BACKGROUND
Bildad the Shuhite starts his second round of "comforting" Job by telling him that the "light of the wicked goes out" (18:5). By saying this, he was again implying that Job was wicked, and this was why he was suffering. It must have especially hurt Job to have Bildad say that the wicked "has no offspring or posterity among his people, nor any survivor where he sojourned" because Job had just lost all his sons and daughters! Such a sensitive friend (NOT!).
Maybe this last little jab about his family did hurt Job because he said, "How long will you crush me with words" (19:2)? He continued to defend his innocence and shouts for help, but he claims he gets no justice and that God is against him and has "uprooted [his] hope like a tree" (19:10). He claims that everyone else is against him and that even his "breath is offensive to [his] wife" (19:17 - I must admit. That one made me laugh out loud today.). He cries out for pity, but his friends gave him none.
Even though Job says that God has uprooted his hope, he still expresses hope in the final crescendo of Job 19:
As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God.
(19:25, 26)
REFLECTION
The Hebrew word for "Redeemer is go'el and was
"a person who defended or avenged the cause of another, or who provided protection or legal aid for a close relative who could not do so for himself" (Bible Knowledge Commentary). We have heard about this most famously in the Book of Ruth where Boaz, as Ruth's kinsman redeemer, rescued Ruth in the new land by marrying her.
In the midst of the darkness of Job 19, the words of hope echoed in verses 25-26 inspire me to walk by faith even in my darkest times. Job made a hopeful affirmation of faith in the midst of a garbage dump, ostracized from family and friends, and in intense pain and suffering. He shouted: "I know that my Redeemer lives!" to his worthless friends and all those around him. He knew that in the end God would stand upon the earth and testify that Job was innocent. In addition, after he was dead, he would see God.
The Scarlet Thread of Redemption
We know that our kinsman redeemer is Jesus Christ. He died for our sins and returned to heaven as our Advocate (Job 16:9) and He will, one day, stand upon the earth exercising true righteous judgment as our Kinsman Redeemer. Satan may kill, steal and destroy, just as he did to Job and his family, but Jesus Christ is the Vindicator and Living One who will give, to all who know Him, life (John 5:21, 26).
APPLICATION/PRAYER
Pray through Job 19:25, 26.
No comments:
Post a Comment