Still in Job at the moment. I find this to be the second most remarkable part of Job and in some ways is Job's finest hour! At first his friends were more tentative in their criticism of Job and their logic that he must have done something very wrong for such a great calamity to come upon him was delivered with a little softness. Not so now. As the second round of speeches by his "friends" come their logic is bold and ungloved. Satan has taken nearly all he has, and then inflicted his body. But his friends are so certain of their logic (which is based on a similar idea to karma, making a rule out of the proverb "what goes around comes around,") that they attack his inner life. They are not satisfied that his external blessings are gone and his flesh is being consumed by ulcers.
Job 19:21-27
"Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me! Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh? Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!"
Job's faith here staggers me. Certainly he is not right in everything he says (though he refuses to curse God). But at this point as his friends begin to mercilessly attack his faith, he holds on so strong. Beyond doubt his hope is set in his Redeemer, knowing that the day will come when this Great One will stand on the earth and all will be seen as it ought to be. His hope is in (full physical) resurrection - even after his skin is destroyed, in his flesh he will see God, his eyes will behold him. This great hope keeps him and sustains his soul under the most awful pressure. It seems he has nothing left but this hope, but still in faith, knowing his God, he clings to it.
Now we have an advantage over Job. We have seen in history our Redeemer come and finish his redeeming work. The Son of Man has come to serve us and give his life as a ransom for many. The ransom he paid on the cross has redeemed our lives for glory. So the author to the Hebrews exhorts us to fix our eyes on Christ the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame. Jesus endured worse than Job; Job's life was spared, but Jesus gave his away, being made to be sin, being made to suffer the wrath of God at sin in our place. A yet even there at his most forsaken his hope remained in his God ("My God, my God" he cried).
Job's finest hour teaches us where to look, where to cling, when all we have is taken away. The New Testament brings his example into sharper focus. Job's redeemer is Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. His suffering accomplished (authored) our rescue and is the foundation of our faith. His suffering is the example (perfection) for our faith to follow. So we can know that even when we feel forsaken or overlooked by God, our Redeemer lives and he will stand on this earth. Even in despair keep looking at the one who will stand on this earth, and we will see him in our flesh!
