PRAYER + PRAISE
Our Redeemer Lives
- Adam R. Cole // May 19, 2009
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. —Job 19:25
The story of Job is one that describes the deep suffering of an individual, one described to be righteous, at the hands of Satan. God allowed Satan to ‘test’ Job, in order for there to be proof that Job followed the Lord not for material benefits but simply out of dutifully love and obedience to a supreme being. Satan had questioned Job’s true faith, as if it were done to attain blessing. The testing was harsh: Job’s whole family was killed, his wealth and land were taken away, and he personally was in deep pain with sores all over his body.
The book of Job brings sends forth a deep dialogue between Job and his three friends on the idea of sin and wickedness. While Job’s friends continue to asset that his suffering is account of his sins and unrighteousness, Job does not see it the same way. His view is more along an eternal line of thinking, as he does not question his suffering but is just trying to revitalize a connection with God, as David often did in his psalms.
The back and forth discussion between Job and his friends leads up to the above passage, one that is prophetic and speaks to the redemptive arrangement of God and His creation. The use of redeemer above translated in Hebrew (since it is an Old Testament reference) as go’el is related to Israelite family law, as kinsman redeemer, where a relative would restore something, in a transaction sense, often in terms of property (if the family member had lost that property due to not being able to pay it in appropriate time).
Job’s use of redeemer in this way, a way that a personal and living redeemer would bring restoration, had to do with his situation, both in a physical (that he had sores all over his body and was in great pain) and in a metaphysical sense (that he was being accused by his friends as a great sinner and wicked man). And it also affirms the Lord’s sovereignty, that He will come and stand upon the earth, in a way that He will always and forever rule (even when He seems distant and allowing suffering, as in Job’s case, to take place).
Within such pain and uncertainty, Job still professed a proclamation to the Redeemer, the Lord God, and that He would living and personal.
Jesus Christ would become that living redeemer, bringing the restoration to all of humanity that Job was pleading for.
In the end, God blessed Job with a new family, great amount of property, and healing from his physical pain.
But more than being blessed by possessions and health, may we all take great celebration that our souls no longer hurt in separation, in a fractured sense of being a part from God, because of the living Redeemer that was Jesus Christ.
Praise: That Jesus was the living Redeemer that saved us our internal hurt and gave us eternal salvation.
Prayer: That we look to the Redeemer even in the worst of hurts.
Prayer for Today: Lord, we thank You for another beautiful day and another blessing of the life that You have created for us. We see a great lesson in Job and His continued faith, even in suffering. He made a great proclamation of the Redeemer, which we now know as Your Son, Jesus Christ. May we make such a proclamation in all our times of trouble, no matter the trouble, as look to Jesus as our peace offering to You. Be in us and with us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.