in God; Romans 8:38–39 Paul's conclusion after working through the implications of the gospel. See also John 11:25–26; 1 Corinthians 15:55–57; 2 Corinthians 5:6–8; Philippians 1:21–24; Revelation 21:4

Even 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.

He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken. And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God's care for widows and orphans

Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalm 10:14 See also Psalm 68:5, Psalm 146:9; Jeremiah 49:11; Hosea 14:3

He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.

But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.

Jesus Christ cared for the bereaved

Luke 7:11–13; John 11:33 At the grave of his friend, Lazarus. See also Luke 8:49–56

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples went with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Do not weep.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.

Caring for the bereaved

Deuteronomy 24:19 Special provisions in the law for the bereaved; Romans 12:15 See also Deuteronomy 26:12; Jeremiah 22:3; Acts 6:1–3 The early church provided for widows in the fellowship with a special fund; 1 Timothy 5:3; James 1:27

If you are harvesting in your field and forget a sheaf there, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.