Matthew 5:4

Happy are those who mourn because they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus informs the Jews that those who mourn will be happy because they will be comforted.

Jesus is speaking of those who will mourn during His ministry to Israel. He did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34). His message will set father against son, and daughter against mother (Matthew 10:35). Those who believed that Jesus was the Messiah had to pick up their cross and follow Him (Matthew 10:38). This cross was the rejection of their family, friends, and kinsmen who did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

Since Israel rejected the Messiah, and the Messiah is cut off for a time, during the time when Israel will be in the wilderness, after He has been cut off for a time, but not for Himself, those who believe the message of the kingdom will mourn for the salvation of the LORD (Daniel 9:26; Micah 7:6–7). Among the Jews, mourning comes from loss (Mark 16:10). At the beginning of the Tribulation period, the man of lawlessness—the beast of Daniel 9—will make a peace covenant with Israel. Israel will reside without walls under his protection. However, in the middle of the covenant, the man of lawlessness will break his covenant, turning their laughter into mourning (Luke 6:25).

In direct contrast, the grace believer is comforted in his tribulations by God (1 Corinthians 1:3–4). The Church is to mourn when there is the presence of sin within her ranks; otherwise, she is to be joyous (1 Corinthians 5:2; Romans 15:13). Loving other saints will not permit them to continue sinning and remain within an assembly. Those who are proud are to submit to God and resist the devil. They are to cleanse their hands from their sins and purify their hearts, for they are double-souled—allowing their emotions to be split between two masters. Their joy is to turn to mourning and weeping as they humble themselves before the Lord so that He may lift them up (James 4:7–10).

The fruit of the Spirit involves joy and peace, not mourning (Galatians 5:22–23). Since Christians already possess all things pertaining to life and godliness, they are not called to mourn, but to rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 4:4).

Israel, on the other hand, looks forward to being comforted when the Messiah returns. Therefore, those Jews in the wilderness who mourn their loss will be comforted when Christ returns.