Our Living Redeemer (Job 19:23-29)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
26 January 2020
Redeemer means deliverer, Saviour or vindicator. He is someone close to us, such as a relative, who rescues us out of dilemma.
Job knew his Redeemer was alive. In great distress Job was contemplating his death and cried out "I know my Redeemer lives” (19:25). To die with such assured hope is a blessing. Job knew there was life after death.
His knowledge of a living Redeemer came because the Holy Spirit revealed it to him. Jesus is the Redeemer and the Spirit has been given to bear witness to him (John 14:26; 16:14).
Job wanted his insight to be permanently remembered (19:23-24). He wants his words to be written, inscribed and permanently engraved on stone. We know that after a sporting event the winner’s cup is etched with the winner's name to be a permanent record. So Job wants his testimony preserved for posterity. His desire has been granted because today, we have his story in the Bible - in the Book of Job.
Consider what Job says.
He knew his Redeemer would one day stand on the earth. This is remarkable. The book of Job is an ancient book. Job saw that one day his Redeemer would stand on this earth! Is not the Redeemer Jesus Christ who came into this world to save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21)? And he came hundreds and hundreds of years after Job uttered his prophecy.
He knew he would see God (19:26). Even though he lived long before Jesus, Job believed in resurrection. With God-given insight Job knew that in his flesh he would one day see God. But who is the God that he will see? It is Jesus. All believers will one day see him as he is and be like him (1 John 3:2).
He longs for this after-life moment. His heart yearns for it (19:27). Centuries after Job another great man of God, Paul, spoke of having a desire to depart and being with Jesus which was far better (Philippians 1:23).
Job is confident that he will one day be vindicated. All his accusers will be put to shame and more than put to shame, they shall be judged (19:28-29) for failing to see that the root of faith was in Job. Job’s suffering is a foreshadow of Jesus’ sufferings. Job endured affliction. Jesus also. Job was vindicated. Jesus also. Job’s friends were judged for their ignorance. Jesus’ enemies will be judged for rejecting him.
This remarkable story of Job raises 3 serious questions.
How can a God of love put people through suffering? Suffering comes as a result of man’s fall in the Garden of Eden and is fueled by human stupidity and sin. Some suffering has a higher cause, such as in Job’s case. God rules and we are to submit to his will. He is in heaven and he does whatever he pleases (Psalm 115:3). He can do everything and anything and no purpose of his can be withheld.
But does this mean we are fatalistic? Do we just accept everything that comes our way? The answer is no. Christians are not fatalistic; they are fighters. They ask questions. They ask why? They wrestle with issues until finally they submit to the will of God. The difference between fatalism and Christian faith is that the fatalist has no recourse to God whereas the Christian believes in a sovereign God who governs all things. This is providence which fatalists know nothing about.
Is conviction of sin necessary to come to know Jesus? Job does not seem to have been convicted of sin before he made his wonderful testimony, “I know my Redeemer lives.” Job was already a believer as seen by his actions in chapter 1. He had already been convicted of sin which led him to worship God. What happened in chapter 19 appears to be (to use modern terminology) a post-conversion experience or moment. Job’s wonderful utterance came out of a great trial of his faith rather than out of conviction of sin.
The essence of the matter is that in his hour of great need Job saw the Redeemer with spiritual eyes and longed to see him in the future. This longing is the same longing of all Christians. Come Lord Jesus come. Maranatha.