I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Job 19:23-27

All too often when someone goes through a significant tragedy, especially if it lasts over an extended period of time, their faith and hope take a big hit.  Perhaps it is the death of a child, or maybe they lost all they had in a fire or natural disaster.  Sometimes this happens if the person becomes very sick.  Before the tragedy hit, their faith and hope were as strong as any other believer.  However, now, after all that has happened to them, it is a different story.  Today’s Scripture contains the words of a man who went through some terrible trials.  Though he certainly wasn’t happy about it, and he made that quite clear, he never lost his faith or hope in God.

The gentleman I am referring to is, naturally, Job from the Old Testament.  When I mentioned several types of tragedies in the previous paragraph that might lead one to lose hope and faith, Job went through all three of them.  Job was a very wealthy rancher, probably a contemporary to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (2000-1800 BC).  One day some roving bands of thieves stole his cattle.  Then the remaining herds were burned to death in a lightning fire.  In addition, a tornado-like windstorm struck, bringing down the building where all ten of his children were, killing them all.  Then, to top it off, Job developed a very painful skin disease, possibly brought on, or at least worsened, by the stress of the other afflictions.  Naturally Job was very distressed over this, and he did let God know this.  Yet Job did not lose his faith in God, nor his hope in His promises.

How would you be after all of this?  Each of your children killed in one day, all of your cattle, which is your source of livelihood stolen, and then a horribly painful disease afflicts you.  Bam!  Bam!  Bam!  Would you still be able to stand upright in your faith?

As our Scripture opens, Job tells of his longing that his words could be recorded permanently, preserved for future generations (vs. 23-24).  He knew that what he was going to say next was of eternal significance.  He did not want these words to be forgotten.  Job had no idea that God was inspiring them, and that they would be a part of His eternal Word!  God did indeed preserve Job’s words in Scripture, fulfilling his desire beyond imagination (Psalm 12:6-7).

Job’s next words were a climactic declaration of faith (vs. 25).  There are some who believe that the idea and belief in a bodily resurrection did not come about until the New Testament days, and some believe that it didn’t fully solidify into a Christian doctrine until even some time after that.  However, as we can plainly see here, Job clearly believed in a bodily resurrection.  Job affirms that his Redeemer is alive, and will one day stand upon the earth.  This is a prophetic glimpse of Jesus Christ’s incarnation and then Second Coming.  This points to Jesus as the living Redeemer who will vindicate His people.  Job knew who He was, without the help of a preacher or a prophet.  He had a divine encounter with the One who would later be born in Bethlehem.

As we continue, Job anticipated his own physical death, as he speaks of his skin being destroyed (vs. 26).  However, he expressed confidence in a bodily resurrection for himself when he said that he, in his flesh, would see God.  This is not metaphorical, it is literal.  Job expected to see God with resurrected eyes, in a glorified body.  The Apostle Paul would centuries later corroborate this same belief when he wrote his epistles to both the Corinthians and Philippians (I Corinthians 15:42-44; Philippians 3:20-21).

Job personally held this hope for his future (vs. 27).  He would see it himself.  He yearned for that moment, his eternal redemption.  Job counted on the promise of the resurrection.  He looked ahead, counting on the Lord’s promise to make all things bright and beautiful in the life beyond.  He knew that at that time all pain, death, sorrow, tears, and adversity would be removed.

Are you going through a really difficult time right now?  Like Job, we must cling to the certainty that our Redeemer lives, especially during these trials.  Our bodies may fail, but our future is secure in the Lord Jesus.  This belief gives us strength to endure suffering.  Job understood that he had a big God who was in control.  He knew and believed that one day, when all the suffering was over, he would understand more fully.  As Job did, anchor your hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.