Originally posted: 8/25/2020
“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth,” (19:25).
Job’s accusers are merciless. And Job has had it.
“How long will you torment me
And crush me with words?
3 “These ten times you have insulted me;
You are not ashamed to wrong me,” (19:2-3).
And while his three self-righteous challengers continue in their attempts to get Job to confess that all of this is his fault, Job refuses to admit to what he knows is untrue, adamantly opposing the use of his disgrace to prove their own superiority, and emphatically maintaining this whole ordeal is between him and God.
Even if it is true that I have sinned,
my mistake concerns only me.
5 If you really want to appear superior to me
and would use my disgrace as evidence against me,
6 then understand that it is God who has wronged me
and caught me in his net,” (19:4-6 CSB).
Job doesn’t understand, but he knows that for whatever reason, God has hemmed him in this place. And for the next sixteen verses he expresses the depth of his misery and confusion, and his desperation for mercy from his merciless friends.
“Have mercy on me, my friends, have mercy,
for God’s hand has struck me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?” (19:21-22 CSB).
And desperate to be proven innocent, he wishes that his words would be kept forever; believing that one day truth would be revealed, and his name would be vindicated.
“Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 “That with an iron stylus and lead
They were engraved in the rock forever!” (19:23-24).
And in his plea for justice, he refuses to continue in lifeless controversies; for he knows his fight for justification will only be secured by One, Our Living Redeemer.
Consider Him, Our Living Redeemer
From Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance’s:
Redeemer: “1350. גְּאוּלִים geʾûliym, גָּאַל gāʾal: A verb meaning to redeem or act as a kinsman-redeemer. The word means …to redeem or buy back from bondage…; to redeem or buy back a kinsman’s possessions…; to redeem an object through a payment… Theologically, this word is used to convey God’s redemption of individuals from spiritual death and His redemption of the nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage and also from exile…”
Lives: “2416. חַי ḥay, חַיָּה ḥayyāh: A feminine noun meaning a living thing…”
In Job’s bold declaration of faith, he firmly stands on the truth of his Redeemer’s Ability, Eternality, and Authority.
“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth,” (19:25).
- He is Our Living Redeemer Who is Able to save us forever.
- but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them, (Hebrews 7:24-25).
- He is Our Living Redeemer Who is Eternal, the first and the last, alive forevermore.
- When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades,” (Revelation 1:17-18).
- He is Our Living Redeemer Who has Authority over every authority.
- and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all, (Ephesians 1:19-23).
How do we respond to Him, Our Living Redeemer?
“Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God;
27 Whom I myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.
My heart faints within me! (19:26-27).
Job’s faith did not sugar-coat his reality. But his faith looked forward to what his Living Redeemer would do. The phrase “my heart faints within me,” carries the idea of a consummate longing for the finish, a deep yearning for a favorable conclusion. Job was convinced that even after his death, he would one day see God, and he hungered to see that day; the day his eyes would behold his Living Redeemer.
He is Our Living Redeemer Who has called us to a living hope. And because He is Able, because He is Eternal, because He has all Authority, He will accomplish His eternal promises for us.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Oh, to have the faith of Job. May our hearts faint within us with an insatiable desire to see the day when Our Living Redeemer “will take His stand on the earth.”
“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth,” (19:25).
But according to His promise, we are awaiting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells, (2 Peter 3:13 Berean Literal Bible).
And while we wait:
- Let us live by faith, assured of His Promise.
- yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform, (Romans 4:20-21).
- Let us live by faith, convinced of His Love.
- For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Romans 8:38-39).
- Let us live by faith, alert and always ready for the day Our Living Redeemer returns.
- “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will,” (Matthew 24:42-44).
- Let us live by faith, that we would become living redeemers of the time He has given, for once it is gone, we cannot buy it back.
- Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil, (Ephesians 5:15-16 Berean Study Bible).
While we may face opposition and criticism for our faith, the truth is the day is coming when His Truth will be revealed. Let us refuse to engage in lifeless controversies, but rather let us ask the Lord to give us His Words of Life, that others too may be granted repentance to turn to Him, Our Living Redeemer.
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. 24 The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, (2 Timothy 2:23-25).