I woke up this morning with a killer migraine—wanted to go back to bed, but knew I’d slept enough, and it would only make it worse. I had already woke up too late to get to church, so I figured I’d spend some “quality” time with God and then watch some church TV.
I opened my Bible, really just moving on faith, knowing the migraine was going to make things fuzzy, and there I found the words “I know my Redeemer lives.”
It’s tough living in the world sin and Satan have corrupted. We human beings suffer, along with all of creation. Suffering and the things people do wrong—sin—hurt all of us. But Job, who underwent some very painful sufferings, stood up in faith and said these words. He said them in spite of the things he was facing—the death of his children, the betrayal of his wife, the alienation of his friends and family, and his own painful diseases.
Maybe God was telling me something? I decided to write the passage down:
Job 19:23-27
Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, forever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth. And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
Like Job, my heart yearns for redemption, especially when I’m sick and suffering. Does it call to you as well? We long for a better world, better environment. How will it feel to live in bodies that don’t get sick, don’t feel the desire to sin, don’t have skewed emotions and negative feelings? How will it feel to be able to enjoy the best of life, including eating and drinking, without the negative affects? How will it be to live without fear of sickness, cancer, death? How my heart years within me!!!
Job knew that God would redeem him one day, yet it wasn’t after the great declaration “I know my redeemer lives!” that Job was redeemed.
Job had already declared his loyalty to God: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him!” But God did not redeem his situation then.
Twice Job has declared his trust and belief, but there is seemingly no response from God.
We must be patient with God. Patience is difficult, but it bears fruit—the fruit of maturity in Christ.
James 1:4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking nothing.
Job was redeemed—although he would have expected it to occur “after his skin is destroyed.” God redeemed his situation and blessed him more greatly than before, but not until after the day came when God confronted Job about his issues:
Job had been talking about God, but hadn’t known Him as well as he could have—yet he had spoken ‘out of turn,’ as it were, in a way that God objected to. Some of God’s objections:
“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Surely you know … who stretched the line over it?”
--Job, you don’t know everything. You weren’t around when I created the world. You’ve been talking about things you don’t understand. Anything you try to say about it would only be guessing!
“Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?”
--Wasn’t you, Job.
Then God said, “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”
--Do you have something to say, Job?
Of course Job couldn’t answer God, he wisely just listened, and we know his “final answer.”
“I have uttered that I did not understand, things too wonderful for me
He said, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You”
The end result?
“Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
I think we have to be careful what we say about God. We have His word, and we are responsible for what we know. But we don’t know everything. The Bible says we now see “in a glass, dimly” but eventually we will be “face to face.” “Now I know in part, but then I will know just as I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12.) We need to be sure we use what we know cautiously and be circumspect in how we speak to others.
We have the benefit of having God’s word, but we have to know it in order to speak of it.
We have the benefit of having God’s spirit, but we have to spend time with God in order to have the blessing of knowing Him in an intimate way.
God further chides Job’s so-called “comforters” for misrepresenting Him. He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” They were instructed to bring sacrifices and have Job pray for them, and they did, and God “restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.”
Then God blessed him, redeemed him, gave him back his family and his wealth. After he prayed and no doubt forgave them for speaking against God and against himself.
I think about the power there is in forgiving, and the deliverance God gives when we pray for those who hurt us!
I have a hope of heaven, Jesus, my Redeemer, who is coming again
“And every eye shall see Him, even they which pierced Him” --Rev. 1:7
James talks about the last days, and how we must be patient.
“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient; establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
He reminds us of Job:
“Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”
I must be patient, and establish my heart in Christ. I must trust God! The Lord is very compassionate--it's not that He doesn't care; and merciful--He will have mercy on me.
I am longing for the day I will see Him coming again. Even though my flesh and heart may fail, I know my Redeemer lives and He will stand on the earth.
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