Job’s Precious Hope for the Future

The Lord had visited Job with the most terrible calamities to which this earthly life is subject. All his possessions had been destroyed and his loved ones had been taken from him by the cold hand of death. His wife could not understand it, and she was angry with Cod and with her husband.

God had abundantly blessed him with earthly possessions, but now all was gone. He was afflicted with a loathsome disease that laid him low and brought him to the very brink of despair.

More than that, his friends, instead of comforting him, upbraided him with their speeches and accused him of some great sin against God for which he was suffering the penalty.

Job was convinced of the fact that by nature he was a great sinner. He had testified, “I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If He will contend with him, he cannot answer Him one of a thousand”

(Job 9:2,3).

But he knew by grace that he had walked uprightly before his God and that it was not because of a special sin that all these calamities came upon him. Take, for example, a look at the first chapter. He was an example for his fellow traveler to eternity. But Job knew that he was a child of Adam, and that God alone had taught him that by the work of the Holy Spirit he was God’s child.

But listening to his friends, he had to acknowledge that it was impossible to clear himself in their sight. The wonder was that in the midst of all his trouble he could have moments that his soul was given a living hope, because Christ was his portion.

Listen to what he said: “For I know that my Redeemer liveth.” That was Job’s precious hope for the future. Yes, it was his hope even in the greatest difficulties in his life. What was the ground of this hope?

Dear reader, Job was not a man who was halting between two opinions. He dared to say, “I know.” It was not a mere wish that Job uttered here. He did not say, “I would like that it were so,” or, “that it might be so,”—as so many are inclined to say. We live in times that not very many receive assurance from heaven for their well-being on their journey to eternity.

More than that, his friends, instead of comforting him, upbraided him with their speeches and accused him of some great sin against God for which he was suffering the penalty.

If we look into it, then we would say that Job had reason to doubt. He was one that feared God and eschewed evil. Notwithstanding his righteousness, he was afflicted most grievously; his soul was wrapped in darkness because God seemed to have forsaken him which intensified the darkness that surrounded his soul. Yet his convictions remained unshaken; his knowledge remained firm. He was so positive that he even wished that his words were written in a book or graven with an iron pen and lead in rock forever so that they might remain as a testimony throughout the ages to show the certainty of his knowledge.

We must remember that his knowledge was not a mere rational perception which he had built upon the ever unstable basis of his own reasoning, but it was spiritual perception founded upon that firm foundation of true saving faith in God. It was true faith, therefore, that enabled Job to say, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” By grace Job believed and, therefore, he knew. He knew so assuredly that no tribulation, not even the power of Satan and hell, could cause him to waver. It was the same faith to which the Psalmist afterward testified when he said, “I believed, therefore have I spoken.”

This knowledge was the secret of Job’s patience on account of which his very name has become proverbial. In all these things is an earnest lesson for God’s church on earth. There is often so little knowledge of Christ, that we might be ashamed. The basis for Job’s sure knowledge was, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” With an eye of faith he might look upon Him. Can we say the same thing?

The meaning of the name Redeemer is that He had the right to redeem. Although He seemed to be far away, and although He was invisible to the natural eye, Job could behold Him by means of his spiritual eye. He was convinced that the Redeemer was watching over him — and it was a Redeemer that would never die. This Redeemer to whom Job had reference is none other than the living God as He revealed Himself in Christ Jesus.

In order to redeem His people, God’s justice must be satisfied. And that is what Jesus Christ did. He suffered the penalty of sin upon the cross and by His righteousness He paid the price for the redemption of the Old and New Testament church. Indeed, upon such a Redeemer Job could safely rely, and truthfully could he testify of Him, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” He was his personal Savior. Let us not have rest before we know that, by the light of God’s dear Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.

What is the content of this living hope? Listen to what the text says: “and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth”—He shall stand to vindicate His cause. Thus, this Redeemer shall stand to testify as to His righteousness and innocence. Thus also shall this Redeemer rise up as the only Helper. He shall deliver Job (and all His children) from the power of all their adversaries, from the bondage of sin, from the wretchedness of their pitiable condition. He, Christ, shall stand upon the dust of the tomb and raise the banner of victory over death and the grave.

