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 (Job 19:25, 26).  The book of Job is said to be the oldest  in Scripture, it deals with the problem of “bad things happening to good people.”  It teaches that suffering is not always a result of our sin, for Job was a just and good man (1:8).  Job doesn't understand why he is suffering, and many times neither do we.  Sometimes we suffer as the consequences of our sin. I mean  bad choices have negative consequences  (Galatians 6:7). Suffering for our sin is designed to lead us to repentance, and hence to God.

Great suffering is a crossroads, it can lead us to God, or it can lead us away from Him. Job's wife counselled him to “curse God and die” (2:9). Most of the book of Job is about him wrestling with the injustice of it all. It ends with Him drawing even closer to God (42:5), but there are times he accuses God of injustice. God is big enough to deal with this. David when he was overwhelmed “poured out his complaint to the Lord” (Psalm 142:2, 3). When I find myself there,  I picture in my mind's eye the Lord with His arms around me, and me pummelling his chest with my fists.  I know that He would rather I came to Him with my accusations, than to take offence and walk away. In my own case, I'm too weak to walk away, I cannot live without Him even if I think He is being unfair. But life is not fair is it? But then He never promised that it would be.  And if we hold two things together in tension,  firstly that God is good, and secondly that life is unfair,  then we too will come to the conclusion of this morning's verses.

Firstly then that I have a redeemer. A redeemer is one who is charged with restoring the rights of another and avenging his wrongs. The Lord is our redeemer, and He tells us “Revenge is mine, I will repay” (Deuteronomy 32:35). Secondly, in light of the New Testament, we know that our redeemer is Jesus, and that He lives. In fact He lives and is making intercession for us  (Hebrews 7:25).  Though he likely did not know it, Job's next words are prophetic  “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives” (Zechariah . 14:4). Lastly Job understands that if God is just, there has to be something after his “skin is destroyed.” Paul has much to say about in what sort of “flesh” we shall see God (1 Corinthians 15:34-44). But one thing is certain, the believer shall see God.

Lord Jesus, there is indeed coming a day when we will see You face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).  On that day Lord there is no doubt in my mind that we will say “You have done all things well.” In the meantime Lord please give us grace to deal with the injustices of life, and the discernment to know when we are suffering because of things we have done. But be it suffering unjustly, or as a consequence of our sin I know that You my redeemer. I know that You live,  and that to die is gain. And I give You praise and glory again this Morning Lord in Your precious and lovely Name Amen