Day 156

My Redeemer Lives

Read: Job 15-19

The second round of argument begins with Eliphaz, who repeats the same old tired arguments. Only before he was gentle; now he is blunt. Let us avoid argument, but when we find it necessary to argue, let us be gracious. It is possible to win an argument and to lose things which are much more important, such as friendship.

Job called his friends “miserable comforters” and said that if he was in their place, he could easily speak as they do. All around us people need comfort. Let us carry out a ministry of comfort. To do so we must have sensitivity. Compassion and sympathy both mean literally “to feel with.” Job stated that God had worn him out for reasons he did not understand.

Bildad repeats his old arguments and Job expresses his despair. God has broken him down, and his family and friends look on him with loathing. He is in the deepest distress. Suddenly the Spirit of God moves him from despair to hope: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth . . . I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side” (19:25-27). We need to realize that there was little hope of heaven in the Old Testament. It remained for Christ to “bring life and immortality to light” (2 Tim. 1:10). But occasionally God granted his people a glimpse of that wonderful life to come.

PRAYER
Father, we rejoice that Christ our Redeemer is very much alive and interceding for us. In his name. Amen.