I Know
Today’s Bible Reading: JOB 19:1-21:34
Job 19:25
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
There is hope in our hard times when we know help is here. Trouble is bearable when we know that there is a Redeemer that lives and will come to our aid. It is this expectation that enables us to endure crisis. It is the promise of his power and presence that permits us to persevere through our pain.
Job affirmed that through all that he had experienced there was one who would come to his aid. A Redeemer who he knew and who knew him would help him. His Redeemer would bring relief. Notice he calls him ‘”my Redeemer”. His deep intimate relationship with the Redeemer beckoned a response. A Redeemer that was aware of his agony, one that was acquainted with his anguish. One who could sympathize with his suffering and stand with him in his struggle.
He may not have known why all these things came upon him, but he knew who could come help him. His Redeemer would come. His Heavenly hope would help. He was his surety in his suffering and his strength for his struggle. He was his confidence in crisis. In all of his uncertainty on this he was certain, “I know”. No doubt could dissuade him. No friend could frustrate him. He knew his Redeemer.
Here too Job acknowledges that his Redeemer “lives”. Death had dealt a deep blow to Job. He had lost all his worldly possessions. He had lost his children; death had swallowed them up. Darkness and despair devoured him. His sorrows were multiplied around him. Despite all he lost he didn’t lose heart. His eyes turned past his loss to the living. His Redeemer lives. All else is gone, but his Redeemer lives.
The word in Hebrew for Redeemer is Goel. The Goel is someone who is directly related to the person in peril and able to help them in time of trouble. They primarily act to buy or “redeem’ what had been lost. Jesus is the Redeemer. He is able to “buy back” what has been lost by sin for all those who put their faith in Him. Jesus became flesh and thus is related to all humanity by physical birth, but not everyone is closely related to Jesus by spiritual birth. The Bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name”. Only those who receive Him as their Lord and Savior become His children. It is only for them that He can act as their Redeemer.
Today rejoice that there is a resurrected Redeemer who is able to rescue all who receive Him. Thank the Lord that He has sent Jesus to redeem fallen humanity. Praise God that by the provision of His blood we are cleansed from our sin and adopted into His family. If you don’t know Him, receive Him. If you know Him and have received Him, rejoice with Job that your Redeemer lives.
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