Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
I read Job from a different perspective after Hurricane Katrina ravaged our city. I never dreamed in a million years that I would see such devastation. There were miles and miles of utter destruction, not a bird or animal or human would be anywhere in sight. It resembled a movie set, torn up infrastructure with no life. Many people committed suicide, many others had emotional breakdowns; many thousands left for good. That’s why I was reading Job, Job made it and I wanted to know how.
In today’s verse Job made his declaration of faith while the storm was raging. This was not just a principle he was trying, this was the belief of his heart. He knew that God had promised redemption, He had given His word that a Redeemer would come. Job believed God. Here are some thoughts on today’s scripture from Jonathan Edwards.
“He that can say, “I know that my Redeemer liveth,” he knows him to be better than all. For as has been observed already, ’tis implied that he knows that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He sees in him that glory and excellency that is delightful and ravishing. That beauty is so great, so divine, that the sight of it, when it is so clearly seen, is above [all] things sweet. It fills the soul with a light so divine and powerful that it is impossible but the soul should be withal filled with peace and pleasantness. A sinking dullness and sorrow is not consistent with such bright light. “What can be better to the soul than to see the face of the only begotten Son of God, that is full of grace and truth? And while the soul has that light, it will have comfort. In vain is the rage of Satan, or any of his instruments, to the contrary.”
It would be several thousand years before Job’s prophesy would be completely fulfilled through the appearance of Jesus Christ. The Redeemer did show up for Job though. He came to Job in another storm. Not sure what Job thought at first sight of this storm, it was storms that had taken most everything that Job owned and loved. But this was not an ordinary storm, the Redeemer was in this one. God revealed Himself to Job in a new and powerful way that day, his trial was over and recovery was on the way. What’s the lesson from Job? Get hold of God for yourself, He alone will satisfy and keep you no matter what comes.