My Redeemer Lives

The book of Job is hard to get through at times. It's full of personal attacks and false accusations and then rebuttals from Job for the lion's share of the story. YET, and this has happened repeatedly already, there are some of the most wonderful phrases of the Bible found in its pages. Consider this one from Job 19.

Job 19:25–27 (ESV) For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

This is perhaps the greatest statement of faith in the Bible. Job is utterly desperate, downtrodden, and defeated by the events of his life. But here he still holds on to the promise of God's redeeming plan for mankind. Yes, the devil had his way with him (although Job thinks it's God), but Job's faith will not waver in the ultimate plan God has for his life. And without Job's suffering, these words would never have been spoken.

The chapter starts with Job's rebuttal to Bildad's second accusation. Bildad had ratcheted up his attacks on Job, lumping him in with the wicked and supposing he's getting what he deserves. But Job will not let their attacks stick. He shoots them down with great wisdom time and again. This time telling Bildad that even if his circumstance was due to his sin, what is that to him? This is between him and God!

Job 19:4–6 (ESV) And even if it be true that I have erred, my error remains with myself. 5 If indeed you magnify yourselves against me and make my disgrace an argument against me, 6 know then that God has put me in the wrong and closed his net about me.

Then Job considers himself God's enemy against whom God has aimed his terrors. 

Job 19:9–10 (ESV) He has stripped from me my glory and taken the crown from my head. 10 He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone, and my hope has he pulled up like a tree.

Job has gone from "I hate my life" to "God must hate me". Surely this is the step-by-step progression of all who suffer in terrible ways. It's hard in life to not wonder at times if God was truly loving us.

Then Job considers how his relationships have been destroyed because of his suffering:

Job 19:14–17 (ESV) My relatives have failed me, my close friends have forgotten me. 15 The guests in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger; I have become a foreigner in their eyes. 16 I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy. 17 My breath is strange to my wife, and I am a stench to the children of my own mother.

Can it get worse tan this?

Job 19:19 (ESV) All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me.

You can't help see the jab he's taken at the three who have argued with him now for 17 chapters. 

And then this cry from Job's heart:

Job 19:23–24 (ESV) “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! 24 Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!

It's amazing that these words came true. Job's words have been engraved in Holy Scripture for all generations. This reinforces the truth that God does not waste our hurts or terrible experiences. Without the book of Job, we would miss so much of the truth about God. The beautiful truth He imbibes to us for the sake of others as we witness the steadfast faith of those who came before us. And finally, and most importantly, His work through all things and His willingness to become our redeemer by suffering for us. 

Indeed He lives, and because He lives, we too shall live!