Scripture Reading(s)
Job 19:23-27a
19:23 “O that my words were written down! O that they were inscribed in a book!
19:24 O that with an iron pen and with lead they were engraved on a rock forever!
19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth;
19:26 and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God,
19:27a whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
Reflections
At the height of Job’s despair, his faith also was at the highest and confidently affirmed that God was his redeemer. Despite his agony, pain and suffering Job still hung on the premise of God’s love for Him. Furthermore, he wanted that confidence in the record for all to know. He longed for the history of his life to be sketched and written out so that the world would know that his son did not reflect the magnitude of his suffering.
Job was at the point that he had no hope left ins this life, however he was confident that after he was dead, God would vindicate him and he would enjoy eternity with His loving Savior. He believed in what we would call the Gospel message to be today.
We are all at one point to going to have or have already faced a hopeless time in our lives. Those moments may have felt like our “last” or for some, we have experienced watching people in their last moments. When we choose to spend our life putting our faith and trust in God, when we come to the end or what may appear to the end of our lives, like Job we can confidently look back and say that our hope is found in our redeemer. We can with boldness proclaim that we know that we are going to spend eternity with our heavenly father.
On earth we have a heavenly hope that others who do not believe in God do not have. Whatever life throws at us we can set our eyes firmly on the eternal hope which is spending eternity with Christ in heaven and rejoicing with Him forever.
Some speculate as to whether or not Job was a real person or a story used to describe a higher truth. However, I am not sure that matters. The story was handed down to us and inspired by God. We should glean what we can from it regardless of it’s origin.
Job was afflicted beyond what most people would consider normal. He lost his children, his wealth, and his health. He was tormented with boils and skin disease as well. He suffered the poor advice from friend in the midst of his agony as well, suggesting that he must have sinned and brought this upon himself.
Yet, in the middle of the storm Job pressed on. He held fast to what he knew was true, namely that God is his redeemer. We are all like Job. We will have trials. We will question our own fate and causes that have placed us in such conditions. We will have a faith crisis and we will discover our own fail human existence. But it is our decision on what to do after we are afflicted that will show how much like Job we really are. Will we hold fast to the Lord or will be curse Him and turn away?
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