Job 19:25-27. 25For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
What we say in the midst of our trials and suffering reveals what we truly believe. What do you say in the midst of your trials? Oh well. Such is life. Serves me right. No use in complaining. Other people have it much worse. Que sera sera.
None of these are anywhere close to how Job responded in his trial. He responded to his inconceivable suffering with one of the greatest statements of faith in all of scripture, and one of the clearest pictures of life in Christ in all the Old Testament – For I know that my Redeemer lives.
Job knew that he couldn’t argue with God on his own behalf. He knew he couldn’t negotiate with God on the basis of his own righteousness. He knew he needed a redeemer. In ancient Israel, a redeemer was a near relative who eased your suffering by paying your debts and purchasing your freedom. Job knew he needed someone like this to come and rescue him. But his redeemer would not be a relative or friend. His Redeemer would be God himself – I shall see God.
Then comes this incredible confession about God – he will stand upon the earth. Job’s hope is in a physical, imminent, earthly redeemer who stands (rules) on the earth (the land). Wait. Job’s redeemer is God himself and Job’s redeemer is also human. How can this be?!
Jesus Christ is Job’s redeemer, and he is our redeemer. Jesus is both God and he is man, and Jesus has paid off all our incapacitating debt to God. He has brought us out of the pit of despair and restored us to glory. He is making all things new. Everything bad, Jesus will make good. Everything wrong, Jesus will make right. Everything lost, Jesus will restore.
Christian, Jesus is not the eject button. Our destiny in Christ is not to “go to heaven,” but for heaven to come to us. He will stand on earth. He will give us a New Earth on which to stand, and reign with him forever as the New Creation. This is why Job will say, in my flesh I shall see God. Job will relate to God and all creation forever physically. Yes, Job’s skin will be destroyed, and he will die, but still, he will stand in his flesh before God. How is this contrast even possible?
Because Jesus will resurrect us bodily. We will live forever walking, talking, hugging, holding, and eating, with Jesus and each other. We will not just be merged into the cosmos or joined with the “world soul.” Our destiny is far better. It is a physical and personal eternity with God – I shall see God. This is Job’s greatest hope. Seeing God.
In his suffering Job couldn’t see the invisible God. Even when God does finally show up, he will be veiled in the whirlwind. But God did not stay veiled. He came to us, in flesh. He became accessible. Knowable. Touchable. He stood upon the earth. We saw God. We saw him take our place in our suffering, and in our dying. We saw him on the cross.
To live is Christ gives us a response to our suffering unlike any other. Not “such is life,” or “it could have been worse,” or “I just have to move on.” Our response in Christ is far greater – For I know that my Redeemer lives and at last he will stand upon the earth. This is a living hope that can actually sustain you. This is a living hope that can actually bring you to a place of worship in your sorrow. This is a living hope in a Redeemer God that will resurrect, restore, and renew all that you have ever lost in this life.
You: How do you typically respond to your suffering?
You in Christ: How does knowing that your Redeemer lives, restore your hope today?
Christ in you: How can you move forward in your sorrow in the hope of seeing God?
To Live is Christ 