Rev. A. W. Verhoef is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Chilliwack, British Columbia.

Job knew that he was rapidly declining and that this life held no charms in itself. It was nothing but a continuous struggling amidst all the trials and temptations, but he found comfort in looking beyond death and the grave to that latter day when his Redeemer would stand above the dust to proclaim His righteousness and vindicate His honor. Jesus takes care of His child. Oh, let it be the need of our souls to receive that light from heaven! Job knew by faith that in that day the Redeemer would also claim him; that he also would belong to that redeemed throng clothed in garments of white, washed in the blood of the Lamb.

This was not only for his soul but also for his body in which he was then suffering so grievously. For he says, “Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” Job intended to say that out of that same body, wherein he then was suffering, he would behold God, his Maker. This is also clear from the words which immediately follow, namely: “Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me.” Do we know what was a blessing for Job? That he expected that that very body which was soon to be consumed by worms, would awaken again and would be placed in the presence of God.

He shall deliver Job (and all His children) from the power of all their adversaries, from the bondage of sin, from the wretchedness of their pitiable condition.

Job expected his body to rise again, but not in the same condition as it was laid in the grave. This would not have been a source of comfort and joy to Job, to know that that body—in its diseased condition, with all its pains and miseries, polluted with sin — would reunite with his soul. But Job expected his body to rise again, in a holy, pure, and glorified condition in the great day of Christ’s coming on the clouds. For he knew that his Redeemer would pay the price for his redemption and He would fully restore him, delivered not only from death and grave, but also from the pollution of sin and its terrible results.

Job might believe “for in death this body is sown in corruption; it shall be raised in incorruption.” Yes, it shall be raised in power, although it was sown in weakness. With all his troubles and trials, Job was still a blessed child of God.

The great question, dear reader, must be for you and me: Have we a living Redeemer upon whom we can depend and whom we can call our own personal Redeemer? Job could say with gladness, “In my flesh shall I see God.” He would behold Him with his own eyes.

God’s Word reveals to us that in the last day there shall be a two-fold seeing of God. There shall be a seeing of God as an angered Judge who pours out His wrath upon all the workers of iniquity.

The unrighteousness and ungodly shall see Him, for they shall arise and be placed in God’s presence, but only to receive the sentence of eternal damnation. They shall fear and tremble, and shall try to flee, calling upon the mountions and rocks to fall upon them, to hide them from the face of Him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb (see Rev. 6).

Therefore it is necessary that we be born again! God must do a miracle in our life, restoring us from death to life. Hypocrisy cannot help us; lies cannot help us; friends cannot help us. I fear many try to help themselves, but it is of no avail. Therefore we need light from above on our journey to eternity.

Job was enabled to see a loving Father in his Redeemer. God’s wrath was taken away and He revealed His love to Job in ancient times. Job expected to see God as David expressed in his prayer: “As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness.”

With all his troubles and trials, Job was still a blessed child of God.

How shall we behold God? We also shall see Him, for all eyes shall behold Him. But, the important question is for everyone: How shall we see Him? As a wrathful and angered Judge? Or as a Father, who for His Son’s sake, brings them with soul and body into His holy Kingdom?

If you live as you will in this world, even if you have had a religious upbringing, but you never came to repentance, then terrible will be your condition.

Oh, poor, weak soul, with a thousand questions about your relationship with God, may you learn that the Redeemer can save you out of the midst of the many afflictions of this life, especially from all your sins, and then you may, with Job of old, rejoice in God!

May the lesson of Job’s life give us an insight into God’s wondrous work through Christ Jesus the Redeemer. Don’t trust in any other foundation. And people of God, may we be delivered, as Job, from all that is of ourselves, so that we shall find true rest in the only Redeemer, and thus be assured by the Holy Spirit of the hope of eternal salvation, which will come true in that day when the redeemed shall see the Triune God with the eyes of the soul and of the body. Amen.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen